Monday, 21 January 2013
Pan’s Whisper by Sue Lawson
Published 2011 by Walker Books Australia
Source: the publisher
Rating: 5 paws
From the blurb: Pan Harris is brash, loud and damaged. Ordered into foster care, Pan is full of anger at the mother who abandoned her, and the older sister who kept her from her father. Pan is certain that she knows the reality of her past – until she meets Hunter, the boy who understands her story better than anyone else, and who just may be the key to unlocking the truth of Pan’s memories. But are some memories best left forgotten? And is Hunter worth Pan breaking her most important rule – Never. Trust. Anyone.
Pan’s Whisper by Sue Lawson is set in Melbourne. Pandora, preferably known as Pan, has been put into foster care after an incident involving her mother and older sister, Morgan. She has vague, and mostly happy, memories of her childhood but it’s clear from alternating flashbacks from her sister, that her childhood wasn't as happy as she thinks she remembers.
I’d seen this book around on Goodreads and had assumed from the tiny cover image that this was a fantasy set in Asia. This book is actually a contemporary/mystery set in Australia but there was just something about those falling petals that made me think fantasy!
So, going into this I really didn't know what to expect and it ended up being quite an emotional read for me.
The story is mostly told from Pan’s perspective, but every now and then when she remembers something from her childhood, it’s followed by Morgan’s point of view of that event and it explains what really happened. Pan now has a court appointed social worker and has been placed into a foster home, where two other foster kids already live. She has been told she cannot go back to her mum for the time being and it’s not clear what happened to cause this placement. Pan isn't the easiest character to like, she’s whiny, defensive, suspicious, and self-absorbed, but after reading a few of Morgan’s memories, it’s clear that Pan has always been protected from her mother’s highs and lows occurring due to her being bi-polar and in a way Morgan’s protection babied her and I can’t blame either girl for that. In fact, Pan often made my heart crack, because she kept refusing to let anyone be nice to her, so despite being quite abrasive, I wanted to protect her, too.
The secondary characters were also strong; The McMinns, her foster parents, were such good people and I loved them for never treating her in the way that she expected. Her foster sister Livia was a bit of a brat, but she was once where Pan was, and her foster brother Nate was so sweet. Hunter, the boy from school, was also really lovely and I kept wanting Pan to wake up and realise that he was hurting as well.
I found the pacing was perfect, I was enthralled by Pan’s story and was keen to find out what had happened to her, her mother, and to Morgan. Slowly, her memories get closer to the incident and finally we find out what caused her to be placed in foster care. It broke my heart and I found myself crying for the last few chapters.
Pan’s Whisper is a bittersweet story of a girl trying to recover from years of living with an abusive mother, and the new family and friends trying to be there for her.
Purchase: Booktopia / Dymocks
Thank you to the wonderful people at Walker Books Australia for my review copy.
This review is part of the Australian Women Writers 2013 Reading and Reviewing Challenge
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
BEA 2013
Mandee is attending!
Follow this blog with bloglovin
Ladies of YA Podcast
Joins us for tea & book chat!
The VeganYANerds
Rating Guide
Followers
Bloglovin' followers
Bookish Blogs We Love
Grab our blog button!
AWW 2013 Challenge
Read books by Aussie women!
Blog header by My Zoetrope
Preloved Blog Tour April 2012
Author websites
- Ally Condie
- Amy Kathleen Ryan
- Anna Carey
- Cath Crowley
- Deb Caletti
- Elizabeth Wein
- Emily Lockhart
- Gayle Forman
- Hannah Harrington
- Hannah Moskowitz
- Jaclyn Moriarty
- James Roy
- Jandy Nelson
- Jennifer Echols
- Julia Lawrinson
- Kirsty Eagar
- Lauren DeStefano
- Lauren Oliver
- Laurie Halse Anderson
- Leanne Hall
- Lili Wilkinson
- Maggie Stiefvater
- Markus Zusak
- Maureen Johnson
- Melina Marchetta
- Michelle Zink
- MJ Hearle
- Nikki Jefford
- Paula Weston
- Pip Harry
- Rebecca Searle
- Richelle Mead
- Sara Zarr
- Sarah Dessen
- Shirley Marr
- Shirley Marr
- Simmone Howell
- Stephanie Perkins
- Suzanne Collins
- Teri Terry
- Veronica Roth
- Vikki Wakefield
Labels
- 1 star (10)
- 2 stars (8)
- 2.5 stars (2)
- 3 stars (32)
- 3.5 stars (12)
- 4 stars (65)
- 4.5 stars (5)
- 5 stars (60)
