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The First Third
Life is made up of three parts: in the first third, you're embarrassed by your family; in the second, you make a family of your own; and in the end, you just embarrass the family you've made.
That's how Billy's grandmother explains it, anyway. She's given him her bucket list (cue embarrassment), and now, it's his job to glue their family back together.
No pressure or anything.
Fixing his family's not going to be easy and Billy's not ready for change. But as he soon discovers, the first third has to end some time. And then what?
It's a Greek tragedy waiting to happen.
That's how Billy's grandmother explains it, anyway. She's given him her bucket list (cue embarrassment), and now, it's his job to glue their family back together.
No pressure or anything.
Fixing his family's not going to be easy and Billy's not ready for change. But as he soon discovers, the first third has to end some time. And then what?
It's a Greek tragedy waiting to happen.
248 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 2013
31 people are currently reading
2278 people want to read
About the author
Will Kostakis
16 books329 followersHi. A teacher-librarian yelled at me to update this, so here goes. Time to talk about myself in the third-person.
Will Kostakis is an absolute delight.
In the past, he has written everything from celebrity news stories that score cease and desist letters, to tweets for professional wrestlers.
Nowadays, he’s best known (but not particularly well known) for his award-winning YA novels.
His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just nineteen. His second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year and Australian Prime Minister’s Literary awards, among others. The Sidekicks was his third novel for young adults, and his American debut. It went on to win the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award. Most recently, Will has applied his trademark style to the fantasy genre, with Monuments and its sequel, Rebel Gods.
As a high school student, Will won Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year for a collection of short stories. He has since contributed to numerous anthologies, including the ABIA Award-winning Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology.
An advocate for young readers and writers, Will was awarded the 2020 Maurice Saxby Award by the School Library Association of New South Wales for service to children’s and young adult literature.
Will Kostakis is an absolute delight.
In the past, he has written everything from celebrity news stories that score cease and desist letters, to tweets for professional wrestlers.
Nowadays, he’s best known (but not particularly well known) for his award-winning YA novels.
His first novel, Loathing Lola, was released when he was just nineteen. His second, The First Third, won the 2014 Gold Inky Award. It was also shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year and Australian Prime Minister’s Literary awards, among others. The Sidekicks was his third novel for young adults, and his American debut. It went on to win the IBBY Australia Ena Noel Award. Most recently, Will has applied his trademark style to the fantasy genre, with Monuments and its sequel, Rebel Gods.
As a high school student, Will won Sydney Morning Herald Young Writer of the Year for a collection of short stories. He has since contributed to numerous anthologies, including the ABIA Award-winning Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology.
An advocate for young readers and writers, Will was awarded the 2020 Maurice Saxby Award by the School Library Association of New South Wales for service to children’s and young adult literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
July 15, 2013
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
3.5 stars
Thank you Penguin Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given of taken to alter this review.
'"Luck favours the prepared, I guess."'
The First Third is substantially a book of beginnings, not endings. It's about the first third of life, and how to jump- not stumble- to the second third. It's a book about coming of age even. It's a book filled with a multifarious characters, diverse personalities and aspects. Homosexuality, disabilities, family, friendship and love are all addressed throughout in a manner that reflects reality and in ways, can be blunt.
The central story line is about Billy given the task from his grandmother to finish her bucket list. It may just be three things, but no one ever said gluing his family back together was simple. Billy's character wasn't anything significant, which was actually rather appropriate here in this novel. An absolutely average character living an absolutely normal life- despite unfortunate events in between.
The puns utilised by Kostakis was rather interesting and slightly humorous. While I wasn't convinced when introduced to the puns (moussaka and lasagne), I ended up growing to love them. While I wouldn't say it was a play on words, but more like symbolism in it's most direct form.
The First Third is not a novel about fossicking on the beach and climbing sand dunes, it's not light and all happiness. There are several obscure and deep core topics like death, illnesses and loss. The way The First Third is written is magnificently artful, to expose these situations while still telling the story of an old teenage boy attempting to accomplish his grandmother's bucket list.
If anything, the relationships illustrated was The First Third was the strongest part. From family relationships and friend relationships to love interests, the bag is quite a colourful scheme. They are flawed, fragile and frustrating but they are genuine. The way each of them untangled and twisted was utterly absorbing.
Per contra, I somewhat felt the plot wasn't moving much. The complexity and movement was ambiguous and slow. The end had no such climax and was abrupt- I see where Kostakis is going with this- but I couldn't help but feel not enough life thrown about. After all, life is not easy, it's harder than that. With the minor quibble of trying too hard in the humour department, The First Third was overall a satisfactory book.
A mixture of a bit of everything in life, The First Third is what I call truly Australian.
---
This is a readalong with Belle, Eleanor, Mel and Mandee!
3.5 stars
Thank you Penguin Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given of taken to alter this review.
'"Luck favours the prepared, I guess."'
The First Third is substantially a book of beginnings, not endings. It's about the first third of life, and how to jump- not stumble- to the second third. It's a book about coming of age even. It's a book filled with a multifarious characters, diverse personalities and aspects. Homosexuality, disabilities, family, friendship and love are all addressed throughout in a manner that reflects reality and in ways, can be blunt.
The central story line is about Billy given the task from his grandmother to finish her bucket list. It may just be three things, but no one ever said gluing his family back together was simple. Billy's character wasn't anything significant, which was actually rather appropriate here in this novel. An absolutely average character living an absolutely normal life- despite unfortunate events in between.
The puns utilised by Kostakis was rather interesting and slightly humorous. While I wasn't convinced when introduced to the puns (moussaka and lasagne), I ended up growing to love them. While I wouldn't say it was a play on words, but more like symbolism in it's most direct form.
The First Third is not a novel about fossicking on the beach and climbing sand dunes, it's not light and all happiness. There are several obscure and deep core topics like death, illnesses and loss. The way The First Third is written is magnificently artful, to expose these situations while still telling the story of an old teenage boy attempting to accomplish his grandmother's bucket list.
If anything, the relationships illustrated was The First Third was the strongest part. From family relationships and friend relationships to love interests, the bag is quite a colourful scheme. They are flawed, fragile and frustrating but they are genuine. The way each of them untangled and twisted was utterly absorbing.
Per contra, I somewhat felt the plot wasn't moving much. The complexity and movement was ambiguous and slow. The end had no such climax and was abrupt- I see where Kostakis is going with this- but I couldn't help but feel not enough life thrown about. After all, life is not easy, it's harder than that. With the minor quibble of trying too hard in the humour department, The First Third was overall a satisfactory book.
A mixture of a bit of everything in life, The First Third is what I call truly Australian.
---
This is a readalong with Belle, Eleanor, Mel and Mandee!
January 9, 2017
4.5 Stars.
The First Third is a hilarious and heartwarming narrative of European Australia and our familial, unconditional acceptance. According to Yiayia, life is lived in thirds. The first third, you're embarrassed by your family. The second, you create your own family and in the third fragment of life, you're old enough to embarrass the family you've created. Billy is currently living the first third when his grandmother is hospitalised, his Yiayia the matriarch that binds their family together. The Tsiolkas family is fractured. Since his father abandoned his family, Billy's mother has raised three boys with the help of Yiayia but as her boys reach adulthood, finds herself wanting to explore new relationships. Yiayia has entrusted Billy with a series of impossibles to harmonise their family, finding a new husband for his mother first and foremost.
Simon now lives in Brisbane, living with the freedom he was not afforded in Sydney and Yiayia has asked Billy to find a lovely girlfriend for his other brother, unaware that Simon is gay. Lastly, Peter. Billy's younger brother is erratic and volatile, his only familial relationship with his grandmother who has asked Billy to fix his brother. A series of impossibles.
Billy is a sensitive young man. Reserved, delightfully awkward and quietly intelligent. I cherished how he adored and respected his grandmother, a rarity for positive parental and grandparental involvement in young adult novels. He has a wonderful and at times, hilariously humiliating relationship with his mother from fashion consultant to being asked to revise his mothers sexual text messages. Ultimately, Billy wants his mother to be happy and find a partner that can absorb the heartache left when his father walked away from their marriage.
Billy's friendship with best friend Lucas was a wonderful influence on his life. Affectionately known as Sticks, Lucas has cerebral palsy and although he appoints himself as a romance aficionado, is looking for a young man who see Lucas for Lucas, despite his disability. Lucas was a breath of fresh air and I appreciated that his sexuality and disability weren't used to further his narrative. I loved their friendship and open candidness, it was an absolute pleasure.
The foundation of The Sidekicks is a strong sense of family. Boisterous, meddlesome families. It was wonderfully diverse and represented Australia and our communities. It was beautiful, uplifting and why I read Australian young adult novels. It gives you a sense of being home.
It was magnificent. Will Kostakis is an author who writes with honesty and humor, creating engaging characters that you'll hold dear to your heart. I loved the sense of family. The relationships and friendships that are wonderfully blemished but ultimately complex. Get the tissues ready for this one, you'll need them.
The First Third is a hilarious and heartwarming narrative of European Australia and our familial, unconditional acceptance. According to Yiayia, life is lived in thirds. The first third, you're embarrassed by your family. The second, you create your own family and in the third fragment of life, you're old enough to embarrass the family you've created. Billy is currently living the first third when his grandmother is hospitalised, his Yiayia the matriarch that binds their family together. The Tsiolkas family is fractured. Since his father abandoned his family, Billy's mother has raised three boys with the help of Yiayia but as her boys reach adulthood, finds herself wanting to explore new relationships. Yiayia has entrusted Billy with a series of impossibles to harmonise their family, finding a new husband for his mother first and foremost.
Simon now lives in Brisbane, living with the freedom he was not afforded in Sydney and Yiayia has asked Billy to find a lovely girlfriend for his other brother, unaware that Simon is gay. Lastly, Peter. Billy's younger brother is erratic and volatile, his only familial relationship with his grandmother who has asked Billy to fix his brother. A series of impossibles.
Billy is a sensitive young man. Reserved, delightfully awkward and quietly intelligent. I cherished how he adored and respected his grandmother, a rarity for positive parental and grandparental involvement in young adult novels. He has a wonderful and at times, hilariously humiliating relationship with his mother from fashion consultant to being asked to revise his mothers sexual text messages. Ultimately, Billy wants his mother to be happy and find a partner that can absorb the heartache left when his father walked away from their marriage.
Billy's friendship with best friend Lucas was a wonderful influence on his life. Affectionately known as Sticks, Lucas has cerebral palsy and although he appoints himself as a romance aficionado, is looking for a young man who see Lucas for Lucas, despite his disability. Lucas was a breath of fresh air and I appreciated that his sexuality and disability weren't used to further his narrative. I loved their friendship and open candidness, it was an absolute pleasure.
The foundation of The Sidekicks is a strong sense of family. Boisterous, meddlesome families. It was wonderfully diverse and represented Australia and our communities. It was beautiful, uplifting and why I read Australian young adult novels. It gives you a sense of being home.
It was magnificent. Will Kostakis is an author who writes with honesty and humor, creating engaging characters that you'll hold dear to your heart. I loved the sense of family. The relationships and friendships that are wonderfully blemished but ultimately complex. Get the tissues ready for this one, you'll need them.
May 15, 2021
This book was laugh out loud funny, made me cry really hard AND MADE ME SO SCARED IN SOME PARTS (my heart started beating really hard in one part I could feel it). I don't know if I enjoyed this as much as The Sidekicks or MORE??????
May 12, 2015
I talked to the real Sticks for like an hour at Will's Melbourne launch - real nice guy, and incredible with the number of common interests we had.
----------------------
It’s not often that you come across a book that you feel like it is your story on the page and not some imaginary character’s or the author’s. Although I’m not Greek, I related – the cultural theme was general enough to apply to all cultures, and most of all any European nationality (I’m Maltese and Serbian so everything in The First Third was basically spot on). My parents are divorced, and it was eerily scary how similar my parents are to Bill’s. Bill is the middle child of three sons; I’m the youngest with two older sisters – I still related to Bill. Bill watches his yiayia make moussaka; I watch my baba (Serbian, well, Macedonian side) make maznik (the most well known Macedonian pastry dish). Bill’s desires are somewhat mine too.
So Will Kostakis’s The First Third is without a doubt my favourite contemporary novel I’ve read this year, and that’s a big compliment as contemporaries and me don’t mix well together as I feel like I’ve read many before. But in The First Third’s case, I read the entire book thinking that not one aspect of it was boring or generic or uninventive. Kostakis has written a completely original story, using his own life – most importantly his family and yiayia – in a relevant manner to be enjoyed by all, with characters you can’t help to love and laugh and cry with.
