See what I did there with the title? It should tell you all you need to know about this beautiful, yet heartbreaking novel by Jamie Ford. You should remember Ford from his wonderful debut, The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, which was very well reviewed and nominated for a bunch of awards.
This is a very touching book about young William Eng, a twelve year old boy living in an orphanage outside Seattle. He has vague memories about the night his mother disappeared, and the horrible sight that he saw but does not understand, which led to his placement at Sacred Heart Orphanage. He has never been told why she left and, more importantly, why she never came back. Unfortunately, many of the young children at Sacred Heart have similar stories.
When the group is taken to a theater, William sees a woman on screen, Willow Frost, who looks just like his mother. He decides he must find this woman in an effort to finally find out the truth. Aided by his best friend, Charlotte, a young blind girl in the orphanage, William escapes Sacred Heart in a desperate search for Willow Frost in the unlikely event that she is his mother.
The characters are very well developed. Charlotte, in particular, is an amazing young person in this story. Many of her moments with William are both beautiful and heartbreaking. When you combine William's unfortunate past with Charlotte's, you have some powerful stuff. But their will to not only survive, but to thrive, makes for a wonderful side story to William's search.
Chris May- Adult Services Manager
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