- 80s (1)
- A.C Gaughen (1)
- about us (1)
- afterlife (1)
- Ali Cronin (2)
- Ally Condie (1)
- Alyssa Brugman (1)
- Ambelin Kwaymullina (1)
- Amy Kathleen Ryan (2)
- Amy Spalding (1)
- Andrew Fukuda (2)
- angels (2)
- Anna Carey (1)
- Antonella Preto (1)
- April Linder (1)
- Aussie Mixed Bag (5)
- Australian (65)
- Australian Women Writers 2012 Reading Reviewing Challenge (45)
- Australian Women Writers 2013 Reading and Reviewing Challenge (14)
- authors (1)
- aww (1)
- aww2012 (44)
- AWW2013 (14)
- baking (1)
- be prepared to cry (9)
- BEA (1)
- Becca Fitzpatrick (1)
- Beck McDowell (1)
- Belinda Jeffrey (1)
- blog hop (1)
- blog tour (8)
- blogiversary (1)
- book events (3)
- Book Expo America (1)
- bookish manicures (1)
- books (74)
- Brigid Kemmerer (1)
- Burn for Burn (1)
- C.J Duggan (1)
- Carol Lynch Williams (1)
- Carol M Tanzman (1)
- Carolyn Mackler (1)
- Christine Howe (1)
- Clare C Marshall (1)
- Claudia Gray (2)
- contemporary fiction (101)
- cooking (1)
- cover reveal (2)
- Cristina Meldrum (1)
- cupcakes (1)
- Dave Cousins (1)
- David Levithan (1)
- David Metzenthen (1)
- Diana Peterfreund (1)
- Dianne Touchell (1)
- dystopian (21)
- E.Lockhart (5)
- Elizabeth Eulberg (1)
- Elizabeth Norris (1)
- Elizabeth Wein (1)
- Emily M. Danforth (1)
- Emma Cameron (1)
- faeries (2)
- fairy tale (1)
- fantasy (21)
- Fiona Wood (2)
- Gabrielle Williams (1)
- Gayle Forman (1)
- Georgia Nicholson (1)
- ghosts (2)
- giveaway (7)
- gothic fiction (1)
- graphic novel (1)
- guest post (3)
- Hannah Harrington (2)
- Hannah Moskowitz (1)
- Hayley Long (1)
- historical fiction (4)
- IMM (12)
- In My Mailbox (12)
- interview (1)
- introduction (1)
- Jaclyn Moriarty (3)
- Jay Asher (1)
- Jennifer E. Smith (1)
- Jennifer Echols (1)
- Jennifer Gooch Hummer (1)
- Jennifer Lynn Barnes (1)
- Jenny Han (1)
- Jess Rothenberg (1)
- Jessi Kirby (1)
- Jessica Anthony (1)
- Jessica Davidson (2)
- Jessica Shirvington (1)
- Jodi Picoult (1)
- John Green (1)
- joint review (5)
- Jolene Stockman (1)
- Julia Lawrinson (1)
- Julie Kagawa (2)
- Kami Garcia (1)
- Karen Foxlee (1)
- Karen Tayleur (1)
- Kat Rosenfield (1)
- Kat Zhang (1)
- Kate Gordon (2)
- Katherine Applegate (1)
- Katie Dale (1)
- Kiera Cass (1)
- Kirsty Eagar (3)
- Kirsty McKay (2)
- Kristen-Paige Madonia (1)
- Kristin Cashore (1)
- Laini Taylor (1)
- Laura Buzo (1)
- Lauren Kate (1)
- Lauren Oliver (1)
- Leanne Hall (1)
- Leigh Bardugo (1)
- Lenore Appelhans (1)
- LGBT (3)
- Libba Bray (2)
- Libby Gleeson (1)
- Lili Wilkinson (4)
- Lisa Schroeder (1)
- Liz Fichera (1)
- Lois Lowry (2)
- Louise Rennison (1)
- Louise Rozett (1)
- Lucy Christopher (2)
- M. Beth Bloom (1)
- M.J Hearle (2)
- Maggie Stiefvater (1)
- Margaret Stohl (1)
- Margo Lanagan (1)
- Maria V. Snyder (2)
- Marianne Curley (1)
- Marianne de Pierres (3)
- Marie Lu (2)
- Marissa Meyer (2)
- Maureen Johnson (1)
- Melina Marchetta (5)
- Melissa C Walker (1)
- Melissa Keil (1)
- Melissa Marr (1)
- Michael Grant (1)
- Michelle Hodkin (2)
- Michelle Zink (1)
- My Mad Fat Diary (1)
- Myra McEntire (2)
- mystery (11)
- nail polish (1)
- Nerdy Vegan Cooking (1)
- Nick Earls (1)
- Nikki Jefford (2)
- non-fiction (1)
- paranormal (40)
- paranormal romance (15)
- Paul Griffin (1)
- Paula Weston (1)
- Penni Russon (2)
- Pip Harry (1)
- post apocalyptic (2)
- publishing (1)
- re-telling (2)
- realistic fiction (78)
- Rebecca Lim (1)
- Rebecca Searle (1)
- Rebecca Sparrow (1)
- recap (1)
- review (177)
- Richelle Mead (2)
- Rick Yancey (1)
- Rodrigo Corral (1)
- romance (5)
- Rose Foster (1)
- Rosie Dub (1)
- rural fiction (1)
- S.J Kincaid (1)
- Samantha Van Leer (1)
- Sara Shepard (1)
- Sara Zarr (3)
- Sarah Alderson (2)
- Sarah Crossan (1)
- Sarah Strohmeyer (1)
- sci-fi (12)
- series (1)
- series review (3)
- shapeshifters (2)
- Sherryl Clark (1)
- Shirley Marr (4)
- short story (1)
- Simmone Howell (3)
- Siobhan Vivian (1)
- Sophie McKenzie (1)
- Stacking the Shelves (59)
- steampunk (1)
- Steph Bowe (1)
- stephen chbosky (1)
- Steven Herrick (1)
- StS (58)
- Sue Lawson (1)
- supernatural (1)
- Tahereh Mafi (2)
- Tara Eglington (1)
- Tara Hudson (2)
- TEABS (1)
- Thalia Kalkipsakis (1)
- thriller (4)
- Trish Doller (1)
- tv (1)
- urban fantasy (4)
- veg/vegan author (1)
- veg/vegan reference (14)
- vegan (1)
- Vegan YA Nerds (1)
- Veronica Rossi (2)
- Veronica Roth (1)
- verse (5)
- Vikki Wakefield (1)
- werewolves (1)
- witches (1)
- wrap-up (1)
- writer's festival (1)
- YA (190)
- YA review (3)
- zombies (2)
Search
18 comments:
Oh wow...this sounds incredibly emotional...I give you kudos for reading issues books like this...they break me so I have been avoiding them lately!
