Our Homesick Songs
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By Emma Hooper
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1 review
LONG LISTED FOR THE SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE
‘A Wes Anderson-esque tale to fall for’ Stylist
‘Warm-hearted and winsomely imaginative’ Sunday Times
‘A novel in love with music, magic and the idealism of childhood’ The Times
Newfoundland, Canada, 1992. When all the fish vanish from the waters, and the cod industry abruptly collapses, it’s not long before the people begin to disappear from the town of Big Running as well. As residents are forced to leave the island in search of work, 10-year-old Finn Connor suddenly finds himself living in a ghost town. There’s no school, no friends and whole rows of houses stand abandoned. And then Finn’s parents announce that they too must separate if their family is to survive.
But Finn still has his sister, Cora, with whom he counts the dwindling boats on the coast at night, and Mrs Callaghan, who teaches him the strange and ancient melodies of their native Ireland. That is until his sister disappears, and Finn must find a way of calling home the family and the life he has lost.
This is an enchanting tale about a fading town and a boy who would do anything to save his family
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I really loved this book. Its the poignant story of a small community in 1990's Newfoundland that has to face the consequences of losing their livelihoods due to over fishing. The book is mainly told by brother and sister Cora aged 14 and Finn aged 10. The story of how the children try to understand what is happening around them is beautifully touching. All the characters are well developed and are finely nuanced. Its a book about a community that cares and have to stick together to survive. Despite the raw sadness in parts of the book there is also plenty of humour that is very clever and subtle. I loved Emma Hooper's debut book but this one is even better - i really got so immersed in the story and the two children that i didn't want it to finish. A bitter sweet story that managed to really pull me in and i really cared about all the characters.
