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Ten-year-old Jamie Matthews has just moved to the Lake District with his Dad and his teenage sister, Jasmine for a "Fresh New Start." Five years ago his sister's twin, Rose, was blown up by a terrorist bomb. His parents are wrecked by their grief, Jasmine turns to piercing, pink hair, and stops eating. The family falls apart. But Jamie hasn't cried in all that time. To him Rose is just a distant memory. Jamie is far more interested in his cat, Roger, his birthday Spiderman T-shirt, and in keeping his new friend Sunya a secret from his dad. And in his deep longing and unshakeable belief that his Mum will come back to the family she walked out on months ago. When he sees a TV ad for a talent show, he feels certain that this will change everything and bring them all back together once and for all.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member csemortimer
My family and I listened to this on holiday this summer while driving around the country (what a bonus to have David Tennant all to ourselves for hours on end) . It made us all laugh at loud - that's the best thing about teen books such wonderful humor. Just as well we weren't asked to pull over
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during the last chapter - driving in the dark very late one night, all of us with tears streaming down our faces. We really did have to pull ourselves together when we arrived at the grandparents' house. Show Less
LibraryThing member brokenangelkisses
When running reading groups for work, I have found that following the Berkshire Book Award is not always as fun as following the Carnegie Medal. The books are chosen by the teenagers themselves, which means names like Jacqueline Wilson and Darren Shan tend to be prominent and popularity often seems
== The idea ==
Ten year old Jamie Matthews has moved to the Lake District with his dad and older sister, Jas, for a fresh start. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes clear to Jamie that this fresh start is rather similar to their old life: his dead sister’s ashes dominate the mantelpiece and empty bottles clink dismally in the bin. Jamie doesn’t even remember Rose, but she’s still tearing his family apart. Then a TV advertisement catches his eye. Could this be the way to fix everything?
== The result ==
The plotline is so familiar one could almost tick off the elements: a broken family, a child who is bullied at school, useless teachers, a ‘new start’ that isn’t, an idea that will fix things – except it won’t. The difference between this and countless other YA offerings is the sheer vigour in Jamie’s voice.
Jamie is a delightful narrator. His energy and naivety mean that however sinister the ideas he is exposed to, his reactions prompted a smile from me. His blunt statement that ‘Muslims blew up my sister’ is startling but understandable. (The same statement voiced by his father is chilling.) Jamie’s tentative friendship with young Sunya develops in fits and starts as he tries to reconcile his father’s blind hatred with the truth that’s sat next to him, offering him a blu-tac ring.
As the story develops Jamie necessarily matures and begins to consider a way forward that recognises what he has as well as what he has lost. In this way, he becomes a positive role model for teen readers.
== My thoughts ==
Writing from the perspective of a ten year old is a challenge and some of Jamie’s ideas and actions could easily seem ridiculous in a child who is approaching secondary school age. Suspending belief is probably easier for me as I do not have children, but I found Jamie generally convincing as a narrator; he pursued his interests and was creative in trying to attain his desires. Pitcher hints towards darker motives in other characters while only denting Jamie’s innocence. His desire to do the right thing, and to know what the right thing was, meant he was likeable throughout. The first person narration helps to pull you into his world view.
I found his attitude towards his dead sister Rose was one of the most refreshing elements of the book. Jamie doesn’t remember her at all and is very matter of fact about her death and dismemberment: he knows exactly which pieces of her were burned and which were buried. It is clear that Jamie is not callous, merely young, and it is only his later reaction to a sad event which helps him to understand why the rest of his family have found it so hard to say goodbye to his dead sister. I thought that the sad event seemed a little forced as it came out of nowhere and provided a rather obvious device to move Jamie’s understanding of grief forward. That said, it is not an unrealistic development at all and does not detract from an otherwise convincing plotline.
I liked the fact that the events of the book were realistic. It is quite clear from the first chapter that Jamie’s hopes are likely to go unrewarded and I thought the ending was suitably true-to-life without being too dark. I don’t cry when reading books or watching films but I can see that many readers might be brought to tears by Jamie’s situation, not even because it’s so unusual, but just because the emotions are clearly so raw for all the family members.
