Friday 30 January 2015

Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan

22171851
I don’t know if what I remember is what happened or just how I imagine it happened now I’m old enough to tell stories. I’ve read about this thing called childhood amnesia.
It means we can’t remember anything from when we were really small because before three years old we haven’t practised the skill of remembering enough to be able to do it very well. That’s the theory, but I’m not convinced. I have one memory from that time. It never changes, and if I wanted to make up memories, wouldn’t they be good ones?
Wouldn’t all my childhood stories have happy endings?

A story about sad endings.
A story about happy beginnings.
A story to make you realise who is special.
240 pages
Hardback Published by Bloomsbury 2014
Paperback due February 2015

Summary from Publishers’ website
When Apple's mother returns after eleven years of absence, Apple feels whole again. She will have an answer to her burning question – why did you go? And she will have someone who understands what it means to be a teenager – unlike Nana. But just like the stormy Christmas Eve when she left, her mother's homecoming is bittersweet, and Apple wonders who is really looking after whom. It's only when Apple meets someone more lost than she is, that she begins to see things as they really are.
This is was an unexpected treat. I am more of a fantasy/magic realism reader for the most part – but it’s a good idea to read outside of your usual genres from time to time. So I downloaded this from Net Galley – and loved it.
Such believable characters – and a 3D sense of family. This reader’s sympathy and understanding changed throughout the story in a satisfying and convincing way. Not surprising for a former English teacher, I loved the role that poetry took in the story. It’s a persuasive example of what creative writing is actually for, what it can do for people.
‘Apple and Rain’ is easy to read in the way that comes from a great deal of effort by the writer. Although it is set in the present, it is unlikely to date very quickly and would make a great book for teachers to use with adolescents. [There are reading notes free to download from the publishers’ site too.]
There are moments of warm humour and some scenes which may bring the odd tear with them. I would definitely recommend it for any reasonably confident reader interested in modern family life. Well worth a try even if contemporary realism isn’t your thing.

1 comment:

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