Jaffareadstoo is delighted to be hosting today's stop on
My Name is Leon Blog Tour
What's it all about..
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| Published by Penguin Random House 2017 |
Leon is nine, and has a perfect baby brother called Jake. Their mum isn't feeling herself, so they've gone to live with Maureen, who has fuzzy red hair like a halo and a belly like Father Christmas. But the adults are speaking in low voices, and wearing Pretend faces. They are threatening to give Jake to strangers. Since Jake is white and Leon is not.
Evoking a Britain of the early
eighties, My Name is Leon is a heart-breaking story of love, identity and
learning to overcome unbearable loss. Of the fierce bond between siblings. And
how - just when we least expect it - we manage to find our way home.
Shortlisted for the Costa First
Novel Award 2016
What did I think about it...
Life isn't easy for Leon, and
even from the start of the novel, when Leon's baby brother, Jake is born you can sense that the emotional attachment that Leon feels for Jake goes far beyond
the ordinary bond of affection between siblings.
At the start of the story, Leon
is a vulnerable eight year old with more than his share of life's woes upon his
slender shoulders. His mother, Carol is both dejected and defeated by the hand
that life has dealt her and this manifests itself in areas of neglect towards
her children which is difficult to read. And yet, there is no doubt that Carol
loves her children but she simply can't cope with the responsibility of caring
for them, and so we start the story of Leon and Jake's involvement in the 1980s
social care system.
My name is Leon is a story seen
through the eyes of a vulnerable child for whom both parental responsibility
and social welfare failed him. Its language is simple as befits the
understanding of a child, however, it's not without impact and there were times
when I read Leon's story with a whopping big lump in my throat. You can't help but fall in
love with Leon; he has a huge heart and a capacity to understand what's going
on even though at times he seems bewildered by a system that had the ability to
break families into a million pieces.
The author writes well and
engages her reading audience from the very start and in bringing Leon to life
she has created a hero worthy of our love and affection. There is no doubt that
the story is heartbreakingly sad in places but throughout the story there is
also an overwhelming belief in the power of the human spirit.
Best Read With.. One of Maureen's dinners and a curly whirly...
More about the author an be found on her website by clicking here
My thanks to Josie at Penguin Random House for the invitation to be part of this blog tour.
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I read this one last year, Josie, and it got a high score from me too. I loved the character of Leon, brave and definitely punching above his weight! I hope lots of your readers will follow up and aread this one.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan. Leon is such a brave little soul, isn't he? I loved him.
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