I received a copy from Netgalley.

I must admit I didn’t read the blurb properly on this book. It came through in a reader recommend thing from Netgalley on my email. I was at work at the time and just glanced it over, the premise was enough to peek my interest. So I put in a request. I didn’t actually read that it was a novel in verse.

I’m not a fan of novels in verse. I’ve never read one, the concept just holds no interest to me. While this was certainly a quick read, I read most of it during my lunch hour and finished it off at home, probably under two hours reading time in all. I can’t say I was blown away by the telling of a novel in verse. I find it distracting and annoying.

I can’t say I liked the story that much either. It’s a UK based novel, set in London. I found the main character Jess very hard to have much sympathy for. Which makes me feel horrible because she comes from a really awful home situation. Very passive mother who has an absolute asshole of an abusive boyfriend who beats her and rules with an iron fist of fear and intimidation.

It’s downright scary to read about. Especially must be awful for Jess who clearly loves her mum but can’t do anything about it. Jess has a definite attitude problem and potty mouth, clearly puts a tough girl act on and has some bitchy tough girl friends. It’s not that I had no empathy for Jess, there were times when I felt terrible for what she was going through. Given her circumstances, her attitude is not at all surprising. But I just didn’t like her.

Jess finds herself arrested for shoplifting. Instead of juvenile detention she gets a community service sentence, clearing up trash in her local park.

The saving grace of this book was Nicu. I loved Nicu to pieces. He made reading this whole book worthwhile. Nicu’s family are Polish immigrants, looking to make money in the UK. They want to make some decent cash to take back home to their village to give Nicu a good start with a new wife, arranged by his parents and the parents of a girl from their village. Nicu gets no say in this. He has no interest in getting married at all.

He’s a decent boy, who in a stupid moment tried shop lifting and got caught. Because he’s an immigrant and because he doesn’t speak very good English, he gets caught and in trouble, but he’s given the same community service option given to Jess. Nicu seems like a nice guy who generally tries to do the right thing. He just caved under pressure of a future he has no desire for and no options to really do something for himself. He made a bad decision and there were consequences for his action. Which he understands and takes responsibility for, by doing what is required of him. Unfortunately, this means attending English school too.

He meets Jess at the same community service programme. They have nothing to say to each other at first, but notice each other. And soon find ways of talking to each other. They also both go to the same school and of course notice each other there as well. Jess appears to be embarrassed to be seen talking to Nicu. Her friends are the popular kids, and they are bullies. Nicu suffers terrible bullying, and while Jess doesn’t take part in the name calling and pranks, she doesn’t exactly do anything to stop it either.

But Nicu has such a heart wrenching tone of voice, it’s solid and dependable, and as he struggles to cope with his situation he finds Jess to be his reason for going on. As far as he’s concerned the sun rises and sets on her. He’s completely infatuated. And she eventually starts to thaw, little pieces of her tough girl personality slipping aside as Nicu breaks through her layers of protection and starts to get to know a whole different side of Jess.

Of course given their respective parental situations, nothing is easy going. Jess’s friends don’t make I any easier, and neither do the boy bullies in their class. One bad decision leads to another and Nicu and Jess find themselves with a horrible choice to make.

While the novel certainly hit some rough emotional notes, I didn’t really think much of the way it ended. While one character got a break, one didn’t. And…it just didn’t sit right with me, that one gets away clean and the other makes a huge sacrifice. They both should have got a new start.

I can’t say I will be reading another novel in verse any time soon. If either of the two authors wrote a contemporary YA that wasn’t in verse, I would be interested. This novel really didn’t work for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & AUS) for approving my request to view the title.

I came to Sarah Crossan in 2015 – you can read my review of One here if you wanna or if you didn’t here’s a summary: LOVED IT. As did other people because it won the Carnegie Medal last year. Whoop. So I did a bit of a chair shimmy when I spotted this little book. I liked it. In a similar way to One (and I wonder if this is Crossan’s thing) it’s narrated in verse. That, right off the bat, is a thing you should know that I enjoyed a whoooole lot. I loved it in One too (perhaps a little more there actually but that’s not the point) because it’s different. I like different. I like discovering stories in a shiny new way and poetry fascinates me really; I don’t read much of it, I always wish that I did but I don’t mostly because I actually have zero clue where to begin with it, so a book like this, I guess it’s kind of like a gateway… and I think that might be my favourite thing about this book. Pretty words are used prettily. GIVE ME ALL OF THAT.

The rest of it…I dunno, I have mixed emotions. I mean, mostly I liked it but it bugged me also.