Jamie’s relationship with his surviving sister is one of the most touching elements of the book. Abandoned by her heartbroken mother to cope with her younger sibling, drunken dad and memories of her twin, Jas does a mostly-great job, but Pitcher includes little details that emphasise how much she is struggling. Sometimes aware of these and sometimes not, Jamie often inadvertently brings her tears of laughter and sadness. I liked the way they looked out for each other and yet sometimes annoyed each other. I didn’t feel that the relationship ever became too ‘sweet’ to be convincing.
There are a range of other characters, all of whom I found to be convincing and all of whom added to the story in some way.
The background (such as how Rose died) is alluded to when necessary and there is a very short ‘story’ from Jas’ perspective at the end of the book which neatly adds a different viewpoint and enriches what has gone before. I liked that most of the action took place in the present as it made the story easier to read and I felt more involved in the characters’ lives.
== Conclusions ==
‘My sister lives on the Mantelpiece’ is tender without being overly sentimental and explores big themes (grief, loss, prejudice) in a way that is comprehensible for young adult readers. The main character is sensitive but sufficiently ‘boy-friendly’ (he’s into football and pulling pranks) to interest boys and girls. The storyline is fairly typical for YA fiction but is well written and usually convincing. As an adult reader, I still enjoyed this, especially as the sad story is often imbued with a wonderfully comic undertone due to the narrator’s innocent perspective. I think it is well worth the £6.99 cover price.
Prefer to hear it aloud? The audio version is read by David Tennant for £14.99.
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to win over originality. All of which meant that I was quite pleased to spot ‘My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece’ on the shortlist as it is an offering from a new author and looked like it had the potential to be quite interesting. (Alright, I was smitten by the title.)== The idea ==
Ten year old Jamie Matthews has moved to the Lake District with his dad and older sister, Jas, for a fresh start. Unfortunately, it quickly becomes clear to Jamie that this fresh start is rather similar to their old life: his dead sister’s ashes dominate the mantelpiece and empty bottles clink dismally in the bin. Jamie doesn’t even remember Rose, but she’s still tearing his family apart. Then a TV advertisement catches his eye. Could this be the way to fix everything?
== The result ==
The plotline is so familiar one could almost tick off the elements: a broken family, a child who is bullied at school, useless teachers, a ‘new start’ that isn’t, an idea that will fix things – except it won’t. The difference between this and countless other YA offerings is the sheer vigour in Jamie’s voice.
Jamie is a delightful narrator. His energy and naivety mean that however sinister the ideas he is exposed to, his reactions prompted a smile from me. His blunt statement that ‘Muslims blew up my sister’ is startling but understandable. (The same statement voiced by his father is chilling.) Jamie’s tentative friendship with young Sunya develops in fits and starts as he tries to reconcile his father’s blind hatred with the truth that’s sat next to him, offering him a blu-tac ring.
As the story develops Jamie necessarily matures and begins to consider a way forward that recognises what he has as well as what he has lost. In this way, he becomes a positive role model for teen readers.
== My thoughts ==
Writing from the perspective of a ten year old is a challenge and some of Jamie’s ideas and actions could easily seem ridiculous in a child who is approaching secondary school age. Suspending belief is probably easier for me as I do not have children, but I found Jamie generally convincing as a narrator; he pursued his interests and was creative in trying to attain his desires. Pitcher hints towards darker motives in other characters while only denting Jamie’s innocence. His desire to do the right thing, and to know what the right thing was, meant he was likeable throughout. The first person narration helps to pull you into his world view.
I found his attitude towards his dead sister Rose was one of the most refreshing elements of the book. Jamie doesn’t remember her at all and is very matter of fact about her death and dismemberment: he knows exactly which pieces of her were burned and which were buried. It is clear that Jamie is not callous, merely young, and it is only his later reaction to a sad event which helps him to understand why the rest of his family have found it so hard to say goodbye to his dead sister. I thought that the sad event seemed a little forced as it came out of nowhere and provided a rather obvious device to move Jamie’s understanding of grief forward. That said, it is not an unrealistic development at all and does not detract from an otherwise convincing plotline.
I liked the fact that the events of the book were realistic. It is quite clear from the first chapter that Jamie’s hopes are likely to go unrewarded and I thought the ending was suitably true-to-life without being too dark. I don’t cry when reading books or watching films but I can see that many readers might be brought to tears by Jamie’s situation, not even because it’s so unusual, but just because the emotions are clearly so raw for all the family members.
