My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece (original 2011; edition 2011)

My family and I listened to this on holiday this summer while driving around the country (what a bonus to have David Tennant all to ourselves for hours on end) . It made us all laugh at loud - that's the best thing about teen books such wonderful humor. Just as well we weren't asked to pull over during the last chapter - driving in the dark very late one night, all of us with tears streaming down our faces. We really did have to pull ourselves together when we arrived at the grandparents' house. ( )

A brilliantly written, richly layered, superb portrait of a grieving family and a touching friendship. Moving, real, and painful but with many wonderful touches of humor. A truly exceptional story. ( )

Erin's rave review on Forever Young Adult is justified in this case; My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece is an incredible book. First and foremost, ten-year-old Jamie's narrative voice is absorbing and pitch-perfect. His situation is rough, even worse than he'll let himself realize, but he's an optimist; his fifteen-year-old sister Jasmine, however, sees a clearer picture.

Jamie's older sister, Jasmine's twin Rose, was killed in a terrorist bombing in London (referred to as October 7, the way Americans refer to the WTC bombings as September 11). Jamie was only five at the time, and has since felt more guilty than sad, because he doesn't really miss his sister, though everyone expects him to. Jasmine tries to forge a new and different identity through pink hair and black clothes; their father drinks and hates all Muslims; and their mother leaves the family for Nigel, who she met at a grief support group.

Jamie, Jasmine, and their father move out to a tiny town in the Lake District, where the father proceeds to drink and neglect both kids, leaving Jasmine to take care of everything. Jamie has a predictably awful time at his new school, and his only friend - she of the sparkly brown eyes - is Sunya, a Muslim. Jamie has no prejudice himself (and observes that terrorists are more often men over twenty than girls under eleven), but is afraid to be friends with Sunya because of what his dad would think/say/do.

Both Jamie and Jasmine miss their mom (Mum), but only Jamie expects her to send Christmas and birthday presents and show up for parent-teacher conferences; Jasmine realizes their mother has abandoned them, and she covers as best she can. Only when Jamie forces his mother to appear by entering himself and Jas in a talent competition in Manchester does he realize what Jas has known all along.

Achingly sweet and sad, with more than a touch of humor, I can't imagine readers not falling in love with Jamie, Jas, and Sunya...and maybe even Roger the cat. Among all the series and the dystopias, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece shines through as an example of what a realistic, stand-alone novel can be.

Quotes:

Hundreds of butterflies kept me awake the night before the team was announced. And in the morning every one of those butterflies felt as if they'd had ten energetic babies. (75)

And I said What's the Koran and she said It's sort of like the Bible. And that is the thing about Christians and Muslims - they both have a God and they both have a book. They are just called different things. (96)

( )

I really liked this story as it seems very true to life and how different people deal with a sudden death in various ways. I was not happy with the end, as I did not feel anything was as resolved as it should have been, but that could be my motherly instincts kicking in for the main characters. I would recommend this for ages 11-16, male or female. I think it is also a good book for adults because it could make some aware of how they need to come through their own grief and see beyond it to take care of their children who are still alive. ( )

Really lovely. Reminded me of Jean Little's heartbreakers. ( )