Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5785 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-03
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Synopsis
Narrated by the most compelling voice since Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, this is a quirky and original voyage of self-discovery triggered by a lost urn of ashes. The mini cab office was up a cobbled mews with little flat houses either side. That's where I first met Violet Park, what was left of her. There was a healing centre next door, a pretty smart name for a place with a battered brown door and no proper door handle and stuck-on wooden numbers in the shape of clowns. The 3 of number 13 was a w stuck on sideways and I thought it was kind of sad and I liked it at the same time. Sixteen-year-old Lucas Swain becomes intrigued by the urn of ashes left in a cab office. Convinced that its occupant -- Violet Park -- is communicating with him, he contrives to gain possession of the urn, little realising that his quest will take him on a voyage of self-discovery and identity, forcing him to finally confront what happened to his absent (and possibly dead) father!

Customer Reviews

Highly recommended
A massive congratulations to the author for such a clever piece of work. The only complaint I have about this book is that it was not long enough. An excellent storyline, with a surprising twist in the tale. I loved it and would recommend it to readers of all ages.

Family connection
Teenager, Lucas is intrigued by the urn containing ashes of Violet Park that rests on a shelf in a taxi office and he is convinced that she is trying to communicate with him. He steals the urn and finding out more about her life becomes his obsession. Her secrets gradually become clear until he is surprised to discover her connection to his missing father.

As I read chapter one, I thought I was going to find it difficult to recommend this book as it had an amateur feel to it. However, either the unusual subject overcame most of my reservations or the writing greatly improved for I was soon as hooked by Violet Park as Lucas was. An unusual and enjoyable teen read.

Original but somehow not one I want to keep
This was an original and readable book but it left me feeling a bit disappointed. It describes how 16 year old Lucas gets interested in an urn of ashes which turn out to belong to a lady called Violet Park. The descriptions of how he finds out more and more about her are interesting. And he and his family, though not very likeable, are well described too. But the crux of the story is the way Lucas feels about his disappeared father, who interviewed Violet Park years ago - and this aspect of the book felt a bit contrived to me. I won't give the story away but I struggled to care about what Lucas felt about himself and his dad. I also began to find Lucas's habit of making little lists rather annoying and self conscious. At the end, although I'd enjoyed the read, I did find myself rather thinking "So what?"

I'm not suggesting you don't read this book - please do, as it's well written and original. But for me, its lack of emotional impact and "flavour", meant I gave it to Oxfam after reading it, instead of keeping it on my shelf to read again