Oh, yeah! I'm with you! the cover looks like Fantasy!! or at least paranormal romance. IT sounds like it was a good surprise though, and that the pace worked well, that's really hard with mysteries.
I've heard some interesting things about this book and I really love the cover! But . . . I don't know if I'm going to read this book but I'm glad you enjoyed it! Great review!
WOW. This sounds so emotional and moving. I usually can't deal with whiny characters (no matter what the circumstances are) BUT I feel like I might feel a little differently about Pan. Great review Mands!<3 I'm so glad you loved this :)
I found this book unexpectedly emotional too.. I cried! So glad you loved it, Mands.
I saw this around on Goodreads too, though I can't say I ever guessed it was contemporary mystery! It sounds very interesting though. I'm glad there is a good set of strong characters who you can root for. Brilliant review, Mandee!
I've seen this book a lot on GR and it sounds amazing! I love it when a book is unexpectedly poignant and moving, touching you in ways you didn't expect and those are often times the best books around. I'll definitely have to add this to my Aussie Wishlist, Mandee! ;) Amazing review, dearest!
One of my friends read this book and absolutely loved it, and she's promised to bring me a copy when she visits me. I'll have to save it for a day when I need a good cry and a nice emotionally rich read. Fantastic review. :-)
Another book I haven't heard of but it sounds really really good. I am always a fan of books that deal with psychological drama. What can I say? It is the inner pyschologist in me. Thanks for sharing. I am going to go look this one up. I like to see that five paw rating!
Oh! This sounds like a contemporary novel that I'd truly enjoy, mostly because it seems to take a character who has serious issues (or is affected by someone else's serious issues) and weave it into a story that can make you FEEL things. I've never heard of it, but I definitely want to check it out now!
oh this sounds really intense!! not sure it's for me but it sounds so good if you are ready to cry!
I love an emotional read. Lovely review, and glad that it touched you.
Happy reading,
Brandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog
THIS IS AN AUSSIE CONTEMP?
WOW.
Mandee. AMAZING REVIEW ♥
You know, it's odd. I was thinking specifically about the parts of Pushing the Limits that dealt with the foster system, and it was kind of... disheartening. It's nice to see stories that show that there are good people in the system. People who care, who are there to help teens and genuinely have compassionate hearts. And... ANYWAY. THIS BOOK SOUNDS AMAZING ♥
I haven't heard of this book before now but it sounds so emotional and intense, I really want to know more about Pan and her past.
A wonderful review! This one is going on my TBR pile :)
I would've thought this was a fantasy as well. Pan sounds like a very emotional, thoughtful book. I love stories w/troubled characters who are slowly revealed. I'm so happy you loved this!
I agree, this really looks like a fantasy for some reason, I'm kind of glad that it took you by surprise! It sounds pretty heart wrenching, a character not knowing how protected she was and how much she didn't know until she's thrown into foster care. I'm glad to hear the foster parents were great!
This sounds like an emotional roller coaster! Your awesome review has really intrigued me. Plus 5 paws!! There is nothing better than a book with amazing secondary characters! I think I'll need to read Pan's story for myself. :)
Ooh, this sounds like it has some elements from Holier than Thou and Friday Brown. And 5 paws you say?? Nice. That cover really is kind of shiteous lol. Glad the book isn't!
-Mags
Post a Comment
Hey there! We appreciate every comment our readers leave us and we comment back on your blogs because we know everyone loves comments and it's important to us :)
We also try to reply to comments here on our blog but that is not a priority (we'd rather be commenting on YOUR posts!) But, if you ask a question we'll try to reply here ;)