Jamie’s relationship with his surviving sister is one of the most touching elements of the book. Abandoned by her heartbroken mother to cope with her younger sibling, drunken dad and memories of her twin, Jas does a mostly-great job, but Pitcher includes little details that emphasise how much she is struggling. Sometimes aware of these and sometimes not, Jamie often inadvertently brings her tears of laughter and sadness. I liked the way they looked out for each other and yet sometimes annoyed each other. I didn’t feel that the relationship ever became too ‘sweet’ to be convincing.
There are a range of other characters, all of whom I found to be convincing and all of whom added to the story in some way.
The background (such as how Rose died) is alluded to when necessary and there is a very short ‘story’ from Jas’ perspective at the end of the book which neatly adds a different viewpoint and enriches what has gone before. I liked that most of the action took place in the present as it made the story easier to read and I felt more involved in the characters’ lives.
== Conclusions ==
‘My sister lives on the Mantelpiece’ is tender without being overly sentimental and explores big themes (grief, loss, prejudice) in a way that is comprehensible for young adult readers. The main character is sensitive but sufficiently ‘boy-friendly’ (he’s into football and pulling pranks) to interest boys and girls. The storyline is fairly typical for YA fiction but is well written and usually convincing. As an adult reader, I still enjoyed this, especially as the sad story is often imbued with a wonderfully comic undertone due to the narrator’s innocent perspective. I think it is well worth the £6.99 cover price.
Prefer to hear it aloud? The audio version is read by David Tennant for £14.99.
Show Less
LibraryThing member hashford
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher – Sad without being over-sentimental
Jamie’s older sister, Rose, died in a terrorist bomb 5 years ago. But his parents can’t let her go; his mother has left to live with another man (a fellow grieving relative whom she met at the support
I really didn’t want to like this book. There are just too many of this type of thing around nowadays – children having to find their own way in the world because their parents are non-functional for one reason or another. And yes, the children’s voices are funny and sweet and vulnerable; and yes, the author offers us some insight into the nature of love and life and our responsibilities to our children and ourselves. But it all just seems a bit hackneyed, and I really don’t like having my heart strings tugged just so that some author and publisher can make money out of me.
BUT ... this book is actually well written. Jamie’s voice comes off the page in a most natural manner, and the author has thought up some wonderfully descriptive metaphors and similes to explain the emptiness in the heart of a child who has been abandoned by his parents. Here’s one I particularly liked, used to describe Jamie’s mother speaking – “Her words sounded empty, as if they were written with a very thin pencil on a big piece of paper and there was too much space inside all the letters”.
I read this book very quickly – in less than a day. I should warn you that the ending is sad. Yes, I did have a lump in my throat when reading it, and yes, I did have to pause for a while to let it sink in before I could go on with my day. Which is quite a tribute to the author’s skill in drawing me into her world – or rather, Jamie’s world.
Jamie’s older sister, Rose, died in a terrorist bomb 5 years ago. But his parents can’t let her go; his mother has left to live with another man (a fellow grieving relative whom she met at the support
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group), and his father is seeking solace in the bottom of a bottle. For Jamie and his older sister, Jasmine – Rose’s twin – life is pretty miserable. Things get more and more wretched as Jamie is bullied at school and Jasmine finds a boyfriend. In a desperate attempt to get his parents’ attention, Jamie persuades his sister to enter a talent competition. But it doesn’t turn out to have quite the happy ending he imagined.I really didn’t want to like this book. There are just too many of this type of thing around nowadays – children having to find their own way in the world because their parents are non-functional for one reason or another. And yes, the children’s voices are funny and sweet and vulnerable; and yes, the author offers us some insight into the nature of love and life and our responsibilities to our children and ourselves. But it all just seems a bit hackneyed, and I really don’t like having my heart strings tugged just so that some author and publisher can make money out of me.
BUT ... this book is actually well written. Jamie’s voice comes off the page in a most natural manner, and the author has thought up some wonderfully descriptive metaphors and similes to explain the emptiness in the heart of a child who has been abandoned by his parents. Here’s one I particularly liked, used to describe Jamie’s mother speaking – “Her words sounded empty, as if they were written with a very thin pencil on a big piece of paper and there was too much space inside all the letters”.
I read this book very quickly – in less than a day. I should warn you that the ending is sad. Yes, I did have a lump in my throat when reading it, and yes, I did have to pause for a while to let it sink in before I could go on with my day. Which is quite a tribute to the author’s skill in drawing me into her world – or rather, Jamie’s world.
