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A Way Home
Sixteen-year-old Grace lives under a bridge in Melbourne’s CBD. It’s cold and wet, but hidden. Safe, at least, until she can go home.
When winter drives her to the City Library one morning, Grace meets Louie, a weird kid with his own problems, and discovers a community piano. The piano reminds Grace of her mum, a celebrated pianist whose mental illness makes life a rollercoaster – and not always a fun one.
When Grace comes up with a plan to find the help she and Mum need, life begins to look up. But things don’t work out as Grace imagines and suddenly her world’s turned upside down again, and maybe for good this time.
A Way Home is a big-hearted novel that explores the complexities of growing up with a parent who is struggling, and about the places and people we call home.
When winter drives her to the City Library one morning, Grace meets Louie, a weird kid with his own problems, and discovers a community piano. The piano reminds Grace of her mum, a celebrated pianist whose mental illness makes life a rollercoaster – and not always a fun one.
When Grace comes up with a plan to find the help she and Mum need, life begins to look up. But things don’t work out as Grace imagines and suddenly her world’s turned upside down again, and maybe for good this time.
A Way Home is a big-hearted novel that explores the complexities of growing up with a parent who is struggling, and about the places and people we call home.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 22, 2024
5 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Emily Brewin
7 books31 followersEmily Brewin is an author, freelance writer and learning designer. She has published two novels, Hello, Goodbye (2017) and Small Blessings (2019), both with Allen & Unwin. Her first YA novel is due for release in April 2024.
Emily has been awarded an Australian Society of Authors Emerging Writers’ and Illustrators’ mentorship for her fiction writing and has been shortlisted for two manuscript development programs. Her short stories appear in a number of anthologies.
Currently, Emily is writing her fourth novel. When she isn't hunched over her computer writing, she enjoys cycling and spending time with her lovely family and friends.
Emily has been awarded an Australian Society of Authors Emerging Writers’ and Illustrators’ mentorship for her fiction writing and has been shortlisted for two manuscript development programs. Her short stories appear in a number of anthologies.
Currently, Emily is writing her fourth novel. When she isn't hunched over her computer writing, she enjoys cycling and spending time with her lovely family and friends.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 8, 2024
I LOVED this book! The description in it was amazing and I like the way the author looks at issues like homelessness. Highly recommend!!
December 31, 2024
A US friend regularly reads Newbery award winners and last year I decided I should follow a prize too. I selected the Reading Gab Williams Prize, named for author and bookseller Gab Williams who died of a massive stroke in early 2023. I was underwhelmed by the inaugural 2023 winner but 2024’s winner was absolutely wonderful. I read this in less than a day and it sensitively described the life of a young adult struggling with their mother’s mental illness and living rough in the centre of Melbourne. The prize is selected by a panel of young adults and I think they did a superb job here.
September 13, 2024
Authentic and immersive.
did-not-finish
April 27, 2025DNF 41%
The ebook says I can finish reading this in 2hrs. It's taken me almost 2 months to get to where I've stalled. I'm not interested enough to spend 2hrs finishing
The ebook says I can finish reading this in 2hrs. It's taken me almost 2 months to get to where I've stalled. I'm not interested enough to spend 2hrs finishing
April 22, 2024
Wow!
This new book by Emily Brewin is such a powerful look at issues such as homelessness, mental health. the power of music, and how wonderful libraries (and librarians are) and their value as a third space for the community.
Grace finds herself living in a world that most of us avert our eyes from and hurry past, making stories like these even more needed.
This is not an easy read, but I could not put this book down.
The characters feel so real, the situations are uncomfortably real... it has made me sad, it has made me think, and it has made me just that little bit (or a lot) angry that our society still lets this happen.
Real, heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful - this is a must read for everyone.
This new book by Emily Brewin is such a powerful look at issues such as homelessness, mental health. the power of music, and how wonderful libraries (and librarians are) and their value as a third space for the community.
Grace finds herself living in a world that most of us avert our eyes from and hurry past, making stories like these even more needed.
