The Bridge of Little Jeremy

by Indrajit Garai

Jeremy’s mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast.

Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris.

This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn’t come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work.

Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time...

Genres: Contemporary, Fiction

366 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2019

About the author

"Indrajit Garai, an American citizen now, was born in India in 1965. After his Bachelors degree from Indian Institute of Technology and Masters from Harvard, he worked as a corporate strategy consultant and as an investment banker in America, Spain, and England, while studying parallelly Ayurveda (ancient medicine of India) for stress management. In 2001, after the birth of his daughter, he moved to Paris, opened his private practice of stress management, and then authored six books in this field (five in French and one in English).

Authoring these books on stress management gave him a deep love for writing. Since 2015, he has devoted himself full-time to creating literature."

Reviews

[Paul Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My ears ring, my face becomes hot. It wasn’t the type of kiss I would expect from a sister.”

From first page to last, THE BRIDGE OF LITTLE JEREMY was a solid winner – at once heartwarming and heartbreaking, enthralling, moving, and compelling in its wonderfully crafted first person narrative approach. It’s a hardhearted reader who wouldn’t be impressed and entertained by the concatenation of such a diverse collection of plot components:

a young man/boy on the cusp of adulthood with debilitating heart disease and precocious artistic skills beyond his years;
a loving mother forced to work long hours in a harsh and unforgiving nursing home environment;
a crushing debt burden resulting from a legal error and an unpaid tax judgment that will push Jeremy and his mother to the brink of bankruptcy and homelessness;
Leon, a loving German Shepherd with a full set of normal canine instincts but an awesome ability to understand and communicate with his young master;
social media and a very Dickensian piece of political commentary on the unfairness of France’s inheritance tax rules;
a miserable, angry pervert who spends his day peeping into the windows of his neighbours;
the city of Paris, its lights, its moods and its weather, Sacre-Coeur and Notre Dame cathedrals, Montmartre and the cats of Cimetière du Nord, the River Seine and its ubiquitous bordering vendor stalls, and the underground sewer system;
a curious story of familial lineage;
and a long lost water-damaged 19th century painting of questionable provenance in need of restoration.

Pet owners and animal lovers will smile in agreement and approval at Garai’s portrayal of Jeremy’s relationship with his best friend, Leon, and the near human conversations that are peppered throughout the length of the novel. And Garai’s personification of the painting and its reactions to Jeremy’s efforts at restoration is amazing. Definitely unique in my lifetime of reading.

In short, THE BRIDGE OF LITTLE JEREMY is a clear demonstration of Indrajit Garai’s maturing skills as a very convincing story-teller and a clever, imaginative writer who deserves recognition and shelf space in the libraries of readers around the world.

NOTE TO THE AUTHOR: Who was that girl selling flower bouquets on the Seine and why did she reward Jeremy’s generosity with a kiss that was not the sort of kiss he would expect from a sister?

Paul Weiss

[Heather Adores Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, 3 part story, heart defect, single mom

Jeremy is just 12 years old as he narrates this story. He acts well beyond his years as he tried his best to help his widowed mother pay her debts. What he does in order to get money is truly heartwarming.

He and his best dog friend, Leon, have an adorable bond as they trek around town together. I haven't been to Paris, but I felt the author did a nice job of depicting what it's like. I am not sure when he ever had time to do his schoolwork though as he seemed to always be on the go.

There was a bit of extra information and repetitiveness that made this slow moving at times, but the tone of the story comes across as if he really was 12 years old. Overall, a heartwarming tale that also has some heartbreak.

*Thanks to Indrajit Garai for sharing your book with me. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

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[Lydia Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 2nd wonderful book I have read of author Indrajit Garai. I can't wait for the 3rd one. I absolutely loved the descriptions in this book. I could picture the scenery. The writing style is unique but reminiscent of an old classic novel. The plot was intriguing and instantly pulled me in. Jeremy was an interesting character that I quickly became attached to. Jeremy is a young painter with health issues. His mother is a widow who works too hard for too little money. As we encounter the day to day circumstances of Jeremy's life, we are brought along on a fascinating and unusual trip. I loved the mystery of the painting that we slowly got to unravel with Jeremy. The Bridge of Little Jeremy is a simple story about a boy who wants to provide for his mother. Garai points out that we are all humans and can make mistakes. Highly recommend.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by Indrajit Garai and I was not disappointed! He is a wonderful author whose writing is beautifully descriptive and engaging. The Bridge of Little Jeremy is both endearing and heartbreaking and will stay with you long after turning the final page.
Jeremy is a precocious boy of 12 who possesses artistic talent beyond his years. He lives with his widowed mother and his dog Leon in a small flat in Paris. For such a young boy Jeremy carries heavy burdens as he suffers from a serious heart defect and also lives under the shadow of his mother’s large tax debt. He worries constantly about how he might assist his mom in paying off this debt. When he discovers a way to possibly help her he devotes himself wholly to the task.
I loved the setting of this novel. Although I have not had the pleasure of visiting Paris, I felt like I got a wonderful glimpse while reading of Jeremy’s adventures in the many parks and neighborhoods he travelled through with his dog Leon. Although Jeremy is young he is very bright and I enjoyed the people he engages with. He has a natural curiousity and kind heart. He also has a very special relationship with Leon who is more than just a canine companion. The bond between a boy and his dog can be quite profound and this is the case with Jeremy and Leon. They depend on each other and I especially enjoyed this element of the story. But my favorite thing about the novel is Jeremy himself. He is kind and smart and compassionate. I was quite sad at the burdens he has to carry and the anxiety that it caused him. So much for a young boy to bear. But Jeremy isn’t a sad character in that the challenges he faces don’t crush him. Instead he accepts the adversity he sees before him and works to overcome it. He rises to the challenge. This is so refreshing and really heart warming. The human spirit can triumph despite hard circumstances. Perseverance in the face of obstacles does bring it’s own reward. Jeremy’s life isn’t easy but he faces it beautifully and although the ending was sad I also found peace in it. Life can be both painful and beautiful. It can be very hard but one can still find joy. Just a very moving and beautiful read. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this book. This is my honest review.

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never thought that as a man I would be near tears but that's where I was at with the ending of this book. My wife and I were in our reading nook when I finished it and when I tried to explain the ending to her I was so choked up that I could not really talk and I didn't want to cry. It took quite some time for me to regroup. That alone speaks volumes!

