ite_sii's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
bethrb's review against another edition
3.0
I spent most of this book waiting for something to happen and then it did and I cried so good work!
novabear_25's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
fantine's review against another edition
4.0
Gwendolyn Pearl Pearson is on the brink of adulthood. She has friends she loves and a dysfunctional family she knows love her. Life is on the right track. Maybe most importantly she has learnt how to cope with the grief of losing her mother, and is no longer the broken little girl she once was. Until an unexpectedly traumatic event at work triggers an onslaught of memories and awakens something within her.
Suddenly Gwen can’t eat or sleep and is consumed by questions surrounding the strange circumstances of not only her mother’s death, but the death of the baby brother she never knew. What isn’t her father telling her, why is her mother’s family a town taboo, who was her mother really?
And why late at night when Gwen feels as though she’s drowning, can she hear the sea calling her name.
There’s also a new pair of siblings in town that hold their own secrets. Gwen’s blossoming relationship with Ben was lovely to see play out, a romantic subplot that doesn’t get in the way of character, especially female characters, is my favourite kind of romantic subplot. Ben provided a fresh take of Gwen that wasn’t informed by familial ties or years of friendship or town gossip. I was unsure of Ben’s sibling Amber but as the plot progressed and the themes of guilt and shame surrounding mental illness was further explored Amber’s path of healing and recovery was woven in beautifully.
The setting of small town, rural Tasmania is breathtaking. Eliza Henry-Jones writing holds so much love for the rocky, blustering coast that it extends past pathetic fallacy and nature becomes a crucial character. Gwen yearns for a maternal figure in such a pivotal point in her life, and so she turns to a source of comfort and constancy that has always held a connection to her mother - the ocean. Henry-Jones writing reads like the sea, a constant almost hypnotizing push and pull with rips along the way and unfathomable depth beneath a calm surface.
The reason this isn't 5/5 for me is the big climax of the book. The moment Gwen finally cracks. Throughout the novel Henry-Jones style seemed so particular the the sudden sheer amount of exclamation points was jarring and bizarre - and not in a good way. Maybe it's a gen z thing but to me exclamation points rarely can work in serious scenes as I have such an association to like 2013 zomg!!! tumblr days.
This book was understated but boy it is a gem. Gwen struggles to unravel the mysteries of the past in order to move forward, she must learn like the tide what to pull in and what to let go of. An incredibly touching book about grief, identity, and the complexity of family.
Suddenly Gwen can’t eat or sleep and is consumed by questions surrounding the strange circumstances of not only her mother’s death, but the death of the baby brother she never knew. What isn’t her father telling her, why is her mother’s family a town taboo, who was her mother really?
And why late at night when Gwen feels as though she’s drowning, can she hear the sea calling her name.
There’s also a new pair of siblings in town that hold their own secrets. Gwen’s blossoming relationship with Ben was lovely to see play out, a romantic subplot that doesn’t get in the way of character, especially female characters, is my favourite kind of romantic subplot. Ben provided a fresh take of Gwen that wasn’t informed by familial ties or years of friendship or town gossip. I was unsure of Ben’s sibling Amber but as the plot progressed and the themes of guilt and shame surrounding mental illness was further explored Amber’s path of healing and recovery was woven in beautifully.
The setting of small town, rural Tasmania is breathtaking. Eliza Henry-Jones writing holds so much love for the rocky, blustering coast that it extends past pathetic fallacy and nature becomes a crucial character. Gwen yearns for a maternal figure in such a pivotal point in her life, and so she turns to a source of comfort and constancy that has always held a connection to her mother - the ocean. Henry-Jones writing reads like the sea, a constant almost hypnotizing push and pull with rips along the way and unfathomable depth beneath a calm surface.
The reason this isn't 5/5 for me is the big climax of the book. The moment Gwen finally cracks. Throughout the novel Henry-Jones style seemed so particular the the sudden sheer amount of exclamation points was jarring and bizarre - and not in a good way. Maybe it's a gen z thing but to me exclamation points rarely can work in serious scenes as I have such an association to like 2013 zomg!!! tumblr days.