By the way, see how it’s blurbed by Melina Marchetta? That means you have to purchase it. Now.
Seriously. Food. This book is a Greek feast.
Besides the food, The First Third basically involves Bill Tsiolkas’s yiayia (grandmother) falling ill. Bill then goes on a quest to make things right, the way his yiayia wants things to be, directed by a “bucket list” she gave him on her hospital bed:
1. Find your mummy a husband
2. Have Simon girlfriend in Sydney
3. Fix Peter
With the help of his gay best friend Sticks (Lucas) who has cerebral palsy, Bill discovers ways to tick these objectives off of his yiayia’s list, to help these three – well, four, including his yiayia by completing the list – key people in his life. As he attempts to correct them, he finds the truth about his father, helps Sticks to be who he is and not shy away from his disability, and falls in love himself. Sometimes it wasn’t easy helping someone who didn’t want to be helped, and although it took Bill much effort and many attempts to achieve these things for his yiayia, with his determination to support and comfort his family and friends he holds his family together even in the toughest times. (It is not the events that will spoil you, but the interactions with others and the ways in which Bill achieves these things.)
It’s going to get a bit personal here… What struck home to me the most wasn’t that I had lost someone like my grandparents who hold their cultures so close to their hearts that it is often lost in this technologically advanced and modern world, nor was it that I too attempt, no matter how difficult, to help and be there for my mother and siblings just as Bill was for his. What struck a chord with me, what resonated with me so deeply, was with Bill’s father.
When Bill was young his dad left, escaped. He never helped Bill and his siblings with anything, he wasn’t there for them. Although mine is not a direct reflection of Bill’s, there are some elements that are relatable. Just like Bill, I really didn’t have a father figure growing up in my teen years. Maybe after a year my parents separated at the beginning of 2006 (first day of year 8, mind you) my dad escaped to the Gold Coast – to me, to escape all the responsibilities of having to care for his children. He found someone and lives with her (I don’t object though because she’s nice as). Unlike Bill I still communicate and contact with my dad here and then and see him when I can, but somewhat like Bill’s dad my dad rarely helps us when we desperately need something – there’s always excuses. And yet although he doesn’t have two kids like Bill’s he has two dogs, which he pays more attention to, uses more money towards, and every-fucking else, more for them than his own children, my sisters and I.
To relate so heavily with a single character, even if based on one’s own life, shows that there is honesty and truth in the writing, a voice so powerful that it is hard to ignore. To use someone in your life as an example to help another is what I’ll be doing more often now, thanks to Bill.
I love the relationships in The First Third. Bill’s dynamic with his best friend Sticks was one in that they were born to be friends. His relationship with his yiayia is one that I see in mine with my nanna and my baba, and probably my favourite of the book. It was funny and endearing, and from the very beginning this relationship was pure. Just as sincere was Bill’s relationships with his mother and his brothers, Simon and Peter, a family open yet so distant, fractured in ways unknown, the glue holding them together wearing down.
The First Third will surely have you reflecting on your own family life, who is important to you and who to help the most. To sacrifice everything for your family is a theme that runs deeper than the blood that is shared, but something much greater, much more important. To cherish is to live. To support is to love.
You can learn a thing or two from Bill as well.
----------------------
It’s not often that you come across a book that you feel like it is your story on the page and not some imaginary character’s or the author’s. Although I’m not Greek, I related – the cultural theme was general enough to apply to all cultures, and most of all any European nationality (I’m Maltese and Serbian so everything in The First Third was basically spot on). My parents are divorced, and it was eerily scary how similar my parents are to Bill’s. Bill is the middle child of three sons; I’m the youngest with two older sisters – I still related to Bill. Bill watches his yiayia make moussaka; I watch my baba (Serbian, well, Macedonian side) make maznik (the most well known Macedonian pastry dish). Bill’s desires are somewhat mine too.
So Will Kostakis’s The First Third is without a doubt my favourite contemporary novel I’ve read this year, and that’s a big compliment as contemporaries and me don’t mix well together as I feel like I’ve read many before. But in The First Third’s case, I read the entire book thinking that not one aspect of it was boring or generic or uninventive. Kostakis has written a completely original story, using his own life – most importantly his family and yiayia – in a relevant manner to be enjoyed by all, with characters you can’t help to love and laugh and cry with.
By the way, see how it’s blurbed by Melina Marchetta? That means you have to purchase it. Now.
Seriously. Food. This book is a Greek feast.
Besides the food, The First Third basically involves Bill Tsiolkas’s yiayia (grandmother) falling ill. Bill then goes on a quest to make things right, the way his yiayia wants things to be, directed by a “bucket list” she gave him on her hospital bed:
1. Find your mummy a husband
2. Have Simon girlfriend in Sydney
3. Fix Peter
With the help of his gay best friend Sticks (Lucas) who has cerebral palsy, Bill discovers ways to tick these objectives off of his yiayia’s list, to help these three – well, four, including his yiayia by completing the list – key people in his life. As he attempts to correct them, he finds the truth about his father, helps Sticks to be who he is and not shy away from his disability, and falls in love himself. Sometimes it wasn’t easy helping someone who didn’t want to be helped, and although it took Bill much effort and many attempts to achieve these things for his yiayia, with his determination to support and comfort his family and friends he holds his family together even in the toughest times. (It is not the events that will spoil you, but the interactions with others and the ways in which Bill achieves these things.)
It’s going to get a bit personal here… What struck home to me the most wasn’t that I had lost someone like my grandparents who hold their cultures so close to their hearts that it is often lost in this technologically advanced and modern world, nor was it that I too attempt, no matter how difficult, to help and be there for my mother and siblings just as Bill was for his. What struck a chord with me, what resonated with me so deeply, was with Bill’s father.
When Bill was young his dad left, escaped. He never helped Bill and his siblings with anything, he wasn’t there for them. Although mine is not a direct reflection of Bill’s, there are some elements that are relatable. Just like Bill, I really didn’t have a father figure growing up in my teen years. Maybe after a year my parents separated at the beginning of 2006 (first day of year 8, mind you) my dad escaped to the Gold Coast – to me, to escape all the responsibilities of having to care for his children. He found someone and lives with her (I don’t object though because she’s nice as). Unlike Bill I still communicate and contact with my dad here and then and see him when I can, but somewhat like Bill’s dad my dad rarely helps us when we desperately need something – there’s always excuses. And yet although he doesn’t have two kids like Bill’s he has two dogs, which he pays more attention to, uses more money towards, and every-fucking else, more for them than his own children, my sisters and I.
To relate so heavily with a single character, even if based on one’s own life, shows that there is honesty and truth in the writing, a voice so powerful that it is hard to ignore. To use someone in your life as an example to help another is what I’ll be doing more often now, thanks to Bill.
I love the relationships in The First Third. Bill’s dynamic with his best friend Sticks was one in that they were born to be friends. His relationship with his yiayia is one that I see in mine with my nanna and my baba, and probably my favourite of the book. It was funny and endearing, and from the very beginning this relationship was pure. Just as sincere was Bill’s relationships with his mother and his brothers, Simon and Peter, a family open yet so distant, fractured in ways unknown, the glue holding them together wearing down.
‘I understand grandparents aren’t forever,’ I said… ‘… with Papou it was slow.’
…
‘But Yiayia… She’s the same. She’s exactly as I remember her. She hasn’t changed. And I… I can’t lose her when she still knows my name. I haven’t had time to get used to not having her around.’
‘She’ll be fine,’ Lucas said.
I wasn’t sure if I believed him.
‘I was talking to her today. She said you can split life into three parts.’ I swallowed hard. ‘You spend the first third getting embarrassed by your family. When they pass away, you spend the next part trying to make a family like the one you had. And when you’re old, you just embarrass whatever family you’ve made.’
‘I’m sure that’s an oversimplification.’
‘And if it’s not? When Yiayia goes, that’s it. She’s my last grandparent. I’ll be in the second third. I suck at second-third stuff. I kiss girls; they run away. I’m not ready, Lucas. Why can’t I stay here forever?’
‘It doesn’t work like that,’ he said. ‘We grow up, stuff changes.’
…
‘I’m holding on to the tail-end of her life and I know, no matter how hard I hold on, she’s going to slip between my fingers and I’m going to lose her forever.’ And saying it out loud, my composure shattered. Tears were streaming down my face and I struggled to get the words out. ‘I don’t know how I’m going to live without her.’
The First Third will surely have you reflecting on your own family life, who is important to you and who to help the most. To sacrifice everything for your family is a theme that runs deeper than the blood that is shared, but something much greater, much more important. To cherish is to live. To support is to love.
You can learn a thing or two from Bill as well.
September 5, 2021
This novel was such a joy to read. To me, the author put so much love into this story and its characters. Now, as someone who does know Will Kostakis, I could certainly see at how he put a lot himself into this, such as his love for his Yiaya and family, and at how the main’s characters mother in this was a single mum. So, in that sense, I think a lot of who Will is as a person really came through to me in this novel which I think gave it a huge amount of soul.
I really liked the characters and the various relationships that were featured in this novel. There wasn’t any real plot as was expected in this sort of novel, so no complaints there, and I will say that there wasn’t any real surprise that happened in this novel. It’s not that I would call it predictable, but I suppose once you read a certain number of books, you sort of start to expect things to happen. That being said, certain events at the end still had a shocking impact on me, even I did see that it was going to happen. Didn’t make it any less devastating, which showed that Kostakis made me like these characters and had me invested in their story. There was also a moment with Hayley that did surprise me.
I thought Yiaya was wonderfully characterised and there was just so much joy every time she showed up on the page, it was incredible at how she just lit up everyone’s lives. The main character was also just such a personality. Like, he’s an awkward angsty teen who is just trying his absolute best which I found really sweet and endearing and I enjoyed his character a lot. Then there were his brothers like Peter and Simon, or his friends like Lucas who I also thought were just written really well and despite their differences, at times dysfunction, they felt really human to me.
Anyway, I thought this was great and I highly recommend you check it out! 9/10
I really liked the characters and the various relationships that were featured in this novel. There wasn’t any real plot as was expected in this sort of novel, so no complaints there, and I will say that there wasn’t any real surprise that happened in this novel. It’s not that I would call it predictable, but I suppose once you read a certain number of books, you sort of start to expect things to happen. That being said, certain events at the end still had a shocking impact on me, even I did see that it was going to happen. Didn’t make it any less devastating, which showed that Kostakis made me like these characters and had me invested in their story. There was also a moment with Hayley that did surprise me.
I thought Yiaya was wonderfully characterised and there was just so much joy every time she showed up on the page, it was incredible at how she just lit up everyone’s lives. The main character was also just such a personality. Like, he’s an awkward angsty teen who is just trying his absolute best which I found really sweet and endearing and I enjoyed his character a lot. Then there were his brothers like Peter and Simon, or his friends like Lucas who I also thought were just written really well and despite their differences, at times dysfunction, they felt really human to me.
Anyway, I thought this was great and I highly recommend you check it out! 9/10
July 14, 2013
Between a 2.5 - 3 stars for me (but I like to always round up).
I have a soft spot for books detailing the ethnic experience. A child of migrant parents myself, though not Greek in relation to this particular instance, I feel I can identify with the small things that living and trying to adjust to a Western World can bring (which I detailed briefly here). Outside of our small community, my school lunches never looked the same as everyone else's, my mum didn't behave like other mum's did and was I embarrassed by my family? Heck, sometimes I still am! So despite any other reservations I might have about reading this novel (an epic you can read all about below in the comments), I couldn't pass up this kicker of a pitch: Life is made up of three parts: in the first third, you're embarrassed by your family; in the second, you make a family; and in the end, you just embarrass the family you've made.
Unfortunately, for me, I think I liked the idea more than the execution. It's been a few good hours since I finished reading it and I am struggling to make sense of the meaning of The First Third, trying to savour the aftertaste of a certain authenticity, coming to grips with the special understanding between author and reader that magically ignites when they both rub life experiences between the pages of a book.
And I feel kind of empty. And there were passages in the novel when I felt strangely bored. The back of the book promised a Greek tragedy, but apart from some sad things happening, I got less fighting & forging of families and more alarmingly reminded of the Greek myth Oedipus (wiki it, kiddies!) whenever the main character Bill and his mother shared a scene. And the intended standout analogy courtesy of Yaiyia about the difference between lasagne and moussaka (AKA the difference between dating an Australian and a Greek!!!) backfired for me. It relied on the false logic that one was store-bought and bland and the other fresh and special, but as my lovely fellow reader Belle pointed out, she makes lasagne from scratch and it is special. So do I, and I think mine is too. There are times in this novel when it feels like the plot is forced to accommodate certain jokes, scenes, analogies etc (regardless of whether they genuinely make sense or are funny) rather than the other way around.
