The Things We Leave Behind

By Author / Illustrator

Clare Furniss

Genre

Dystopian

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Simon & Schuster

ISBN

9781471169816

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

14-03-2024

Synopsis

How I Live Now meets Exodus - a startling YA dystopia that imagines London as the epicentre of the refugee crisis, from critically acclaimed author Clare Furniss.

Civil unrest in London has reached an all-time high after years of a growing authoritarian regime, and it's no longer safe for Clem and her half-sister Billie in the city. Clem tells of their treacherous journey to Scotland, by road and then by sea, fleeing with nothing but a notebook filled with stories and memories of home. But is there something Clem's not saying? And how will this journey - and the sisters' story - end? With the start of a new life? Or a mirror held up to the past?

PRAISE FOR THE THINGS WE LEAVE BEHIND: 'A frighteningly remarkable, relevant and moving novel, told gently and with impeccable style. Clare Furniss is one of the very best writers for young people and this new novel is her finest yet. I loved it.' Sarah Crossan, author of Moonrise; 'Gripping and heart-wrenching, the story has a tragic denouement that is almost too painful to read, but Furniss' exquisite writing carries the reader through.' The Bookseller; I couldn't stop reading The Things We Leave Behind, I was totally immersed, as if I was a book-mad teenager again. I was moved and engrossed. Devastating and unsparing but full of hope and love too. It was a privilege to read it. - Candy Gourlay; This book is exceptional. Years and Years meets The End We Start From for teenagers. Should be on every secondary set text list. - Joanna Nadin

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Reviews

Clair

Shortlisted for The Carnegie Award 2025 and the UKLA Book Award, The Things We Leave Behind by Clare Furniss is a stunning and thought-provoking dystopian novel. It is set in the near future, where London is teetering on the edge of collapse. Amid a refugee crisis, political unrest and escalating racism, Clem is forced to flee the city with her half-sister Billie to escape the rising dangers.

Told through Clem's eyes as she recounts her tale to a counsellor, the story slowly unravels the events that led to their departure from London and search for Clem's grandfather and mother in the wake of a society on the brink of collapse.

The Things We Leave Behind had me hooked from the very beginning. Clare Furniss does an extraordinary job of creating a world that feels all too plausible, a vision of the future where society unravels under the weight of intolerance and division. Yet, it is also a book about family and friendship. I found it so refreshing to read a positive portrayal of a step mother, I feel that this positive representation of step families is often missing in literature.

We also see Clem navigating the loss of her absent mother and coping with her grandfather's dementia. I enjoyed reading the slower paced section surrounding Clem’s grandfather and his carer, Shaun. I found it quite emotional in places but there was also a lot of warmth, humour and hope within.

The Things We Leave Behind is a book that will linger in your thoughts after reading it. It's a perfect blend of heartache and hope. If you are looking for a meaningful read, I would highly recommend you read this.

320 pages / Reviewed by Clair Bossons, school librarian