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LibraryThing member TeamDewey
I really liked this story as it seems very true to life and how different people deal with a sudden death in various ways. I was not happy with the end, as I did not feel anything was as resolved as it should have been, but that could be my motherly instincts kicking in for the main characters. I
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would recommend this for ages 11-16, male or female. I think it is also a good book for adults because it could make some aware of how they need to come through their own grief and see beyond it to take care of their children who are still alive. Show Less
LibraryThing member Brainannex
I had high hopes and, then, not so much.
LibraryThing member oldstick
A fascinating study of loss and prejudice from the point of view of a ten year old boy. I think this story may stay in my memory. You don't have to be young to enjoy it.
LibraryThing member Shell_C1
Young Jamie is a mess. Five years after his sister, Rose, has been blown apart by a terrorist bomb in central London his mother has run off with a grief-support group-member called Nigel, his father is an alcoholic and his sister, Jess, Rose’s twin, has dyed her hair pink, pierced her nose and
This book warrants rave reviews. It’s an easy yet entertaining read that thoroughly explores Muslim/non-Muslim relations, bullying, grief, alcoholism and family brokenness whilst never straying into preachy-ness, stock characters or unrealistically rosy (mind the pun) endings. It’s absolutely believable, memorable and, at times, heart breaking.
As a reader who is perhaps over sensitive to depictions and explorations of ideology and religion in children and young adult’s literature I can only commend Pitcher’s sensitive portrayal of Tom’s young Muslim friend Sunya, and his growing understanding of the significance of her faith alongside his own vaguely Christian background.
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acquired a green-haired older boyfriend called Leo. Meanwhile Rose’s ashes sit in an urn on their mantelpiece. This book warrants rave reviews. It’s an easy yet entertaining read that thoroughly explores Muslim/non-Muslim relations, bullying, grief, alcoholism and family brokenness whilst never straying into preachy-ness, stock characters or unrealistically rosy (mind the pun) endings. It’s absolutely believable, memorable and, at times, heart breaking.
As a reader who is perhaps over sensitive to depictions and explorations of ideology and religion in children and young adult’s literature I can only commend Pitcher’s sensitive portrayal of Tom’s young Muslim friend Sunya, and his growing understanding of the significance of her faith alongside his own vaguely Christian background.
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LibraryThing member DubaiReader
Review for the unabridged Audible version.
I really enjoyed this touching story of ten-year-old Jamie, desperately seeking the love of his alcoholic father and absent mother. Neither parent is coping well with life after the loss of their third child, a twin daughter, Rose, who was killed five years
When Dad gets a job in the Lake District, they move from London, and Jamie has the added trauma of settling into a new school. Only Sunja pays him any attention, but she is a Muslim and "Muslims killed my daughter", as Dad constantly reminds him. Jamie is torn between loyalty to Dad and his friendship with Sunja.
I listened to the Audible version of this book, read with feeling by David Tennant. I was totally drawn in to Jamie's life and struggles and his gradual understanding of the dynamics of his traumatised family.
I think adults and teens would probably approach this book from different view points but it is an excellent read for both.
Highly recommended and I look forward to Anabel Pitcher's next book.
I really enjoyed this touching story of ten-year-old Jamie, desperately seeking the love of his alcoholic father and absent mother. Neither parent is coping well with life after the loss of their third child, a twin daughter, Rose, who was killed five years
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previously by a terrorist bomb. Only Rose's remaining twin, Jasmine (Jas), has any time for Jamie, but even she has now dyed her hair pink and has a green haired boyfriend. When Dad gets a job in the Lake District, they move from London, and Jamie has the added trauma of settling into a new school. Only Sunja pays him any attention, but she is a Muslim and "Muslims killed my daughter", as Dad constantly reminds him. Jamie is torn between loyalty to Dad and his friendship with Sunja.
I listened to the Audible version of this book, read with feeling by David Tennant. I was totally drawn in to Jamie's life and struggles and his gradual understanding of the dynamics of his traumatised family.
I think adults and teens would probably approach this book from different view points but it is an excellent read for both.
Highly recommended and I look forward to Anabel Pitcher's next book.
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LibraryThing member Sullywriter
A brilliantly written, richly layered, superb portrait of a grieving family and a touching friendship. Moving, real, and painful but with many wonderful touches of humor. A truly exceptional story.
