Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on
• Pro: Nielsen does so many things well in her books, but most importantly, she crafts these incredible characters. Felix was one of those incredible characters. The kid won my heart as soon as he described himself as "Fifty percent Swedish, twenty-five percent Haitian, twenty-five percent French. Add it up and it equals one hundred percent Canadian." He was funny, quirky, and he charmed the pants off of me.
• Pro: Felix was homeless or, as he liked to say, "between places". There was a chapter in the book called "A Brief History of Homes", where Felix told us about all the places he had lived. This chapter was a brilliant way to show how quickly one's circumstances can change. How you can be living in a big victorian house one day and in the back of a van the next. I am glad it was included, because it can combat some of the assumptions people make about why people are homeless.
• Pro: The quiz show storyline was fantastic! I was so glad it was part of the story.
• Pro: It was obvious that Astrid was not winning any parenting prizes. Her inability to keep a job combine with her mental health issues, often left Felix to fend for himself, but one thing was clear - Astrid loved Felix and he loved her.
• Pro: Mental health and abuse are some of the issues addressed in this story. Both were handled honestly and with care.
• Pro: It was really beautiful the way so many people rallied for Felix. I swear! My heart grew three sizes due to some really wonderful characters in this book and their acts of kindness towards Felix and his mom.
Overall: A touching, funny, and heartbreaking look at homelessness, featuring a protagonists you will stand and cheer for.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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Reading updates
- Started reading
- 29 August, 2018: Finished reading
- 29 August, 2018: Reviewed