Which makes it feel like this novel is narrated by a standup comic. Which is fine when it's funny but when... look, all I can say is that there is one scene where the boys go to a gym and it feels like the author purposely had a piece of broken equipment there just to make the joke that patrons should "excercise their patience."
Overall, I think this novel has its moments, positive messages of love and acceptance, and whenever the author is simply not trying so hard and relaxes into the storyline, it surprised me by being touching, especially in regards to awesome old Yiayia and her exploits. And when the jokes aren't obvious setups or have any other hidden agenda, and are there to enhance the humour of the narrator, they can be genuinely charming, such as "They spoke about the craft. The craft I knew was a crummy '90s movie staring Neve Campbell."
It's not a novel for me, but I think this would be a great novel for teens.
Thank you to fellow readers Mel, Belle, Mandee and Melanie !! We have two Mels in our group. We are totally like the Spice Girls.
Bonus 1: Frozen, store-bought moussaka anyone?
Bonus 2: This is dedicated to Will since he likes comparison funnies :)
...
Between a 2.5 - 3 for me. Sorry! Review and stars later when I figure which way it tips
...
I'm going to start if anyone wants to jump into the pool with me? :)
...
Thank you gorgeous Mel!
...
For an explanation of the new shelving (changed from a badly-behaving-author), please read entire thread :-)
I have a soft spot for books detailing the ethnic experience. A child of migrant parents myself, though not Greek in relation to this particular instance, I feel I can identify with the small things that living and trying to adjust to a Western World can bring (which I detailed briefly here). Outside of our small community, my school lunches never looked the same as everyone else's, my mum didn't behave like other mum's did and was I embarrassed by my family? Heck, sometimes I still am! So despite any other reservations I might have about reading this novel (an epic you can read all about below in the comments), I couldn't pass up this kicker of a pitch: Life is made up of three parts: in the first third, you're embarrassed by your family; in the second, you make a family; and in the end, you just embarrass the family you've made.
Unfortunately, for me, I think I liked the idea more than the execution. It's been a few good hours since I finished reading it and I am struggling to make sense of the meaning of The First Third, trying to savour the aftertaste of a certain authenticity, coming to grips with the special understanding between author and reader that magically ignites when they both rub life experiences between the pages of a book.
And I feel kind of empty. And there were passages in the novel when I felt strangely bored. The back of the book promised a Greek tragedy, but apart from some sad things happening, I got less fighting & forging of families and more alarmingly reminded of the Greek myth Oedipus (wiki it, kiddies!) whenever the main character Bill and his mother shared a scene. And the intended standout analogy courtesy of Yaiyia about the difference between lasagne and moussaka (AKA the difference between dating an Australian and a Greek!!!) backfired for me. It relied on the false logic that one was store-bought and bland and the other fresh and special, but as my lovely fellow reader Belle pointed out, she makes lasagne from scratch and it is special. So do I, and I think mine is too. There are times in this novel when it feels like the plot is forced to accommodate certain jokes, scenes, analogies etc (regardless of whether they genuinely make sense or are funny) rather than the other way around.
Which makes it feel like this novel is narrated by a standup comic. Which is fine when it's funny but when... look, all I can say is that there is one scene where the boys go to a gym and it feels like the author purposely had a piece of broken equipment there just to make the joke that patrons should "excercise their patience."
Overall, I think this novel has its moments, positive messages of love and acceptance, and whenever the author is simply not trying so hard and relaxes into the storyline, it surprised me by being touching, especially in regards to awesome old Yiayia and her exploits. And when the jokes aren't obvious setups or have any other hidden agenda, and are there to enhance the humour of the narrator, they can be genuinely charming, such as "They spoke about the craft. The craft I knew was a crummy '90s movie staring Neve Campbell."
It's not a novel for me, but I think this would be a great novel for teens.
Thank you to fellow readers Mel, Belle, Mandee and Melanie !! We have two Mels in our group. We are totally like the Spice Girls.
Bonus 1: Frozen, store-bought moussaka anyone?
Bonus 2: This is dedicated to Will since he likes comparison funnies :)
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Between a 2.5 - 3 for me. Sorry! Review and stars later when I figure which way it tips
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I'm going to start if anyone wants to jump into the pool with me? :)
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Thank you gorgeous Mel!
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For an explanation of the new shelving (changed from a badly-behaving-author), please read entire thread :-)
August 21, 2013
This review appears on Happy Indulgence Books. Check it out for more reviews!
To Billy’s grandmother, family is everything. This is the lesson that she passes down to her grandson Billy, through the form of a bucket list that she asks him to complete to glue his family together.
As his yiayia explains the circle of life, The First Third is where you get embarrassed by your family, the second is where you make a family of your own, and the third is where you embarrass the family that you’ve made. This book follows The First Third and progression into the second.
Billy’s love for his family and yia yia captured beautifully within the pages. He does his best to complete the bucket list with three seemingly impossible tasks, such as finding his mother a boyfriend, making his brother move back to Sydney, and fixing the relationship between him and his younger brother.
The relationships within the book is the heart of the story. Billy has a lot of affection for his family and wants the best for everyone, and that’s what his yia yia is relying on. There were quite a few touching moments as he started to connect with his distant brother, as he helped his mother get through a difficult time, and as he reminisced on happy times with his family. There’s no doubt it will make you think of your own family at times.
The humour within the book had me laughing out loud at times, and there were a few scenes that were pure comedy gold, such as Billy and his best friend Stick “narrating people’s thoughts in funny voices” at the weights section of the gym and Billy’s first date with “an older girl”. These boys are going through some pretty heavy stuff, with Billy’s grandmother in hospital and Stick who has cerebral palsy and is also gay, but their outlook on life kind of gave it a lot of heart.
Will Kostakis has written a beautiful family oriented story about the fear of losing loved ones and pulling them together. Despite the heavy topics handled within the books such as dealing with death, illness, family and relationships, it is told in a fresh, uplifting and heart felt manner. Featuring new beginnings, sad endings, and hilarious discoveries, The First Third is a sweet and touching debut that I highly recommend to everyone.
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia for this review copy, in exchange for an honest review. This is a book that makes me proud to be Australian and I hope more authors follow in Will’s footsteps.
To Billy’s grandmother, family is everything. This is the lesson that she passes down to her grandson Billy, through the form of a bucket list that she asks him to complete to glue his family together.
As his yiayia explains the circle of life, The First Third is where you get embarrassed by your family, the second is where you make a family of your own, and the third is where you embarrass the family that you’ve made. This book follows The First Third and progression into the second.
Billy’s love for his family and yia yia captured beautifully within the pages. He does his best to complete the bucket list with three seemingly impossible tasks, such as finding his mother a boyfriend, making his brother move back to Sydney, and fixing the relationship between him and his younger brother.
The relationships within the book is the heart of the story. Billy has a lot of affection for his family and wants the best for everyone, and that’s what his yia yia is relying on. There were quite a few touching moments as he started to connect with his distant brother, as he helped his mother get through a difficult time, and as he reminisced on happy times with his family. There’s no doubt it will make you think of your own family at times.
The humour within the book had me laughing out loud at times, and there were a few scenes that were pure comedy gold, such as Billy and his best friend Stick “narrating people’s thoughts in funny voices” at the weights section of the gym and Billy’s first date with “an older girl”. These boys are going through some pretty heavy stuff, with Billy’s grandmother in hospital and Stick who has cerebral palsy and is also gay, but their outlook on life kind of gave it a lot of heart.
Will Kostakis has written a beautiful family oriented story about the fear of losing loved ones and pulling them together. Despite the heavy topics handled within the books such as dealing with death, illness, family and relationships, it is told in a fresh, uplifting and heart felt manner. Featuring new beginnings, sad endings, and hilarious discoveries, The First Third is a sweet and touching debut that I highly recommend to everyone.
Thanks to Penguin Books Australia for this review copy, in exchange for an honest review. This is a book that makes me proud to be Australian and I hope more authors follow in Will’s footsteps.
April 10, 2019
Trigger warnings:
I honestly don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading this because I've read Will Kostakis' stuff before and really enjoyed it. And yet it took me literal years to pick this up.
That being said, I fell instantly into this story, which is about a teenage boy whose grandmother ends up in hospital and gives him her bucket list for him to complete, all of which are things about bringing his family back together. It's a surprisingly funny story a lot of the time, and I loved all of the characters and the complexity of the family relationships.
It's also a book that gave me a ton of Feelings With a Capital F and I may have cried a little bit at the end. If you haven't read it, please do.
I honestly don't know why it took me so long to get around to reading this because I've read Will Kostakis' stuff before and really enjoyed it. And yet it took me literal years to pick this up.
That being said, I fell instantly into this story, which is about a teenage boy whose grandmother ends up in hospital and gives him her bucket list for him to complete, all of which are things about bringing his family back together. It's a surprisingly funny story a lot of the time, and I loved all of the characters and the complexity of the family relationships.
It's also a book that gave me a ton of Feelings With a Capital F and I may have cried a little bit at the end. If you haven't read it, please do.
February 21, 2021
This went waaaay better than I expected.
I'm kind of wary of Australian YA fiction in general, and there are only several books that I truly like that has emerged from this genre, while the rest I can take or leave. I admit The First Third was one of those books that I was wary of, to the point that I was supposed to start reading it right after I finished Friday Brown, but instead I put it off after trying to read The Lover's Dictionary (which I abandoned halfway through) and Anna and the Swallow Man (whose writing style gave me a headache).
Talk about being pleasantly surprised. I loved The First Third. Kostakis' writing style was easy to get into and his writing style kind of reminds me of an Australian John Green. The book wasn't too blindingly Australian--I moved here a little over 3 years ago so there's still quite a lot of things that I don't understand or know about, and quite frankly when writers make it a bit too "Aussie" it's a bit alienating for someone who consumed American media growing up and migrated from a very Americanised country (the Philippines)--and instead it focused on Bill's Greek heritage and traditions, which I found endearing. I loved how someone could still be in touch with their culture despite living in an Anglo-Saxonised environment.
I loved Bill. I loved how he wasn't this stereotypically rebellious, angsty male teenager that is so commonplace in YA these days. I loved the way his relationships with his brothers and grandmother were portrayed. He is a caring grandson who is very close with his grandmother and cared enough to try to fulfil her bucket list. He cares about his brothers and was not ashamed in telling Peter that he 'missed him so, so much', showing that he is not touched by toxic masculinity. Good on him!
I loved the other characters too. I loved how there was not one, but two gay characters in the book. I also loved how Lucas was described as having cerebral palsy and that this is shown throughout the book in a way that is realistic and does not make him the token disabled character.
I also loved how a teenage mother was included in this book, which is a good way of being inclusive in diversity. Hailey was not judged by any of the main characters and the concept of teenage motherhood was handled well, in terms of how it would affect any future relationships.
Lastly, I loved the way this book handled closure. This is the single main theme of the book, and I have no complaints with the ending and the events that led to it.
If you liked this book, you might also like:
The Messenger by Markus Zusak
The Pause by John Larkin
Swerve by Phillip Gwynne
I'm kind of wary of Australian YA fiction in general, and there are only several books that I truly like that has emerged from this genre, while the rest I can take or leave. I admit The First Third was one of those books that I was wary of, to the point that I was supposed to start reading it right after I finished Friday Brown, but instead I put it off after trying to read The Lover's Dictionary (which I abandoned halfway through) and Anna and the Swallow Man (whose writing style gave me a headache).
Talk about being pleasantly surprised. I loved The First Third. Kostakis' writing style was easy to get into and his writing style kind of reminds me of an Australian John Green. The book wasn't too blindingly Australian--I moved here a little over 3 years ago so there's still quite a lot of things that I don't understand or know about, and quite frankly when writers make it a bit too "Aussie" it's a bit alienating for someone who consumed American media growing up and migrated from a very Americanised country (the Philippines)--and instead it focused on Bill's Greek heritage and traditions, which I found endearing. I loved how someone could still be in touch with their culture despite living in an Anglo-Saxonised environment.
I loved Bill. I loved how he wasn't this stereotypically rebellious, angsty male teenager that is so commonplace in YA these days. I loved the way his relationships with his brothers and grandmother were portrayed. He is a caring grandson who is very close with his grandmother and cared enough to try to fulfil her bucket list. He cares about his brothers and was not ashamed in telling Peter that he 'missed him so, so much', showing that he is not touched by toxic masculinity. Good on him!