Spoiler
It instantly turned what should have been a heart wrenchingly beautiful implosion into a overdramatic CW teen yelling at parent scene. And ok this next criticism isn’t really a criticism but a missed opportunity imho. I fully thought that Gwen was showing signs of Bipolar, just like her mother. Her anxiety and depression was so palpable and raw that i thought her fears and shames surrounding her mother were also tied in with becoming her mother. Jones writing is very circle of life natury and this would have really made sense especially with such strong themes of intergenerational tragedy concerning mental illness. When I realised this was not in fact a part of this book it did take away some of the complexity and depth. If you are reading this and thought the same please let me know!!!This book was understated but boy it is a gem. Gwen struggles to unravel the mysteries of the past in order to move forward, she must learn like the tide what to pull in and what to let go of. An incredibly touching book about grief, identity, and the complexity of family.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
‘I worked at the café down on the main surfing beach in town.’
Meet Gwendolyn P. Pearson. Gwen lives in a small coastal town in Tasmania with her father, step-mother (Biddy), step-brother (Tyrone) and half-sister (Evie). She remembers her mum: a colourful whirlwind of a woman, now dead. Everyone in the small community knew Gwen’s mum: some talk about her, others look at Gwen sympathetically and say nothing. Gwen tries not to think about losing her mother, or the death of her younger brother. Keeping busy helps. Gwen is now seventeen years old, in Year 11 at high school, trying to think about her future. One evening there’s an incident in the café, where Gwen and her best friend Loretta work part-time, and Gwen’s world is shaken.
Gwen tries to make sense of what happened to her mother and her brother. Trying to understand what happened leads Gwen to realise that life is more complex than she had realised. While Gwen is learning more about the deaths of her mother and brother, she is coming to terms with the fact that life is more complex than she’d thought, and that other people also have issues to deal with.
I read this novel, and then almost immediately reread it. I didn’t actually miss much on the first read, but the second read gave me an opportunity to think more about what Gwen was experiencing and her reactions. This is a beautifully written novel which explores the meaning of friendship, the impact of mental illness, as well as different configurations of family and grief. None of these issues are trivialised or glossed over. The characters came alive for me, especially Evie with her wicked sense of humour, Loretta and her dislike of sport, and Tyrone. It’s not just the story Ms Henry Jones tells, it’s the characters she peoples it with and the way in which she tells it.
I’ve been recommending this novel to family and friends. Unreservedly.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Meet Gwendolyn P. Pearson. Gwen lives in a small coastal town in Tasmania with her father, step-mother (Biddy), step-brother (Tyrone) and half-sister (Evie). She remembers her mum: a colourful whirlwind of a woman, now dead. Everyone in the small community knew Gwen’s mum: some talk about her, others look at Gwen sympathetically and say nothing. Gwen tries not to think about losing her mother, or the death of her younger brother. Keeping busy helps. Gwen is now seventeen years old, in Year 11 at high school, trying to think about her future. One evening there’s an incident in the café, where Gwen and her best friend Loretta work part-time, and Gwen’s world is shaken.
Gwen tries to make sense of what happened to her mother and her brother. Trying to understand what happened leads Gwen to realise that life is more complex than she had realised. While Gwen is learning more about the deaths of her mother and brother, she is coming to terms with the fact that life is more complex than she’d thought, and that other people also have issues to deal with.
I read this novel, and then almost immediately reread it. I didn’t actually miss much on the first read, but the second read gave me an opportunity to think more about what Gwen was experiencing and her reactions. This is a beautifully written novel which explores the meaning of friendship, the impact of mental illness, as well as different configurations of family and grief. None of these issues are trivialised or glossed over. The characters came alive for me, especially Evie with her wicked sense of humour, Loretta and her dislike of sport, and Tyrone. It’s not just the story Ms Henry Jones tells, it’s the characters she peoples it with and the way in which she tells it.
I’ve been recommending this novel to family and friends. Unreservedly.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
busyreading's review against another edition
4.0
Seventeen year old Gwendolyn P. Pearson lives in a small coastal town in Tasmania with her dad, stepmother, stepbrother and half sister. Gwen was quite young when her mum and brother passed away and many people in the community knew of her mum. Some people would talk about her mum quite openly, others struggled not knowing what to say at all.
