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A review by tracey21k
The Colour of Bee Larkham’s Murder by Sarah J. Harris
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
REVIEW: The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder by Sarah J Harris.
Published in 2018, this book had never come under my radar until @another.chapter.podcast selected it as their March readalong choice, and I went into it blind.
Jasper is a teenage boy who has synaesthesia, which for him means that he sees sounds as colours, for example associating cobalt blue with his dead mother's voice. He also experiences face blindness, meaning he can't recognise the faces of even those closest to him, and possibly also has autism - I'm not sure if that's confirmed in the book.
When we first meet Jasper and his father, he believes that he has been responsible for the murder of his neighbour, Bee Larkham, and the plot revolves around unravelling the complex threads of the narrative Jasper has built in his attempt to cope with this trauma.
At first, I struggled a bit to get into the story, as Jasper's communication difficulties meant I was a bit lost and wondering if this was really for me - reflecting on this, it gave me a good sense of what it must be like for children like Jasper who are constantly misunderstood. As the story progressed and I adjusted to Jasper's world view, I was well and truly hooked, and there were some fascinating twists and turns along the way.
The book reminded me very much of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, albeit with some darker themes. I would definitely recommend it - it'll be worth the initial frustration!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Published in 2018, this book had never come under my radar until @another.chapter.podcast selected it as their March readalong choice, and I went into it blind.
Jasper is a teenage boy who has synaesthesia, which for him means that he sees sounds as colours, for example associating cobalt blue with his dead mother's voice. He also experiences face blindness, meaning he can't recognise the faces of even those closest to him, and possibly also has autism - I'm not sure if that's confirmed in the book.
When we first meet Jasper and his father, he believes that he has been responsible for the murder of his neighbour, Bee Larkham, and the plot revolves around unravelling the complex threads of the narrative Jasper has built in his attempt to cope with this trauma.
At first, I struggled a bit to get into the story, as Jasper's communication difficulties meant I was a bit lost and wondering if this was really for me - reflecting on this, it gave me a good sense of what it must be like for children like Jasper who are constantly misunderstood. As the story progressed and I adjusted to Jasper's world view, I was well and truly hooked, and there were some fascinating twists and turns along the way.
The book reminded me very much of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, albeit with some darker themes. I would definitely recommend it - it'll be worth the initial frustration!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️