I want it noted that I received this book for free on a promise of a fair review. This book is about an overly smart 12 year old with a heart issue who has quite an amazing dog, a German Shepherd named Leon. Jeremy is a special kid and most of the book is a narration by him. He is a gifted painter who sells his paintings through a friend (Paolo) in the Parisian arts district. His paintings regularly sell in the $70 euro range or about $100 US dollars I believe.

Jeremy never really sold his paintings but his mother is facing jail time and heavy fines for not paying her inheritance tax commitments. Most countries in the world have an inheritance tax of some sort or another and they are often steep. With regard to that hasn't the government originally collected their taxes? Like why the double taxation? Jeremy gets into this and quite extensively. Actually Jeremy gets into a lot of thoughts on all kinds of matters and in great depth I may add. If there is a fault with this book it is Jeremy over thinking things to the degree he does and I am not sure if a 12 year old really would but admittedly when I was 12 I was already subscribing to political journals and the like so who knows. I also remember in Catholic school while doing bible study I commented that it seems God forgives everyone and would a murderer be forgiven? My teacher called me a simpleton and told me to smarten up. Funny but that type of thinking is quite common place out there these days.

So the part of the book that got me hooked is the fact that Jeremy and his dog Leon do quite a bit of adventuring. They get themselves into all kinds of trouble but it is not bad trouble. Leon sometimes has issues with other animals and they have run ins with odd people as well and some are bad. There is the "pervert" as he is referred to and Jeremy catches him with binoculars looking at all kinds of women including his mother. His girlfriend is called "the hen" and she had a run in with Jeremy because she said he could not control his dog. Jeremy becomes a cult hero when while these two are in the "perverts" apartment Jeremy notices the hen has left an infant in her car. Jeremy watches from his window and then sees the baby go into distress. He ends up responsible for saving the baby and the hen gets arrested and her lover is at large. Jeremy has made a couple of enemies here! The adventuring part really hooked me and there were enough of them to make the reading flow and not dominated by Jeremy obsessing over certain issues. I don't know why but to me it had a Goonies type feel to it and yet it really shouldn't.

Jeremy's interaction with Leon his dog is incredibly well done. Now I know dogs are smart and German Shepherds are quite known for that but man it is like Jeremy and this dog actually communicate with each other. I don't know if I can buy into the degree of that here but I do get it and I once remember washing my car and the kids driving around the whole house in their electric Jeep. They were about 5 and 3 years old. As I was washing the car my Malamute started bothering me, really bothering me like throwing her wait into me and then running off and then coming back and doing it again. It clicked in that I had not seen the kids and I thought oh, oh, so she then led me to where they had flipped the Jeep over and were hanging upside down in it. I so love that dog and everyone was ok but I bring this up as Leon outdoes what my dog did here in one of the scenes but I totally bought into it. I loved seeing Jeremy and his dog interact.

Having read Garai's Man without a Shelter a few books back there is a common theme in that when Jeremy saved the baby he becomes a national hero. Like the last book it does make sense and though there is a similarity it is a good one.

Now the main adventure that Jeremy centers on is the fact he discovers a painting in his apartment's vault. It needs to be restored and he thinks he can do it. Jeremy's mother never new about the painting as she never went down to the vault area she simply inherited their apartment and lived in it not really caring about the vault.

So Jeremy leans on his art teacher Paolo as to how to repair and redo parts of this painting. He finds an art dealer who believes that if properly restored the painting may sell for $70,00 euros and this would greatly help with his mother's tax issues. Again though Jeremy really becomes attached to this painting and starts interacting with it as if it were alive. It is kind of cool in one way but again he often overdoes it but he is a pretty isolated kid and imaginary friends are better than no friends.

Also I know it quite common knowledge these days with all the NDE (near death experiences) but a character dies in this book and the way the author illustrates that death is incredible and so damn similar to the NDE I had. I won't bore everyone with those details but it was kind of creepy reading it as it was basically spot on to what happened to me.

So I have given out quite a few pieces of this puzzle. I hope I have enticed you to consider this novel and I have never written a review saying that but I think a review is to entice and or disway someone from reading a book based on your own opinion. Others may hate this book but the way it moved me was quite something. I debated giving this five stars but it just gets bogged down with slow reading a few pages at a time so that is the books only fault in my eyes though I know it was done that way on purpose by the author. But man oh man the smooth flowing good parts are so so good. I am becoming quite the fan of Mr. Garai!!

[Bookread2day · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review is on my website. www.bookread2day.wordpress.com

My heart was broken into pieces reading this upsetting story of struggling in life in the city of Paris. I have to honestly 100% recommend reading The Bridge Of Little Jermey as I know you will all be touched by by this not so perfect life set in Paris.

Another reason why I am recommending this novel is that the author Indrajit Garai writing is Superb and what is crystal clear to me Indrajit is an absolute genius at writing a page turning story that is quite emotional. Now Indrajit has become one of my favourite authors.

This story builds on a full emotional story of the stress of being a mother without money. Jeremy’s mother Geraldine is so in debt she put a bucket under the dripping tap, she has no money to their toilet fixed. Heartbreakingly, Jeremy’s mother is worried about money as there isn’t enough food in there fridge. Young Jeremy loves painting and is one good artists, bless him he wants to sell his paintings to help mothers debts that are mounting. When his mother is out he answers the door to baliffs, they want to come in and take their possessions away, but Jeremy’s dog Leon, snarls at them and clever Jeremy tells them he is under age and he cant let them in.

The Bridge Of Little Jermey has an unputdownable offering

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars (5/10 hearts). Wow… this was not what I expected—in a very good way.

What first drew me to this book was the setting. I have a weakness for Paris. Garai delivered on his promise. I have read few books set in contemporary Paris, so I highly enjoyed that. I absolutely loved the way he portrayed Île St.-Louis and the rest of Paris, painting all the nuances that the different seasons and hours give it. It was amazing. Garai has a unique and delightful writing style that fit the book and characters perfectly, and I really appreciated how beautifully and yet simply descriptive it was.