This is not an easy read, but I could not put this book down.
The characters feel so real, the situations are uncomfortably real... it has made me sad, it has made me think, and it has made me just that little bit (or a lot) angry that our society still lets this happen.
Real, heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful - this is a must read for everyone.
September 20, 2024
Gritty, raw and emotional, A Way Home was a captivating read. I loved Grace, and from the start, I wanted to give her the biggest hug; a warm, safe place to stay and a wholesome meal. The fact she was only sixteen and homeless was heartbreaking. Her struggle for food, warmth and shelter was constant, and I was continually concerned for her safety as she lived on the streets after her mother was institutionalised after trying to commit suicide.
I loved that the novel was set in Melbourne, I recognised the streets and landmarks which were mentioned throughout the story. I was also glad that Grace found refuge in the city library. Thank goodness for Kate, the kind librarian who took an interest in her and provided Grace with a safe place to spend her days.
A Way Home was a tough read dealing with challenging themes, including suicide, mental illness, sexual abuse, abandonment and homelessness. However, there were some touching moments throughout the novel, especially between Grace, Louie and Mary - two other lost souls trying to eke an existence on the streets of Melbourne. Thankfully, the A Way Home ended on a hopeful note for both Grace and Louie, which counterbalanced the hardships they faced throughout the novel.
I loved that the novel was set in Melbourne, I recognised the streets and landmarks which were mentioned throughout the story. I was also glad that Grace found refuge in the city library. Thank goodness for Kate, the kind librarian who took an interest in her and provided Grace with a safe place to spend her days.
A Way Home was a tough read dealing with challenging themes, including suicide, mental illness, sexual abuse, abandonment and homelessness. However, there were some touching moments throughout the novel, especially between Grace, Louie and Mary - two other lost souls trying to eke an existence on the streets of Melbourne. Thankfully, the A Way Home ended on a hopeful note for both Grace and Louie, which counterbalanced the hardships they faced throughout the novel.
April 29, 2025
2.5🌟
This book tbh is just really sad. Grace is dealing with her mum's mental illness, and her on and off behaviour. While she is literally homeless living under a bridge, she always seem to start anew to make her life better again and go back home, but she almost always end up failing. Even the ending of this book is so bittersweet. I didn't hate this book but it just gave me so much depression not gonna lie. Well I cried a lot for sure. This book also brings awareness to many struggling families and how such problems affects family dynamics and such. I genuinely hope people read more books like "A Way Home", just so they can see a hint into the lives of such people. The writing was also very nice, especially when the author was talking about how music felt to Grace. I could really feel Grace's raw emotions when it came towards her mother, music, and life. That could be one of the reasons I didn't like this book, because I seem to feel Grace's every emotion and she was really sad most of the time because of her situation. Anyways great book, gave me sadness and happiness at the same time.
This book tbh is just really sad. Grace is dealing with her mum's mental illness, and her on and off behaviour. While she is literally homeless living under a bridge, she always seem to start anew to make her life better again and go back home, but she almost always end up failing. Even the ending of this book is so bittersweet. I didn't hate this book but it just gave me so much depression not gonna lie. Well I cried a lot for sure. This book also brings awareness to many struggling families and how such problems affects family dynamics and such. I genuinely hope people read more books like "A Way Home", just so they can see a hint into the lives of such people. The writing was also very nice, especially when the author was talking about how music felt to Grace. I could really feel Grace's raw emotions when it came towards her mother, music, and life. That could be one of the reasons I didn't like this book, because I seem to feel Grace's every emotion and she was really sad most of the time because of her situation. Anyways great book, gave me sadness and happiness at the same time.
May 24, 2025
This book kept me wanting to read, but also anxious about what might be coming.
Grace has loved, cared for, been wary of and sometimes abused by her mother all her life. Her mother is in care with acute mental illness. This last bout meant Grace was homeless.
