The Outcast is a first novel by Sadie Jones which I finished reading this morning over breakfast! Set at the end of the Second World War and up to the mid 1950's it tells the story of Lewis, a boy who hardly remembers his father when he returns from the war and he resents the fact that suddenly he is shut out from his mother's affections. Things take a turn for the worst when Lewis is 10 years old and his mother drowns in a tragic accident. He cannot come to terms with what has happened and the fact that he was unable to save her. The relationship between father and son deteriorates even more when his father remarries. His young bride doesn't know how to handle Lewis and his behaviour escalates into self harm and drinking.
The family Lewis' father works for are well to do and Lewis has always played with the children but as Lewis' behaviour becomes unpredictable things begin to fall apart between him and his friends and ends up with Lewis going to prison. The story unfolds again as Lewis tries to fit back into life after prison but his former friends have no time for him and provoke him. Always people believe others rather than Lewis. His struggles find him an unlikely allie in Kit, the young daughter of the boss of Lewis' father. Her life is also not as it seems and both she and Lewis are broken people trying to find a way out.
I really enjoyed the book and was avidly reading it whenever I could. You do begin to wonder if Lewis will ever find his way in life and whether his father will ever show affection and understand his son (who he blames for his first wife's death). The book explores what can happen when grief and guilt are badly handled by family and relationships become starved of affection. It also shows abuse within a family and the lengths even the abused will go to cover things up. This isn't a happy read but I felt Sadie Jones dealt well telling Lewis' story from his point of view. I also think that the way she described the feelings that go with self harm and the actual action of it was very well put. I felt so sorry for Lewis.
If you want to know whether Kit and Lewis manage to mend each other or whether they tear each other apart you will have to read the book yourself and find out!
The family Lewis' father works for are well to do and Lewis has always played with the children but as Lewis' behaviour becomes unpredictable things begin to fall apart between him and his friends and ends up with Lewis going to prison. The story unfolds again as Lewis tries to fit back into life after prison but his former friends have no time for him and provoke him. Always people believe others rather than Lewis. His struggles find him an unlikely allie in Kit, the young daughter of the boss of Lewis' father. Her life is also not as it seems and both she and Lewis are broken people trying to find a way out.
I really enjoyed the book and was avidly reading it whenever I could. You do begin to wonder if Lewis will ever find his way in life and whether his father will ever show affection and understand his son (who he blames for his first wife's death). The book explores what can happen when grief and guilt are badly handled by family and relationships become starved of affection. It also shows abuse within a family and the lengths even the abused will go to cover things up. This isn't a happy read but I felt Sadie Jones dealt well telling Lewis' story from his point of view. I also think that the way she described the feelings that go with self harm and the actual action of it was very well put. I felt so sorry for Lewis.
If you want to know whether Kit and Lewis manage to mend each other or whether they tear each other apart you will have to read the book yourself and find out!
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