The characters were very interesting. Little Jeremy himself was a puzzle. I disagreed with him often, yet understood his POV and sympathized with his outlook. I hated how much he sneaked around and lied and did things behind his mother’s back, yet I admired his desire to help her, his passionate loyalty and love for her, his strength and courage to fight for her. She was herself a really amazing woman, even with her flaws. I felt for her discouragement and her struggle to take action instead of passively accepting what life dishes out to her, and I loved how Jeremy inspired her to rise up instead of bowing down. The babysitter I heartily disliked for her part in helping Jeremy break his mother’s strongest rule, and I wasn’t much fonder of the brother-sister pair he came in contact with through her. However, Robert and Paolo were lovely—especially Paolo—and so was the antique-shop owner. And I can’t forget Leon. He was absolutely wonderful and I loved him.

The plot was enjoyable. While at first I was only intrigued by the unusual writing style, narrator, and storyline, the plot quickly gripped me. I loved the artist addition and all the beautiful advice on creating. The themes of finding beauty everywhere; of being patient with oneself in the creative process, accepting our early mistakes, and seeking + receiving criticism were well done; of remembering even “bad” events in our life can turn to “good” by producing good events; of acting on the principle that “violence, even verbal, helps no one”… it was well done. And the sharp reminder of what social media costs us really made me think.

I really appreciated how the climax was created. Garai did a fantastic job showing how we struggle with anger at how inflexible laws hurt us and our loved ones—and by default are irritated with the ones enforcing these laws—yet he also presents well how the ones enforcing must in all justice enforce the laws for everyone, and how that is simply a recurring problem of life and society. I loved how humanely he presented the Palais de Justice and various law enforcement agents. Also, I really enjoyed the mini mystery about the painting and how that tied in so well with Jeremy’s life. The plot was watertight and well-executed. The ending was magical… and heartbreaking and bittersweet all at once. I look forwards to reading this again.

Content: Mention of conception. Mention a man may be peeking at a woman while she dresses (said man known as “the pervert” and is recurring character). Mention of a mother dressing before 12yo son. Mention of a dead father watching over his son. 2 mentions of people kissing. Blasphemy x4. Mention of reincarnation. Mention of evolution. Mention that a patient in a nursing home harasses a worker there and she can’t protest because she’ll be accused of “leading him on.” Mention of giving someone the middle finger. A nightmare of woman undressing a child & preparing to beat him. Someone is called a “woman of vice” and a “woman of passion.” Mention of a man publicly urinating. Mention of a mother bathing her 12yo son. A main character and a forefather of his are born out of wedlock (which is not condemned). Statement that God has enough to do and we shouldn’t pray but handle things on our own. Mention that perhaps a dog has a god. A main character has a sort of vision/dream of his dead father. Indication that a dead person becomes a star. While the book has a MG main character, the themes and content seem more aimed at a YA audience (14+).

A Favourite Quote: I see how the works of Nature and Man have come together to sculpt the beauty of our city. There may be horror stories behind these monuments and gardens and streets of Paris, but the beauty of her face always shines over those horrors. The ugly is there to feed the beauty…. I see what Robert meant when he said beauty wouldn’t be beautiful if it came in plenty. I also see what Paolo means when he says I can lift anything out of the ordinary by looking at it from an extraordinary angle; and the choice of that angle is with me.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: Night has descended on Paris. Over the spot, where the sun has just sunk below the horizon, a twilight arch has formed with its concentric rings of colors: yellow blending into orange; orange, into red; red, into purple; purple, into light blue; light blue, into night blue. Above that arch, the cloudless sky, void of moon tonight, stands adorned with millions of stars. Patches of this sky have fallen over the city and keep twinkling among the monuments of lights erected along the bridges over the Seine. Once more, the works of Nature and Man have come together to lift the beauty of our city out of the ordinary.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: For example, one man complains how the increase of his city tax cut into his budget, how he had to opt for a less expensive hairdresser for his dog, how this new hairdresser gave his dog a serious psychological problem, and, since then, how he has spent several thousand euros on a psychotherapist for his dog. This post has drawn an unbelievable amount of messages of sympathy from others. From there, the chain of discussion has moved to what types of personalities are best suited to be hairdressers for dogs.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[BRIONY · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bridge of Little Jeremy by Indrajit Gairi is a heartwarming and poignant tale that explores themes of friendship, hope, and the resilience of the human spirit. It is set in a small village and the story follows young Jeremy, a boy with a big heart who dreams of building a bridge to connect his world with others.

Through his journey, we are reminded of the power of community, the importance of following one's dreams, and the beauty of finding connection in the most unexpected places. Indrajit Gairi's prose is simple yet deeply moving, creating a narrative that resonates long after the last page. It is a beautiful, uplifting read for all ages.

What particularly stood out for me in this book was its ability to blend innocence with deep, universal themes. The protagonist, Jeremy, is such a relatable character—his determination to build a bridge not just as a physical structure, but as a symbol of connection, is both touching and inspiring.

Indrajit Gairi's writing is imbued with a quiet sense of hope, and the way he captures the challenges of small-town life, while also showing how individuals can make a big impact on their communities, really struck a chord.

The simplicity of Jeremy’s dream and the emotional depth it carries is a testament to Gairi’s ability to weave subtle yet profound life lessons into a captivating story. I highly recommend giving this book a read.

[R.M. Archer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a long book. It’s nearly 400 pages, and many of the chapters are quite long within that, and when you pair that with its slow pacing it can be a challenge to get through—at least on Kindle; I may have preferred it in paperback. I have mixed feelings on the pacing in general. I tend to enjoy slower books, and I did enjoy some portions of this book’s meandering flow. It’s a lovely look at the city of Paris, and some of the philosophical themes are interesting to ponder. However, it often felt like there was no driving plot—especially in the first half of the book. I wasn’t invested in the stakes or the goal, nor even really in the characters themselves. The setting was my primary motivation in reading, and while that was done well… I would have liked it to have been balanced with more interesting characters, at least, and ideally plot as well.

The characters weren’t unpleasant (with intentional exceptions), but for the most part they weren’t anything special. Jeremy’s narrative voice seemed inconsistent as far as how mature he sounded, and he rarely sounded like a 12-year-old. Leon, the dog, seemed to have far too human an intelligence. Paolo was intriguing, but we didn’t really get to see much of his character. And the rest were mostly just… there. There was little depth to any of the characters, really. And many exchanges of dialogue—especially between Jeremy and his mother—were extremely flat and unbroken by movement, which could make them hard to follow.

