THE NEAREST FARAWAY PLACE by Hayley Long - reviewed by Sharon Tregenza

When Dylan and Griff's parents die in a terrible accident - the brothers' lives change forever. An aunt and uncle they've never met step in to give the boys a home and they find themselves living in Wales. But the grief is raw and Dylan worries about how Griff will cope.

This is a book about grief and recovery. The flashbacks slowly build a clear and endearing picture of the family life the boys enjoyed before. The music references throughout are a real bonus too and add to the overall depth of the book. The characters are multi-layered and the grief sometimes searing in its intensity. It's certainly an emotional ride (I wiped away a tear more than once) But, this is never a maudlin story. Long expertly balances sadness with joy and humour to keep the story rolling along and maintain the reader connection. Strong writing and great characterisation - I loved it.

This book won the Tir Na n-Og 2018

A great YA read and also suitable for advanced readers in the MG age range (as well as for adults)

Published by Hot Key



Reviewed by Sharon Tregenza
www.sharontregenza.com
sharontregenza@gmail.com





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