This book was hard to put down at first, but by the end I lost interest and skipped paragraphs of description. A poetic mind may appreciate the writing but I wanted to see what happened so I read quickly.
In the first chapter, twelve-year-old Yuki’s mother commits suicide. The book is about Yuki's life as a teenager and how she copes with not having a mother. Her relationship with her father and stepmother is strained and difficult. She adores her grandparents and they have a sweet relationship. But Yuki must deal with the passing of time and the natural progression of the aging process of her grandparents.
It’s a depressing book, but beautiful too.
On a personal note, I was shocked when I picked up this tattered paperback to learn of the subject matter. Yuki’s life is not unlike my own, having lost my mother in the same way when I was also twelve. This book would have probably helped me greatly when I was a teenager, as I felt a lot like Yuki felt in the book. A testament to the power of books!
This young adult book will give the reader much to think about. I would recommend this to any teenager who is dealing with loneliness, grief, anger, or confusion (does that describe every teenager?), but also to adults. Many great books are hiding on the young adults shelves!
JJ
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