I loved the other characters too. I loved how there was not one, but two gay characters in the book. I also loved how Lucas was described as having cerebral palsy and that this is shown throughout the book in a way that is realistic and does not make him the token disabled character.
I also loved how a teenage mother was included in this book, which is a good way of being inclusive in diversity. Hailey was not judged by any of the main characters and the concept of teenage motherhood was handled well, in terms of how it would affect any future relationships.
Lastly, I loved the way this book handled closure. This is the single main theme of the book, and I have no complaints with the ending and the events that led to it.
If you liked this book, you might also like:
The Messenger by Markus Zusak
The Pause by John Larkin
Swerve by Phillip Gwynne
July 13, 2013
3.5 stars
Things I liked about THE FIRST THIRD:
The supporting characters: Yiayia and Lucas, in particular.
The issues: as in real life, characters in the book are diverse. Kostakis does not condescend to his audience or his characters by inviting us to feel pity for people who have Cerebal Palsey or are gay, it is all just part of life, and not an 'ISSUE'. Lucas' romantic challenges, in particular, are described with sensitivity and were a highlight of the book.
Family: this book is all about family - Bill's relationship with his Yiayia is another highlight, as are his efforts to be the 'glue' that holds his siblings together.
Love: while there is some romance, THE FIRST THIRD is really about other types of love - love for your friends and love for your family. It was great to read about a young male protagonist who was not at all shy about expressing these feelings.
The things I wasn't crazy about:
The comedy: it is awkward to read jokes that you don't find funny, and there were times when they diminished the effect of the story for me. I had the sense that WK was trying too hard to please the reader, but I enjoyed the book more when he seemed to relax.
Descriptions of Bill's mother: I felt uncomfortable seeing a woman described as looking like 'a bin liner' and having a body that 'frowned'. IMO, it wasn't necessary for the plot and it added nothing to the story. I assume that we are to believe that some of her dating misadventures stemmed from her potential love interests finding her unattractive? There are probably kinder ways to show this. Lucas makes a nice speech about feminism on page 168, and I think these descriptions diminish it.
I had a few minor quibbles with small things like the plausibility of an 18yo boy choosing a Titanic themed birthday party (it came out in 1997, Lucas would have been in preschool), or Bill not knowing which activities his brother is involved in at the high school they both attend. Things like that could have been easily explained - maybe Lucas just likes Titanic, maybe it was ironic, maybe the book is set in 1997.
These are petty things to point out, but the fact that I noticed them is a sign I wasn't immersed in the story.
I actually started the book a while ago, read the first chapter, and then put it down for a few weeks. I only picked it up again to read it with some friends. I'm glad I did.
Overall, I thought that this was quite a sweet book, and I enjoyed it as a celebration of family and love in all its forms.
Penguin are doing a stellar job of promoting THE FIRST THIRD, and I'm sure we will see it pop up on some award lists in the coming season.
Things I liked about THE FIRST THIRD:
The supporting characters: Yiayia and Lucas, in particular.
The issues: as in real life, characters in the book are diverse. Kostakis does not condescend to his audience or his characters by inviting us to feel pity for people who have Cerebal Palsey or are gay, it is all just part of life, and not an 'ISSUE'. Lucas' romantic challenges, in particular, are described with sensitivity and were a highlight of the book.
Family: this book is all about family - Bill's relationship with his Yiayia is another highlight, as are his efforts to be the 'glue' that holds his siblings together.
Love: while there is some romance, THE FIRST THIRD is really about other types of love - love for your friends and love for your family. It was great to read about a young male protagonist who was not at all shy about expressing these feelings.
The things I wasn't crazy about:
The comedy: it is awkward to read jokes that you don't find funny, and there were times when they diminished the effect of the story for me. I had the sense that WK was trying too hard to please the reader, but I enjoyed the book more when he seemed to relax.
Descriptions of Bill's mother: I felt uncomfortable seeing a woman described as looking like 'a bin liner' and having a body that 'frowned'. IMO, it wasn't necessary for the plot and it added nothing to the story. I assume that we are to believe that some of her dating misadventures stemmed from her potential love interests finding her unattractive? There are probably kinder ways to show this. Lucas makes a nice speech about feminism on page 168, and I think these descriptions diminish it.
I had a few minor quibbles with small things like the plausibility of an 18yo boy choosing a Titanic themed birthday party (it came out in 1997, Lucas would have been in preschool), or Bill not knowing which activities his brother is involved in at the high school they both attend. Things like that could have been easily explained - maybe Lucas just likes Titanic, maybe it was ironic, maybe the book is set in 1997.
These are petty things to point out, but the fact that I noticed them is a sign I wasn't immersed in the story.
I actually started the book a while ago, read the first chapter, and then put it down for a few weeks. I only picked it up again to read it with some friends. I'm glad I did.
Overall, I thought that this was quite a sweet book, and I enjoyed it as a celebration of family and love in all its forms.
Penguin are doing a stellar job of promoting THE FIRST THIRD, and I'm sure we will see it pop up on some award lists in the coming season.
July 17, 2013
Go and find this book. Right now. I'm not joking. I'll wait right here until you get back. ... So, you've got it now? Yes? Excellent!
Now sit back, relax, and enjoy this outstanding, heartfelt, funny, gorgeous, loving diamond of a book.
With love from me. xoxo
Now sit back, relax, and enjoy this outstanding, heartfelt, funny, gorgeous, loving diamond of a book.
With love from me. xoxo
June 30, 2016
this book was a very good surprise for me because it was a very good YA novel that dealt with real issues and day to day life problems we all face at some point in our lives.
I like Will's writing style and will continue to love the way he writes his books because he writes characters so real and has story lines that are real that we can all sit back and go 'yep thats happened to me' or 'i know someone thats happened to'. I usually go into aussie young adult novels very skeptical because i'm not sure what to expect but this book is good and it's a testament of how good Will's writing is.
Bill was a good main protagonist he didn't annoy me or get under my skin, the things he did and said were honest and real that it made me love the character. I loved Bill and his grandmother Yiayia's relationship throughout the book, i loved how close they were and how easy they got along with each other but also it had times were Bill got annoyed at her but made me amused. Bill and his brothers Simon and Peter was very interesting to me because Bill's relationship with both of them was broken and sort of distant and i was glad that they all by the end of the book started to repair their family bond and started to talk again. Most of the relationship that Bill shares with his siblings hit very close for me cause i can relate to that.
I loved Yiayia's little bucket list that she gave bill during the book and he worked on it so hard and failed miserably but i liked that he never gave up on the bucket list and was able to fulfil the bucket list by the end of the novel.
if you haven't read any of Will Kostakis books you really need to because he writes stories and characters so real and relatable that it makes the story enjoyable. If you're looking for a good aussie young adult novel to get you started i would definitely recommend all of Will's books!
I like Will's writing style and will continue to love the way he writes his books because he writes characters so real and has story lines that are real that we can all sit back and go 'yep thats happened to me' or 'i know someone thats happened to'. I usually go into aussie young adult novels very skeptical because i'm not sure what to expect but this book is good and it's a testament of how good Will's writing is.
Bill was a good main protagonist he didn't annoy me or get under my skin, the things he did and said were honest and real that it made me love the character. I loved Bill and his grandmother Yiayia's relationship throughout the book, i loved how close they were and how easy they got along with each other but also it had times were Bill got annoyed at her but made me amused. Bill and his brothers Simon and Peter was very interesting to me because Bill's relationship with both of them was broken and sort of distant and i was glad that they all by the end of the book started to repair their family bond and started to talk again. Most of the relationship that Bill shares with his siblings hit very close for me cause i can relate to that.
I loved Yiayia's little bucket list that she gave bill during the book and he worked on it so hard and failed miserably but i liked that he never gave up on the bucket list and was able to fulfil the bucket list by the end of the novel.
if you haven't read any of Will Kostakis books you really need to because he writes stories and characters so real and relatable that it makes the story enjoyable. If you're looking for a good aussie young adult novel to get you started i would definitely recommend all of Will's books!
July 9, 2013
Bill is having a bad year. Possibly, a bad life.
It starts when a girl called Mia gives him his first ever kiss, and then runs away.
But things get worse when Bill’s beloved Yiayia (grandmother) collapses in church and is hospitalized. While on bed rest she comes up with a bucket list for him to complete, and fix his family. Nevermind that 18-year-old Bill can’t imagine a world without his Yiayia, but his family’s problems aren’t exactly easy fixer-uppers…
His dad left when he was younger, and now his mum has suddenly decided to re-enter the dating pool. She turns to Bill for fashion and sexting advice, and there’s just not enough therapy in the world.
His younger brother, Peter, has withdrawn from the family over some undisclosed altercation that nobody can remember but Peter is holding on to for dear life.
Older brother, Simon, is living the high-life all the way in Queensland where he can date boys and not break his Yiayia’s (grandmother’s) heart.
Bill’s best friend is Lucas, nicknamed ‘Sticks’ for the walking sticks he uses because of his cerebral palsy. While Bill’s life spins more and more out of control, and starts to look like a Greek tragedy, Lucas is there to help and offer advice – but he has his own struggles; like finding a nice boy who likes him for him, in spite or regardless of his disability.
‘The First Third’ is the new young adult novel from Australian author, Will Kostakis.
I’m trying to think of how I’ll summarise this book and why I so enjoyed it, and the best descriptor I can come up with is this; it had a lot of heart.
Maybe that sounds empty and trite, but there you go.
There’s clearly some truth that’s stranger than fiction going on in ‘The First Third’, and I suspect that Will Kostakis has borrowed heavily (if not, entirely?) from his own life in the writing. The giveaway is in the aforementioned heart, and the acknowledgements page (plus: Bill/Will. Not a stretch). I think Will being so close to this book is what gives it that pulsing heartbeat – there’s affection on every page, for the characters and their somewhat impossible situations. And even amidst fractures and heartbreak, Bill/Will has a ringing loyalty that’s impossible not to admire.
The standout relationship in the book is between Bill and his Yiayia (and in case you’re wondering; it’s ‘yiayiathes’ plural). She’s quite a character from the old world; a good Greek grandma who feeds her grandsons up, meddles to her heart’s content and calls sheets ‘shits’, to many a salesperson’s mortification. I loved this book early on, from the moment that Bill recounts the lessons in love his Yiayia imparted, and the difference between lasagne and moussaka;
I was fourteen when my grandmother taught me about love and the difference between moussaka and lasagne. The two were apparently related. She called me into her kitchen where she’d laid them side by side, the moussaka made from scratch, and the lasagne, store-bought and still in its aluminium tray.
‘This,’ she explained, pointing to the lasagne, ‘you buy. Easy. But it not special. You get five, ten. No hard. You just pay more. Moussaka,’ she pointed to the homemade dish, ‘is different. The tray keep lasagne together, but the moussaka, look – it break easy. Because it fresh. Less cheese, more eggplant, more oil. It better for you and you make with agape, love. Yes? This,’ she pointed to the lasagne, ‘is Australian girl.’
Will writes about Yiayia and Bill’s deep affection for her with heart-on-sleeve honesty. And what I loved is that Bill’s never embarrassed by her, though she does some lost-in-translation/generation guffaws. It often happens in YA novels that adults and parents are lost from the page, swept under the rug and forgotten. That’s certainly not the case in ‘The First Third’, in which family takes centre stage. But it was so nice to read about a grandparent having importance in Bill’s young life. No doubt there will be comparisons to Josie and her Nonna and Melina Marchetta in general for the multigenerational family life – but where ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ was about railing against the old ways and sometimes suffocating family, Bill in ‘The First Third’ is more accepting and can even appreciate his Yiayia’s wisdom and what she’s taught him about family.
There is a romance in this book, but I don’t want to give it away because I was surprised at the girl that caught Bill’s eye in the end. The romance worked for me, but I think there’s a lot more than just the romantic love in this book to champion. For instance, Bill has a lot of love for his best friend, Lucas ‘Sticks’. He has such affection for his best-friend-since-boyhood, and it came across in their loyalty to one another, but also in the little things like Bill describing Lucas’s laugh:
Sticks channelled Boromir’s seriousness. ‘One does not simply walk into Malvern.’
He laughed. He had an infinite laugh. He’d make a joke, laugh at his joke, hear his laugh and then laugh at his laugh.