As characters go, Nicu was lush. Seriously, this kid is totally adorable, with his broken English and his not being quite sure how to fit in and all of this shit that is following him around from all directions and how happy he is regardless, how he’s so determined to not let any of it get to him. He’s a regular little Pollyanna which just made me love him harder and when you put him next to Jess (who, for the record is much less adorable) you cannot help but want to squish his little face.
Jess however is a bit of a dick, a dick who’s having a rough time and who you also feel terrible for and I have a whole shedload of feelings about her situation that I am not going to get into because ouch and yes you absolutely want to love and protect her but still. Dick.
The story between the two of them is a little bit insta-love, but I am not knocking off points for that even though I normally would because, well because I don't want to frankly. See above point about being my own person. Also this is a teeny small book so you know, I guess it kind of makes sense.

The actual story itself is good and I liked it (apart from the ending which made me a little bit WTF and not in a good Sarah Pinborough way but in an actual genuine ‘WTF but why’ way because I DO NOT ONLY WANT HALF A HAPPY ENDING.

Actually not even half a happy ending.

A quarter happy ending.

That’s what this book gave me, a quarter happy ending and it’s a problem for me that because I really don’t like getting invested in a book and then feeling dissatisfied by the ending. If an ending is even what it was. I think I just want resolution. Which is a tick in the ‘this book was good column’ because it totally made me care) and it’s lovely, the way it unravels.
I wonder how Crossan and Conaghan put it all together actually; I suspect one wrote Jess’s voice and the other Nicu’s because they’re so very distinct…whatever it is though, it works. Their voices gel well together.

It’s very well-timed this book, what with the way the world is at the moment (and what the world is, is fucked up)
It’s incredibly relevant and pitched nicely, so as not to be preachy you know. It doesn’t ram any kind of message down your throat. It’s this story about these two teenagers who have shitty home lives finding each other and deciding they want things to be different. The fact that one of them, Nicu, is a Romanian is just there you know? Rather than being a book with an important message about immigrants and racism, it’s a book about two messed up kids, one who just happens to be from someplace else. Which actually no, that’s not right because racism is a major theme here. It’s such a massive part of Nicu’s story and it matters; Nicu was the target of a shit load of racism and that made my blood boil because people are fuckwits are they not? Am I contradicting myself? I hate when I do that. I think what I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t feel like a lecture, like Nicu is a token character to get a message across. It’s subtler than that and somehow more powerful for that subtlety? It’s kind of a quiet feeling of hopelessness almost, that sneaks up on you. Again: liked that.

I did like it, I did, I just….the ending. THE ENDING.

We Come Apart was published earlier this year which means you can get your paws on a copy right now. Go forth. And then come back and talk to me about whether you liked it and how adorable Nicu is and how you feel about books that are not formatted the way other books are. Let's chat.

Loved this, I loved the gaps in the free verse which added to what the reader understood. Gorgeous

This book features a lot of racism towards Romani people, and a lot of parental abuse so if you don't think you can read that, don't. As well as that, I'm not Romani and neither are the authors so I'm sorry if I missed something problematic in the book or if I say something wrong in this review, please let me know.

After reading One by Sarah I thought I would read this, as Brian recently won some awards for his book The Bombs We Brought Together I was interested to try a joint foray by the pair. And I was impressed.

We Come Apart is about Nicu, who is a Romani Romanian who has immigrated to the UK so that his parents can earn money for his arranged marriage, and Jess who is struggling a lot at home as her mum's boyfriend is abusive. Nicu starts at Jess' school and Jess finds herself defending Nicu against her racist friends who she begins to realise are horrible people.

One thing I really loved about this book was that it was about a Romani boy, I've never read about someone who is Romani and I've never even heard of one. Romani people are basically the UK's punching bag, I couldn't even explain to you the disgusting tv shows I've see about them or the characters they are made out to be in dramas, it's gross. So because of this I thought it was really good to read from the point of view of someone who is Romani, again I will say though that neither of the writers are Romani and I don't know how much research they did so it might not be accurate. But based on my knowledge of the UK and the people who live here and how cruel British school kids are I would say that the the bulling the Nicu experiences is pretty accurate, in fact I felt like it was pulled back a bit.

What I would have to say about the Nicu story is that I felt like the whole "parents forcing him to get married" thing was quite a harmful stereotype. Of course with stereotypes there will be some people who are true to that stereotype but there's so many that aren't and I wish this book had given him a different storyline because I'm 100% sure there is more to Romani people than what we see in the media.

I'm still not really sure how I feel about books written in verse. They're great for a quick read and the often pack a real punch but I don't think I get the effect of them that other people get.

At times this book was super hard to read but it felt honest. Jess' home life was horrible but it wasn't glossed over. Neither was the life of teens living in an area which is considered to be impoverished. A lot of adults writing YA books seem to be under the impression that kids don't get violently drunk or have meaningless sex or get involved in drugs, but this book showed these things in a brutal light. I've lived in Glasgow I've seen the ways some people live when they don't have much money coming in, I've seen how their children grow up and this book felt very true to that.

I loved that it was in verse! Thank you to the Publisher for the review copy :))

This was an up and down book for me. I really liked how it was told in verse from dual perspectives. The premise of the story had me hooked and while parts of it were great, fantastic even. I felt there was something lacking.
It's hard to put a finger on it, but I guess what I'd say is I just wanted more. More depth to the characters and more to their story. This isn't because it was written in verse because I've read other books which have used that format with huge success.
Overall, I'd say that while this book was enjoyable and had some great moments. It didn't hook me as much as I thought it was, and I would up being disappointed with the ending.
So while I am glad I read it and mostly enjoyed it, it's not a book I would read again to rush to recommend to someone.

Absolutely made my heart sing and eyes brim with tears. A wonderful YA novel about teenage life - of not belonging, making sense of a broken world, of loving bravely, and chasing after one's dream for a better life. Nicu and Jess strive to understand each other, overcoming language barriers and cultural differences. This story touches me on a personal note due to my own status here as an expat/migrant come to reside in the UK (anyone else feels the sting of the connotations of expat and immigrant?) - a lot of the racism rings true. Crossan and Conaghan come together to bring us a poignant coming of age story that is guaranteed to make you cry (or blink tears away bravely if you happen to be on public transport).

As a teacher who is still thrusting 'One' into the hands of every student who asks me to recommend a book, I couldn't wait to read this and it certainly didn't disappoint. Sensitively rendered characters, brilliantly developed, gorgeously crafted narrative voices and a topic that could not be more timely. Everyone should read this book.

The relationship between the two vulnerable young people is beautifully described and the themes (including immigration, bullying, domestic violence) are sensitively explored. And all in verse. Impressive.

I am not going to lie, I was quite nervous of reading this book. While I hadn’t read any books by Sarah Crossan or Brian Conaghan, but I had heard only good things about Sarah Crossan’s previous novel ‘One’. I knew both that one and this book were written in free verse which was quite daunting to me. I’ve read unusual narrative’s before to critically acclaimed books, and I couldn’t get on with them at all, so I was nervous, but I really wanted to read something a little out of my comfort zone.

I am so glad I did and about 3 pages in, I put my Kindle down, ordered ‘One’ and then went back to reading this wonderful story. It is quite a quick read, but that doesn’t stop the story being simply beautiful.

Each author has taken charge of a different character. Jess is a troubled teenage girl who lives with her mum, who’s in an abusive relationship. Nice is Romanian, and is determined to make the most of his life in England.

I adored both characters. It was so sad seeing Jess’s situation at home. It just goes to show that because someone acts loud and rebellious, there is often a reason behind it. Any other circumstance, I would find it hard to connect with Jess, but I was so wishful that life was different for both Jess and her mum. Jess, when you got to know her was a really nice person, she was the only person to give Nicu the time of day and see him as a human being. It would of been easy to ignore him from peer pressure, but their friendship grows and it is lovely to read.
I really liked Nicu too, he genuinely seemed keen to learn and fit in, but was barely given a chance, by both his father (who was abusive and arranging a marriage for Nicu) and people at school who were beyond rude and it was some uncomfortable reading.

Then there was the last third which really got to me. |t was part anger-inducing and really sad at the same time. This book was a great read, and definitely has pushed me to try more books I’d normally be nervous to try.

I loved this. I read it so quickly. I loved both of the characters. Their stories seemed so honest and true.

I have read several books over the last year or two that, in my opinion, are spoiled by having too many threads to the plot. This latest offering from award winning author Sarah Crossan, in collaboration with Brian Conaghan, has so many sub-plots that it's difficult to engage properly with any of them. It is a very short book, written in verse, as are all Crossan's books, and told in alternating chapters by the two main characters, Jess and Nicu. Having read One, I had high expectations of this book but because it tries to cover so many different issues in so few pages it ends up only scratching the surface. I also felt that it had a quite a bleak outlook, almost everyone was racist, Jess's friends are all horrible, the teachers either turn a blind eye or join in. I'm not sure what the message of the book is, children's and YA books don't have to be happy ever after but this left me feeling quite depressed.
I would have liked the book more if the authors had explored just one or two themes in greater depth rather than take a sort of scatter gun approach. I also found Nicu's pidgin English laboured and unnecessary.
My thanks to Netgalley for this copy.