More interest did arise in the plot later in the book, as more conflict arose that had to be directly faced. But it didn’t feel like it fully wove in with the more internal conflict of the main plot, so the weaving of the two at the very end felt rather unsuccessful. And the ending as a whole was… odd. It seemed to continue longer than necessary after the primary conflict was resolved, and then the very end seemed unnecessary and a little weird. The religious undertones toward the end were very odd; they seemed inconsistent. And Jeremy’s perception of the painting as a being was reasonable at first but grew rather extreme in the last few chapters.

For the beautiful exploration of Paris and the interesting philosophical ideas sprinkled through the book, I can give The Bridge of Little Jeremy three stars, but I wouldn’t need to read it a second time.

Here’s a quote I did like:

Each of these roses is as beautiful as the one on that mound of compost, but, cramped together here, none of them stands out as distinct. And they don’t have the contrast of that ugly mass of compost to nourish their beauty.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeremy is a young boy living with his mother and dog on the verge of poverty. He has much guilt about the heart operation he had and the fact that he will need another one in the future. This is because he knows that the cost of his operation has left his mother virtually penniless and caused her to lose her previous job. He does whatever he can to help his mother out, trying to fix the bathroom himself and when that doesn't work out, he pays someone to fix it which enrages his ungrateful mother. He sells his paintings also.

My biggest problem with the book is that Jeremy is not a believable 12-year-old. I had a real hard time enjoying the book because it felt ridiculous to me. The book was way too long, the story dragged on and I had a tough time maintaining interest.

Indrajit Garai is at times a talented storyteller, but I don’t think he is quite a gifted author yet. His books are interesting and although there is a lot of detail about many things there isn’t the depth that I feel needs to be within his work. A hard thing to explain.

I received a complimentary copy of this book which was greatly appreciated in exchange for an honest and fair review.

[Sandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

The bridge of little Jeremy was a mix of feelings. In the overall I think it is a good book with many great reviews, but it didn't work for me. I will try to explain myself better.

What I liked: I liked Jeremy a lot. He is a sweet, smart boy who loves his mom, his dog and his art. How do not like him? I liked his determination to help his mom. I totally loved his relationship with his dog Leon. They make a great pair. I liked his passion for art, and how he grew along the story. And of course spending time in Paris is always a plus.

What I did not like that much: I did not like Jeremy's mom. I found her childish and way too passive, doing nothing to solve her own problems, which in a way made Jeremy take the role of the adult in charge of fixing the mess. I just couldn't relate or feel pity for her.
In the overall I thought the book was too long, and my main struggle was the writing. In the way the story is told you are all the time in Jeremy's head, listening to his thoughts and questions, and I found it exhausting.

I am sure that this story will fit the taste of many readers, and I can see already how I am in the minority here. I would read more by this author in the future, though.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, wow! I really felt a connection with the characters especially the main, Jeremy. He is a young teen but with his mother working many hours and it has been ongoing for years, he is very mature and independent for his age which I think is due to his circumstances.
I loved seeing the character development and also loved seeing the interaction between boy and dog. A better friend each could not have.
Pictures I have seen of Paris, where this takes place have been beautiful but the author's descriptions in the book really make me want to go there.
I am a visual reader, the more description it includes the better for me.
This is one of the best historical books I've ever read. I enjoyed it so much!
The author has done an excellent job of drawing me into this book as I was so invested in the story while reading it.
I honestly wanted to race through it but yet not have it end at the same time.
The compassion the boy has for his dog and mother is something not seen every day but it leaves one feeling filled with hope.
This is a very unique story and one I highly recommend!
I hope to read more by this author soon.
Published March 18th 2019 by Indrajit Garai.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Bookoholiccafe · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story’s main character and narrator, Jeremy, is a young teenager who is way mature for his age. His independence and maturity is because of the ongoing situation in his life. For years now his mother is working long hours and he knows that they are tight on money, they never have enough food in the fridge and sometimes he knows his mother lies about eating at work. He is really worried about his mother and he is selling his sketches, but he can’t tell his mother that he is selling them. He is saving the money for the time she needs it.

Leon, the German shepherd is his trusted bodyguard and his best friend.
Jeremy has heart condition and must go through another heart operation because the valve doesn’t work the way the doctors wanted.

The story develops very slowly and that might not be attractive to some readers, yet I enjoyed the pace of this book. The story is set in Paris and the author has perfectly described and penned all the details about Paris.

The empathy and kindness between Jeremy, hi mom and Leon is unique and admirable. There were several moments that Jeremy’s philosophical words reminded me of The Little Prince.
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and I really liked it.

I liked the character, the plot, the finely described detail and the story.

You can see the more reviews on:Bookoholiccafe and @Bookoholiccafe

[Rukky · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Good:

*Jeremy. I really liked Jeremy’s resolve to do everything that he could to help and protect his mother and his friends. His character had faults and he wasn’t perfect. He grew with the story and he was really mature. He loved art, and was really passionate about his paintings, which I loved since I like to paint sometimes as well.

*Description. I liked the description of Paris. It was beautiful and made me feel more in the story. The way it looked in the different seasons, the history, it was just really nice.

*Plot. The plot was okay. I liked the idea, but the execution was meh. The story was a bit too long, and I was bored through-out most of it. However, it touched on a lot of different important topics, like the harms and benefits of social media, inheritance tax, and also explored Jeremy’s relationship with his single mother who is mostly absent through-out the story.

-
The Bad:

*Slow and Boring. I think the story could have been reduced by maybe a 100 pages. It was too long, and I was bored through most of it because nothing really happened except until the very end. It was also very boring being in Jeremy’s head all the time, because he was always thinking the same thing over and over. By the end of the story, I just didn’t really care anymore.

-
The Wrap:

This was okay. I didn’t love it, I don’t think I’d recommend it, but here’s a positive review to help you decide! The story has a positive message, and the plot was interesting, but the execution could have been better. (Brendon’s Positive Review)

One sentence summary: An okay contemporary novel with a passionate main character.

Overall, 2.5 stars rounded down to 2

★★☆☆☆


Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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[Steph Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Paris, this is the touching story of ‘Little’ Jeremy, who lives alone with his mother, his dog Leon and a limiting heart condition. Jeremy’s little family struggles with poverty (due to inheritance tax issues) and we follow him as he tries to take on adult responsibilities without upsetting his mother – not just attempting to earn the money they need but also trying to protect his mother from local perverts, trying to protect Leon from his instincts and from other people and worrying about the local bookstore owner, Paolo. Then he finds a painting that may solve some of his worries… if only he can restore it perfectly.