That’s just gorgeous. And, actually, Lucas was probably my favourite character after Yiayia. He was interesting for being opposite to Bill in his battles. Where Bill seemed one to fall hard and fast for a girl (or two), Lucas keeps quite a reserved heart because he knows that people see him differently because of his cerebral palsy. And where Bill’s family life is quite fractured in this book, Lucas’s is a fortress around him – with an older brother and strong father who’ll thump anyone who dares say anything derogatory about Lucas’s sexuality, to a mother who won’t leave the room without an ‘I love you too.’ I just loved Lucas. He was funny and affectionate; he collects souvenirs from his raucous nights out and protects Bill with a fierceness that you don’t often read in male friendships. I want more Lucas, and I cross my fingers that Will has a book planned just for him.
I’ve also got to say that ‘The First Third’ is funny. Will has a whip-quick, snarky and sharp sense of humour that is self-deprecating, pop-culture ridden and observantly wicked. There were some times when I wished the jokes didn’t come so hard and fast and on every page, but that mostly comes from me thinking that he had such beautiful connections and tragedies in this book that sometimes just letting them lie and hurt a bit was needed, rather than cushioning with humour.
I can only go back to my initial thoughts, that ‘The First Third’ has real heart. This book reads like Will Kostakis putting his heart on his sleeve and his family on the page, and the result is nothing short of magnificent.
It starts when a girl called Mia gives him his first ever kiss, and then runs away.
But things get worse when Bill’s beloved Yiayia (grandmother) collapses in church and is hospitalized. While on bed rest she comes up with a bucket list for him to complete, and fix his family. Nevermind that 18-year-old Bill can’t imagine a world without his Yiayia, but his family’s problems aren’t exactly easy fixer-uppers…
His dad left when he was younger, and now his mum has suddenly decided to re-enter the dating pool. She turns to Bill for fashion and sexting advice, and there’s just not enough therapy in the world.
His younger brother, Peter, has withdrawn from the family over some undisclosed altercation that nobody can remember but Peter is holding on to for dear life.
Older brother, Simon, is living the high-life all the way in Queensland where he can date boys and not break his Yiayia’s (grandmother’s) heart.
Bill’s best friend is Lucas, nicknamed ‘Sticks’ for the walking sticks he uses because of his cerebral palsy. While Bill’s life spins more and more out of control, and starts to look like a Greek tragedy, Lucas is there to help and offer advice – but he has his own struggles; like finding a nice boy who likes him for him, in spite or regardless of his disability.
‘The First Third’ is the new young adult novel from Australian author, Will Kostakis.
I’m trying to think of how I’ll summarise this book and why I so enjoyed it, and the best descriptor I can come up with is this; it had a lot of heart.
Maybe that sounds empty and trite, but there you go.
There’s clearly some truth that’s stranger than fiction going on in ‘The First Third’, and I suspect that Will Kostakis has borrowed heavily (if not, entirely?) from his own life in the writing. The giveaway is in the aforementioned heart, and the acknowledgements page (plus: Bill/Will. Not a stretch). I think Will being so close to this book is what gives it that pulsing heartbeat – there’s affection on every page, for the characters and their somewhat impossible situations. And even amidst fractures and heartbreak, Bill/Will has a ringing loyalty that’s impossible not to admire.
The standout relationship in the book is between Bill and his Yiayia (and in case you’re wondering; it’s ‘yiayiathes’ plural). She’s quite a character from the old world; a good Greek grandma who feeds her grandsons up, meddles to her heart’s content and calls sheets ‘shits’, to many a salesperson’s mortification. I loved this book early on, from the moment that Bill recounts the lessons in love his Yiayia imparted, and the difference between lasagne and moussaka;
I was fourteen when my grandmother taught me about love and the difference between moussaka and lasagne. The two were apparently related. She called me into her kitchen where she’d laid them side by side, the moussaka made from scratch, and the lasagne, store-bought and still in its aluminium tray.
‘This,’ she explained, pointing to the lasagne, ‘you buy. Easy. But it not special. You get five, ten. No hard. You just pay more. Moussaka,’ she pointed to the homemade dish, ‘is different. The tray keep lasagne together, but the moussaka, look – it break easy. Because it fresh. Less cheese, more eggplant, more oil. It better for you and you make with agape, love. Yes? This,’ she pointed to the lasagne, ‘is Australian girl.’
Will writes about Yiayia and Bill’s deep affection for her with heart-on-sleeve honesty. And what I loved is that Bill’s never embarrassed by her, though she does some lost-in-translation/generation guffaws. It often happens in YA novels that adults and parents are lost from the page, swept under the rug and forgotten. That’s certainly not the case in ‘The First Third’, in which family takes centre stage. But it was so nice to read about a grandparent having importance in Bill’s young life. No doubt there will be comparisons to Josie and her Nonna and Melina Marchetta in general for the multigenerational family life – but where ‘Looking for Alibrandi’ was about railing against the old ways and sometimes suffocating family, Bill in ‘The First Third’ is more accepting and can even appreciate his Yiayia’s wisdom and what she’s taught him about family.
There is a romance in this book, but I don’t want to give it away because I was surprised at the girl that caught Bill’s eye in the end. The romance worked for me, but I think there’s a lot more than just the romantic love in this book to champion. For instance, Bill has a lot of love for his best friend, Lucas ‘Sticks’. He has such affection for his best-friend-since-boyhood, and it came across in their loyalty to one another, but also in the little things like Bill describing Lucas’s laugh:
Sticks channelled Boromir’s seriousness. ‘One does not simply walk into Malvern.’
He laughed. He had an infinite laugh. He’d make a joke, laugh at his joke, hear his laugh and then laugh at his laugh.
That’s just gorgeous. And, actually, Lucas was probably my favourite character after Yiayia. He was interesting for being opposite to Bill in his battles. Where Bill seemed one to fall hard and fast for a girl (or two), Lucas keeps quite a reserved heart because he knows that people see him differently because of his cerebral palsy. And where Bill’s family life is quite fractured in this book, Lucas’s is a fortress around him – with an older brother and strong father who’ll thump anyone who dares say anything derogatory about Lucas’s sexuality, to a mother who won’t leave the room without an ‘I love you too.’ I just loved Lucas. He was funny and affectionate; he collects souvenirs from his raucous nights out and protects Bill with a fierceness that you don’t often read in male friendships. I want more Lucas, and I cross my fingers that Will has a book planned just for him.
I’ve also got to say that ‘The First Third’ is funny. Will has a whip-quick, snarky and sharp sense of humour that is self-deprecating, pop-culture ridden and observantly wicked. There were some times when I wished the jokes didn’t come so hard and fast and on every page, but that mostly comes from me thinking that he had such beautiful connections and tragedies in this book that sometimes just letting them lie and hurt a bit was needed, rather than cushioning with humour.
I can only go back to my initial thoughts, that ‘The First Third’ has real heart. This book reads like Will Kostakis putting his heart on his sleeve and his family on the page, and the result is nothing short of magnificent.
July 26, 2013
This books hurts me. Seriously. Physically. Hurts. Me. Lesson learnt: Do Not Read this book when you are sick because:
1. Laughter will turn to a coughing fit which hurt your chest and will earn you the dirtiest looks from your fellow commuters;
2. Staying up to finish reading end up with bucketload of tears [did I mention that I also suffer from over-sensitive tearducts?] which as a result completely blocked my nose passages and followed by the worst-head-pounding-headache from lack of oxygen…
So… I barely had any rest that day and couldn’t sleep at night because this book is one that will stay with you for a long time. Forgiveness was easily granted
Billy Tsiolkas is in Year 12 when his yiayia (grandmother) handed him a list of 3 things she’d like him to do. They are not, in any way, easy to do as it required him to find happiness for the 3 members of his immediate family (mother and 2 brothers) and to keep them together as a family. Even though he struggled with what to do with this list, his yiayia evidently saw something in him when she passed the torch to him, or rather the “gluestick”. She expected him to keep the family together as she has been doing, when she is no longer around. This is a big ask even for an adult but Billy found that he does want his family to stick together and he will give up even his one chance at making it big for this.
Reaching out to teenage boys aren’t easy. I lead a Year 10 group at church and bar 1, I would be so very lucky to get a grunt or a one word response from them. Amazingly though, they are not so reticent online. LOL. The point is that Billy truly has his work cut out for him. He found support in his best friend, Lucas (Sticks), and a girl whose grandfather shared a room with his yiayia at the hospital. With their ideas and backup, he managed to set up his mum on a date, checked up on his brother online public profile, and entrapped his younger brother to be in a room with him for one whole night.
The language is easy to understand and will appeal to all generations. Sentences are pretty short and direct with humour being delivered sharply to hit you in the right spot. The First Third is light reading in terms language but will have you clutching your stomach in hilarity (or in my case, my chest –see above) and tears will sneak out without you realising that the story has truly touch the deepest part of your heart. The only thing missing to make this a full experience for me is a recipe of yiayia’s moussaka! I was totally teary and salivating at the same time ;)
Thank you, Penguin Teen Australia, for providing copy of book through your Live Event
1. Laughter will turn to a coughing fit which hurt your chest and will earn you the dirtiest looks from your fellow commuters;
2. Staying up to finish reading end up with bucketload of tears [did I mention that I also suffer from over-sensitive tearducts?] which as a result completely blocked my nose passages and followed by the worst-head-pounding-headache from lack of oxygen…
So… I barely had any rest that day and couldn’t sleep at night because this book is one that will stay with you for a long time. Forgiveness was easily granted
Billy Tsiolkas is in Year 12 when his yiayia (grandmother) handed him a list of 3 things she’d like him to do. They are not, in any way, easy to do as it required him to find happiness for the 3 members of his immediate family (mother and 2 brothers) and to keep them together as a family. Even though he struggled with what to do with this list, his yiayia evidently saw something in him when she passed the torch to him, or rather the “gluestick”. She expected him to keep the family together as she has been doing, when she is no longer around. This is a big ask even for an adult but Billy found that he does want his family to stick together and he will give up even his one chance at making it big for this.
Reaching out to teenage boys aren’t easy. I lead a Year 10 group at church and bar 1, I would be so very lucky to get a grunt or a one word response from them. Amazingly though, they are not so reticent online. LOL. The point is that Billy truly has his work cut out for him. He found support in his best friend, Lucas (Sticks), and a girl whose grandfather shared a room with his yiayia at the hospital. With their ideas and backup, he managed to set up his mum on a date, checked up on his brother online public profile, and entrapped his younger brother to be in a room with him for one whole night.
The language is easy to understand and will appeal to all generations. Sentences are pretty short and direct with humour being delivered sharply to hit you in the right spot. The First Third is light reading in terms language but will have you clutching your stomach in hilarity (or in my case, my chest –see above) and tears will sneak out without you realising that the story has truly touch the deepest part of your heart. The only thing missing to make this a full experience for me is a recipe of yiayia’s moussaka! I was totally teary and salivating at the same time ;)
Thank you, Penguin Teen Australia, for providing copy of book through your Live Event
March 7, 2016
It's going to take me a bit to figure out what I want to say about this book- partly because I got a lot more from it than I had expected, and partly because my head is fuzzy from crying.
There was so much heart packed into the 248 pages of this story. I laughed (actually out loud) in lots of places, but at the core there was a warmth that I couldn't have imagined. What struck me was how relatable the story was, despite the fact that I'm not Greek. Yes, it's a Greek family, but it's also, you know, a family. And every family has those idiosyncrasies whatever their culture or background. This book perfectly reflected imperfect family life.
I don't think Will's actual writing was particularly poignant and I didn't ever think "oh wow, he said that really well", BUT as far as character goes, and as far as truth of character goes, this is an outstanding effort.
The last thing I will say about this book, which is probably the first thing I should have said, is that it is refreshingly diverse without feeling like it's trying too hard to be.
I can't wait to read more from Will.
There was so much heart packed into the 248 pages of this story. I laughed (actually out loud) in lots of places, but at the core there was a warmth that I couldn't have imagined. What struck me was how relatable the story was, despite the fact that I'm not Greek. Yes, it's a Greek family, but it's also, you know, a family. And every family has those idiosyncrasies whatever their culture or background. This book perfectly reflected imperfect family life.
I don't think Will's actual writing was particularly poignant and I didn't ever think "oh wow, he said that really well", BUT as far as character goes, and as far as truth of character goes, this is an outstanding effort.
The last thing I will say about this book, which is probably the first thing I should have said, is that it is refreshingly diverse without feeling like it's trying too hard to be.
I can't wait to read more from Will.
September 13, 2013
This has made it into the list of my top YA books for the year. Will's second novel is wry and funny, wise and sad. It's beautifully written with warm characterisations, wonderful portrayals of friendship and family, and is both satisfying and leaves us with the world realistically and wonderfully wide open for protagonist Bill and the rest of the cast. Highly recommended. Good job, Kostakis.
