This novel follows the life of two sisters, Pea and Margot,
as they cope with the fallout of the loss and devastation that struck their
family a short while ago. Along the way, they make a new friend who, despite
their own tragedy, slowly helps to make everything better.
The story is told through the eyes of Pea, aged 5 and a
half. At times the narration felt as though it was coming from somebody much
older than Pea is supposed to be. Instead of seeing that as a flaw, I'd like to
think that's just the author's way of further proving that Pea had to grow up a
lot quicker than any child should have, as a result of the misfortune her
family suffered. Despite everything Pea has gone through, the narration
perfectly encapsulates the optimism that many young children seem to possess.
It is this optimism that keeps you turning the pages.
The novel focuses on very few characters, allowing you to
learn a lot about each of them. It's this fact that helps to make it so
captivating - it's like following the lives of people you know and care about.
It also shows the various ways in which tragedy affects a person and how
differently people cope with it; for that alone, it is a brilliant piece of
literature.
One element of this novel became fairly obvious quite
quickly. I'm not sure if that's an intentional act by the author but, either
way, it didn't make the novel any less enjoyable to read. Early on in the
story, a relationship develops that makes you wonder whether you should
continue to read... All I can say is you'll regret it if you don't. This book
touches on some of the darkest places a human can find themselves in but the
ending shows that there's always hope.
There's something slightly magical about a story that
contains so many negative emotions and situations yet can still portray
positivity throughout. This novel manages that with ease. It's an absolute
delight to read, even if it is slightly haunting at points. It's the kind of
book you read and, thanks to the wonderful descriptive nature of Pea's
narration, find yourself getting lost in her world.
The book is available
at Waterstones for £10.39, from Amazon for £7.19, or on your Kindle for £1.39 (what a steal!!)