Gwen is in year 11 in high school and still unsure of what she wants to do with her life. She and her friend have a part time job at the local cafe. It is here where something occurs during one of her shifts that sets off memories of when she was younger that leave her more than a little unsettled. After what happened at the cafe, Gwen now wants to try and figure out what happened to her mum and brother, but Gwen soon realises not all is as it seems.
This book touches on everyday issues such as grief, mental health and families all of which the author has done an amazing job in compiling all of these together to write this moving and ever so entertaining novel. Highly recommended.
Gwen is in year 11 in high school and still unsure of what she wants to do with her life. She and her friend have a part time job at the local cafe. It is here where something occurs during one of her shifts that sets off memories of when she was younger that leave her more than a little unsettled. After what happened at the cafe, Gwen now wants to try and figure out what happened to her mum and brother, but Gwen soon realises not all is as it seems.
This book touches on everyday issues such as grief, mental health and families all of which the author has done an amazing job in compiling all of these together to write this moving and ever so entertaining novel. Highly recommended.
thisgirl_writes's review against another edition
5.0
This is a beautiful and sensitive portrayal of parental mental illness. I devoured it - read it in a day. The descriptions of Gwen's sometimes overwhelming emotions were enormously relatable and I would recommend this book to everyone - teens and adults alike!
babyleo's review against another edition
3.0
I loved the comfortable feeling of this book. I connected with the feeling of the small town and the familiarity with all the residents there. It was a different kind of story that had a lot of focus on the characters and who they were rather than any big events. I liked that what looked like key plot points came to nothing and you realise Jones has a different direction in mind for the story.
What I also liked were the slow reveals and the shifting focus, it is also a great exploration of mental health and how that is dealt with at all ages and stages of life. Jones doesn't delve too deeply into this, it is very much shown from the outside, but that in itself is an interesting point of view.
I enjoyed the surprises and their reveals that were impactful but didn't feel like Plot Twists. They weren't suddenly thrown in your face but they developed gradually which I liked. It felt natural and it felt like a realistic moment of discovery rather than a sudden change in the story.
The characters are pretty wonderful as well. I liked the relationship Gwen has with her friends and the people in town. It has a great small town feeling and the friendships and the support the community provide to one another is heart-warming but doesn't come across as cheesy.
There is a natural feeling to the way Jones writes. Conversations are natural, more information isn't provided between characters just so a reader understands, and the events and actions of the characters are intriguing and fascinating without being unnatural or fanciful. I was drawn into Gwen's story and came out the other side satisfied and content which is never a bad way to feel at the end of a book.
What I also liked were the slow reveals and the shifting focus, it is also a great exploration of mental health and how that is dealt with at all ages and stages of life. Jones doesn't delve too deeply into this, it is very much shown from the outside, but that in itself is an interesting point of view.
I enjoyed the surprises and their reveals that were impactful but didn't feel like Plot Twists. They weren't suddenly thrown in your face but they developed gradually which I liked. It felt natural and it felt like a realistic moment of discovery rather than a sudden change in the story.
The characters are pretty wonderful as well. I liked the relationship Gwen has with her friends and the people in town. It has a great small town feeling and the friendships and the support the community provide to one another is heart-warming but doesn't come across as cheesy.
There is a natural feeling to the way Jones writes. Conversations are natural, more information isn't provided between characters just so a reader understands, and the events and actions of the characters are intriguing and fascinating without being unnatural or fanciful. I was drawn into Gwen's story and came out the other side satisfied and content which is never a bad way to feel at the end of a book.
kez91's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It explores grief and mental illness and family relationships really well, especially for a YA book, and I'm definitely keen to read the author's adult books now because I liked her writing style. There were some predictable moments, and at times the book seemed quite young, especially considering the heavy subject matter, but I liked the characters and their interactions with one another, and all the themes explored.
emalee08's review against another edition
5.0
One of my favourite books of all time. Love the setting, characters and how they connect. So moving.