February 6, 2017
The First Third is a splendid book about family traditions, Greek grandmothers and friendship by the awesome Australian author, Will Kostakis. I've been wanting to read this books for a while so I'm glad I finally saw one and took it home with me. It was such a quick read at just 247 pages but there is so much emotion, heartache and fun on the pages.
Billy is a fantastic main character. He's honestly so fun and I don't really know how to explain him. He's coming of age and enjoying his youth but he's mature and does have a lot of weight on his back because of his family. His love for his grandmother and family is inspiring but it constantly gets him into trouble when his yiayia gives him a crazy bucket list of things that seem almost impossible. Also, his love life was a total disaster for most of the book and it was hilarious! I'm in love with this guy, especially in his weaker moments where his biggest fears are presented to him.
The secondary characters were actually very well written as well with a lot of back story to each character. It wasn't the case where these characters were created to aid the main character on their journey but instead, they all had their own goals and issues. Billy's brothers were near to him in the same country (even if Brisbane seems very far away from Melbourne) but worlds away with their feelings and honesty towards each other. His mother struggled to find love and start her life again. His best friend, Lucas, is plagued by what people see and expect when they look at him and the girl he likes has a lot of responsibility that keeps her from having the fun, young life expected at her age.
There was so much food in this book as well so it made me super hungry. From what I've read and seen from friends it seems like Greek families are so dedicated to their traditions and that showed in this book where their food (passed down from family members before them) was constantly referenced and they continued their family traditions each year. I really enjoyed looking into that window of a culture I'm not part of and understanding what they share. They seem like a wonderful, and sometimes dramatic, bunch!
It was a fantastic and short read that made me equal parts happy and sad. The message of family and people's idea of it throughout the three stages of their lives is true. The facebook status updates at the start of the chapters were also cool with the story. I laughed aloud at a lot of parts, especially at his grandmother's antics, and even shed a tear at the end for the bittersweet close and books rarely move me to tears. I'm so interested in this author now and I'll definitely be reading more of his work.
Billy is a fantastic main character. He's honestly so fun and I don't really know how to explain him. He's coming of age and enjoying his youth but he's mature and does have a lot of weight on his back because of his family. His love for his grandmother and family is inspiring but it constantly gets him into trouble when his yiayia gives him a crazy bucket list of things that seem almost impossible. Also, his love life was a total disaster for most of the book and it was hilarious! I'm in love with this guy, especially in his weaker moments where his biggest fears are presented to him.
The secondary characters were actually very well written as well with a lot of back story to each character. It wasn't the case where these characters were created to aid the main character on their journey but instead, they all had their own goals and issues. Billy's brothers were near to him in the same country (even if Brisbane seems very far away from Melbourne) but worlds away with their feelings and honesty towards each other. His mother struggled to find love and start her life again. His best friend, Lucas, is plagued by what people see and expect when they look at him and the girl he likes has a lot of responsibility that keeps her from having the fun, young life expected at her age.
There was so much food in this book as well so it made me super hungry. From what I've read and seen from friends it seems like Greek families are so dedicated to their traditions and that showed in this book where their food (passed down from family members before them) was constantly referenced and they continued their family traditions each year. I really enjoyed looking into that window of a culture I'm not part of and understanding what they share. They seem like a wonderful, and sometimes dramatic, bunch!
It was a fantastic and short read that made me equal parts happy and sad. The message of family and people's idea of it throughout the three stages of their lives is true. The facebook status updates at the start of the chapters were also cool with the story. I laughed aloud at a lot of parts, especially at his grandmother's antics, and even shed a tear at the end for the bittersweet close and books rarely move me to tears. I'm so interested in this author now and I'll definitely be reading more of his work.
July 15, 2014
I sat down to read a couple of chapters of this book one morning and then accidentally read the entire book. The First Third is the kind of story that is familiar and unfamiliar all at the same time, and while that will not be the experience for everybody, this is definitely the sort of book that you should try whether you think you'll like it or not.
March 28, 2016
Wow. If my 85-year-old Yiayia wasn't currently overseas visiting my sister, I'd be over to her place in a flash for big hugs and moussaka baking (or pastitsio, her specialty). What a gorgeous book! I wish it was longer though - it all happened so quickly. More soon.
February 23, 2017
"The saying went, 'Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.'"
But what if it's your grandma, and the gift is her bucket list?
The First Third is a story about family: the ones we have, the ones we choose and the ones we lose. Will Kostakis employs a lighthearted writing style to bring together a diverse cast of characters in a recognisable Sydney setting. Bill's family is excruciatingly familiar to any ethnic kid, complete with cheek pinches from people you've never met before, but who will swear you have grown so much since they last saw you. This book will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you question why you didn't read it earlier, all before sucker-punching you in the gut and making you laugh again.
Overall, it was a really sweet story that made me miss my own grandmother. Props to Will Kostakis for the heartwarming journey.
But what if it's your grandma, and the gift is her bucket list?
The First Third is a story about family: the ones we have, the ones we choose and the ones we lose. Will Kostakis employs a lighthearted writing style to bring together a diverse cast of characters in a recognisable Sydney setting. Bill's family is excruciatingly familiar to any ethnic kid, complete with cheek pinches from people you've never met before, but who will swear you have grown so much since they last saw you. This book will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you question why you didn't read it earlier, all before sucker-punching you in the gut and making you laugh again.
Overall, it was a really sweet story that made me miss my own grandmother. Props to Will Kostakis for the heartwarming journey.
September 11, 2013
3.5 stars
Melina Marchetta blurbs Will Kostakis' sophomore novel: 'The relationships in this novel are gems. Funny dialogue, wonderful characters, a story told with so much heart.'
I love this blurb as it nails the essence of this book. I came away from it thinking 'what an incredibly heartfelt book.' Here's what Kostakis says on his site about The First Third:
I love the premise of this book. Having said that, it got off to a really slow start. I felt a smidgen lost in the first 20% -- if it wasn't for the grin-worthy humour and enjoying meeting the characters I'm not sure I would have been hooked enough to keep going. But I am glad I did. I love how all the threads and characters started coming together and the last 20% was just deliciously addictive and smiley and completely worthwhile. Some of the plot threads were predictable (in an appealing way - I wanted to see them play out like that) but others left me wondering where they would go and there were a few surprises.
As Kostakis' says in the blurb above, it feels like a personal novel. In between the funny narration and Greek comedy/drama/tragedy, a lot of the insights and relationships felt like the truth. Bill was so earnest and sensitive and hopeful and you can feel him just wanting things to work out while bumbling around and often making more of a mess of things. Underneath his bravado and humour was a really relateable teenage guy and I know Bill will resound with many Aussie teens.
The First Third was a breezy and fun read - it was easy to keep the pages turning. The humour in it highlighted the heart. Also, it was such boy humour - I think the humour Bill expressed towards his family (often the butt of his inner jokes) came from a place of love and teenage awkwardness/embarrassment and was not at all intended to put people down or to be taken too seriously.
The awesome Greek family vibe was one of my favourite aspects of the book. It definitely made me feel like I was transported to another culture in much the same way Marchetta's Looking For Alibrandi had me all Italian for the duration of the book. Will Kostakis has a fantastic voice for Aussie teenagers and I can only imagine his future work will go from strength to strength -- looking forward to more of his work.
Melina Marchetta blurbs Will Kostakis' sophomore novel: 'The relationships in this novel are gems. Funny dialogue, wonderful characters, a story told with so much heart.'
I love this blurb as it nails the essence of this book. I came away from it thinking 'what an incredibly heartfelt book.' Here's what Kostakis says on his site about The First Third:
The First Third is out now. It started out as a kernel of an idea: what if my grandmother gave me her bucket list to complete? And from that, out grew this novel about what it means to be a grandson, a son and yourself.
It’s a more personal novel than I expected to write… It’s not about me, but there’s a lot of me in there.
And it’s definitely a lot of fun. (from Will Kostakis' site)
I love the premise of this book. Having said that, it got off to a really slow start. I felt a smidgen lost in the first 20% -- if it wasn't for the grin-worthy humour and enjoying meeting the characters I'm not sure I would have been hooked enough to keep going. But I am glad I did. I love how all the threads and characters started coming together and the last 20% was just deliciously addictive and smiley and completely worthwhile. Some of the plot threads were predictable (in an appealing way - I wanted to see them play out like that) but others left me wondering where they would go and there were a few surprises.
As Kostakis' says in the blurb above, it feels like a personal novel. In between the funny narration and Greek comedy/drama/tragedy, a lot of the insights and relationships felt like the truth. Bill was so earnest and sensitive and hopeful and you can feel him just wanting things to work out while bumbling around and often making more of a mess of things. Underneath his bravado and humour was a really relateable teenage guy and I know Bill will resound with many Aussie teens.
The First Third was a breezy and fun read - it was easy to keep the pages turning. The humour in it highlighted the heart. Also, it was such boy humour - I think the humour Bill expressed towards his family (often the butt of his inner jokes) came from a place of love and teenage awkwardness/embarrassment and was not at all intended to put people down or to be taken too seriously.
The awesome Greek family vibe was one of my favourite aspects of the book. It definitely made me feel like I was transported to another culture in much the same way Marchetta's Looking For Alibrandi had me all Italian for the duration of the book. Will Kostakis has a fantastic voice for Aussie teenagers and I can only imagine his future work will go from strength to strength -- looking forward to more of his work.
June 17, 2015
This is a book you just want to hug after you finish it. Will Kostakis has written an absolute gem that beautifully paints a picture of a family in crisis with underlying warmth and humour. Yiayia reminded me of my own departed Nana (gone 6 years now) and how she commanded the room, even when she was not well. I could imagine her issuing orders and writing bucket lists as Bill's yiayia did.
Yiayia is in hospital after a fall and she gives Bill (via a very pretty girl) her bucket list:
1. Find your mummy husband
2. Have Simon girlfriend in Sydney
3. Fix Peter
To tell you what all this means and if Bill does them all would constitute a massive spoiler, so I won't tell you. What I will tell you is his attempts make a fabulous ride that I was kind of sad had to end.
Bill is an endearing and sympathetic protagonist - a teenager trying to find his way in the world of relationships, both romantically and within his family unit. The journey Kostakis takes us on is filled with interesting and entertaining characters along the way too. Sticks is one of the best, best friends I have read in recent YA fiction. He is smart, funny, knows who he is and is a rock for Bill in a stormy family time.
If you are looking for an entertaining read, that doesn't constantly hit you over the head with "messages". With no swearing or ridiculous sex scenes, and with a gentle, self-deprecating humour and a feel good ending that makes you want to punch the air and say YEAH! Then this book, my friend, is for YOU.
Recommended for ages 12 and up. Wonderful. Can't wait to read Will's next book, The Sidekicks, in 2016!
Yiayia is in hospital after a fall and she gives Bill (via a very pretty girl) her bucket list:
1. Find your mummy husband
2. Have Simon girlfriend in Sydney
3. Fix Peter
To tell you what all this means and if Bill does them all would constitute a massive spoiler, so I won't tell you. What I will tell you is his attempts make a fabulous ride that I was kind of sad had to end.
Bill is an endearing and sympathetic protagonist - a teenager trying to find his way in the world of relationships, both romantically and within his family unit. The journey Kostakis takes us on is filled with interesting and entertaining characters along the way too. Sticks is one of the best, best friends I have read in recent YA fiction. He is smart, funny, knows who he is and is a rock for Bill in a stormy family time.
If you are looking for an entertaining read, that doesn't constantly hit you over the head with "messages". With no swearing or ridiculous sex scenes, and with a gentle, self-deprecating humour and a feel good ending that makes you want to punch the air and say YEAH! Then this book, my friend, is for YOU.
Recommended for ages 12 and up. Wonderful. Can't wait to read Will's next book, The Sidekicks, in 2016!
October 3, 2015
This book was an absolute delight. I loved every word. I loved the Greek-ness, I loved the scant little description of Melbourne at the start there. I loved every character.
I think I liked this one so much because it was heartwarming (man, I hate that word, but it applies here) and realistic about love. Family is a hard topic to tackle in a realistic way that doesn't take it to extremes -- terrible, awful people, or everybody loves each other. This book hit it on the head, though. Family's a nuanced, complicated bitch of a thing, and Kostakis totally nailed it. The protagonist, Bill, was a seriously /kind/ guy, which can be rare in a male protagonist. It doesn't have to be, though, because boys can be as kind and lovely as girls, and it was nice to see one written this way. I loved how much he loved his family, despite their dysfunctions and their embarrassments.
I also loved loved loved Sticks/Lucas -- it was awesome to see a disabled character written with his own troubles, both related to his disability, and outside of it. He was, like all the characters, multi-dimensional and not defined by his one big characteristic.