LibraryThing member ilikethesebooks
This novel is filled with dualities: beautiful and ugly; periodic and unusual; heartbreaking and heartwarming. This idea of dualities is an interesting theme when a serious, adult topic is given to a child to narrate. Children naturally see situations as black or white, but when faced with a very
Jamie's sister Rose died in a terrorist attack when he was five. Now five years later, Jamie's family is still suffering and attempting to not fall completely apart - attempting, but not doing so well. His mom took off with a man from her support group, his dad reached for the bottle and moved Jamie and his sister Jasmine to the country to get away from the Muslims who his father blames for Rose's death. Jamie has been raised to hate all Muslims, but when his only friend at school is a girl named Sunya, Jamie is torn between honoring his sister and respecting his father, or doing what he thinks is right.
As you can see, there are very adult themes throughout the novel: death and racism being at the forefront. When I say this I do not support any type of book censorship, but I feel like My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is a novel for teens and adults, even though it is told from a middle grade point of view. By all means, give it to your middle grader, but what I am saying is that the subtleties can be better appreciated by an older reader. I guess another way of saying this is that even though it is technically a middle grade novel, readers of all ages can appreciate it.
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grey area, it makes sense that the child would make contrasts appear. Having ten year-old Jamie narrate this story makes it much more powerful than I could have ever expected. Jamie's sister Rose died in a terrorist attack when he was five. Now five years later, Jamie's family is still suffering and attempting to not fall completely apart - attempting, but not doing so well. His mom took off with a man from her support group, his dad reached for the bottle and moved Jamie and his sister Jasmine to the country to get away from the Muslims who his father blames for Rose's death. Jamie has been raised to hate all Muslims, but when his only friend at school is a girl named Sunya, Jamie is torn between honoring his sister and respecting his father, or doing what he thinks is right.
As you can see, there are very adult themes throughout the novel: death and racism being at the forefront. When I say this I do not support any type of book censorship, but I feel like My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is a novel for teens and adults, even though it is told from a middle grade point of view. By all means, give it to your middle grader, but what I am saying is that the subtleties can be better appreciated by an older reader. I guess another way of saying this is that even though it is technically a middle grade novel, readers of all ages can appreciate it.
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LibraryThing member picardyrose
Really lovely. Reminded me of Jean Little's heartbreakers.
LibraryThing member susiesharp
Oh goodness this is a great book but have some tissues ready! 10 year old Jamie doesn’t really understand why his sister Rose is still on the mantelpiece she died 5 years ago and to be honest he doesn’t really remember her at all, just that her dying in a terrorist attack changed the face of
I really liked how this book was written we really get inside Jamie’s head and his thought process and the fighting between what his dad believes and what Jamie feels especially towards Sunya. Is Jamie naïve yes of course, he is 10 years old, is it wonderful to see that he doesn’t feel the same antagonism towards Muslims that his dad does yes it is, but the battle to try and understand everyone is really at the heart of this book. To understand why his Mum left, why his dad can’t let Rose go, and why it isn’t ok to like Sunya.
There are parts of this book that will pull at your heart string especially in the end, sometimes the answers you seek are not the ones you really want and when Jamie’s eyes are opened about his parents it isn’t always an easy pill to swallow. I think this is an important book about race relations, grief and family and that just because your parents feel one way doesn’t mean you have to feel the same way! This book really touched my heart by the end it was a little slow beginning but once you start to see who Jamie is and what he goes through you will be hooked just as I was.
Now the audio production this is narrated by, David Tennant Yes that David Tennant and even with his thick Scottish brogue I had a hard time whenever he said Rose (my fellow Whovians will understand this) but once I got over it and just concentrated on him being Jamie I was good to go. But I do wonder if this book affected me more because it was David’s voice? No, I think I still would have had the emotional connection to Jamie even though in my head he looked like a young David!
I think this is a book for advanced middle grade readers, because it deals with death, an alcoholic parent divorce, terrorism, race relations , religious differences, bullying wow now that I look at that list this book covers a lot of ground and that’s what makes it a must read.
