12 year old Clara lives in Sycamore and is spending the long days of summer playing with her friends, including her best friend Gaynah. The story follows Clara through these days, introducing you to life in Sycamore; however, all the time, you are aware that something has happened that has changed Clara but she is having trouble with her memory and cannot remember what occurred.
Set in Jamaica, the backdrop is that of glorious sunshine, sandy beaches and small-town life on the island; however, you also get a glimpse of the effects of a tropical storm and I feel that the contrasts in weather reflect Clara and her varying emotions: she is clearly a young girl with a lot of anger and she really isn’t sure why, or how to control it.
Towards the end of the book there is a twist in the story that made me gasp and I defy anybody to say they predicted it - I know I didn’t! It helps to explain everything g and draws you even further into the plot.
Friendship and community are at the heart of this novel, but there is also a strong message about accepting yourself and letting go of the past. It portrays Clara and her struggles so well and with such compassion (using the first person narration certainly helps with this).
There’s a real warmth to this book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
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