I could say more, but it's still all swirling around fresh and I'm too excited about how good it was to be much more coherent. A fantastic example of A+ OzYA. Highly recommend to everyone.
I think I liked this one so much because it was heartwarming (man, I hate that word, but it applies here) and realistic about love. Family is a hard topic to tackle in a realistic way that doesn't take it to extremes -- terrible, awful people, or everybody loves each other. This book hit it on the head, though. Family's a nuanced, complicated bitch of a thing, and Kostakis totally nailed it. The protagonist, Bill, was a seriously /kind/ guy, which can be rare in a male protagonist. It doesn't have to be, though, because boys can be as kind and lovely as girls, and it was nice to see one written this way. I loved how much he loved his family, despite their dysfunctions and their embarrassments.
I also loved loved loved Sticks/Lucas -- it was awesome to see a disabled character written with his own troubles, both related to his disability, and outside of it. He was, like all the characters, multi-dimensional and not defined by his one big characteristic.
I could say more, but it's still all swirling around fresh and I'm too excited about how good it was to be much more coherent. A fantastic example of A+ OzYA. Highly recommend to everyone.
February 19, 2017
Is it just me, or does this make you crave Greek food like crazy?
#diversitybingo2017 - Biracial main character (own voices)
#diversitybingo2017 - Biracial main character (own voices)
July 2, 2013
****UPDATED REVIEW****
I got to the end!! My review is still at 5 stars!! It's hilarious yet it has twists and very heart felt moments that remind you of life events and things closer to home.. Will Kostakis, if you read this: please keep writing!! You're awesome!! Hope to see more books published by you.. Happy Days!!
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I don't normally rate books until I am either on the home stretch or have finished.. but this would be the first time I am smashing a book in a span of 2 days.. this book is hilarious!!! I literally laughed out loud and the dialogue and the story itself.. you feel in touch with the main character and I also feel like I am watching a movie.. I highly recommend it to all Aussie readers of all ages.. once I have finished reading, I will update this review!!
I got to the end!! My review is still at 5 stars!! It's hilarious yet it has twists and very heart felt moments that remind you of life events and things closer to home.. Will Kostakis, if you read this: please keep writing!! You're awesome!! Hope to see more books published by you.. Happy Days!!
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I don't normally rate books until I am either on the home stretch or have finished.. but this would be the first time I am smashing a book in a span of 2 days.. this book is hilarious!!! I literally laughed out loud and the dialogue and the story itself.. you feel in touch with the main character and I also feel like I am watching a movie.. I highly recommend it to all Aussie readers of all ages.. once I have finished reading, I will update this review!!
January 16, 2021
lmfaooo I love how my original status promised i’d read it soon after receiving it as a gift three years ago hahaha
a nice enough story with some heartwarming family moments, and Bill was quite nice as a narrator but bro the fact that he’s a high schooler... i feel like i’ve just seriously outgrown young adult contemporary because i couldn’t truly relate.
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Dec 2018: Christmas gift! Will read soon <3
a nice enough story with some heartwarming family moments, and Bill was quite nice as a narrator but bro the fact that he’s a high schooler... i feel like i’ve just seriously outgrown young adult contemporary because i couldn’t truly relate.
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Dec 2018: Christmas gift! Will read soon <3
July 27, 2013
This was an amazing read that had me in tears & laughter throughout. Bill's story was just so _real_ that you can't help but get caught in his quest for "fixing" his family & all the feels that come with it. Loved, loved, loved it!
December 18, 2014
Just bloody loved this. Made me laugh, made me cry and had everything I need in a book. Love, loss, laughs - and moussaka. Five stars.
October 28, 2015
A family drama in the vein of Looking For Alibrandi, The First Third is funny, sweet and genuinely moving.
July 30, 2013
BOOK REVIEW by Michelle 30th July 2013:
RATING: 5 HEART & SOUL STARS!
I was fourteen when my grandmother taught me about love and the difference between moussaka and lasagne.
I was fifteen when I fell in love with lasagne.
I was sixteen when I met moussaka.
And I was seventeen when I realised it didn’t matter. Lasagne or moussaka, being on the other side of love hurt.
What an emotion filled read!
I laughed out loud, I cried and I did that weird giggle/cry combo.
Will Kostakis did for me what, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, did for me.
I got pure enjoyment from his story and some lessons learnt along the way.
Will brought real characters to the page that resonated so well with me. He made me stop and think about my part in being the ‘glue’ for my family. Maybe I need to stop and think about doing some gluing myself. When I think about it, my nan was the glue, without realizing she was glue. She has passed on, no doubt having a Scrabble tournament with somebody.
Will took me through an almost Greek Seinfeld story of laughs...and some tears.
One scene in particular had me swallowing down the lumps. The learn how to ride a bike scene. It was more than Bill not having been taught how to ride a bike because his father was absent in his life. It was what his friend did for him. Very touching. It was one of those weird giggle/cry combo’s for me.
‘It’s a dad’s job to teach you to ride,’ he said. ‘Consider this a loan.’
Mr P walked me and the bike onto the road.
‘I’m expecting tumbles, by the way,’ Sticks added. ‘You flipping over the handlebars at least once.’
.... ‘Thanks for this,’ I said, before he turned away.
‘The helmet? It’s no big deal.’
‘No, I mean, for coming to teach me.’
Mr P shrugged it off. ‘No worries.’
‘Stop bonding and start falling!’ Sticks called from the curb.
Mr P flipped him the finger. ‘You want to have a go?’
‘At flipping him off? No, I do it all the time. Oh. At this. Yeah, okay.’
....’There. Easy, isn’t it?’ he asked. ‘Now, you’re going to pedal.’
‘Don’t let go.’
‘I’m not going to let go.’
‘Okay.’
I pedalled forward slowly. Mr P walked with me. The bike swayed.
‘Just focus on pedalling. Don’t worry about your balance, I’ve got you,’ he said, raising his hand off the back seat and placing it on my back. ‘Go faster.’
‘Don’t let go,’ I warned him as I quickened the pace.
‘I won’t.’
‘I know your game. I’ve seen this on TV,’ I said, voice laced with panic. ‘You push them while they’re riding and you say you’re going to hold on, then secretly you let go and see how far they get.’
‘I would never,’ Mr P said, releasing the handlebar and giving me a push.
‘Wait! No! You shifty-‘
I felt like this book was an omen for me to read, just with all the things that resonated in it for me. I got a lot from it.
I did chuckle at the places the characters visited or lived , they all meant something to me. Rockdale, I used to call it Rock-a-dale( my version of an accent) when I lived in Brighton Le Sands before I moved to Oatley. I was waiting for Oatley to pop up...sadly it didn’t. Hubs worked in Bexley and I now live couple hours from Brissie aka Brisvegas aka Brisbane. Ha! Not that any of that meant anything really. Just thought I would tell you.
Will has such honest humour that it sometimes had me crossing my legs in laughter and sometimes I put my hands on my hips ( figuratively speaking) and stated out loud , ‘Will’ in a mum type admonishing voice. But guys are guys and they see things in a guy way. I must say Will, you have permanently recorded in my memory bank some of Bill’s visual thoughts on his Yiayia and mother’s physical appearances.
That would be when I put my hands on my hips, figuratively speaking. I still laughed out loud, but felt a bit naughty doing it. Ha!
In last night’s cocktail dress and makeup, she looked like a re-animated corpse at a fancy dinner party.
Mum was standing in her underwear and heels. That close to naked, her body frowned.
‘What do you think?’
I was honest. She looked like a bin liner.
WILL!!
Sticks, is an awesome character. He has Cerebal Palsy. I loved how Will wrote his character.
Honestly.
Totally endearing.
A friend you would want for your son. Sticks aka Lucas rocked the Kazbah with his attitude.
If there was one thing that the past couple of weeks had taught me, it was that no matter how heavy and weird life got, Sticks was a constant.
You really only see Sticks down when it comes to finding a boyfriend. He is a realist when it comes to what people see in him before they can see past his crutches, his sticks.
‘Why not just put it straight into my phone?’ Dean asked.
‘This gives you the chance to throw it away,’ Sticks said.
He smirked. ‘Why would I want to?’
Sticks didn’t reply.
.... On the way out the door, I looked back. Dean slid the coaster off the table and scrunched it into a ball.
Bill and Sticks have an awesome friendship. Nothing stands in their way. They are each others wingman.
We weren’t the exact same person, he was three times four and I was two times six. We both equaled twelve; we were just made of different parts.
I had Stick’s advice. I had to go slow, not swirl my tongue, open my mouth as much as she opened hers, be gentle, breathe through my nose and close my eyes.
Piranhas. Eating. Me. Alive.
This was one of my fave lines that had me all sniffly:
‘He really is the greatest guy you will ever meet,’ I said. ‘Sure, you’ll have to walk a little slower when you’re with him and stairs are a total bitch, but he is one in a million.’
I learned many things from Will’s story about a boy named Bill who may or may not be his alter ego and a family that may or may not be his alter..err...family.
I loved Yiayia. She is a gem of a character. She was so real to me. The whole lunch-meets Jenga was hilarious and I could so see it happening in a hospital room.
It was lunch-meets-Jenga, one wrong move and it all fell down.
I couldn’t help but go down memory lane with my nanna while reading this book. It was impossible not to. We affectionately called her, little nanna, for obvious reasons. She was little. I was her Scrabble opponent, I took her on her first ever holiday at 72 yrs of age. We did Cairns, The Daintree Forest, Port Douglas, Palm Cove and Daydream Island like we owned them. There was a fifty year age gap at the time, but that didn’t stop us rocking the Kazbah. We rocked it at nan’s pace, but none the less we rocked it. I became very familiar with her over-shoulder- boulder-holders, aka the brassiere. It was a monster. She could get it on, with a special spin it around, fasten the beast and then spin it back to where it should be. Well, it wasn’t quite a spin, but you get my drift. It was in the unfastening, I became intimately attached to that chore every night while on vacation and the nights I slept over spooning nan when we visited her regularly at her small house. It was one of those thousand hook beasts. You burned up a sweat unfastening it.
My parents still have the same Croatian neighbours for the past 34 years. Yiayia reminds me of Maria ( my old neighbour) . The way she spoke in that short English. I was fifteen and being offered slivovitz, it is an apricot liqéuer, tastes like rocket fuel. Well, to a fifteen year old it did.
My point is, when reading Will’s story, you can’t help stop and think about your life, your family, where you are all at. Peter made me think about my sixteen year old son who has become emotionally detached from the family. I was waiting for some pearls of wisdom on how to deal with this in the book. Maybe I need to make Lasagne with him? Or maybe I will give this book to my middle son, he can read it and give it to my eldest son and maybe it could work like moussaka and something will click.
If Simon was a bushfire, then Peter was a lit cigarette - all smoke and no pleasant.
And, those sheets! I laughed until my face leaked. I was pulling quotes for hubs to listen to and he was chuckling ( I wrote giggling but that didn't sound very manly) at the sheets.
‘The best though,’ I said, standing back and relaxing into it, ‘is when my grandmother goes shopping for sheets. She calls them “shits”. But she doesn’t just walk in and say she wants “shits”, no, it’s always “high-quality shits”, “comfortable shits”.
But even those 'shits' that I was laughing so hard at, well, Will had a way of making you realize that the things you find funny and endearing about your grandmother, can also hurt their feelings.
‘I want new shits,’ my grandmother said. ‘High quality shits.’
Yes, I could have just helped her find them, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make at least one member of the floor staff feel incredibly uncomfortable.
‘I’m sorry?’ he stammered.
‘Shits. Where I find the shits?’ She exhaled and turned to me. ‘Yiti yelas?’ She wanted to know why I was laughing.
‘Sheets,’ I said.
‘Yes, shits.’ She couldn’t hear the difference.
‘No, sheets.’
.... ‘One day,’ Yiayia said, shaking a fistful of fabric at me, ‘someone will laugh at you and you no feel good.’
... ‘In first part,’ she said, ‘your family embarrass you. Then - pff - they die.’
... ‘In number two, you find agape, you find love, you make baby, you want to have family like before.’
... ‘Then , one day, you old. You try to give, and your family,’Yiayia shrugged, ‘they embarrassed. And then-pff-you die.’
And then you are pulled up by your tighty whities and you remember all those things you used to laugh at that your nan did, and it makes you wonder, did it upset her? Those times I got the giggles when she would put a foot on a step while climbing on the bus and let rip a fart and she told me to stop giggling and be quiet, but I couldn't help it. It was funny. I was young.
And... Will made me stop and think for a minute...again.