In other words, he has a lot on his plate for a pre-teen, especially one who is supposed to be resting!

Written in first-person narrative, the story chronicles Jeremy’s adventures and stresses and the ups-and-downs of his daily life. There is a lot of information about art and painting, and a deep sense of the boy’s emotional connection to his work and his painful joy in getting it right (or despair at getting it wrong).

The ending, whilst not exactly a happy-ever-after, feels fitting and offers a tentative hope for a better future, but I turned the last page feeling less hopeful and more gently nihilistic.

I’d recommend this for those who are looking for a thoughtful, heartfelt read about striving and caring and taking on the world’s burdens valiantly, and for those who prefer stark realism over lighter, fluffier feelings.

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...

[Meg's Book Query · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeremy is a young painter with health issues. His mother is a widow who works too hard for too little money. As we encounter the day to day circumstances of Jeremy's life, we are brought along on a fascinating and unusual trip. Leaning heavily on narrative, the author has crafted a complex story filled with captivating mystery and intriguing sub-plots. Yet, at its core, The Bridge of Little Jeremy is a simple story about a boy who wants to provide for his mother.

Though the translation can be rough and the content is not completely suitable for younger teens and children, Indrajit Garai has a gift for weaving deeper meaning into interesting stories. His sentence structure may not captivate you, but his characters will.

See my full review here: http://megsbookquery.com/2023/10/17/t...

[bsolt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Resilience.

That has been a word I have been coming back to in 2019 for many reasons. Once in a while a book I am reading resonates perfectly with how I am feeling and the events that are happening around me. Reading The Bridge of Little Jeremy was one of those experience that thematically aligned with my lived-experiences at the time of reading. Author Indrajit Garai’s new novel is centered on deep resilience, care and commitment to family, and the love and passion for art. And instead of leaving my final thoughts to the end, I want to be transparent at the beginning of my review: I very much enjoyed this novel and would highly recommend it to other readers.

I was first familiarized with Indrajit’s writing when I read and reviewed his short story collection, The Sacrifice – a highly thematic collection of well-written, engaging stories. The following year, he followed up his first short story collection with a second titled, The Eye Opener. When I learned Indrajit was releasing a novel, I was excited to experience his story telling in a longer format. Throughout reading Indrajit’s writing, one aspect is always consistent. As a reader, I am engrossed with his ability to unfold a story, develop his main characters over the period of the story, and infuse candid, honest human emotions and experiences into his characters.

The Bridge of Jeremy follows a young man, Jeremy, as he faces many challenges in his life – contending with his heart condition, supporting his family as they are pressured to pay an undue amount of inheritance tax, and dealing with a neighbor who at best can be described as misogynistic but more likely a perpetrator of violence against women. Jeremy is extremely optimistic in his experience and has an mazing, supportive best friend Leon, an intelligent, loving, and protective dog. Who is always by Jeremy’s side This novel is his journey of trying to save his family by restoring and selling a painting while pursuing his love of art and learning about his family history.

I think the story is meaningful for readers to discover themselves and do not want to write about how the story progresses. I will say that Ingrajit Garai touches on many different topics on interest that impact our modern world through this novel. This includes the role of social media in social movements, the morals and ethics of tax, particularly inheritance tax, discovering unflattering family histories, health care access, single parent households, and more! The amount of topics he chooses to put in his stories, the way he is able to weave them together, and the commentary on each through Jeremy’s journey is a testament to Ingrajit’s ability to write and tell stories.

Indrajit Garai is an independent author who writes stories that I have always enjoyed. His writing style disrupts the mainstream way of telling stories and I think worthwhile for readers to check out. While his style and stories might not be for everyone, his voice as a storyteller, along with other independent authors, is vital to the landscape of literature. Please take a bit of time to find out more about his book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Little-Jeremy-Indrajit-GARAI-ebook/dp/B07PT936PZ



Final Rating: 4.5/5

See the original review on my blog: http://gamingforjustice.com/2019/06/07/book-review-the-bridge-of-little-jeremy-by-indrajit-garai/

[Chelsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jeremy is a young teen, whose best friend is his canine Leon. He finds out that they may lose their apartment and his mother is already working as much as she can and providing what she can so Jeremy doesn’t have to worry. But Jeremy knows that things are worse than what she is letting on. He is bound and determined to help in anyway he can. He puts his talent to use and tries his hand at selling his art with the help of a gentleman who deals in the arts.

Although Jeremy wants to push himself, he also needs to take it easy as he has some medical issues going on and his mother would have his head if she knew how he was overexerting himself. But he wants to help, he must! Jeremy often ventures around Paris for ideas, and one day he doesn’t have to venture very far when he stumbles upon some art that comes with a mystery tied to it.

Jeremy does some sleuthing about what he found, and it might just be what they need to save the apartment. He is surprised by the things he finds out, and knows he should tell his mother but he can’t, not yet. He still has some work to do, and feels he has also found his calling. He want to not only paint he wants to restore art. Can he do it, and within the time line that they have left before they will have to give everything up, and his mother being put behind bars for the owed inherited taxes.

There is a lot more to this story, but I did not want to give it all away. It was a very quick read, and the author has it broken down into three parts. I like how the author wrote Leon, as Jeremy’s side kick in his adventures, as often we treat our dogs as our kids and friends so that I did enjoy as well. I was to thank the author for the free ebook that was gifted to me, for an honest review. I really enjoyed seeing the sights of Paris through Jeremy and felt the author did a good job of tying it all together in the end.

[Bookworm Blogger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was contacted by a friend of the author to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Whilst I am not familiar with the authors work the synopsis drew me in and I was intrigued to discover more about this story.

The entire story is told from the POV of 12 year old Jeremy, who has underlying health issues so he spends his days at his home in Paris whilst his mother works as a carer. He has made friends with many of the locals who all look out for him but his most loyal companion is his dog, Leon.

The communication between humans and their pets is very interesting and animal psychology has always amazed me. Leon is Jeremy’s very own super dog sidekick who listens, obeys, trusts and offers unconditional love. Without spoiling too much of the story there is a particular moment when Leon truly shines and it makes me love him even more. The relationship between him and Jeremy was my favourite part of the story.

