Only Child by Rhiannon Navin
ONLY CHILD
by Rhiannon Navin
We went to school that Tuesday like normal.
Not all of us came home . . .
When I read the blurb for this book I knew I had to read it, even though it's definitely one of those stories that it as hard to read as it is gripping. Although the author has taken a highly emotional charged situation and tells a story which is full of pain, tragedy and sadness, this is compelling story and one that is hard to put down.
Six year old Zach is at school when suddenly shots are heard. A pop, pop, pop. In patterns of three, repeated again and again. Getting closer and closer. His teacher huddles the class into a closet and holds the door tightly shut. The intensity of these moments are captured very effectively. Each breath, every tiny sound and every fearful thought is portrayed in such a way that the reader is right there with the children and the teacher. It's terrifying.
Zach and his classmates survive the shooting, but his older brother does not. Only Child is the story of how his family try to overcome the tragedy, deal with the aftermath of what has happened to them and survive the incredible strains placed upon the family. Zach has survived, yet his parents are mourning the loss of his brother. Zach is scarred psychologically from his experience, but his parents, also scarred and broken, are distracted by the grief they feel for the child they lost, unable to focus on the child who survived.
Navin chooses to narrate the story from the point of view of six year old Zach, which is brave. It can be hard to sustain the voice of a six year old over the course of a whole novel and it can be hard to write about such a complex, traumatic situation from the perspective of a child without ending up with a sensationalised, over simplified story. What Navin manages to do is tell us what Zach sees, hears and feels in a realistic and believable voice, while still creating a meaningful exploration of the issues and impact on the adults.
Navin shows talent in this novel. She has created a highly convincing voice and sustains it from the first page until last page. In fact, had this novel been written from the parents' view point, I probably wouldn't have been able to read it. By using Zach, Navin creates a little distance between the events and the reader because he is unable to always see the enormity of what is going around him. The reader can pick up the underlying implications and infer more about what is happening from Zach's innocent observations or recount. His details or descriptions reveal a different picture to the reader than they do to him and I thought this was a great technique. Had some of these reported conversations been written in first person by one of the adults, I think the book would become too overwhelming, and also possibly force the reader to make a judgement about some of the characters. In Zach's hands this is a heartbreaking novel which focusses more on how the real damage and the real issues can get lost when people seek revenge, justice and answers. Through seeking ways to come to terms with his own feelings and loneliness, he can then help to mend the rest of his family.
Last year I read "Fierce Kingdom" by Gin Phillips, which I loved, and the opening of this novel reminded me of that story. Both Phillips and Navin are able to capture the terror of your worst nightmare and pull the reader right into that horrific moment. It also reminded me of "Room" because of the use of a young child to narrate a story of a situation they should never ever have to experience.
I won't forget this book quickly and although it probably gave me a sleepless night, I think that in itself is testament to the writing and characterisation. Not an easy read, but one that is rewarding and worth seeing through to the end which offers hope and the fresh start that each of these characters deserves. A compelling read where the child, with their own way of working through their suffering, can actually offer solace, resolution and answers to the adults.
Only Child publishes on the 8th March.
My thanks to the publishers for the arc via NetGalley.
Six year old Zach is at school when suddenly shots are heard. A pop, pop, pop. In patterns of three, repeated again and again. Getting closer and closer. His teacher huddles the class into a closet and holds the door tightly shut. The intensity of these moments are captured very effectively. Each breath, every tiny sound and every fearful thought is portrayed in such a way that the reader is right there with the children and the teacher. It's terrifying.
Zach and his classmates survive the shooting, but his older brother does not. Only Child is the story of how his family try to overcome the tragedy, deal with the aftermath of what has happened to them and survive the incredible strains placed upon the family. Zach has survived, yet his parents are mourning the loss of his brother. Zach is scarred psychologically from his experience, but his parents, also scarred and broken, are distracted by the grief they feel for the child they lost, unable to focus on the child who survived.
Navin chooses to narrate the story from the point of view of six year old Zach, which is brave. It can be hard to sustain the voice of a six year old over the course of a whole novel and it can be hard to write about such a complex, traumatic situation from the perspective of a child without ending up with a sensationalised, over simplified story. What Navin manages to do is tell us what Zach sees, hears and feels in a realistic and believable voice, while still creating a meaningful exploration of the issues and impact on the adults.
Navin shows talent in this novel. She has created a highly convincing voice and sustains it from the first page until last page. In fact, had this novel been written from the parents' view point, I probably wouldn't have been able to read it. By using Zach, Navin creates a little distance between the events and the reader because he is unable to always see the enormity of what is going around him. The reader can pick up the underlying implications and infer more about what is happening from Zach's innocent observations or recount. His details or descriptions reveal a different picture to the reader than they do to him and I thought this was a great technique. Had some of these reported conversations been written in first person by one of the adults, I think the book would become too overwhelming, and also possibly force the reader to make a judgement about some of the characters. In Zach's hands this is a heartbreaking novel which focusses more on how the real damage and the real issues can get lost when people seek revenge, justice and answers. Through seeking ways to come to terms with his own feelings and loneliness, he can then help to mend the rest of his family.
Last year I read "Fierce Kingdom" by Gin Phillips, which I loved, and the opening of this novel reminded me of that story. Both Phillips and Navin are able to capture the terror of your worst nightmare and pull the reader right into that horrific moment. It also reminded me of "Room" because of the use of a young child to narrate a story of a situation they should never ever have to experience.
I won't forget this book quickly and although it probably gave me a sleepless night, I think that in itself is testament to the writing and characterisation. Not an easy read, but one that is rewarding and worth seeing through to the end which offers hope and the fresh start that each of these characters deserves. A compelling read where the child, with their own way of working through their suffering, can actually offer solace, resolution and answers to the adults.
Only Child publishes on the 8th March.
My thanks to the publishers for the arc via NetGalley.
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