Oh. My. God.

This BOOK.

This was by far one of my favourite reads this year. I'm now going to read everything Clare Furniss has ever written, because she has such a masterful style of writing teenagers that so few adults manage to get right. My main scepticism when going into this book is that it was sold more so based on its epic premise, rather than being well-written... but somehow, it managed to pull off both.

TTWLB is a sort of UK-dystopia, which isn't something we often see being published. Contemporary dystopia, particularly within YA, is so often set in the US, which requires a whole new backstory and political landscape to fuel its terror. This book subverted every expectation I had about the genre. Maybe I don't enjoy contemporary dystopia because I can't see it happening in my own world... but with this book, I could see it, and it was even more horrifying.

The book imagines Britain in the grips of a Prime Minister with a rather skewed perception of what it means to be "British", bringing about all sorts of important questions and debates. He plays on the fear of the nation to create a system of self-surveillance which governs the country and keeps "criminals" at bay, using brainwashing tactics and playing on terrorist attacks and threats to make the people scared, fearing the "other".

I think the reason the book worked so well is because we've already seen such practices, if only played out in minor ways, over the last decade or so - both with the pandemic, and with small things like hose pipe bans, and fearmongering after major attacks on our security. The kind of "laws" which cause neighbours to curtain twitch and snitch on their neighbours - "You've been outside for more than your allotted hour a day!"

I loved the way the old English village stereotypes were played out, too. There's an Imogen Glass in every single village across the country, who thinks she has more power than she actually deserves. And I loved the twist, the way Clem's mental deterioration plays out throughout the book. The focus on the hurt the new system caused all kinds of people, but particularly Claudia, the stepmother, one of those annoyingly perfect types doing her best to stay out of trouble.

I fully believe this book should be taught in schools, if only to teach children to think critically about the kinds of society they're placed under, and to equip them to handle their own dystopia - if and when comes.

This wasn't really the sort of book I review (I review horror) - although dystopian in nature, with a right wing government in power limiting the movement of people, especially those they see as "undesirable". It was a character driven thoughtful teen drama, rather than a Hunger Games or Maze Runner style action novel and is more in tune with the authors earlier novels. It carries both a message of hope and a warning.

Clem is living with her Dad whom she loves and a step mother, Claudia and half sister, Billie who come a close second. Her best friend Mischa then follows. The far right are gradually taking over the political agenda, bringing in more extreme regulations and clamping down on protests. But Clem’s Dad feels very strongly, more so after Claudia is detained over questions about her right to be in the country. They all go on an organised protest, but violence erupts and Clem and Billie lose the others. Clem had promised to look after Billie when Claudia was taken away and that becomes her focus.
She decides to go to Scotland, now independent and less subjected to restrictions. Her Grandfather lives there and despite not having seen him for a while Clem sees that as safe.
The dystopian storyline is not so far removed from what could easily happen here and now and that makes it even more frightening. There are some unexpected, and some more expected twists, but an engaging read, lightened by Clem’s imaginary two-way conversations with Mischa. Although Clem is 16 years old she appears younger so suitable for all teens.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review. I was completely blown away by this story as I was not expecting it to be so good. A truly wonderful and emotional piece of writing that broke my heart so many times. Prepare to shed a few tears with this one. A beautiful piece of fiction that could quite easily become our reality in the not so distant future. Clem is such an inspirational character, full of love and courage. Highly recommended. 5 stars

That ENDING! Wow. A powerful dystopian story about where hate and discrimination can take our society if left unchecked. The ending was incredibly moving. A book that will make you think very deeply about the kind of world we want to create and what really matters.

