Life, Interrupted - Damian Kelleher

Life, Interrupted - Damian Kelleher

Pages: 252
Publisher: Piccadilly Press Ltd.
Release Date: 30th January 2009

Other Titles by This Author: Selfish Sophie, So You Want to Make a Film?

‘What’s up with your mum?’

We sit on the railings and, as the grey clouds scud over our heads, I tell Jack and Freya about Mum being ill. I don’t tell them that I’m worried stupid, but they’re my mates, I think that they can work that out for themselves. I also tell them about Jesse and his accident, the prat.

‘Blimey, sixty-six per cent of one family in the hospital at the same time!’ says Jack. ‘You’d better watch yourself, Luke. It could be an ancient Egyptian curse… Why don’t you sleep at mine tonight?’

‘Yeah, go on,’ I say. ‘Don’t fancy another night home alone.’ to tell the truth, I’ve eaten the last pizza anyway.

Luke’s world is turned upside down when his mum collapses at the hospital where she works as a nurse. Fourteen-year-old Luke and his football-obsessed younger brother Jesse each cope in their different ways, and, as time passes, they must confront some painful truths.

Honest, funny and deeply moving, this is a story about facing the worst and surviving.

At times I found this book very hard to read. I've lost count how many times that it made me cry; it was heartbreaking. This was reinforced by the very real characters that made the story feel alive. It also dealt with lots of issues that aren't talked about by kids very often, but not in a preachy or patronising way. For this reason, I think it will resonate with lots of people.

I even didn't mind all of the attention that it gave to football and that's high praise indeed for a sports-hater like me! This was a very sad, but very good book, that I recommend, even though you should probably stock up on tissues first!

Sophie