4 Stars
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his family in more ways than just Rose being gone. Jamie’s mum left them, his dad drinks all the time, his sister Jas (Rose’s twin) is a teenager and tries to do what she can for Jamie. Things at school aren’t that great he is being bullied and is falling for a Muslim girl who he thinks is beautiful and funny and wonderful but how will his dad react, because according to Jamie’s dad it was all Muslims that killed his sister. These are just some of the trials and tribulations Jamie goes through in this wonderful coming of age book.I really liked how this book was written we really get inside Jamie’s head and his thought process and the fighting between what his dad believes and what Jamie feels especially towards Sunya. Is Jamie naïve yes of course, he is 10 years old, is it wonderful to see that he doesn’t feel the same antagonism towards Muslims that his dad does yes it is, but the battle to try and understand everyone is really at the heart of this book. To understand why his Mum left, why his dad can’t let Rose go, and why it isn’t ok to like Sunya.
There are parts of this book that will pull at your heart string especially in the end, sometimes the answers you seek are not the ones you really want and when Jamie’s eyes are opened about his parents it isn’t always an easy pill to swallow. I think this is an important book about race relations, grief and family and that just because your parents feel one way doesn’t mean you have to feel the same way! This book really touched my heart by the end it was a little slow beginning but once you start to see who Jamie is and what he goes through you will be hooked just as I was.
Now the audio production this is narrated by, David Tennant Yes that David Tennant and even with his thick Scottish brogue I had a hard time whenever he said Rose (my fellow Whovians will understand this) but once I got over it and just concentrated on him being Jamie I was good to go. But I do wonder if this book affected me more because it was David’s voice? No, I think I still would have had the emotional connection to Jamie even though in my head he looked like a young David!
I think this is a book for advanced middle grade readers, because it deals with death, an alcoholic parent divorce, terrorism, race relations , religious differences, bullying wow now that I look at that list this book covers a lot of ground and that’s what makes it a must read.
4 Stars
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LibraryThing member bookappeal
Rose was killed in a random terrorist bombing in London when Jamie was just 5 years old. He barely remembers his sister but her twin, Jasmine, is very much a part of his life. Jas also struggles with the loss of her twin but no one is as damaged as their parents. Mum abandoned them to move in with
A powerful and tender tale.
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her grief counselor and Dad moved the kids away from London and its Muslim population whom he blames for Rose's death. He copes with grief and single parenting by drinking and talking to Rose's ashes, kept in a small urn on a mantelpiece. Jamie can't understand why Rose's death has completely altered his life. Life at home is terrible and, in his new school, he's bullied by the teacher's pet. Jamie's lone salvation comes from an unlikely and forbidden friendship.A powerful and tender tale.
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LibraryThing member EdGoldberg
There is just so much wrong with this book, the more I think about it. Jamie is 5 when his 10 year old sister, Rose fell victim to a terrorist attack in an England park. Her twin, Jaz, was not injured.
First thing wrong: Rose's parents can't agree on whether to bury her in a cemetary or have her
It is now 5 years later. Jamie's parents are recently separated, their mother moving out and (Second thing wrong) having no contact with her children. Their father is an alcoholic and spends most days in bed. (Third thing wrong-where do they get money to live?)
As Jamie starts the school year in a new school, he becomes friends with a sweet Muslim girl, Sunya, who has her own school issues because she wears a hajib. However, Jamie feels guilty because his father hates Muslims, due to the terrorist attack that took the life of his daughter.
Jamie is the narrator of this tale. (Fourth thing wrong-the voice in the book sounds like a girl.) There's more wrong that I haven't listed. The more I think about it, the less I like it.
First thing wrong: Rose's parents can't agree on whether to bury her in a cemetary or have her
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cremated, so they each take body parts; the mother burying her portion of Rose, the father having her other body parts cremated and her ashes put in an urn on the fireplace mantle. YIKES!!It is now 5 years later. Jamie's parents are recently separated, their mother moving out and (Second thing wrong) having no contact with her children. Their father is an alcoholic and spends most days in bed. (Third thing wrong-where do they get money to live?)
As Jamie starts the school year in a new school, he becomes friends with a sweet Muslim girl, Sunya, who has her own school issues because she wears a hajib. However, Jamie feels guilty because his father hates Muslims, due to the terrorist attack that took the life of his daughter.
Jamie is the narrator of this tale. (Fourth thing wrong-the voice in the book sounds like a girl.) There's more wrong that I haven't listed. The more I think about it, the less I like it.