Life on the streets, living under a bridge, is cold, dangerous and hungry. Grace has learned to survive and trust no one. Louis arrives and settles in her space under the bridge, uninvited, but something about him touches Grace, and they settle into a wary, half-trusting friendship that grows over time.
Grace is waiting for her mother to recover so life can return to normal. Normal is elusive, and Grace slowly grows to realise that. How does she survive?
Recommended for readers looking for a contemporary story addressing youth homelessness and mental illness.
I lived in Melbourne and liked recognising the landmarks in the book.
Grace has loved, cared for, been wary of and sometimes abused by her mother all her life. Her mother is in care with acute mental illness. This last bout meant Grace was homeless.
Life on the streets, living under a bridge, is cold, dangerous and hungry. Grace has learned to survive and trust no one. Louis arrives and settles in her space under the bridge, uninvited, but something about him touches Grace, and they settle into a wary, half-trusting friendship that grows over time.
Grace is waiting for her mother to recover so life can return to normal. Normal is elusive, and Grace slowly grows to realise that. How does she survive?
Recommended for readers looking for a contemporary story addressing youth homelessness and mental illness.
I lived in Melbourne and liked recognising the landmarks in the book.
March 30, 2024
I only read this as it is set in my favourite library, Melbourne Library Service's City library, especially as they are closing for a very dubious renovation. Unfortunately, all liberties the author took regarding the library - photos on library cards? non-fiction organised alphabetically? librarians cataloguing? etc etc - kept jerking me out of the story and I eventually had to put it down when the librarian gave the police the guy's library card. You'll get what I mean if you get that far :/
It would definitely help if you knew nothing about the City library. Grace's journey to trust again was well built. I was a bit unsure if the author was trying to say the mother's mental health issues were caused by her abusive upbringing, or if that was just Grace's juvenile perspective.
It would definitely help if you knew nothing about the City library. Grace's journey to trust again was well built. I was a bit unsure if the author was trying to say the mother's mental health issues were caused by her abusive upbringing, or if that was just Grace's juvenile perspective.
December 18, 2024
I really enjoyed this YA novel. Polished it off in 24 hours. Grace is living on the streets in Melbourne as a teenager. So real with mentions of real life landmarks. Mentions homelessness in Melbourne that I can visualize and real life issues with depression and challenges of life and trying to lead a normal life without judgement and the acts of kindness from people as well. Very touching and realistic read. year 8 and above due to mention of a sexual assault but it's not explicit
February 11, 2025
Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy this book. It just didn't read true for me but I can see students enjoying it. Two homeless teenagers living in Melbourne city after family trauma.
Grace struggles and finds solace and safety in the local library, the staff are generous and kind to her but no librarian in a public library would offer to teach a library member to catalogue.
Grace struggles and finds solace and safety in the local library, the staff are generous and kind to her but no librarian in a public library would offer to teach a library member to catalogue.
April 11, 2024
Such a moving, compassionate, immersive novel! I wanted to hug Grace from the first chapter and never let go. This is the best of contemporary YA - gritty and realistic, emotionally challenging, but ultimately hopeful. Highly recommend.
April 22, 2024
A gritty and compelling story of growing up, navigating mental health and surviving life’s hardships on the streets of Melbourne.
July 7, 2024
Very beautiful story and I loved it all. I ship Sally and Kate!!!
October 11, 2024
I love a great Aus Author :)
Cute little ending on this one and a nice collab of different character creations.
Cute little ending on this one and a nice collab of different character creations.
January 4, 2025
Melbourne Reads: 2/15, Winner of Readings Prize
January 25, 2025
Brilliant!
November 25, 2024
I really love buying books set in the city I'm traveling, while in the city I'm traveling at the moment.
This book was the perfect book for that.
However, even with the excitement I felt while reading the book (that I know the place and that I can actually picture the places the protagonist is roaming), it was just boring to read.
The story went nowhere and it dragged.
This book was the perfect book for that.
However, even with the excitement I felt while reading the book (that I know the place and that I can actually picture the places the protagonist is roaming), it was just boring to read.
The story went nowhere and it dragged.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews