Member Reviews

Epub file on my kindle corrupted (lost old one and had to redownload everything from Amazon) so am unable to access - thank you for the opportunity.

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A brand new author to me - I do like finding a new author. An enjoyable read and would be interested in reading more by this author.

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Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will. Enjoy

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Latter part of the book is great!
Very much a book of two parts. I was very unsure about the first part, I have great sympathy for the parents of autistic children, but the this father, Ben, was not particularly likeable.
However, what changed my mind about this book was the interaction between the boy and his grandfather, and the discovery of the background of the grandfather. That was truly interesting, and put the rest of the book into context.

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Yes. Yes to this book, which ticks a lot of boxes for me. I'm always so so here for well done autism rep as it's something that's close to my heart and this book is that, I think. It was hard to read, but it felt real and honest nd authentic and sometimes things need to not be an easy read. It's a happysad book, and I'm really glad I read it.

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What a terrific story. I had heard all the hype around this book when it was first released and decided I’d lay low for a while. But not this long, it slipped down my Kindle and my list.

So this year my challenge was to read some of my back TBR list along with future and up to date books.

This, was one from my past TBR.

I don’t know what else to say more than other reviewers as everything has been said.
I can agree that it’s poignant, compelling, unputdownable, plenty of emotion but laughter too.

The author really knows they’re stuff when it comes to autism.
The havoc and emotional damage that any child with a disability can evoke on any family.

Parents love their children no matter what, but, not everyone can cope as we see here.

I listened to this on audio. I wouldn’t say it’s the best voices as it seemed a bit OTT in voice at times.
The father came across as some petulant child sometimes and although he ended up being a sole Carer he really was sulky around his own father at times I felt.
His father I grew to love. The curt but honest man. He made perfect sense.

The mother was so dam frustrating for me at times. Yes I understood her emotions and pulling away even if I didn’t agree with it but someone needed to speak to her or at least she speak to someone.

The times I laughed in this book or smiled were numerous times.

Fighting for the rights and care of any disabled person in your care is taxing. I know first hand unfortunately.
But a child who is needing the best of the best out there, not mediocre, not “that’ll do” but to get the best out of what life and available options are out there to bring the best potential out of your child. Fight. And that’s what happened.

I laughed over and over with the words the officialdom used! Isn’t that the truth!
Those who have read this will know exactly what I mean.

Brilliant written, brilliantly done. So enjoyable.
Just not keen on that narrator.

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This book was hard to read in a good way. The reader sees the stress in the family and how the family has reached this point in their lives but at the same time, keeps you out of the true inner self. Funny, heart-breaking and a believable story of love and sacrifice. This is fiction that gives you a glimpse into a world not all of us experience and perhaps cruelly, I'm very glad of that.

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Shtum is both comic and depressing - there is a lot of dark humour, but also a lot of sadness. The story centres around a dysfunctional man and his relationships with his father, his autistic son, and his wife. The writer does a great job depicting the challenges of parenting a child with autism, and the impact on other relationships. For me though, the main character was a bit too unlikeable, and had too many other issues, so I didn't always sympathise with him.

I found the story engrossing in places, but at other times really lost interest - so a bit patchy overall.

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This is a story about a family and how they cope or don't, with having a 10 year old severely austistic son and the effects it has on everyone concerned. It is a difficult book to read as it raises various different feelings, but worth the journey

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Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me, but I'm sure others will love it.

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This was a beautifully written book which dealt with the subject matter (autism) with great honesty and insight, due I believe, to the author's first hand knowledge of having a child with autism. Very thought provoking and highly recommended.

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What a wonderful book. Emotive and engaging from start to finish. I learnt a great deal about myself whilst understanding the immense difficulties some families face. A must read.

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I am not going to be reviewing this book, but thank you for the approval.

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Shtum by Jenny Lester is a general fiction (adult) read.

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.
This was such a powerful and emotional read. I cannot begin to understand what Ben and Emma went through. This is a must read and I would highly recommend this book. Definitely worth more than 5*. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book from netgalley.

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This is fantastically done dark humor-bureaucratic surrealism, the "gotcha" humor of Ben agreeing to his own divorce with Jonah flitting throughout like a sprite. The female characters are very 2-d and under-developed but this is a well-done book about autism. Unlike so many of the kind, this doesn't attempt to speak for the autistic and the parents are not heroes. No, Ben is a very flawed adult whose many problems are often his own fault and so this ends up being a great book.

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