I enjoyed learning about the history of Paris and how the area has developed over the centuries. I could feel the passion behind the authors voice when he was describing the scenes and the artistic elements too. He brought Paris to life in my imagination.

There were a few moments in the story were I felt my attention waver, that being said when the drama arrived I was immediately hooked back in and enjoyed seeing how Jeremy’s adventure developed. For a 12 year old he seemed almost too mature and grown up at times but I think this was largely down to his circumstances. I loved how he thought so much about every little detail and desperately wanted to be the man of the house and help his mum. The ending was not something that I had expected and I was almost shocked. On reflection I think it was the best way to end it and avoid the usual cliches but it certainly tugged at my heart strings.

Overall this was a heartwarming, magical, tragic and emotional tale of adventure and love that I very much enjoyed reading.

[Catherine Poe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this beautifully written book by Indrajit Garai; the setting, the story, and so many of the characters. A young boy, Jeremy, and his constant companion, his dog Leon, walk the city of Paris while he’s recovering from his heart surgery, not yet ready to go back to school. His mother works in a care home and makes little money. They have a debt to the state and will soon lose their home unless they come up with some money.
Jeremy has come up with a plan to make money but as a 13 yr old, he doesn’t really grasp all that is happening. It is quite an original story; like a modern day fairy tale that is so deep and emotive I didn’t want the end to come because I was so afraid of what would happen. So much love in this story!

[Livy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book destroyed me emotionally in the finale, and the use of the painting to help tell the story was very well done.

However, while I thought that Jeremy was a great protagonist I couldn't help but feel like he was too young to be undergoing the events of the book and I think that that made the story feel a little disjointed. That is why this book is not rated higher.

Yet, I still really enjoyed the story and the imagery that it included and that ending, I had tears in my eyes as I was residing the final pages of the last chapter and that doesn't happen often!!

[Lisbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

We find Jeremy and his dog Leon at a time when Jeremy does not attend school due to a heart condition. They spend their days wandering around Paris, on Île Saint-Louis where they live. His mother is working and they don't have a lot of money. However, they live in an old house which they own, but it turns out that his mother owns the state for inheritance tax.
Jeremy lives in his own world with Leon, going for walks, befriending people he meets around his daily walk, especially an artist selling Jeremy's painting. Jeremy is a talented painter and he saves the money to help his mother. One day he happens to see a letter from the authorities concerning the unpaid tax. His fantasy starts working and he thinks his mother will have to go to prison. He slowly becomes aware that life has its ups and downs.

At the same time Jeremy finds an old painting in the cellar. It has a certain kind of magic in it. The motive is a bridge over the Seine, but Jeremy is not able to locate it. Especially, since the bridge is full of buildings. He starts by asking his artist friend who provide him with a few hints. That leads him to an antique dealer, who bought the shop once belonging to his grandfather. It turns out that the painting is rather valuable, but being half destroyed it is impossible to sell. Jeremy decides to take on the restoration of the painting, wanting to sell it to help his mother.

"The gardener points to a large patch blooming with pink and red roses. But none of those flowers looks as striking as this single one on this mound of compost.

"I like this one more."

"Then you're being fooled by rarity."

"Pardon?"

"Beauty isn't beautiful when it comes in plenty."

We follow Jeremy and Leon around Paris, beautifully described making you see it all in front of you. We get to know his friends, neighbours and other people with which he is interacting. Jeremy and Leon are totally tuned in, understanding each other, sometimes without talking. As Jeremy tries to finish restoring the painting, there are other events involving him, some of them rather dangerous.

This novel is a bitter sweet tale of a young boy trying to save his family and the world he is used to. From the beginning I had difficulties with the language, finding it rather simple, and going too much into details. Until I realised that the language is Jeremy's. The language and thoughts of a teenager, trying to find his way around. Once there, I found it mesmerising.

It is a wonderful story, reflecting on the way life is. The close relationship between Jeremy and Leon is beautifully and emotionally told. I would say this book is a modern day fairy tale. Enjoyable, not only for adults, but very suitable for young people. The story has stayed with me after finishing reading. My thoughts often go back to Jeremy and his reflections. Such a wise guy.

[Bruna (bruandthebooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8/5.0

If you are interested in Paris and the arts, this book is for you.
Jeremy is a twelve-year-old boy living in Paris with his mother and his dog, Leon. The book is narrated through Jeremy’s point of view and it makes the story very heartfelt.
It is an extremely descriptive and slow-developing story that I know not everyone will enjoy. Each and every conversation and scene is vividly sketched for you to imagine.

Jeremy has a heart condition and he needs to have surgery as soon as they can afford it. But his mom is having financial issues due to debt from inheritance tax. She inherited their flat from her dad and ever since he passed away, the taxes have been accumulating. They’ll be evicted from their home soon and his mom could even go to jail.

Jeremy discovers an underground vault in their flat and finds a very old painting that seems like it could be valuable. The frame is made of wood inlaid with gold and the painting is beautiful. He thinks it might be worth something and may even be valuable enough to help his mom with her debt. He finds someone to restore the painting and help him sell it. Jeremy is off on an adventure to find out about the mysterious painter and how it got to the secret vault in their flat. He discovers things about the generations before him as well as his own past.

Jeremy is one of the strongest characters I’ve ever read about and I loved him. Although he’s only twelve, he’s so independent and strong and he’s determined to help his mom no matter what. His friendship with his dog Leon is touching. They often go on walks in the parks and streets of Paris and I loved Jeremy’s little moments of philosophy. When he meets a fisherman and watches him fish, he asks, “Why can’t we have fun without hurting animals?” When he meets a gardener, they talk about roses and their unique beauty and the gardener says, “Beautiful isn’t beautiful when it comes in plenty.” Overall, it is a beautiful book; different from anything I’ve ever read before.

[Adperfectamconsilium - Gavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Jeremy is our narrator and we see the story through his eyes and his thoughts. He's 12 years old, lives in Paris with his mum and his best friend Leon, a German Shepherd dog.
The relationship between boy and dog is rather beautiful and there are times when Leon feels very human.

The writing gives a good feel for contemporary Paris. I've never been in the city but experiencing it like this is the next best thing.

It's a very slow moving and reflective novel. Jeremy is off school after recuperating from a heart operation and he may need another.
His mother works all hours to pay the bills but she's badly in debt and Jeremy finds out that the inheritance tax laws are mainly to blame.