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LibraryThing member ChristianR
Your heart will break for 10-year-old Jamie as well as for his 15-year-old sister Jas. Jas's twin Rose was killed in a random terrorist attack. Five years later, their mother has abandoned them and their Muslim-hating father is unemployed, a drunk, and pays more attention to Rose's ashes than to
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his two remaining children. In his new school, the only child who will befriend Jamie is another outsider, a Muslim girl named Sunya, but Jamie has to keep the friendship a secret from his father. Both Jamie and Jas struggle with being loyal to their parents and yet also rejecting the ways in which their parents have failed them and others. All are well drawn by the author, and the conclusion to the story is especially well told. Show Less
LibraryThing member peggygillman
Story about a family that is blown apart by one of the twins killed by a terrorist’s bomb. The father keeps her ashes on the mantelpiece and just can’t get on with his life even though he has a young son and the second twin. I liked the story but the end was too pat and came too easily. 9/24
LibraryThing member deadgirl
I found this book enjoyable because it was told from the perspective of a 10-year-old. He lost his sister when he was very young, and so doesn't remember much of her, thus he is distant and disconnected towards her death. But he has a wonderful relationship with his other sister (the twin to the
The book tells about how the main character Jamie copes with moving to a new place with his father and sister (his mother walked out on them), how he made friends with a girl he was supposed to hate, and how he eventually understands death. I did not realize that the sister died in a tragic event and that the book covers some very painful truths, so I was surprised but impressed when I read these.
This will be a quick read because it's hard to put down.
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one who died), and I fell in love with her character especially.The book tells about how the main character Jamie copes with moving to a new place with his father and sister (his mother walked out on them), how he made friends with a girl he was supposed to hate, and how he eventually understands death. I did not realize that the sister died in a tragic event and that the book covers some very painful truths, so I was surprised but impressed when I read these.
This will be a quick read because it's hard to put down.
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LibraryThing member RefPenny
Jamie struggles to cope in a family that is falling apart. His older sister was killed in a terrorist attack and, five years later, the remaining family members have still not come to terms with it – his mother has left and his father drinks. The bright spots in Jamie’s life are his cat; Roger,
This could have been a depressing book, but it is told from Jamie’s point of view and his innocence and naivety give it a touch of gentle humour. The relationship between Jamie and Jas is a highlight – they look out for each other whilst still indulging in normal sibling annoying behaviour.
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his sister; Jas and his developing friendship with Sunya; a Muslim girl in his class.This could have been a depressing book, but it is told from Jamie’s point of view and his innocence and naivety give it a touch of gentle humour. The relationship between Jamie and Jas is a highlight – they look out for each other whilst still indulging in normal sibling annoying behaviour.
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LibraryThing member Rhianwen
I absolutely loved this book! It's an amazing story about a young boy and a loss that almost completely destroys his family. It is one of the few novels that really had me sobbing - I simply couldn't help it. But despite all those tears: there is also a lot of hope in it!
LibraryThing member DeeDee80
I bought this fictional story because I was intrigued by the title, and I suppose partly because I wondered if it would give me an insight into how my daughter would feel about having a sister that had died, once she is old enough to understand. I don't think it really gave me any insight but it
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was such a beautifully written and mesmerising story that I really didn't care! It is rare that I love every word of a book and gobble it up in just a few evenings, but I really struggled putting this down. By the end of chapter one I wished I had written it myself!! The story was told from the perspective of ten year old Jamie about how his family are struggling to come to terms with the sudden tragic death of his older sister. Jamie's innocence was powerful and the images he used were so touching. The only criticism I'd have is that I wasn't sure if all the images were ones that a ten year old would come up with but it was stunning that I didn't really mind! I'd recommend this to everyone looking for a quick read with a different perspective. It touched my heart and will stay with me for some time. Beautiful. Show Less
LibraryThing member infjsarah
I enjoyed this book a lot and I bawled at the end. Well written and the characters felt real. I didn't like the use of italics for speech but otherwise a good read.
LibraryThing member nycke137
I barely finished it. I skipped pages. I don't like books that have dialogue like this, in italics. I thought it was a good idea for a story, I just didn't like the flow of it.
LibraryThing member nicx27
This book is brilliant!!! It's the story of ten year old Jamie, whose family is fractured due to a terrible event that happened five years earlier, when his sister Rose was blown up by a bomb.
Jamie is a wonderful character. The book is written in the first person, and what Jamie tells us, the
Unusually for me, I knew as soon as I started reading this book that I would love it. It's totally uncompromising, and Jamie is quite blunt about what happened to Rose, as kids often are. It kept my interest from start to finish and I loved picking it up to read it.
