Shtum
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Shtum
Buy Now for £12.99
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Narrated by:
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David Thorpe
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By:
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Jem Lester
About this listen
Ben Jewell has hit a breaking point. His 10-year-old son, Jonah, has severe autism, and Ben and his wife, Emma, are struggling to cope.
When Ben and Emma fake a separation - a strategic decision to further Jonah's case in an upcoming tribunal - Ben and Jonah move in with Georg, Ben's elderly father. In a small house in North London, three generations of men - one who can't talk, two who won't - are thrown together.
As Ben battles single fatherhood, a string of well-meaning social workers and his own demons, he learns some difficult home truths. Jonah, blissful in his innocence, becomes the prism through which all the complicated strands of personal identity, family history and misunderstanding are finally untangled.
Perfect for fans of David Nicholls, The Shock of the Fall and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
©2016 Jem Lester (P)2016 Orion Publishing GroupLoved this book
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But despite this, it had humour, rather black humour but funny moments nonetheless.
Overall it was an enjoyable listen, and if I'm to criticise the storyline without throwing in spoilers, the final chapters were slightly tacked on to the rest of the book, and the lucky coincidences all were a bit too pat.
It is clear from the writing that the author, Jem Lester, has coal-face experience dealing at least some these challenges, giving the book excellent realism. The narrator did a good job - no complaints there.
Tackling a number of difficult topics with humour
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best Audio book of the year for me!
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Any additional comments?
Shtum is a wonderfully uplifting account of one man's struggles with his autistic son, the local authority, his wife, his father and his own demons. Jem Lester has chronicled Ben's story in a moving and eloquent manner. My emotions were put through the wringer, and I veered haphazardly from sorrow to fury via despair with glimmers of hope thrown in. There were a number of occasions when I had to struggle with the lump in my throat. (People look at you weirdly if you're walking the dogs with tears streaming down your face). My initial frustration with Ben turned into hero worship without me even realising it. My love and connection to his father never wavered and though, at first, I was angered by Emma's narcissism, the reveal that she was in fact the most loving and generous of mothers came through loud and clear by the end. Mr Lester has captured our hearts with this, at times, shocking account of Ben's daily routine with his son. I was never in any doubt regarding the depth of his love for Jonah and I'm sure that after reading this book, Jonah will have an army of people rooting for him to find enjoyment and peace. It was only once I'd finished the book did I realise that I'd been holding my breath and crossing my fingers for the entire time. I'm thrilled and privileged to be able to highly recommend this remarkable book. An exquisite reminder of the joy of reading.Wonderfully uplifting
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I will miss this family
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