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Book Reviewed by:A triumphant story about love, loss and finding hope - against all odds.
"We looked down at the cliff jutting into the sea, a rubber boat full of kids going under the arch, and then you started running and jumping through the grass, dodging the rabbit holes, shouting at the top of your voice, so I started chasing you, trying to catch you, and we were laughing so hard as we ran and ran, kicking up rainbow showers in the leaves."
Rob Coates feels like he's won the lottery of life. There is Anna, his incredible wife, their London town house and, most precious of all, Jack, their son, who makes every day an extraordinary adventure. But when a devastating illness befalls his family, Rob's world begins to unravel. Suddenly finding himself alone, Rob seeks solace in photographing the skyscrapers and clifftops he and his son Jack used to visit. And just when it seems that all hope is lost, Rob embarks on the most unforgettable of journeys to find his way back to life, and forgiveness.
We Own the Sky is a tender, heartrending, but ultimately life-affirming novel that will resonate deeply with anyone who has suffered loss or experienced great love. With stunning eloquence and acumen, Luke Allnutt has penned a soaring debut and a true testament to the power of love, showing how even the most thoroughly broken heart can learn to beat again.
Not surprisingly, We Own the Sky is by no means a happy novel and will be difficult reading especially for parents. It continues to be part of my consciousness and left me feeling if not happy, at least hopeful and enriched. I recommend it to those who enjoy truly well-written fiction, regardless of the subject...continued
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(Reviewed by Kim Kovacs).
In Luke Allnutt's novel, We Own the Sky, five-year-old Jack Coates is diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor.
According to the American Cancer Society, brain tumors are "masses of abnormal cells in the brain or spinal cord that have grown out of control." The American Brain Tumor Association estimates that 4,600 children and adolescents are diagnosed with the disease each year. They cite a 2016 study that found cancer of the brain is the most common kind occurring in those younger than 15 and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in that age group. Even benign brain masses can grow and kill off tissue, impacting an individual's ability to function.
Although about 75% of children with brain cancer survive more than five years ...
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If you liked We Own the Sky, try these:
by Ruth Fitzmaurice
Published 2019
A transformative, euphoric memoir about finding solace in the unexpected for readers of H is for Hawk and When Breath Becomes Air.
by Antoine Leiris
Published 2017
This inspirational and heartbreaking memoir shows the power of love as a young father finds himself suddenly caring for his son alone after his wife is killed in the Paris attacks.
Clare Swatman, author of Before You Go
This book brims over with empathy. Rob and Anna's crippling grief is utterly heartbreaking to read. It's at times a difficult read, but I finished it with tears running down my face. This is a book that will get under your skin and stay in your mind for a long time. Beautiful and irresistible.
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