Only Child

My rating: * * * * *

Goodreads Description

For readers of Room and The Girls, a dazzling, tenderhearted debut about healing, family, and the exquisite wisdom of children, narrated by a seven-year-old boy who reminds us that sometimes the littlest bodies hold the biggest hearts and the quietest voices speak the loudest.

Squeezed into a coat closet with his classmates and teacher, first grader Zach Taylor can hear gunshots ringing through the halls of his school. A gunman has entered the building, taking nineteen lives and irrevocably changing the very fabric of this close-knit community. While Zach's mother pursues a quest for justice against the shooter's parents, holding them responsible for their son's actions, Zach retreats into his super-secret hideout and loses himself in a world of books and art. Armed with his newfound understanding, and with the optimism and stubbornness only a child could have, Zach sets out on a captivating journey towards healing and forgiveness, determined to help the adults in his life rediscover the universal truths of love and compassion needed to pull them through their darkest hours. My Review

Oh boy...what a wonderful read!

This is a very timely and topical novel, relevant today because of the continuous school shootings that plague the States. This book is heartbreaking, tender, upsetting and somewhat uplifting, all in equal measure. It's been quite a while since I've been so absolutely taken with a book.

The story is narrated by 6 year old Zach, and that's the first thing you should know. If you're not a fan of novels with children as narrators, then this one won't be for you. But if you enjoyed a book like Room, then you'll definitely love this one. The second thing you should know is that once you start reading this book, you won't be able to put it down. It's so well written, and viewing such a senseless crime through the eyes of a 6 year old, one that was hiding in a school cupboard when the gunman opened fire, is just fascinating.

As you will know from having read the book blurb, Zach survives the school shooting, and his life is forever altered. This story is told from his point of view and it's safe to say that he cemented his place in my heart through his tale. As young Zach tries to come to terms with what happened, and why it happened, the reader is taken on a journey into the mind of a 6 year old dealing with a massive tragedy, one that he cannot really understand. As the reader, one is transported inside his head, we hear his thoughts and come to see how he tries to process the events. We are also shown how his body reacts to the shock, the psychological damage that has been done manifesting itself in bed-wetting, anger, tears and temper tantrums.

I find it very difficult to believe that this heart-wrenching tale is a debut by the author, but it is. This is a story that is told with so much depth and understanding that one must ask the question as to whether the author has any personal experience with the traumatic events portrayed in this book. If not, then she shows a massive and deep understanding of the topic, and of how small children react to traumatizing events.

All round, this is a fantastic read. Once of my favourites of 2018 so far ... and by the way, completely out of my comfort zone.

My Rating: * * * * *

Publication Date: March / April 2018 (South Africa)

Genre: Contemporary-Fiction

Format: Trade Paperback

Source: Review copy received from the publisher. Many thanks to author, Rhiannon Navin and Pan Macmillan SA for my copy. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.