Splinters

By Author / Illustrator

Rachel Delahaye

Genre

Suspense & Thrillers

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Troika Books

ISBN

9781912745371

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

13-06-2024

Synopsis

Jean Sylvester is a typical, overthinking adolescent whose painful experience with parallel realities teaches her that while life involves her, it's not always all about her.

She thinks life isn't fair and wishes hers was different. When she witnesses a traumatic accident, she can't help but blame herself for the events leading up to it. In order to be free of the nightmare she has a choice: she can spiral into despair or reconcile herself with the fact that terrible things happen, and some can't be changed.

Splinters is a story about so many things. It starts by looking at the change in our priorities as we move into our teenage years - our desperation for independence and happiness; our vulnerability to change; our misery when things don't turn out as we hoped. There are two things that let you down in life: high expectations and other people.

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Reviews

With her best friend moving to Scotland, Jean is only consoled by the thought of spending the summer with her first boyfriend, Leon. However, when he tells her that he is off to America for three weeks and her parents announce the family are moving house, her holiday does not go to plan and things get worse as, on his return, Leon seems changed towards her. No longer the loving boyfriend who went away, he is cold and distant, determined only to get his hands on a strange mirror in Jean's possession, a mirror which seems to reflect a world of different choices and possibilities.

Intriguing from the first page, Splinters is another stunning read from Rachel Delahaye. It is also going to be very hard to review without spoiling it for any future readers - and I really don't want to do that! Jean really represents all of us at some time or another. Things are not going smoothly for her and she is experiencing her fair share of teenage angst, heartache, friendship and family problems - all the things which make you start to question the choices you have made - the what ifs - about life. However, she really learns that the grass is not always greener and that what might appear to be the 'unadventurous simplicity' of someone else's life is no better than your own.

The story is brilliantly constructed, keeping the reader constantly guessing - and perhaps challenging them to reflect on what their own choices might (or might not) be! Character is something Rachel does really well and different facets of personality are skillfully explored here; how we react to others, how we handle situations, how our choices affect our lives. No life is perfect, but the one we have is the one we should focus on.

As well as being an extremely gripping read, the story offers much to reflect upon. In the end, there are still choices to be made, leaving the reader wondering which one Jean finally makes. There is so much to recommend Splinters - not least the way music has been used throughout the story! It is a deliciously dark tale, full of suspense, and I cannot recommend it highly enough!

336 pages / Ages 12+ / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher