The Year Of The Rat by Clare Furniss
Jul. 31st, 2014 11:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quippeThe Blurb On The Back:
The world may tip at any moment, the secret is finding something to hole on to …
Pearl’s baby sister is The Rat – she’s the reason Pearl’s mum died, the reason that Pearl’s life has changed forever and Pearl isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to forgive her for that. Losing her mum is the hardest thing that Pearl has ever gone through and no one, not her dad, her interfering granny, her best friend – and especially not her new little sister – can break the barriers she’s putting up. But what if Pearl’s mum isn’t completely gone? What if, somehow, she’s still here?
When 16-year-old Pearl’s mother dies giving birth to Pearl’s baby sister Rose, her life goes into a tailspin. Rose was premature so Pearl’s step-dad is spending all his time in hospital and his interfering mother (who never got on with Pearl’s mother) has moved in to look after her. Although her best friend, Molly, is keen to offer a sympathetic ear, Pearl feels unable to confide in her because she hates the new baby - as far as Pearl’s concerned, she’s The Rat. But then a miracle happens – somehow her mother comes back ...
Clare Furniss’s debut YA novel is a well written, moving tale about grief. Pearl’s a well-drawn character who skirts the line between arousing sympathy and being someone you want to strangle with her sometimes bratty behaviour (there’s a particularly shocking scene where she’s supposed to look after Rose that is horrifying but also rings true emotionally). I particularly enjoyed the scenes with her mum, which is left open to interpretation but nonetheless allows her to learn things about their relationship and herself. The book covers some well-worn YA ground (notably Pearl’s absent biological father, which is completely predictable) while the obligatory romance element really doesn’t add anything to the story. That said, I thought this was a good debut that was emotionally true and as such I very much look forward to seeing what Furniss writes next.
I completely believed in Pearl as a character throughout this book. Her emotional tailspin, which swings between self-pity, brattishness and genuine loss, is utterly credible and I particularly liked the fact that her grandmother (who is nicely portrayed) is the only person really prepared to call her on it. I also believed in her reluctance to confide in her best friend and the way she pulls away into herself, using Molly’s new relationship as an excuse that she also uses to fuel her misery. Her conversations with her mother (who is a vivid bundle of contrasts) are heart breaking and true. In contrast, her budding relationship with Finn didn’t work for me while her relationship with her biological father was completely predictable and I had to question how she does well in her exams when she doesn’t study for them.
For all that though there was a lot here that I enjoyed and I look forward to Furniss’s next book.
The Verdict:
Clare Furniss’s debut YA novel is a well written, moving tale about grief. Pearl’s a well-drawn character who skirts the line between arousing sympathy and being someone you want to strangle with her sometimes bratty behaviour (there’s a particularly shocking scene where she’s supposed to look after Rose that is horrifying but also rings true emotionally). I particularly enjoyed the scenes with her mum, which is left open to interpretation but nonetheless allows her to learn things about their relationship and herself. The book covers some well-worn YA ground (notably Pearl’s absent biological father, which is completely predictable) while the obligatory romance element really doesn’t add anything to the story. That said, I thought this was a good debut that was emotionally true and as such I very much look forward to seeing what Furniss writes next.
THE YEAR OF THE RAT was released in the United Kingdom on 24th April 2014. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the free copy of this book.
Pearl’s baby sister is The Rat – she’s the reason Pearl’s mum died, the reason that Pearl’s life has changed forever and Pearl isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to forgive her for that. Losing her mum is the hardest thing that Pearl has ever gone through and no one, not her dad, her interfering granny, her best friend – and especially not her new little sister – can break the barriers she’s putting up. But what if Pearl’s mum isn’t completely gone? What if, somehow, she’s still here?
When 16-year-old Pearl’s mother dies giving birth to Pearl’s baby sister Rose, her life goes into a tailspin. Rose was premature so Pearl’s step-dad is spending all his time in hospital and his interfering mother (who never got on with Pearl’s mother) has moved in to look after her. Although her best friend, Molly, is keen to offer a sympathetic ear, Pearl feels unable to confide in her because she hates the new baby - as far as Pearl’s concerned, she’s The Rat. But then a miracle happens – somehow her mother comes back ...
Clare Furniss’s debut YA novel is a well written, moving tale about grief. Pearl’s a well-drawn character who skirts the line between arousing sympathy and being someone you want to strangle with her sometimes bratty behaviour (there’s a particularly shocking scene where she’s supposed to look after Rose that is horrifying but also rings true emotionally). I particularly enjoyed the scenes with her mum, which is left open to interpretation but nonetheless allows her to learn things about their relationship and herself. The book covers some well-worn YA ground (notably Pearl’s absent biological father, which is completely predictable) while the obligatory romance element really doesn’t add anything to the story. That said, I thought this was a good debut that was emotionally true and as such I very much look forward to seeing what Furniss writes next.
I completely believed in Pearl as a character throughout this book. Her emotional tailspin, which swings between self-pity, brattishness and genuine loss, is utterly credible and I particularly liked the fact that her grandmother (who is nicely portrayed) is the only person really prepared to call her on it. I also believed in her reluctance to confide in her best friend and the way she pulls away into herself, using Molly’s new relationship as an excuse that she also uses to fuel her misery. Her conversations with her mother (who is a vivid bundle of contrasts) are heart breaking and true. In contrast, her budding relationship with Finn didn’t work for me while her relationship with her biological father was completely predictable and I had to question how she does well in her exams when she doesn’t study for them.
For all that though there was a lot here that I enjoyed and I look forward to Furniss’s next book.
The Verdict:
Clare Furniss’s debut YA novel is a well written, moving tale about grief. Pearl’s a well-drawn character who skirts the line between arousing sympathy and being someone you want to strangle with her sometimes bratty behaviour (there’s a particularly shocking scene where she’s supposed to look after Rose that is horrifying but also rings true emotionally). I particularly enjoyed the scenes with her mum, which is left open to interpretation but nonetheless allows her to learn things about their relationship and herself. The book covers some well-worn YA ground (notably Pearl’s absent biological father, which is completely predictable) while the obligatory romance element really doesn’t add anything to the story. That said, I thought this was a good debut that was emotionally true and as such I very much look forward to seeing what Furniss writes next.
THE YEAR OF THE RAT was released in the United Kingdom on 24th April 2014. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the free copy of this book.