Jeremy wants to help his mum in any way he can. He's a good artist and he's been selling his paintings via his artist friend and local bookstall owner Paolo. It's not much money but it's a start and then one day he uncovers a lost family treasure which he hopes could be the answer to their problems. It's a painting but it's damaged. Does he have the skills to restore it? Is it valuable? Should he tell his mum?

The plot moves slowly and you can tell that English isn't the authors native language as some of the phrasing is idiosyncratic and yet because it's the thoughts of this French boy it somehow feels right.

The book embraces Paris and art, love of animals and books. There are subplots involving the dangers of social media, French tax laws, and danger from a pervert living nearby.

Jeremy tends to overthink everything and therefore there's a lot of repetition but taken as a slow read it's a rewarding book and the ending is surprisingly emotional.

Jeremy may be the narrator but for me the star of the book is Leon. A faithful and protective friend. Read this book and you'll fall in love with him.

[Vicky Fortier · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me much too long to finish this book. At first the descriptions of Paris were beautiful and that caught my interest.
However at one point the fact that the main character was a 12 year old pulled me out of the story. It didn't make sense that a boy so young would be acting the way the character was acting. The dog also became almost human in his responses to Jeremy.
I had a much higher rating in the 1st half and then struggled to finish the 2nd half. This is why it's getting a 3 star rating from me.

[enrichingerinreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and it’s once again wholesome and descriptive . The love Jeremey had for his mother and dog was heart warming. The descriptions of Paris were vivid and lovely however the character development fell a bit flat. I did appreciate Jeremey’s hard work and diligence in helping his mum and I can say we all wish to have kids as dedicated as him.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have lukewarm feelings about this book. The story is certainly heartfelt and told with a nod to detail. The author paints a vivid picture of Paris as he and Jeremy--along with Jeremy's dog Leon--lead us around the city. And the descriptions of artwork and people are rich with detail, as well.

Yet so much of the narrative is spent on a minute-to-minute accounting of each day. It feels laborious and causes the book to drag at times. Overall, the story is filled with love and warmth. I didn't dislike The Bridge of Little Jeremy; rather, I found it to be merely okay.

[Zoë · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review coming very soon on my blog:

zbestbooks.blogspot.com

[Naemi · Rating 2 out of 5]

** DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Nevertheless, all opinions presented here are my own. **

When a friend of the author’s reached out to me and asked whether I would like a review copy of The Bridge of Little Jeremy, I was about to decline. I was super busy with work, and besides, I had a ton of other books I wanted to get to.

But then I read the premise and the novel’s first few pages, and my interest was caught! Literary fiction set in Paris? A boy and his dog finding treasure somewhere beneath the city? That sounded like the perfect combination to still at least some of my wanderlust and to nostalgically remind me of all those mystery novels I devoured as a kid!

Unfortunately, however, The Bridge of Little Jeremy ended up falling flat for me. While I did appreciate its vivid descriptions of Paris, I felt like the book had little purpose other than showcasing the city it was set in and being a platform to warn about the dangers of social media and inheritance tax. Though it was a sweet story, I thought it lacked nuance, both in terms of the themes it explored and the complexity of its characters. I didn’t hate it, but nothing about it particularly captured my attention, either.

Set in the historical center of Paris, The Bridge of Little Jeremy follows a young boy who lives in a small apartment with his single mother and loves to paint. Since Jeremy suffers from a serious heart condition, he has been unable to attend school for quite a while, which gives him and his dog Leon a lot of time to explore their surroundings. One day, however, Jeremy’s world is turned upside down when he learns that he and his mother might soon lose the home his family has been living in for generations – his mother is behind on tax payments, and if she doesn’t find a way to raise money in the next few months, they will be evicted. Although Jeremy tries to help out by selling his paintings, it just doesn’t look like it will be enough. Until Jeremy and Leon make a discovery down in the cellars…

Overall, I appreciated several things about this book. Jeremy’s story was endearing, and you couldn’t not root for a boy so determined to help his mother. The loyalty between Jeremy and his dog was heart-warming. The ending was exactly what I had hoped for, beautiful and bittersweet. And I really enjoyed the detail that went into portraying the Parisian setting! The descriptions were so lush and vivid, and there were also a few French snippets in here that language-loving me immediately gobbled up!

However, what ultimately kept me from enjoying the book was its lack of depth in pretty much every department other than city descriptions.

First, there were the characters, who were either annoyingly perfect or utterly despicable. Take Jeremy, for instance: Everything he did, he did to please his mother. He was never selfish. The only times he ever misbehaved were when he was doing something that he thought would help his family in the long run, and even then, the “misbehavior” barely classified as such. I just didn’t buy that he was a twelve-year-old! Seriously, the kid had the narrative voice of a walking encyclopedia:

“Along with the quarries of gypsum, these sewers have played important roles in the three revolutions and the rise of the commune in our city. During the Second World War, this is where the French Forces of the Interior lay in ambush, coordinated with our allies, took the Germans by surprise, and liberated Paris.” (p. 59)

“In the same folder, there’s an offer from a new home insurer; its subscription fees and co-payments are much larger than what we pay now. There are instructions for paying an invoice, the amount that needs to be remitted to accept this offer. They say their proposition expires in two weeks, but I know Mom doesn’t have the money.” (p. 113)

“We arrive at the quarter where the Cour de Miracles used to be in the Middle Ages. On this square, where the king of bandits used to hold his court then, there are banks now.” (p. 165)

I mean, sure, I guess some twelve-year-olds do have a pretty sophisticated vocabulary, especially regarding topics they are particularly interested in. But Jeremy sounded like a sixty-year-old historian/lawyer all the time! He knew everything about Paris and its past, about taxation, about art, you name it. And after a while, the fact that Jeremy had next to no personality other than being the perfect son and a robotic conveyor of info-dumpy background information really started getting on my nerves.

The same thing goes for the other characters in the book. None of them really evolved beyond bland cardboard cutouts. Jeremy’s mother’s only defining traits were that she continuously worried about Jeremy and his heart condition and that she was usually away at work. Jeremy’s friend Paolo had no purpose other than providing a mentor figure for Jeremy. Jeremy’s neighbor, whom Jeremy only refers to as ‘the pervert’ can pretty much be summed up by this moniker. I don’t know… I guess that I was just hoping that a book that focused so heavily on its characters would make them a bit more complex and multi-layered.

