Half a World Away: The heart-warming, heart-breaking Richard and Judy Book Club selection

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From the past, the most saddest thing ever is that when her mother couldn't look after Kerry and her brother, anymore, they went into separate care. The incredibly moving and uplifting novel "Half a World Away" is an acute observation of human nature and is written by Mike Gayle, bestselling author of "The Man I Think I Know". Now, his world is turning upside down. His parents are seeking the adoption of a child residing in Kazakhstan. Not able to understand that love can encompass and enfold more than one child, he firmly knows he is being replaced because he is not doing a good job. This is the first book I have ever read or listened to by Mike Gayle and immediately upon finishing it I used up my Audible credits and bought The Man I Think I Know and All The Lonely People. Kerry and Noah couldn't have had any more different upbringings if they tried, but yet there are a few similarities in their lives.

HALF A WORLD AWAY is heartbreakingly lovely. Its main characters came to feel like friends of mine, and the book is full of such warmth and love. It truly captured my heart. -- Beth O'Leary, author of The FlatshareIt isn't easy, it is heart-wrenching, but, oh, is it worth reading. I can't recommend this book highly enough.' Vine How have I not read a Mike Gayle book before? I want to give this book all of the starts in the universe. I cried my eyes out at the end. It is touching, heart-wrenching and thought-provoking.' Netgalley I also used to live in Manchester — another great city (although technically I lived in Salford which is next door but that’s sort of splitting hairs).

This book IS very character driven and focuses on Jaden’s journey. There will be times you’ll want something more to happen, but you’ll realize there are so many things already happening with Jaden. But when they get to Kazakhstan, it turns out the infant they’ve travelled for has already been adopted, and literally within minutes are faced with having to choose from six other babies. While his parents agonize, Jaden is more interested in the toddlers. One, a little guy named Dimash, spies Jaden and barrels over to him every time he sees him. Jaden finds himself increasingly intrigued by and worried about Dimash. Already three years old and barely able to speak, Dimash will soon age out of the orphanage, and then his life will be as hopeless as Jaden feels now. For the first time in his life, Jaden actually feels something that isn’t pure blinding fury, and there’s no way to control it, or its power. As the adoptive mother of four internationally children, all of whom were placed with me at about the same age Jaden was placed, I have very divided opinions about this book. Yes .. it shows a journey to love. I would (perhaps) have preferred the story to be in Jaden's voice. (Who is clearly very bright and who speaks excellent English after 4 years in America.) But the picture of international adoption didn't work for me. His parents, for example, are still dealing with a child showing habits (e.g. food hoarding) which usually disappear after 4-6 months after placement, and desires to set fires (yes, he's in counseling for this.) He lies. OK. But ... they leave a 12-year-old with these issues (among others) alone in a new country? And even at the "orphanage" - they let him play with the toddlers without supervision? (Although they do ask him to join them in "bonding with the baby." Ask?) What an involving, captivating, heart-rending story. Some books fade from the memory but I know I'm never going to forget these characters - they feel like my own family. (Jill Mansell) I defy you not to shed a tear at this beautiful story... a touching and life-affirming read. * Prima *Where do I begin with this review? Well firstly, I listened to it on Audible and the narrators Kayi Ushe and Joanna Brookes were absolutely incredible and I could see them quite clearly in my mind and to me Kerry was a very young Kathy Burke and Noah a young Adrian Lester! This story is raw and beautiful and sad. It puts lots of things into perspective and makes you think about what is important in life. Beautifully written, easy to read and will certainly bring tears to your eyes. A must read.’ Netgalley

One pinballs from placement to placement before finally growing up in a care home. A rough start in life, a need to fend for herself and eventually, a determination to ‘make good’. Kerry lives a humble but happy life as the single mother of her son, Kian, in a west London council estate, working hard as a cleaner. Jaden sat on the floor, holding on to a half loaf of unsliced bread. He switched his lamp on and off, the bedroom lighting up and darkening over and over. Electricity had always relaxed him. For sure it was the most amazing thing about America. He bit off the biggest chunk of bread that could fit in his mouth. It was sourdough, which he liked because it was so chewy.Books and reading were hugely important. I remember going to the library on a Saturday morning and borrowing five or six books and reading them all by Sunday night. I do need to warn readers that this is an intensely emotional book, although beautifully written and uplifting in parts, it does give cause to have tissues close by but I did enjoy it and I would definitely read more by this author again. A tug at the heartstrings but funny, endearing and uplifting and a story I won't forget. An absolute must read! Kerry Hayes is a single mum, living on a tough south London estate. She provides for her son by cleaning houses she could never hope to afford. Taken into care as a child, Kerry cannot ever forget her past. When Kerry reaches out to the sibling she lost on the day they were torn apart as children, she sets in motion a chain of events that will have life-changing consequences for them both. Because electricity is magic,” he’d answered. That same psychiatrist was the first of many to say that Jaden couldn’t attach properly to Steve and Penni because of being betrayed by the one caretaker he’d ever had—his mother. From age four to eight, he’d had to fend for himself in group homes.

I was born in Young, a small town in south western NSW in 1950. After a few years we moved to Glen Innes, on the northern tablelands and then when I was ten we moved out west to Dubbo. We moved because my father was a schoolteacher and each change meant a promotion for him. Eleven-year-old Jaden is adopted, and he knows he’s an “epic fail.” That’s why his family is traveling to Kazakhstan to adopt a new baby—to replace him, he’s sure. And he gets it. He is incapable of stopping his stealing, hoarding, lighting fires, aggressive running, and obsession with electricity. He knows his parents love him, but he feels...nothing. Two family members , living world's apart, like strangers really, with not much in common as one a cleaner and the other a barrister. I was also born in Birmingham — in my humble opinion the greatest city in the world with the nicest people too.I haven’t read a Middle Grade in a while, but after hitting a bump, I decided to go for this one because I knew Kadohata wouldn’t let me down. One of the books I can remember making a huge difference in my life as a kid was Kira Kira by the same author, which is why I was so sure I would love this one. I am so glad I wasn't proven wrong. I’ve now read 3 of her works and have yet to be let down. This woman can work magic. Her stories are powerful and moving and this one was no different. He closed his eyes and stayed very still, concentrating on his electricity. He could feel a slight tingling in his hands. He hadn’t even known what electricity was when he was first adopted from Romania four years earlier. In Romania he’d lived in four different group homes, and none of them had electricity. Flying half way round the world, he is furious, scared and hurting. The process in Kazakhstan is not going smoothly and the parents are not given the baby promised to them. Instead, they are shown children who are biologically deformed, and/or gravely challenged. No wonder the adoption agency/placement center/"Babies' Home" is not sure about placing a child with them. The legalities of the placement are in some ways realistic .. spending time in the country of origin, etc -- but the baby they adopt (and the older child they choose to adopt, too) are clearly special needs children, when at least the father in the story has not dealt well with being Jaden's father.