LoveReading Says
London teenager Clem enjoys her 15th birthday surrounded by friends, family, and glorious sunshine – a perfect day. The world is changing though, and soon everyone and everything she knows, and loves, will be in danger.
Set in a not-so-distant future, England is ruled by a racist far-right authoritarian government, as civil unrest grows Clem must flee London with her younger sister, Billie. Safety lies in newly independent Scotland, but to get there the sisters must face unknown danger, suspicious bigots, and a terrifying small boat.
This was a gut-wrenching read; the concept was so believable and the writing so powerful that I felt sick on more than one occasion whilst reading it, but I couldn’t put it down. Whilst it might technically be described as a dystopia, really it is a modern horror story that could occur tomorrow. Putting a white, British teenager firmly at the centre of a modern refugee crisis, Furniss skilfully blends in events and ideologies of contemporary Britain. Making the reader question themselves and the world we live in.
The story is told through a mix of flashbacks, therapy sessions and fairy tales. Our main character Clem is a gloriously unreliable narrator and keeps the reader guessing until the end. A gentle romance creates further tension, but never detracts from the main story. The cast of secondary characters all leap from the page, they are all perfectly drawn and contain a sense that they too have a story to tell.
Bleak and scary The Things We Leave Behind reveals the worst that humanity does to each other, but is also full of love, hope and the best of humanity. A moving and thought-provoking must read.
Amy McKay
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The Things We Leave Behind Synopsis
How I Live Now meets Exodus - a startling YA dystopia that imagines London as the epicentre of the refugee crisis, from critically acclaimed author Clare Furniss.
Civil unrest in London has reached an all-time high after years of a growing authoritarian regime, and it's no longer safe for Clem and her half-sister Billie in the city. Clem tells of their treacherous journey to Scotland, by road and then by sea, fleeing with nothing but a notebook filled with stories and memories of home. But is there something Clem's not saying? And how will this journey - and the sisters' story - end? With the start of a new life? Or a mirror held up to the past?
PRAISE FOR THE THINGS WE LEAVE BEHIND:
'A frighteningly remarkable, relevant and moving novel, told gently and with impeccable style. Clare Furniss is one of the very best writers for young people and this new novel is her finest yet. I loved it.' Sarah Crossan, author of Moonrise
'Gripping and heart-wrenching, the story has a tragic denouement that is almost too painful to read, but Furniss' exquisite writing carries the reader through.' The Bookseller
I couldn't stop reading The Things We Leave Behind, I was totally immersed, as if I was a book-mad teenager again. I was moved and engrossed. Devastating and unsparing but full of hope and love too. It was a privilege to read it. - Candy Gourlay
This book is exceptional. Years and Years meets The End We Start From for teenagers. Should be on every secondary set text list. - Joanna Nadin
SO good - gripping, moving, tense, twisty and very, very necessary. In Clare's capable hands it all felt so utterly real and terrifyingly possible I got the chills. - Lisa Williamson
Such moving, thought-provoking, compelling story-telling. Wonderful characters. Utterly convincing. I loved it. - Julia Green
PRAISE FOR CLARE FURNISS:
'Lingers in the mind long after the final word has been read' Malorie Blackman, author of Noughts & Crosses
'Absolutely gorgeous, heartfelt and incredibly enjoyable' Robin Stevens, author of the Murder Most Unladylike series
'Funny, sharply observed, shocking and wonderful' Sunday Times
'A beautifully executed story . . . gloriously funny, deeply emotional and a triumph' Daily Mail
'Beautifully written' Stylist
PRAISE FOR CLARE FURNISS:
'Lingers in the mind long after the final word has been read' Malorie Blackman, author of Noughts & Crosses
'Absolutely gorgeous, heartfelt and incredibly enjoyable' Robin Stevens, author of the Murder Most Unladylike series
'Funny, sharply observed, shocking and wonderful' Sunday Times
'A beautifully executed story . . . gloriously funny, deeply emotional and a triumph' Daily Mail
'Beautifully written' Stylist
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