The same thing goes for the themes this book explored. They had so much potential, but I often felt as though that potential wasn’t fully reached. There was little nuance to the way certain plotlines unfolded, which made parts of the story a bit tedious to read.

For one thing, art plays a pivotal role in Jeremy’s life, and I loved seeing how it was incorporated into the story. However, instead of fully exploring Jeremy’s feelings towards art and what made it so important to him, the novel mostly hits the reader over the head with art history and details in Jeremy’s paintings that sometimes seem to contradict each other. Like, do you seriously expect me to believe that Jeremy has a detailed knowledge of art epochs and Parisian painters when he accidentally adds nineteenth-century details to a painting depicting a sixteenth-century scene?

I also thought that The Bridge of Little Jeremy touched upon some interesting ideas in the way it portrayed the dangers of social media and the problematic aspects of inheritance law. However, by portraying these things in a very one-sided way, the book didn’t really give any nuance to these discussions and made me feel kind of like I was reading barely disguised propaganda against facebook and inheritance tax. Propaganda coming from a person whose opinion on these things were so fixed in stone that they hadn’t even bothered to research beyond their own bubble.

Take social media, for instance. I’m sorry, but this book is set in present-day France – or at least, in post-2002 France, since the current currency is the Euro - and Jeremy has never used the internet at home before? Why does everybody in the book think this is perfectly normal? Why does Jeremy’s mother suddenly allow him access, then, if she has apparently been super strict about it before? And why does Jeremy, despite his internet-cluelessness, mysteriously have perfect online research skills that allow him to understand tax laws that are so complicated that even I don’t get them? Also, when Jeremy does make a social media account, why is the only thing that we learn about it that it is “on the social network”? Couldn’t we get a few more specifics? To be honest, all the passages relating to the internet kind of read like my grandmother, who always needed help turning on her computer, had written them, and felt very out of touch with the reality of a 21st-century European pre-teen. Which kind of made me take the criticism in the book with a grain of salt as well…

Similarly, while we got to see a lot of the negative effects taxation laws had on Jeremy and his family, I would have liked to see the other side of the picture as well. Since one major plotline revolved around Jeremy trying to attract the government’s attention and get those laws changed, I think it would have made sense to include at least some discussion as to why these laws had been passed in the first place. Don’t get me wrong – I did think it was interesting to see an issue like inheritance tax raised in fiction! But the one-sidedness of its portrayal left quite a few questions unanswered and made things a bit repetitive, since the same arguments were rehashed over and over again.

Finally, a few things about the story just felt unrealistic. Apart from Jeremy’s strange relationship with the internet, there was also Jeremy’s general situation. Somehow, he has a heart condition so serious that he’s not allowed to go to school, but then he’s allowed to run around Paris 24/7 all on his own without his mother batting so much as an eye? The same mother who forbade Jeremy access to social media because it was so dangerous? At least to me, that didn’t quite ring true. As did the fact that Jeremy knew the history of just about every painting and building that had ever stood in Paris.

So yeah – overall, The Bridge of Little Jeremy wasn’t really my cup of tea. While I did think the story was cute and I liked the setting, the characters and the plot weren’t layered enough to make me truly invested. I am, however, nevertheless thankful to have gotten the opportunity to read the book and would like to add that my lack of enjoyment should in no way be seen as an attack on the author! I am sure there are people out there who would enjoy this – I just wasn’t one of them.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

12-year-old Jeremy and his single mother live in a small flat in Ile Saint-Louis, an island in the Seine River in Paris, France. Jeremy's mom works in a nursing home and money has been tight ever since the operation that saved Jeremy's life. Jeremy continues to have difficulties with his congenital heart defect and has been home schooled until he fully recovers. Secretly, Jeremy has been selling his sketches and saving his earnings to help his mother. One day, Jeremy is startled by a noise in the attic, upon investigating he finds a map, a ring of keys and a paper with calculations on it. Curious as a young boy would be, he begins to explore the cellar for clues and happens upon a secret room and a painting with a gold frame. Half of the painting appears to have been damaged too, and he can only make out the artists first name, Vittorio. Finding the painting opens up many questions about its origins, who the artist was, and who stored it in their cellar? As Jeremy begins to explore the painting further, he also learns that his mother is having financial difficulties. Due to an unintended error by his grandmother and now mother not paying the inheritance tax on their flat, they're at risk for losing the flat if they can't repay the debt they owe to the State. Hoping to help his mom, Jeremy sets out to restore the painting, can he earn enough to save their home?

I was contacted by Estelle Leboucher, the godmother of Indrajit Garai's daughter regarding reviewing his book. As soon as I read the premise and found out it was set in Paris, I knew that this was a book that I wanted to read. Jeremy is a dear, wise soul. He's an explorer, painter, both inquisitive, and observant, especially of nature and the things around him. He goes into great details in the story about his travels around Paris as he gathers information about the painting and Vittorio. It was interesting to learn about the connection that the painting had to his family and I really wish I could see the things he describes in person. Jeremy's also a subtle storyteller in his own paintings, so kind and protective of both his mother and his dog, Leon. I was really saddened by Jeremy's life of solitude while his mom was working, and the loneliness he must have felt. Sure, he goes out each day exploring in Paris with his trusty companion, Leon, but I had hoped for a friend to enter his life. He did have a babysitter and many adults who helped him, but it's not quite the same.

The story beautifully depicts Jeremy's love for his mom and Leon, his thoughtfulness and how important art was to him. I also really liked Paolo, the man who sells Jeremy's sketches and only takes 10% as his fee. Paolo is the one who helps Jeremy to expand his restoration, to make it come alive while also being historical accurate. They have wonderful conversations about how "viewing is not a collective art", and how "beauty wouldn't be beautiful if it came in plenty." I should caution that this story would also be considered a sad book with an ending that at first feels like an about face from the direction it was heading, although the more I reflect on the book there are moments of tragedy leading up to it that shouldn't make it a complete shock. I'd still keep a tissue handing when reading this. Because of the messaging expressed in the book about art and beauty and the ending being sad, I'd recommend this to a mature middle grade reader.

**I'd like to thank Estelle Leboucher for the gifted ebook, I really enjoyed reading this touching story. **