Mumsnet Bok Club! The Tiger's Child Review!!!

[wendy33]

Hi everyone.
I am a little late posting the review page! Sorry

The deadline is now up for our first book.

Can everyone now start posting your views please!

Hope you all enjoyed the book!

OMG!!

Was anyone else really touched by it?

Ive learnt a lot of things about myself through out it. Ive just bought One child to read. I havnt finished it yet but almost there!

I must tell you about my books experience though!

I read it anywhere and everywhere i can. Especially in the bath. I love it! Well last night I put it on the cupboard in the bathroom ans kids decided to read it. I just managed to rescue it before it drowned! It was seriously wet though!!

Well seems like Im reviewing it alone!

I really enjoyed this. I had read One Child and wanted to know what happened next. I was struck by the bit where TC said that Torey should have adopted her to make the happy ending everyone expected - but life's not like that.

Also, when she confused Torey with her real Mother in abandonement memories.

Here be (maybe) spoilers but then again if you are on this thread you will have read the book!

Interesting that it opened the door on what happens beyond the "happy ever after" ending. It was well set out showing Torey not to be some kind of angelic teacher but someone with flaws who made mistakes.

Haven't yet read One Child but really felt horrified at what Sheila went through as recalled for this book. In the first book does social services get involved because of the abuse?

That Sheila was torturing herself over her mothers abandonment showed what a lasting effect that had. I'd be interested in what everyone else thought of that?

A fantastic book that has left me desperate to read 'One child' to get a bitmore of the background.
As Milliways said, there were several places where I found myself catching my breath, where she confuses Torey with her mother, where she reveals her 'Uncle' has been abusing her, where she says she wishes Torey could have adopted her. Also several ocassions where I felt I could have 'slapped' Torey e.g. when she doesn't get back in touch after the suicide threat (I couldn't quite get that after all the interest she had taken in this girl). Very moving indeed.

Hey

I thought it was excellent and very easy to read, did so in 2 days!

I did find it frustrating when Torey was unable to keep in touch although she tried and I was upset that things went down hill so quickly for Sheila. That her schooling was so interrupted after Torey left and that people didn't know she had such a high IQ!

I was shocked that Torey didn't try to get in touch after the suicide letter. Considering she had been looking for her.

It was obvious it was a true story though wasn't it?

All the times they lost each other? The fact that Sheilas life had not improved despite Toreys hardwork. The fact Torey did not adopt her and especially when at the end instead of going to Uni she gets a job a McDonalds!

Sorry me again.

I also liked the bit where they run the summer school. I thought that was lovely.

Like other people have said, I was really shocked to find she'd confused her memories of her mother with her memories of Torey. Does that just go to show that six year old kids just don't remember that much? I suppose I just expected Sheila to remember it because I did!! After all, I only finished One Child a couple of months ago!!

And again like others have said - why didn't Torey get in touch after receiving the suicide note? I was very disappointed that she didn't. But, being as that all came ok in the end, it was nice to realise that even Torey is a human person who doesn't always do the right thing.

Perhaps the most puzzling thing was Sheila's decision to work in McDonalds? I really wanted her to go to university.

I was wonderful to learn that Anton had become a Special Needs teacher.

I wonder what Sheila's doing now. Would anybody else like to hear her side of the story? I would.

Does anyone know what Torey is doing? Does she give talks or something? Inside the cover it says she lives in Wales now - and so do I! - so I would love to know if you can go and listen to a lecture or something.

Maybe she's a lurker here!

Are you Torey, Milliways?!! Come clean, now!!

Really enjoyed the book too.
I was amazed that social services kept letting her go back to her dad after all the abuse that had happened.

PMSL chocolategirl

BIT SLOW in getting round to reading this I'm afraid but in the end it only took me 2 days!

Found it a really interesting read. It would be interesting to know just how much of the story is recalled fact and how much is elaborated fiction.

I empathised quite a lot with Tory and her feelings of being torn between love for Sheila and keeping a professional distance. It must be so hard to establish such essential close bonds with these children in the knowledge thyat you are doing so to let them move on.

I haven't read One Child but will definately do so now to piece together the missing parts of the story. It seemed rather a shame that Sheila should end up in a fast food chain I thought/... on the other hand it made so much sense, she had fought so hard to be her own person, and in this way she was contradicting what Tory expected from her.

Any more thoughts from anyone??????

the book was fantastic and i couldnt put it down. I then went out and bought one child which was equally amazing.
I felt soo much for sheila and dismayed at the system for letting her down soo badly like nobody ever noting her iq or probing about home life. Why was she put back into her fathers care when he obviously could not look after her. Heartbreaking read

Like the rest of you I loved the book and at times I felt frustrated with Torey. I had read one child first so knew the backgroud. It was distressing to read about all Sheila has suffered and realise that nobody had really helped her

It did make me think a lot about how much I remembered as a child and how confused those part memories can become. Memoreies of a six year old can be very disjointed (its amazing how little dd2 remembers from being six and she's only eight!).

In summary a great book , I would recommend to all.

I know what you mean about the system. It just failed Sheila totally... very sad.

I am just wondering what the next book is? Did I miss it?

i think it was shadow of the wind....cant remember authors name

shadow of the wind by carlos ruiz zafon,
already read it so am waiting!

Hi everyone!

Im so glad everyone enjoyed it. What with it being our first book and everything!

I really enjoyed it. I was shocked, bewildered, impressed, worried, mortified, upset and god knows what other emotions went through my head.

It is one of those books that really makes you realise that things are not that bad after all.

I was really shocked at what eventually happened for poor Sheila when Torey left. The fact that she was being currently being abused by her uncle was awful anf that she still kept this part of her young life a secret from Torey whom she had come to love and trust. The fact that in the present day when she was a teenager she couldnt rememvber alot about Torey tell me that if she was being abused at that time she would have blocked out parts of that part of her life out? I have heard that that can happen alot if the trauma is high.

I have to say that I really really hope she brings out more books about her experiences as a SN Teacher. I found it really interesting and feel she has probably looked after and helped many children where she touched their hearts.

Well done to Torey Hayden on a Brilliant read!!!

(Do you think she will read this!-She might give us a book!)

Thanks guys... I will pop into Waterstones tomorrow!

Any more thoughts on the tigers child?............

Anyone ready to discuss Shadow of the wind?