Claire loves to read!

Published by: Orion (7th April 2016)

ISBN-13: 978-1409166511

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 5*

Synopsis:

Ben Jewell has hit breaking point.

His ten-year-old son, Jonah, has never spoken. So when Ben and Jonah are forced to move in with Ben's elderly father, three generations of men - one who can't talk; two who won't - are thrown together.

As Ben battles single fatherhood, a string of well-meaning social workers and his own demons, he learns some difficult home truths.

Jonah, blissful in his ignorance, becomes the prism through which all the complicated strands of personal identity, family history and misunderstanding are finally untangled.

Ben Jewell has hit breaking point. His ten-year-old son Jonah has severe autism and Ben and his wife, Emma, are struggling to cope.

When Ben and Emma fake a separation - a strategic decision to further Jonah's case in an upcoming tribunal - Ben and Jonah move in with Georg, Ben's elderly father. In a small house in North London, three generations of men - one who can't talk; two who won't - are thrown together.

As Ben battles single fatherhood, a string of well-meaning social workers and his own demons, he learns some difficult home truths. Jonah, blissful in his innocence, becomes the prism through which all the complicated strands of personal identity, family history and misunderstanding are finally untangled.

Review:

Comparisons to The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time are inevitable and warranted, but Shtum definitely has a darker feel. For his debut, Jem Lester drew upon his experiences with his non-verbal, autistic son, and it really shows. The result is a brilliant, insightful, honest portrayal of the bittersweet relationship between Ben and son Jonah.

Ben's father, Georg is a wonderful character and, I think, the glue that holds Ben together when he first moves in. Their relationship isn't perfect, but all the little touches and how they look after each other when they're both hurting so much inside is heartwarming.

Ben's and Georg's interactions with Jonah are fantastic and bring such a lightness to this otherwise rather dark tale. The humour is well placed; I laughed out loud several times and was reminded of the times when I cared for young people like Jonah.  It feels as though you are watching from the doorway and listening to what Ben and Georg have to say to Jonah, and each other.

Shtum is fantastic, I cannot recommend it highly enough. It's one of those books that at first glance you might overlook, as I did. I'm so glad I came back to it and decided to read it. The story of Ben, Georg and Jonah will stay with me for a long time. I'd like to thank Orion for providing an advanced reader's copy, via NetGalley.