I doubt there will be another story any time soon that contains such a depth of emotive subject matter - it as if the author made herself a list of sensitive issues and set about pencilling them into this tale narrated by a young boy named Jamie.

His sister is killed by a terrorist's bomb when he is five; this sets the tone for Jamie as he hardly remembers her and yet her death has such a far-reaching effect on every facet of his family's life.

The most surprising thing about this novel is that it is a story aimed at a young market (I suggest 11 years and upwards, as younger readers may find the content too disturbing). It "crosses over" into the adult market successfully (in my view) because you can't help but find this boy so damned personable. His childish mis-understanding and incorrect interpretation of adult concerns is possibly the only reason I was able to finish the book without being driven to make several calls to my therapist.

I laughed and I cried and yet I would never have turned to the first page it if I had read the synopsis first. It won't be everyone's cup of tea but I found it an ambush keeper.

- P