My Name Is Leon
Kit De Waal
Genre:
Historical, Literary Fiction
Title: My Name is Leon
Author: Kit De Waal
Genre: Literary, Historical
Publisher: Penguin
Date Published: 2017
Book Length: 288
Format: Paperback purchased myself
Star Rating: 3.5 *** I liked it it’s OK
About Book: It's 1981, a year of riots and royal weddings. The Dukes of Hazzard is on TV. Curly Wurlys are in the shops. And trying to find a place in it all is nine-year-old Leon. He and his little brother Jake have gone to live with Maureen. They've lost one home, but have they found another?Maureen feeds and looks after them. She has wild red hair and mutters swearwords under her breath when she thinks they can't hear. She claims everything will be okay. But will they ever see their mother again? Who are the couple who secretly visit Jake? Between the street violence and the street parties, Leon must find a way to reunite his family . . .
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My Thoughts: My Name Is Leon by Kit De Waal is an emotive account told from the perspective of 8 year old Leon who’s story is being told and it has a uniqueness to the narrative that is sometimes uplifting but at times sad and terrifying. The book explores and shows us some of the difficulties and dilemmas of children in the foster system, the decisions made, and the consequences of cause and effect.
The book is fairly slow paced, but does ramp up towards the end, with the early 80’s backdrop there is an urgency to the situation Leon finds himself in. The book does have compassion in spades and you can’t help feeling for Leon.
In Conclusion, an emotive story told with compassion and a book told through different eyes.