Description
Sixteen-year-old Grace lives under a bridge in Melbourne’s CBD. It’s cold and wet, but hidden. Safe, at least, until she can go home.
When winter drives her to the City Library one morning, Grace meets Louie, a weird kid with his own problems, and discovers a community piano. The piano reminds Grace of her mum, a celebrated pianist whose mental illness makes life a rollercoaster — and not always a fun one.
When Grace comes up with a plan to find the help she and Mum need, life begins to look up. But things don’t work out as Grace imagines and suddenly her world’s turned upside down again, and maybe for good this time.
A Way Home is a big-hearted novel that explores the complexities of growing up with a parent who is struggling, and about the places and people we call home.
Review
Grace is 16 and living rough on Melbourne’s streets. She was fortunate to find a bridge with a high ledge which her keeps her hidden. But as winter sets in Grace is finding it harder to keep dry and warm, so the City Library becomes her haven.
There she meets Kate the librarian, who talks to her and helps with food. She also meets Louie, who ends up becoming her friend. She shares her ledge with him as two people are safer than one, and Louie has as many problems as Grace does.
Grace wasn’t always homeless, she used to live with her mum who is a celebrated pianist, who taught Grace to play the piano as well. But her mum has serious mental health problems, and so Grace was always living on the edge. When her mum eventually spiralled out of control, she ended up in a care home and Grace had nowhere to go.
After living on the streets for a while, Grace decides to try and come with a plan to get help so her and her mum can go home. But life is never simple for Grace, and her world is turned upside again ...
I loved this book, and loved Grace. She is a vulnerable, strong, courageous, resilient character. Her story is written with warmth and compassion, and shows how little things - like a kind word, a smile, $5! - can mean so much to someone homeless. Louie is also a wonderful character who is trying to keep in contact with his little sister who is in a foster home. Grace’s mum is also central to the story with her mental illness the cause of Grace’s troubles, but Grace loves her unconditionally.
This is a story of such heartbreak and hope that you will find it very difficult to put down, and even harder to forget. Best suited to those 15 and up as it can be quite confronting at times.
Reviewed by Michelle
