Sign up
Search
Advanced search settings

Search only in certain items:

Search results
All (431)
Content
People
Apps
Books
Orbs
Movies
Music
Podcasts
Shows
Tabletop Games
Tech
TV
Video Games
YouTube Channels
Videos
40x40

ClareR (5779 KP) rated Akin in Books

Oct 28, 2019  
Akin
Akin
Emma Donoghue | 2019
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A poignant story of family history.
Akin was such a lovely surprise of a book. It’s a touching story of an elderly widower, Noah, and his estranged 12 year old great-nephew Michael, going on holiday together to Noah’s birthplace in France. Noah hasn’t been back to Nice since he left as a four year old during WWII and wants to go there for his 80th birthday. Noah and his wife were both science professors at a New York university, and had decided not to have children so that they could concentrate on their careers. So when Michael is dropped in to Noah’s life, it’s something of a shock. Noah rises to the challenge, no matter how reluctantly, because Michaels mother is serving a five year prison sentence, his father (Noah’s nephew) is dead of an overdose, and his maternal grandmother has recently died. Noah is a good person, whether he realises it or not.

I loved how both of the characters were written: Noah is not some feeble old man, he’s fit, mentally sharp and has a great sense of humour - something that’s needed with a pre-teen! Michael puts on a front of being worldly wise, wise cracking and untouchable, whilst hiding the scared 12 year old that he is. I loved how the two of them bounced off one another. To be fair, Noah is incredibly patient with him, considering that he hasn’t had much experience with 12 year olds!

The mystery element was fascinating, too. Noah has found some photos in his deceased sisters belongings which came from their mother. They’re quite abstract: the backs of heads, legs, parts of a building, and Noah starts to find out things that he’s not sure that he likes about his mother’s war.

This search was really interesting, as were the details about Noah’s famous photographer grandfather, Père Sonne.
This is such a lovely story that looks at what it is to be family - warts and all. I would highly recommend it. It’s wonderful.