Simon & Schuster (12+) 9781471169816 (Paperback) Download activities and reading resources pack
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Content advice: strong language, drinking, some violence, racism, child refugee experience, authoritarianism, xenophobia, dementia, police brutality, death, terrorism, extremism.
A multi-layered story that keeps you guessing until the end. Clem celebrates her sixteenth birthday with a picnic, a day that marks a turning point as civil unrest grows due to the political shift of a totalitarian regime. Clem tells of her flight to Scotland with her sister to start a new life, but memories of the past begins to close in on her.
The book encourages empathy with refugees and helps readers to understand the dangers of an authoritarian regime without ever feeling didactic. Stories nestle within stories, highlighting the importance of telling and recording our own narratives. There’s a near-dystopian feel in this heightened state of reality that is both relatable and horribly plausible. It highlights the consequences of extremism and xenophobia. Emotion, action and foreboding threat combine to create an outstanding read.
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Clare Furniss grew up in London and moved to Birmingham in her teens. After brief stints as a waitress, shop assistant and working at the Shakespeare Centre Library, she studied at Cambridge University and worked for several years in political media relations. She now lives in Bath and has completed an MA in Writing for Young People at Bath Spa University. Clare’s novels have been shortlisted for numerous awards including the Branford Boase, CILIP Carnegie and The Bookseller YA Bookprize. You can follow her on Twitter @clarefurniss and find out more information on her website www.clarefurniss.com.
This is a well written book that keeps the reader entertained but also on edge. The subject matter is very topical in today’s world-unfortunately. However the characters feel alive and relevant and there is hope in humanity. A very good read
Paul
St David’s readers
The Things We Leave Behind – Clare Furniss It is an intriguing book that is very easy to get lost in as it doesn’t have proper chapters. It is told through flashbacks that conveys emotions that are very relatable. Clare Furniss’ writing is very understanding and expresses emotions in a way that would never offend anyone. The use of flashbacks is effective but one of the only flaws in the book is that there is no scale of time for the flashbacks. The ending is absolutely awesome, and I am sad that I can’t read it for the first time again. 10/10
Jake
KSA Book Wolves
For most of this book, I was gripped however it took me until around page 30 to fully understand what was going on. The lack of chapters was slightly annoying as I could never find a stopping point and it kept jumping back and forth between Clem’s story and the things going on in the present with Polly and the italics story with the blood-red flower, which was also slightly confused. Upon finishing the book, I was left puzzled as to why Billie was with Clem the whole time, yet had died from a coma whilst still in London. Overall I give this book a 2.5/5.
Felix C
Ermysted’s
I really liked The Things We Leave Behind as it seemed very relevant and realistic to today's society. Unfortunately, Toby Knight reminded me of someone currently in power, which I think just added to the relevance of the book. At first, I found this book confusing as it jumped from the past to the present to a fairy-tale-like story but as it went on I began to understand why they had layered so many scenes on top of each-other. Despite being a sad story, I liked the ending as it created hope without it being too unrealistic.
Aidan
Ermysted’s
"The Things We Leave Behind" is a really touching piece that looks at the stuff we carry with us in life and the things we decide to leave behind. It’s all about the memories, relationships, and choices that shape who we are. The author paints a picture of how our past can linger in the form of certain objects or people that bring back strong feelings. It makes you think about what’s truly important to you and how those choices can affect your future. There’s a lot of emotion in it, touching on themes like nostalgia and loss. It reminds us that even if we move on from certain things, they still have a way of influencing us. In the end, it encourages us to reflect on our own lives and consider what we cherish and what we might be ready to let go of as we grow.
Al-Aqsa
QKA Shadowers