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ClareR (6256 KP) rated Boys Don’t Cry in Books

May 18, 2021  
Boys Don’t Cry
Boys Don’t Cry
Fíona Scarlett | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Boys Don’t Cry is a beautifully written, funny, tragic debut novel. Honestly, I thought my heart would actually break whilst I was reading this. Fiona Scarlett manages to pack in all the feelings: happiness, anger, grief, humour and heartbreak.

Joe at 17, is the brother left to deal with the death of his 12 year old brother. His father manages to get himself in to trouble, and in to prison. His mother can’t cope. And Joe is struggling too. He is in an environment where it is all too easy for him to take the wrong path and end up like his father. Involved with the wrong people and in prison.

We see flashbacks to Finn as he is diagnosed with Leukaemia and how he copes with the treatment. He is such a happy, generous boy, who worries more about everyone else than about himself.

I don’t want to give much away, but Fiona Scarlett has created two boys who are wonderful human beings, despite the hand that has been dealt to them.
I adored this book. It still gives me a lump in my throat when I’m writing about it, never mind speaking to people about it - I’ll point them in this direction, I think.

It’s like the meme that says “This book has destroyed me and broken my heart. You MUST read it”
So yeah, just read it.
  
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ClareR (6256 KP) rated The Echo Chamber in Books

Jan 14, 2024  
The Echo Chamber
The Echo Chamber
John Boyne | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Humor & Comedy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
How on earth can John Boyne write a book about a thoroughly , rich, famous and unpleasant family, for it to be a hilarious satire on the state of modern life that I wanted to keep listening to. It helped enormously that Richard E. Grant was narrating. He was perfect. I mean, in real life he seems really lovely, but in this audiobook, his narration exactly reflects the Cleverley family’s selfishness and disregard for anyone other than themselves.

The whole family is obsessed with social media, permanently glued to their phones - all except for the youngest member of the family who gets his kicks elsewhere. Achilles starts off as the most likeable family member, but it soon becomes apparent that he’s as bad as the rest.

I laughed throughout this: it really is very funny. The insights into social media are spot on, and has actually made me think about how much time I spend on it (whatever it was, it’s a lot less now - with the added bonus that I read more!). I can see that some would find this controversial. There were times when I wanted to block out what these people had said or done. I was far too caught up in it though, and wanted to see what they could possibly do next!

Another outstanding book from John Boyne!