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Out of Heart
Donating your heart is the most precious gift of all.
Adam is a teenage boy who lives with his mum and younger sister. His dad has left them although lives close by. His sister no longer speaks. His mum works two jobs. Adam feels the weight of the world upon his shoulders.
Then his grandfather dies and in doing so he donates a very precious gift - his heart.
William is the recipient of Adam's grandfather's heart. He has no family and feels rootless and alone. In fact, he feels no particular reason to live. And then he meets Adam's family.
William has received much, but it appears that he has much to offer Adam and his family too.
A powerful tale of love and strength in adversity.
Adam is a teenage boy who lives with his mum and younger sister. His dad has left them although lives close by. His sister no longer speaks. His mum works two jobs. Adam feels the weight of the world upon his shoulders.
Then his grandfather dies and in doing so he donates a very precious gift - his heart.
William is the recipient of Adam's grandfather's heart. He has no family and feels rootless and alone. In fact, he feels no particular reason to live. And then he meets Adam's family.
William has received much, but it appears that he has much to offer Adam and his family too.
A powerful tale of love and strength in adversity.
272 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2017
13 people are currently reading
694 people want to read
About the author
Irfan Master
10 books20 followersIrfan Master is project manager of Reading the Game at the National Literacy Trust. His family is from Gujarat, India, where his debut novel is set. He lives in England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
May 10, 2018
T/W- Death, Hospital Scenes, Discrimination
First of all, this story does revolve around a heart transplant and organ donation. As a reader who has personally experienced a loved one, receiving a kidney transplant, I was generally thrilled to see this topic being portrayed in YA Fiction. However, the writing style fell flat for me, the pacing was extremely choppy with short chapters and lots of pauses throughout. One of the characters is a POC (his name is Adam), whose Grandfather passes away, his heart then used for a transplant to a man called William. After William receives the transplant, he then spends time with Adam and his family despite the whispers of the locals who aren't keen to see him around.
I really would like to see more transplants mentioned in YA, however, this book wasn't for me and ultimately was left feeling disappointed.
First of all, this story does revolve around a heart transplant and organ donation. As a reader who has personally experienced a loved one, receiving a kidney transplant, I was generally thrilled to see this topic being portrayed in YA Fiction. However, the writing style fell flat for me, the pacing was extremely choppy with short chapters and lots of pauses throughout. One of the characters is a POC (his name is Adam), whose Grandfather passes away, his heart then used for a transplant to a man called William. After William receives the transplant, he then spends time with Adam and his family despite the whispers of the locals who aren't keen to see him around.
I really would like to see more transplants mentioned in YA, however, this book wasn't for me and ultimately was left feeling disappointed.
June 21, 2017
Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.
I was really intrigued by Out of Heart by Irfan Master when I first heard about it. There have been a few YA books that deal with heart transplants, but for the most part, they are romances focusing on the grief of a girl losing her boyfriend, and slowly finding love again in the guy who now has his heart. With Out of Heart, however, it's the story of how a boy, Adam's grandfather dies and donates his heart, which goes to a man William, and how William affects Adam's family, and vice versa. It wasn't your usual YA heart transplant story, and so I was really interested, expecting an emotional read. But I finished it with mixed feelings, I'm sad to say.
Out of Heart is beautifully written. It's one of those quiet books I usually love, slowly unfolding it's story, leaving me immersed and relaxed. It deals with some tough subjects; Adam's father is no longer on the scene, due to beating his family; his sister, Farah, is unable to speak; his grandfather, Dadda, has apparently left behind some debt to loan sharks, and they're also dealing with their grief.
The problem I had with the book is not a huge deal happens. William, the man (who I originally thought was another teenager from the blurb, but is actually a grown man) who receives Dadda's heart kind of accidentally becomes a part of Adam's family when he visits one day. He just wanted to meet them.n This mad had died, and in doing so, saved William's life. The only problem is William doesn't have much of a life. No family, no friends, no job, no home. But when he meets the Shah family, he doesn't really leave. He does leave, he goes back to the hostel he stays at, but he comes back every day, and slowly becomes part of the family. Both Adam and his mum are a little wary of him at first, but Farah loves him, and slowly Adam and his Mum come round to him, too. He genuinely becomes part of their family. And that's so special to him, to be loved. There's never anything between him and Adam's mum, it's not a romance, he's just a family member. And there's something about William that heals the Shah family, too - though I couldn't say what it is. I think it's just that he's a good guy? The Shah family have been through so much, and it's like William's presence helps to heal those wounds.
But that's it, really. William now spends time at the Shah's family, and they spend time with him. That is the story. Of course, there are other, smaller elements; Adam's graffiti, his relationship with a girl he likes, how his dad tries to worm his way back in. But mainly, it's just about William and the Shah's, and it doesn't really seem to go anywhere, or have much point to it. And with the ending, I was left thinking why? What was the point? I mean, for the characters, I kind of get it, though I can't explain due to spoilers, but for me, as a reader, what was the point? There was no real plot that was kept moving. William joins the family, and that's it until the end. It was beautifully written, and I enjoyed that part of it, but I also feel like I wasted my time. I feel there isn't a huge amount to this book.