This is one of the best young adult novels I have read, and it is definitely a book that adults can read and enjoy too. I look forward to seeing what Annabel Pitcher does next, as she is an author to watch in the future.
Jamie is a wonderful character. The book is written in the first person, and what Jamie tells us, the
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readers, is unintentionally funny as he takes things quite literally. But you can also feel his bewilderment and pain at what has happened to his family. He doesn't remember Rose and he doesn't understand why she seems to be all that matters to his parents, rather than him and his other sister Jas. He's also trying to fit into a new school in the Lake District, where he meets a girl who he knows he shouldn't be friends with, and incurs the wrath of the school bully. Unusually for me, I knew as soon as I started reading this book that I would love it. It's totally uncompromising, and Jamie is quite blunt about what happened to Rose, as kids often are. It kept my interest from start to finish and I loved picking it up to read it.
This is one of the best young adult novels I have read, and it is definitely a book that adults can read and enjoy too. I look forward to seeing what Annabel Pitcher does next, as she is an author to watch in the future.
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LibraryThing member Whisper1
This book was on one of my shelves for awhile. I purchaseed it for the curious title. It is, once again, another example of YA writing that deserves worthy mention.
This is a story of a family split apart, told from the perspective of the younger brother of twin sisters, one of whom is killed in
Jaime was too young to remember his sister. He is now forced to act older than his ten years of age. His mother leaves he, his sister and father and abandons them for another man. Spending his days drinking obsessively, Jamie's father has little desire to spend attention on his two remaining children.
Obsessed with grief regarding the killing of his daughter, Jaime's father keeps her ashes in a shrine-like atmosphere on the mantle. As Jamie and his sister are moved to a new school, forced to walk when their father cannot make it out of bed. In addition, Jamie is terribly bullied and cannot look to his remaining parent for any emotional support.
Jaime finds one friend, a young girl who happens to be of the Muslim faith. She is the lone person in school who tries to learn about him and who cares.
This is a good book, but not a great book. The author writes well, but she packed so much into the story. Each event that happened to Jamie was piled on one after another and another.
Jaime's sister is killed
His mother leaves
His father drinks his days and nights away
Jaime attends a new school where he is bullied
Jamie happens to find one friend who happens to be of the same faith as the terrorist that killed his sister
and then there is a situation with a pet.....
All of these events were too much to pack into one book.
This is a story of a family split apart, told from the perspective of the younger brother of twin sisters, one of whom is killed in
Show More
England by a terrorist action.Jaime was too young to remember his sister. He is now forced to act older than his ten years of age. His mother leaves he, his sister and father and abandons them for another man. Spending his days drinking obsessively, Jamie's father has little desire to spend attention on his two remaining children.
Obsessed with grief regarding the killing of his daughter, Jaime's father keeps her ashes in a shrine-like atmosphere on the mantle. As Jamie and his sister are moved to a new school, forced to walk when their father cannot make it out of bed. In addition, Jamie is terribly bullied and cannot look to his remaining parent for any emotional support.
Jaime finds one friend, a young girl who happens to be of the Muslim faith. She is the lone person in school who tries to learn about him and who cares.
This is a good book, but not a great book. The author writes well, but she packed so much into the story. Each event that happened to Jamie was piled on one after another and another.
Jaime's sister is killed
His mother leaves
His father drinks his days and nights away
Jaime attends a new school where he is bullied
Jamie happens to find one friend who happens to be of the same faith as the terrorist that killed his sister
and then there is a situation with a pet.....
All of these events were too much to pack into one book.
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LibraryThing member nycke137
I barely finished it. I skipped pages. I don't like books that have dialogue like this, in italics. I thought it was a good idea for a story, I just didn't like the flow of it.
Awards
Betty Trask Prize and Awards (Award Winner — Shortlist — 2012)
British Book Award (Shortlist — Audiobook — 2011)
Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (Longlist — 2011)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee — 2012)
Branford Boase Award (Winner — 2012)
Dylan Thomas Prize (Shortlist — 2011)
The White Ravens (2012)
Hampshire Book Awards (Shortlist — Hampshire Book Award — 2013)
Notable Children's Book (2013)
Original publication date
2011
Physical description
5.55 inches
ISBN
1409132889 / 9781409132882