Hello lovely readers, I’m so excited to be kicking off the blog tour on publication day for The Things We Leave Behind. Happy Release Day Clare. So without further ado here is my review for this moving and important YA novel that everyone needs to read.
The Things We Leave Behind by Clare Furniss Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK on 14th March, 2024
Genres: Contemporary, Dystopian
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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. In the near future, in a world that could be, but is not quite, ours, sixteen-year-old Clem is happy. Celebrating her birthday surrounded by friends, family and a warm summer evening, there’s nothing that could ruin this day. But by morning, everything has changed . . . After years of a growing totalitarian regime, civil unrest in London has reached an all-time high, and it’s no longer safe to stay in the city. Fleeing with nothing but her half-sister Billie, a notebook filled with stories and memories of home, Clem must make the treacherous journey to Edinburgh, first by road and then by boat. What waits for the sisters on the other side – the start of a new life, or a mirror held up to the past?
Wow what an powerful and impactful novel. It’s been such a long time since I’ve read a Clare Furniss book, it was How to Not to Disappear which was really moving. The Things We Left Behind I think is her personal best and my favourite as well.
It’s modern day London, when a leader in parliament rose to power by his government. They are living in unprecedented times when a letter dropped into Clem’s house saying that her step-mum’s family doesn’t have a right to stay in the country and she is now under surveillance. The government brought in Community surveillance, ID cards, rewarding the decent people for spying on others, an uproar continued and it spiralled out of control. Protests were a target which left Clem and her sister Billie running away, to find safety. Her step-mum arrested, her dad unknown, the sisters finds herself on a journey of survival in country fighting against them.
Clare’s writing style is quite unique and lyrical, it’s beautiful. This book is written in 3 parts, Story, Flight and Lost and that in itself really captures it beautifully with the emotion of Clem’s and Billie’s hard journey. Within each part is told in two timelines recounting her until present day, talking to Polly her councillor in Scotland. Clem is told to be good at writing stories and that’s what she does. In a way she doesn’t want to relive the harsh truth’s of being a refugee. She can’t bare to face how the world has turned on her and her family. Clem is a beautiful soul that really do feel for, her sibling and sisterly love for Billie will honestly bring a tear to your eye. Even though she is her step-sister from the beginning you know that it’s always been just them and that what brought their family together. Their journey is their way of preserving their family, her dad and her step-mum Claudia. They are doing it for them.
I find myself this year reading some very relevant and powerful YA book that are extremely topical. I haven’t read one quite like this about the refugee crisis. What’s even worse is that, this is classed as contemporary dystopian, this feel’s so real in parts. We’ve been through a pandemic. I hope we don’t find ourselves in an authoritarian regime but the world is scary place and Clare really captured that emotion of the reader. This is basically a modern day version of 1984 and it’s a must read.
It’s an underrated YA that you all need to read. An important, scarily relevant, captivating and moving YA dystopian novel that’s feels a lot closer to home.
Thank you to Simon YA for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.
