An unforgettable middle-grade debut that will steal your heart
Blue Gadsby’s twin sister, Iris, died three years ago and her family has never been the same. Her histrionic older sister, Flora, changes her hair color daily; her younger siblings, Jasmine and Twig, are completely obsessed with their pet rats; and both of her parents spend weeks away from home–and each other. Enter Zoran the Bosnian male au pair and Joss the troublemaking boy next door, and life for the Gadsby family takes a turn for the even more chaotic. Blue poignantly captures her family’s trials and tribulations from fragmented to fully dysfunctional to ultimately reunited, in a sequence of film transcripts and diary entries that will make you cry, laugh, and give thanks for the gift of families.
With the charm of The Penderwicks and the poignancy of When You Reach Me, Natasha Farrant's After Iris is a story that will stay with readers long after the last page.
- Used Book in Good Condition
Customer Reviews
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0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Good Reading
By LAS Reviewer
Unpredictable, quick, and yet believable, After Iris is a simply wonderful contemporary story. Bluebell “Blue” Gadsby had a twin, once. At first, that memory seems to define her, what little of her 12 year-old self we see. She’s more involved in watching others–and we get a great study of her teenage sister and younger siblings (and pets) and a great amount of her speculation about her often-absent parents.Although the premise seems sad, in fact, there’s a lot going on. Daily life and interactions have taken over and amazing stuff seems to happen every minute. As the children are largely in their London home, with the one square of backyard, you might sit back and times and wonder how much can really happen.The truth is, the action never stops. I loved Blue, the main character’s voice–her interest in and awareness of other people. She didn’t need a ‘babysitters,’ yet still warmed up to the au pair straightaway. He let her know that every family had a ‘quiet kid,’ and its okay to be that kid.Their are arguments, unexpected develops, the unexpected first love interest, jealousy, and the mystery of specific family issues on-going, the whole time. Readers will identify with Blue, and if you aren’t a kid, you’ll remember thinking like a kid…you’ll remember friendships found…and lost, and what it is to be ‘in’ or ‘out’ at school.Farrant handles the issues of loss and memory with sensitivity but also, with a refreshing reality. Every moment is not about Iris, but her absence is felt.After Iris is probably the best thing I’ve read since back when Judy Blume’s Margaret wrote for that age group… 5 stars, and put it on the must read list for any middle-grade reader.originally posted at long and short reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
A Book and a Hug: After Iris
By Molly the Librarian
Ever since the death of her twin sister, twelve year old Bluebell’s life has been in disarray. With her trusty video camera, Blue captures the aftermath of the Gadsby family life in an alternating combination of short film clips and diary entries. Blue is most comfortable when she can disappear behind the camera, and she has made invisibility an artform in the halls of her school.Despite her quiet existence, though, Blue’s world is nevertheless filled with a fascinating array of characters like dramatic pink-haired sister Flora, a family of white rats, pesky little sibs Twig and Jasmine, and prickly Bosnian au pair Zoran. Most interesting to Blue, though, is the sudden addition of a next-door neighbor. Specifically, a very cute next-door neighbor named Joss who seems to actually notice and like her.Over time, Blue gets to remember what it feels like to be noticed, to learn how to be her own person even with the jarring absence of Iris. After Iris is a sympathetic story with a lot of humor and heart that tackles realistic issues in a thoughtful way. The transcripts from Blue’s films let readers see the world as she does, and the chapters told from her point of view are even more insightful and frank. This is a winner for older readers.This review originally appeared on abookandahug.com
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful.Good book for middle schoolers
By Mary Morrison
The book was well written and perfect for middle grades. I would shy away from younger students because of some of the content.
