My Box-Shaped Heart is a powerful story of an unlikely friendship from Rachael Lucas, author of The State of Grace. Holly's mum is a hoarder, and she is fed up with being picked on at school for being weird . . . and having the wrong clothes . . . and sticking out. All she wants is to be invisible. She loves swimming, because in the water everyone is the same. Ed goes to the swimming pool because everything else in his life has changed. In his old life he had money; was on the swim team; knew who he was and what he wanted. In his old life his dad hit his mum. Holly is swimming in one direction and Ed's swimming in the other. As their worlds collide they find a window into each other's lives - and learn how to meet in the middle.
Review: Rachael Lucas has done it again, she has found something which doesn't normally get talked about openly in young adult literature and blown it wide open in this novel. This book is definitely a reminder that we don't know what goes on behind closed doors and that we really don't know what people, specifically young people, are dealing with at home when we come into contact with them and decide how to treat them! This book also serves as a reminder to those who might be dealing with the issues in this book that they are not alone, that there are other people like them and there are people out there who are willing to help them.
I found Holly and Ed really easy to like as characters. Because of the way the book is structured, you have an instant sympathy for Holly and so that really helps you get to know her and get on here side. Ed is such a sweetheart and the fact that he has something in common with Holly will just make you root for the two of them all the way to the end of the book. The swimming pool is also a major player in this book, it is a salve for Holly and another thing that links her and Ed. I know the value of getting under the water and forgetting everything else that is going on with the world and I am glad that this author has shone a light on that!
Obviously there are a lot of issues dealt with in this novel, there's a definite trigger warning for domestic abuse here, however I think that the way Rachael Lucas deals with these issues, through these young people, is really great and really sensitive. I think that because we are seeing these issues play out in the lives of these young people, they almost don't become the main focus of the book, they are a hurdle which Holly and Ed need to, not overcome, but accept as part of their lives. I just really liked the fact that this author has openly dealt with the issue of hoarding and everything else she covers in this book through the medium of young adult literature. The storyline was gripping, the characters were easy to like and this was a great read.
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