I could so see this book on the big screen. A very honest story that read like it was straight out of Will’s life. If we all looked to our own families we may have a story in us we could write that is full of heartfelt moments and laughter, but Will actually did it.
When all said and done, this is quite a powerful read injected with much humour along the way.
I totally, highly , absolutely recommend this contemporary read about a Greek boy who has been given a bucket list by his Yiayia, a simple list at first glance, not so easy to put into practice. I have had one of those for a long while now, they are quite fun. Yiayia chose him , not his brothers to complete the list. To fix what needed fixing in Yiayia's eyes.
Watching Bill try to complete this list for his much loved grandmother was as much entertaining as it was filled with heart squeezing moments.
Along the way Bill is looking for that first kiss, that first girlfriend, all those things boys think about and need their wingman for. Listening to hormonal Bill was hilarious. What guys think when looking at a girl they are interested in, well you really have to read this book.
I stared at the spot past the curtain where the freckled girl had been. I’d fallen as deep in love as I could in ten seconds.
Bill is a smart, funny, loyal character on several missions for his Yiayia, there are hormones flying about and family issues in Will’s story.
I personally am saying NO! taking a stand against ever in the future using chicken fillets or speed dating at the over 40’s RSL night if anything ever happened to my much loved hubs and my children thought it was time to get back out there. If it is meant to happen, it will. That just sounds frightening.
The chicken fillets are just wrong, ha! I will also be seriously thinking about doing a hundred sit ups a day from now on so that my body never frowns. Gahhhh! Also, stretch marks, need I say more, gahhh!
The last page...well it gave me hope, and it made my face leak...again.
A story that touched me emotionally in all the right places, and it made me miss my nan all that much more.
Will has written a story with a lot of heart and a lot of soul. A true gem of a read.
‘You spend the first third getting embarrassed by your family. When they pass away, you spend the next part trying to make a family like the one you had. And then you’re old, you just embarrass whatever family you’ve made.’
RATING: 5 HEART & SOUL STARS!
I was fourteen when my grandmother taught me about love and the difference between moussaka and lasagne.
I was fifteen when I fell in love with lasagne.
I was sixteen when I met moussaka.
And I was seventeen when I realised it didn’t matter. Lasagne or moussaka, being on the other side of love hurt.
What an emotion filled read!
I laughed out loud, I cried and I did that weird giggle/cry combo.
Will Kostakis did for me what, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, did for me.
I got pure enjoyment from his story and some lessons learnt along the way.
Will brought real characters to the page that resonated so well with me. He made me stop and think about my part in being the ‘glue’ for my family. Maybe I need to stop and think about doing some gluing myself. When I think about it, my nan was the glue, without realizing she was glue. She has passed on, no doubt having a Scrabble tournament with somebody.
Will took me through an almost Greek Seinfeld story of laughs...and some tears.
One scene in particular had me swallowing down the lumps. The learn how to ride a bike scene. It was more than Bill not having been taught how to ride a bike because his father was absent in his life. It was what his friend did for him. Very touching. It was one of those weird giggle/cry combo’s for me.
‘It’s a dad’s job to teach you to ride,’ he said. ‘Consider this a loan.’
Mr P walked me and the bike onto the road.
‘I’m expecting tumbles, by the way,’ Sticks added. ‘You flipping over the handlebars at least once.’
.... ‘Thanks for this,’ I said, before he turned away.
‘The helmet? It’s no big deal.’
‘No, I mean, for coming to teach me.’
Mr P shrugged it off. ‘No worries.’
‘Stop bonding and start falling!’ Sticks called from the curb.
Mr P flipped him the finger. ‘You want to have a go?’
‘At flipping him off? No, I do it all the time. Oh. At this. Yeah, okay.’
....’There. Easy, isn’t it?’ he asked. ‘Now, you’re going to pedal.’
‘Don’t let go.’
‘I’m not going to let go.’
‘Okay.’
I pedalled forward slowly. Mr P walked with me. The bike swayed.
‘Just focus on pedalling. Don’t worry about your balance, I’ve got you,’ he said, raising his hand off the back seat and placing it on my back. ‘Go faster.’
‘Don’t let go,’ I warned him as I quickened the pace.
‘I won’t.’
‘I know your game. I’ve seen this on TV,’ I said, voice laced with panic. ‘You push them while they’re riding and you say you’re going to hold on, then secretly you let go and see how far they get.’
‘I would never,’ Mr P said, releasing the handlebar and giving me a push.
‘Wait! No! You shifty-‘
I felt like this book was an omen for me to read, just with all the things that resonated in it for me. I got a lot from it.
I did chuckle at the places the characters visited or lived , they all meant something to me. Rockdale, I used to call it Rock-a-dale( my version of an accent) when I lived in Brighton Le Sands before I moved to Oatley. I was waiting for Oatley to pop up...sadly it didn’t. Hubs worked in Bexley and I now live couple hours from Brissie aka Brisvegas aka Brisbane. Ha! Not that any of that meant anything really. Just thought I would tell you.
Will has such honest humour that it sometimes had me crossing my legs in laughter and sometimes I put my hands on my hips ( figuratively speaking) and stated out loud , ‘Will’ in a mum type admonishing voice. But guys are guys and they see things in a guy way. I must say Will, you have permanently recorded in my memory bank some of Bill’s visual thoughts on his Yiayia and mother’s physical appearances.
That would be when I put my hands on my hips, figuratively speaking. I still laughed out loud, but felt a bit naughty doing it. Ha!
In last night’s cocktail dress and makeup, she looked like a re-animated corpse at a fancy dinner party.
Mum was standing in her underwear and heels. That close to naked, her body frowned.
‘What do you think?’
I was honest. She looked like a bin liner.
WILL!!
Sticks, is an awesome character. He has Cerebal Palsy. I loved how Will wrote his character.
Honestly.
Totally endearing.
A friend you would want for your son. Sticks aka Lucas rocked the Kazbah with his attitude.
If there was one thing that the past couple of weeks had taught me, it was that no matter how heavy and weird life got, Sticks was a constant.
You really only see Sticks down when it comes to finding a boyfriend. He is a realist when it comes to what people see in him before they can see past his crutches, his sticks.
‘Why not just put it straight into my phone?’ Dean asked.
‘This gives you the chance to throw it away,’ Sticks said.
He smirked. ‘Why would I want to?’
Sticks didn’t reply.
.... On the way out the door, I looked back. Dean slid the coaster off the table and scrunched it into a ball.
Bill and Sticks have an awesome friendship. Nothing stands in their way. They are each others wingman.
We weren’t the exact same person, he was three times four and I was two times six. We both equaled twelve; we were just made of different parts.
I had Stick’s advice. I had to go slow, not swirl my tongue, open my mouth as much as she opened hers, be gentle, breathe through my nose and close my eyes.
Piranhas. Eating. Me. Alive.
This was one of my fave lines that had me all sniffly:
‘He really is the greatest guy you will ever meet,’ I said. ‘Sure, you’ll have to walk a little slower when you’re with him and stairs are a total bitch, but he is one in a million.’
I learned many things from Will’s story about a boy named Bill who may or may not be his alter ego and a family that may or may not be his alter..err...family.
I loved Yiayia. She is a gem of a character. She was so real to me. The whole lunch-meets Jenga was hilarious and I could so see it happening in a hospital room.
It was lunch-meets-Jenga, one wrong move and it all fell down.
I couldn’t help but go down memory lane with my nanna while reading this book. It was impossible not to. We affectionately called her, little nanna, for obvious reasons. She was little. I was her Scrabble opponent, I took her on her first ever holiday at 72 yrs of age. We did Cairns, The Daintree Forest, Port Douglas, Palm Cove and Daydream Island like we owned them. There was a fifty year age gap at the time, but that didn’t stop us rocking the Kazbah. We rocked it at nan’s pace, but none the less we rocked it. I became very familiar with her over-shoulder- boulder-holders, aka the brassiere. It was a monster. She could get it on, with a special spin it around, fasten the beast and then spin it back to where it should be. Well, it wasn’t quite a spin, but you get my drift. It was in the unfastening, I became intimately attached to that chore every night while on vacation and the nights I slept over spooning nan when we visited her regularly at her small house. It was one of those thousand hook beasts. You burned up a sweat unfastening it.
My parents still have the same Croatian neighbours for the past 34 years. Yiayia reminds me of Maria ( my old neighbour) . The way she spoke in that short English. I was fifteen and being offered slivovitz, it is an apricot liqéuer, tastes like rocket fuel. Well, to a fifteen year old it did.
My point is, when reading Will’s story, you can’t help stop and think about your life, your family, where you are all at. Peter made me think about my sixteen year old son who has become emotionally detached from the family. I was waiting for some pearls of wisdom on how to deal with this in the book. Maybe I need to make Lasagne with him? Or maybe I will give this book to my middle son, he can read it and give it to my eldest son and maybe it could work like moussaka and something will click.
If Simon was a bushfire, then Peter was a lit cigarette - all smoke and no pleasant.
And, those sheets! I laughed until my face leaked. I was pulling quotes for hubs to listen to and he was chuckling ( I wrote giggling but that didn't sound very manly) at the sheets.
‘The best though,’ I said, standing back and relaxing into it, ‘is when my grandmother goes shopping for sheets. She calls them “shits”. But she doesn’t just walk in and say she wants “shits”, no, it’s always “high-quality shits”, “comfortable shits”.
But even those 'shits' that I was laughing so hard at, well, Will had a way of making you realize that the things you find funny and endearing about your grandmother, can also hurt their feelings.
‘I want new shits,’ my grandmother said. ‘High quality shits.’
Yes, I could have just helped her find them, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make at least one member of the floor staff feel incredibly uncomfortable.
‘I’m sorry?’ he stammered.
‘Shits. Where I find the shits?’ She exhaled and turned to me. ‘Yiti yelas?’ She wanted to know why I was laughing.
‘Sheets,’ I said.
‘Yes, shits.’ She couldn’t hear the difference.
‘No, sheets.’
.... ‘One day,’ Yiayia said, shaking a fistful of fabric at me, ‘someone will laugh at you and you no feel good.’
... ‘In first part,’ she said, ‘your family embarrass you. Then - pff - they die.’
... ‘In number two, you find agape, you find love, you make baby, you want to have family like before.’
... ‘Then , one day, you old. You try to give, and your family,’Yiayia shrugged, ‘they embarrassed. And then-pff-you die.’
And then you are pulled up by your tighty whities and you remember all those things you used to laugh at that your nan did, and it makes you wonder, did it upset her? Those times I got the giggles when she would put a foot on a step while climbing on the bus and let rip a fart and she told me to stop giggling and be quiet, but I couldn't help it. It was funny. I was young.
And... Will made me stop and think for a minute...again.
I could so see this book on the big screen. A very honest story that read like it was straight out of Will’s life. If we all looked to our own families we may have a story in us we could write that is full of heartfelt moments and laughter, but Will actually did it.
When all said and done, this is quite a powerful read injected with much humour along the way.
I totally, highly , absolutely recommend this contemporary read about a Greek boy who has been given a bucket list by his Yiayia, a simple list at first glance, not so easy to put into practice. I have had one of those for a long while now, they are quite fun. Yiayia chose him , not his brothers to complete the list. To fix what needed fixing in Yiayia's eyes.
Watching Bill try to complete this list for his much loved grandmother was as much entertaining as it was filled with heart squeezing moments.
Along the way Bill is looking for that first kiss, that first girlfriend, all those things boys think about and need their wingman for. Listening to hormonal Bill was hilarious. What guys think when looking at a girl they are interested in, well you really have to read this book.
I stared at the spot past the curtain where the freckled girl had been. I’d fallen as deep in love as I could in ten seconds.
Bill is a smart, funny, loyal character on several missions for his Yiayia, there are hormones flying about and family issues in Will’s story.
I personally am saying NO! taking a stand against ever in the future using chicken fillets or speed dating at the over 40’s RSL night if anything ever happened to my much loved hubs and my children thought it was time to get back out there. If it is meant to happen, it will. That just sounds frightening.
The chicken fillets are just wrong, ha! I will also be seriously thinking about doing a hundred sit ups a day from now on so that my body never frowns. Gahhhh! Also, stretch marks, need I say more, gahhh!
The last page...well it gave me hope, and it made my face leak...again.
A story that touched me emotionally in all the right places, and it made me miss my nan all that much more.
Will has written a story with a lot of heart and a lot of soul. A true gem of a read.
‘You spend the first third getting embarrassed by your family. When they pass away, you spend the next part trying to make a family like the one you had. And then you’re old, you just embarrass whatever family you’ve made.’
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