WE COME APART is a timely and moving story about two teens who come together from very different places. Though Jess and Nicu have radically different backgrounds, and even different first languages, they share a connection which only develops and grows stronger. This story touches on race, immigration, family and friendship, and really makes you think about being in someone else's shoes. An excellent book to introduce someone to the idea of casual racism, discrimination and the positives of diversity.

I loved this book. Nicu and Jess are wonderful characters who completely come alive on the page, and I loved seeing them change as they got to know each other. I also found the things they have to go through really painful reading, but this is one of the things that makes it so good. I absolutely loved the book and it's right up there as one of the best I've read this year!

Was a bit confusing to begin with, as Nicu's broken English and Jess's words collided to create this story. Quite a moving story which leaves readers sat on the edge of their seats asking what happened and what will happen to the two main characters. Very well written!

Jess and Nicu. They meet during community service, they become friends, they both have home lives they want to escape, for different reasons. But how do you escape when the world seems like it can never change? What future is there when surviving the present takes your strength?

This is a wonderful book where every word deserves to be read, considered and thought about. It's beautifully written in free verse, deceptively easy to read in a way that highlights every emotion, and features characters that get under your skin. A tour de force.

I am a big fan of Sarah Crossan and really enjoyed the Carnegie award winning 'One' last year. This is a very interesting collaboration with Brian Conaghan about an English girl and a Roma boy.
I read this in one sitting as you want to race through this to find out what happens. Loved it

We Come Apart is driven by an intensity that forces the reader to sit up and take notice from the beginning. Written in sublime verse by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan, We Come Apart is a modern tale of two star crossed lovers, told from the dual viewpoint's of protagonists Jess and Nicu.

Equal parts hopeful, humbling and heartbreaking. Please read this stunning novel.

Thanks to Bloomsbury for the ARC via Netgalley

This book was one of my most anticipated books of 2017 and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Sarah Crossan is a magnificent writer and I love that she writes her stories in verse. In this book Sarah Crossan is collaborating with Brian Conaghan the author of The Bombs That Brought Us Together and When Mr Dog Bites.

The story follows Nicu and Jess, two unlikely friends that meet at a youth reform course for being caught shoplifting. Nicu has recently emigrated to the UK from Romania and struggling to be accepted, whilst Jess lives at home with her mother and abusive step father and wants to get away.

This book was told in dual perspective, I am presuming from reading Sarah’s other books that she wrote Jess and Nicu was written by Conaghan, I enjoyed that It was written in verse and made it a quick enjoyable read. Nicu’s character is written in broken English which I thought was a cool idea but I felt that the two characters didn’t connect very well as their voices were so different.

There were some really powerful messages in this book E,g how difficult it can be for immigrants to accepted, having to learn a new language and way of life. The most astonishing part of this was how the teachers treated Nicu.Due to his limited English and them having no idea of the curriculum over in Romania, he was put in the lowest classes and not even assessed as to how much he knew. The saddest part was that the teachers would never engage with him,I just wanted to give the poor boy a hug.

Jess’ mother is in an abusive relationship, she starts stealing and acting out at school, when she makes friends with Nicu it’s only at the youth reform group, even though he goes to her school. When they start becoming closer Jess is witness to the bullying that Nicu endures on a daily basis and starts standing up for him even if it is against her so-called friends.

Nicu is a more memorable character than Jess and you will become very fond of him due to everything he goes through, but both characters have great development. This book deals with topics such as bullying, domestic violence and gangs.

Crossan always manages to incorporate prevalent issues that are happening in the world today such as Brexit and racism. If you enjoyed One or The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossan then you will certainly enjoy this.

I rated this 3 out of 5 stars.

To my mind, Sarah Crossan has never bettered The Weight of Water, a grossly underrated novel. This veers very close to that quality, and the two authors make an excellent team. This doesn't really feel like two authors at all, despite the obvious division of labour. Sarah's chapters are better, perhaps because she has set herself slightly less to do. She portrays teenage angst at her finest in this novel and the ending is crushing (I can't be the only person who was reminder of Junk in terms of the escape plot) Brian's character has limited English but his verse is easy to understand and his character empathetic.