On the 11th April, at 4.27pm, thirteen-year-old Luke’s mother is killed in a car crash and his life changes in an instant. Immersed in grief and a whisky bottle, his now near-silent father stops paying the household bills and, by the early summer, their home has been re-possessed. After all the debts have been paid, the only house they can afford is a remote, neglected cottage on a fellside above a scruffy northern town; it is here, away from everything familiar, that they must try to create a future for themselves.
Soon after moving in Luke meets Jon, a boy of the same age who lives close by, in an even more ramshackle house, with his frail, elderly grandparents. Wearing clothes more suited to the 1950s, with a side-parting in his hair and an almost obsessional habit of amassing facts and figures, Jon appears quite eccentric but, both outsiders, the two boys soon strike up a friendship. Luke becomes aware that Jon is keeping a secret and, when he discovers what it is, their friendship becomes pivotal in changing their lives.
I found this a beautifully written and very moving story about bereavement, mourning, the power of family and friendship, bullying and the struggles faced by characters who are trying to rebuild lives shattered by loss. The author’s acute observations of the many, and changing, faces of grief felt entirely credible and I soon found myself drawn into the lives of the characters as they each found ways to deal with their feelings of pain and grief. I liked the fact that rather than dividing the story into formal chapters, the author used frequent headings (sometimes a couple per page, sometimes one every two or three pages) to move the story forward in a convincing fashion. As the story is told in Luke’s voice, the narrative was given an immediacy which effectively captured not only his emotional journey, but also those of his father and of Jon. I loved the fact that each of the characters found a different way of dealing with his demons: Luke through his paintings, his father through sculpting with wood and Jon through immersing himself in books. I think that the author effectively showed how these activities were used, initially as defences and, ultimately, as ways of being able to move forward.
There is absolutely nothing sentimental about this story; the pain described is raw and powerful but the holding out of hope, and the restorative nature of love are evoked in an equally powerful way. The writing is made more effective by the fact that it is so restrained, with barely a word feeling unnecessary. This was marketed as a novel for young adults, but its psychological integrity means that it is a story which will appeal to a much wider readership – it’s a remarkable debut novel. ( )

Luke has just moved to a remote wreck of a house with his father following the death of his mother in a motor accident. Both thirteen year old Luke and his young father are having difficulty coming to terms with the loss. Shortly after settling into their new home Jon turns up at their door, a neighbour and the same age as Luke he has come to say hello. Luke and Jon soon become good friends despite Jon's odd manner and strange outdated dress, and Luke learns they have more in common than living on Bowland Fell, they have both lost a parent.

However, when they start school together at the end of the summer holidays Luke sees the reality of Jon's odd ways. But is Luke, a sensitive boy and an able budding artist, strong enough to do what he knows is right? And will Luke's father get himself back together after the loss of his wife?

Luke and Jon is a touching story of the power of friendship. While Luke relates the story of his growing relationship with Jon he frequently looks back to his recent loss, and tires to come to terms with it. It is touching, heart warming and positive; a well written and very accessible story that should appeal to all ages. ( )

I really enjoyed this book by a first time author. The main character Luke has little going for him but is a rock to both his grieving father who is drinking himself to death and his little friend Jon. Without spoiling the story, he saves both of them and it is a happy ending to a sometimes gruelling story. Easy to read and very believable especially the prevaricating Social Services Dept and the ostrich-like school authorities over bullying. ( )

Luke's mum is killed in a car crash, so his dad moves them to a shabby northern town, and an even shabbier house perched on the edge of a windswept fell. There he meets Jon, a boy who lives with two decrepit grandparents and suffers at the hands of vicious school bullies. The two become friends and help each other through some troubling times, including Jon's grandparents getting taken into care, Luke's dad's potential descent into alcoholism, and the inquest into the accident (?) that killed his mum. If that all sounds a bit bleak, it's not. Williams retains a positive, warm-hearted tone throughout, even when tackling some of Luke's darkest thoughts (would it have been better if his dad had been killed in that accident?) or his brutal response to Jon's bullies.

Read the full review at my blog ( )

In many ways, this is a simple story of a young man and his father and their life in a new town after his mother has died.

Told from the point of view of Luke, the young man, the style is plain and un-complicated. Occasional clumsy metaphors jar a little and the author uses words that wouldn't necessarily be those of a young man, but the narrative moves quickly on and the story is generally engaging and well told.

The story is touching and emotional; the friendship between two young men, Luke and Jon, who don't fit in will have tears welling, throw in a dead parent, a grieving parent and child neglect; there is no shortage of sadness. The novel has a satisfying conclusion which is based on something more real than happy ever after.

An enjoyable read. ( )