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There are currently 33 member reviews
for A Million Things
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Cherryl V. (San Francisco, CA)
Lovely read
A captivating read that's hard to put down, this book is one of my favorite new releases in 2021. It reframes the notion of family and what it means to belong and find your place in the world. Really timely and thought-provoking.
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DeAnn A. (Denver, CO)
Emotional Debut Story
This book really snuck up on me and then proceeded to rip my heart out. It has been a while since I had to stop reading because of the tears pouring down my face.
Rae is a precocious ten-year-old and loves her trusty dog Splinter. Her nosy older neighbor Lettie cries out for help one day. Soon this unlikely pair are spending more time together as they both deal with secrets and loneliness. These characters are so memorable! This debut made me ponder how we define family and how we best help people with mental illness.
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Ann B. (Kernville, CA)
tugs at the heartstrings
I devoured this debut novel by Australian author Emily Spurr. Remarkable for its theme, its characters, and its humanity, the book is written from the second-person point of view, the 'you' directed at the narrator's mother. I won't soon forget narrator Rae, her neighbor Lettie, or her sweet beast of a dog Splinters. But the nameless mother is also an interesting character, more so because she develops in the literary equivalent of negative space.
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Karen B. (Crestwood, KY)
Heartfelt, emotional debut
Secrets and sadness, loss and connection, resilience and revelations -- just a few of the many things that Emily Spurr writes of so eloquently and authentically in A Million Things. She explores grief and loneliness without melodrama, leaving room for hope and happiness. Highly recommended.
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Danielle M. (East Greenwich, RI)
A Heartbreakingly Beautiful Debut
This book! It will break your heart and put it back together again. Rae is a character you won't soon forget and this story of loss and resilience is a triumph. I'm sure this will end up one of my best of 2021 books and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
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Celia P. (Melbourne, FL)
Hard to Believe...
that a ten year old could be this resilient!!
A straight forward story, at least in its time line: 55 days in the life of a 10 year old girl who is left on her own. Her mother has left before but has always come back. Where is she? The reader is left to wonder. Will she ever come back?
It is current day and Rae and her dog, Splinter, are on their own in Southern Australia. Rae has an unusual neighbor in Lettie, a serious hoarder. Lettie calls Rae Kiddo and Rae calls Lettie Goat-o (as in old goat). They forge a friendship helping each other out with their problems.
There is also Oscar and his nosy mother, Lucy, who live down the street. Their interference compounds the relationship of Rae and Lettie.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to meet a strong character. Rae is 10 and 'strength' is her middle name. Lettie has her moments too and turns out to be more complex than you would first imagine.
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Valerie C. (Chico, CA)
Heart breaking and heart warming at the same time
A great story of friendship, courage, and perseverance.
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