“Just for today “ dad said “forget everything else. Just let today be perfect”
Dad cast a spell, we allowed ourselves to fall under it. And my birthday was perfect.
Clem is celebrating her 16th birthday with family and friends.
However by morning everything has changed.
Set in the near future, where London is the epicentre of a refugee crisis - a tyrannical government is taking control of England.
It’s no longer safe in the city and Clem has to flee with Bullie, her half-sister and make the treacherous journey, by road and boat to Edinburgh.
Clem is found near to collapse and recounts her story to a kind adult.
She is about to start a new life but she can’t forget the past.
It’s gripping, heart wrenching but hopeful.
It’s so real and honest and told with true emotion.
It makes you think long and hard about the situations around us now and stays with you long after reading.
Thanks @clarefurniss, @simon&schuster & Netgalley for the compelling read.

What. a. book. I absolutely LOVED it. It's a scary but all to believable vision of what could happen if the far right took over the government of the UK. I found it completely un-put-downable, full of pathos and very moving.

Wow, this is one powerful tale. I think what touched me more than anything else is that it likely is happening already with many displaced people and that frightened me. The synopsis that even if you and your parents were born in the UK, you could be sent back to where your Grandparents were born is terrifying. In todays world , the growing unrest around immigration, and racism makes this book frighteningly too close for comfort.

A powerful, heartbreaking and haunting story that is totally captivating throughout. A stunning story.

A touching, haunting novel about sister’s and about moving on when life takes away everything from you. There are some twists, though the man in one is quite easy to guess pretty early on. I like the narrative pace, and how plausible the story feels given the times we live in.

(Review copy from NetGalley)

I've been eagerly awaiting a new Clare Furniss for years and it was definitely worth the wait. Not at all the story I expected and so utterly brilliant and devastating. Mostly horrified reading it and you can see how the events could easily happen with the political climate being as it is. It really would not take much to push us in that direction.

Thank you to Netgalley, Claire Furniss, and Simon and Schuster UK Children's for this ARC copy in return for an honest review.

There were parts of this book that I really liked and where I felt really engrossed in the story, but other parts were I really struggled to get into it. I think ultimately this book just wasn't for me, but I have to say the parts I enjoyed I really enjoyed!

Firstly I really liked the plot of the book. It felt a little too real at times with the current state of things but that made it all the more emotive. I loved Billie and Clem's dynamic, and came to love both the characters by the end of the book (along with Polly). I like books that make me feel things and I have to admit there was one point that genuinely made me cry.

The reason I gave 3 stars is that I really struggled to get in to this book until about halfway. I found myself feeling a little confused with the time hops and struggled to connect with any of the characters (until the second half). I really did start to get into the book at the 50% mark but then when I was really invested in the story the narrative from Mischa and the short stories pulled me out of that. If it wasn't for struggling to get into it and the short stories/Mischa commentry I would have given 4/5 stars!

Clem is a typical teenager with a loving family and a secure home until the evolving politics of her home country tears her world apart and leads to her embarking on a dangerous journey to safety in a neighbouring country. It is perhaps unexpected that the country in turmoil whose citizens are fleeing is England, whilst a newly independent Scotland is offering sanctuary.
This is dystopia at its best, the author imagines a world which is only a small step from the world we know. The curfews, the restrictions, the arrests and the persecution seem frighteningly possible. During her journey, Clem keeps the people she loves alive in her mind whilst learning to place her trust in strangers as she gains new skills of self-reliance. Her life will never be the same but can she find happiness again?

A truly stunning book that I can't put out of my mind. This world in only a small step away from ours which makes the story even more powerful, the knowledge that this could be waiting for us just around the corner. The characters are wonderfully portrayed, Clem is a typical teenager with a half-sister she adores but who is just as irritating as small children can be. Clem's friendship with Mischa is deep and their repartee is typical of their age; when Clem leaves with Billie she still keeps up conversations with Mischa in her head, a brilliant way of getting her thoughts across. Throughout the book the characters she meets are brought to life in a few sentences, Clare Furniss has a real gift for pen portraits and I got totally involved in Clem's conversations with Polly the charity worker who tries to help her.

I can't praise this book highly enough, it's thought provoking, heart-breaking and totally 'unputdownable'.