This Northern Sky by Julia Green

This Northern Sky by Julia Green
Buy This Northern Sky by Julia Green at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
Category: Teens
Reviewer: Jill Murphy
Summary: Another beautiful and introspective story from Julia Green, infused with romanticism and a love of natural things. Poetic, evocative prose, makes this one for the sensitive, thoughtful reader.
Buy? Yes	Borrow? Yes
Pages: 240	Date: July 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 1408820692
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Kate is not happy. Still raw from the disaster with Sam, she's been whisked away on a long holiday with her parents to a remote Hebridean island. Even discounting a broken heart, this is not the type of holiday a vivacious teenage girl wants to go on. And there's more. Kate's parents have been rowing of late. And she knows that this holiday is a last ditch attempt to save their marriage. It's not something she wants to sit and observe, day after day. So, once at the cottage, Kate gets away as much as she can. Anywhere and everywhere. And soon, she's spending most of her time with Finn and his family and friends. Finally, she's found people who will actually listen to her thoughts and feelings.

But no amount of escaping will close the circle of the catastrophe that was Sam, or of her parents' marriage. It will prove a summer of discovery for Kate...

Like Julia Green's other books, This Northern Sky is a kitchen sink story told in a romantic way. I'm not a big fan of romance novels but I love romantic ones and I hope Green is showing hordes of teenaged girls what a huge difference there is between them. Kate has a romantic interest in this story and another potential one but it's not the be all and end all. The real focus is the break-up of her family and how she learns to cope with it through the romanticism of the natural world and by coming to understand the importance of community and frienship.

Transported, initially unwillingly, to the remote Hebrides, Kate's holiday gives her a completely different perspective. Life depends on the rhythms of nature in ways she has never considered and she finds that losing control over some things - a mobile phone connection, supplies and visitors arriving not on time, but at the whim of the tides - gives her the room to develop other opportunities. She can't stop her parents splitting up but she can make friends and draw strength from them.

The writing is beautiful, as ever: lyrical, tender, and introspective. Fans of Green will love This Northern Sky and the book is sure to make her a good few more.

If This Northern Sky sounds good to you, you might also enjoy Flightsend by Linda Newbery, a lyrical and confident novel of grief, self discovery and moving on. And for similar from across the pond, there's That Summer by Sarah Dessen.

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You can read more book reviews or buy This Northern Sky by Julia Green at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy This Northern Sky by Julia Green at Amazon.com.

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