There was also a problematic part to the book where Adam's best friend Cans tells Adam he shouldn't be so quiet and randomly pull out his notebook - in which he is always drawing or jotting down wordplay to help him understand his thoughts - because people will think he's weird, that he's autistic. He's not. Cans also links being autistic with having mental health problems, when they're not the same. And Cans says they'll think he's "psycho", and he will be "admitted", implying those with mental illness get locked up. This is obviously not the case, and sure, Cans is 15, and those who are ignorant and have no experience of autism or mental health may say these things... but it was just unnecessary. Sure, Adam pulling out his notebook randomly to sketch or write down his thoughts is a little quirky, but nobody else questions it or brings it up, nobody else thinks about it like Cans does.. It's just what Adam does. It was ableist and really unnecessary.
So sadly Out of Heart isn't for me. But I enjoyed the writing enough to want to read Master's other book, A Beautiful Lie, at some point.
Thank you to Hot Key Books via NetGalley for the eProof.
I was really intrigued by Out of Heart by Irfan Master when I first heard about it. There have been a few YA books that deal with heart transplants, but for the most part, they are romances focusing on the grief of a girl losing her boyfriend, and slowly finding love again in the guy who now has his heart. With Out of Heart, however, it's the story of how a boy, Adam's grandfather dies and donates his heart, which goes to a man William, and how William affects Adam's family, and vice versa. It wasn't your usual YA heart transplant story, and so I was really interested, expecting an emotional read. But I finished it with mixed feelings, I'm sad to say.
Out of Heart is beautifully written. It's one of those quiet books I usually love, slowly unfolding it's story, leaving me immersed and relaxed. It deals with some tough subjects; Adam's father is no longer on the scene, due to beating his family; his sister, Farah, is unable to speak; his grandfather, Dadda, has apparently left behind some debt to loan sharks, and they're also dealing with their grief.
The problem I had with the book is not a huge deal happens. William, the man (who I originally thought was another teenager from the blurb, but is actually a grown man) who receives Dadda's heart kind of accidentally becomes a part of Adam's family when he visits one day. He just wanted to meet them.n This mad had died, and in doing so, saved William's life. The only problem is William doesn't have much of a life. No family, no friends, no job, no home. But when he meets the Shah family, he doesn't really leave. He does leave, he goes back to the hostel he stays at, but he comes back every day, and slowly becomes part of the family. Both Adam and his mum are a little wary of him at first, but Farah loves him, and slowly Adam and his Mum come round to him, too. He genuinely becomes part of their family. And that's so special to him, to be loved. There's never anything between him and Adam's mum, it's not a romance, he's just a family member. And there's something about William that heals the Shah family, too - though I couldn't say what it is. I think it's just that he's a good guy? The Shah family have been through so much, and it's like William's presence helps to heal those wounds.
But that's it, really. William now spends time at the Shah's family, and they spend time with him. That is the story. Of course, there are other, smaller elements; Adam's graffiti, his relationship with a girl he likes, how his dad tries to worm his way back in. But mainly, it's just about William and the Shah's, and it doesn't really seem to go anywhere, or have much point to it. And with the ending, I was left thinking why? What was the point? I mean, for the characters, I kind of get it, though I can't explain due to spoilers, but for me, as a reader, what was the point? There was no real plot that was kept moving. William joins the family, and that's it until the end. It was beautifully written, and I enjoyed that part of it, but I also feel like I wasted my time. I feel there isn't a huge amount to this book.
There was also a problematic part to the book where Adam's best friend Cans tells Adam he shouldn't be so quiet and randomly pull out his notebook - in which he is always drawing or jotting down wordplay to help him understand his thoughts - because people will think he's weird, that he's autistic. He's not. Cans also links being autistic with having mental health problems, when they're not the same. And Cans says they'll think he's "psycho", and he will be "admitted", implying those with mental illness get locked up. This is obviously not the case, and sure, Cans is 15, and those who are ignorant and have no experience of autism or mental health may say these things... but it was just unnecessary. Sure, Adam pulling out his notebook randomly to sketch or write down his thoughts is a little quirky, but nobody else questions it or brings it up, nobody else thinks about it like Cans does.. It's just what Adam does. It was ableist and really unnecessary.
So sadly Out of Heart isn't for me. But I enjoyed the writing enough to want to read Master's other book, A Beautiful Lie, at some point.
Thank you to Hot Key Books via NetGalley for the eProof.
August 8, 2021
I didn’t expect to enjoy this but I found it a refreshing look at the issues around transplants and the other things that families who are linked to them have to deal with. I found it a light read which pulsed with vitality. The ending came out of the blue and I wished it had finished differently. I also enjoyed seeing the story arch. Not everything is sorted, it couldn’t be, and some of the challenges are only being looked up to now but it is good to see that things are getting better.
May 31, 2017
Not really for me.
August 29, 2025
Lacking heart
July 2, 2017
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I received a free copy of this book from Allen & Unwin on behalf of Bonnier in exchange for an honest review
Out of Heart was heartfelt and covered important topics such as grief, racism and organ donation, but the slow-pacing, and plot fell short for me.
This story follows Adam, a young boy with a sister who cannot speak, a Mother who works two jobs, and a Father that lives close by but has left marks that cannot heal. When Adam's grandfather passes away, he donates his heart to save another. The recipient of Adam's grandfathers heart is William, and with no family he his utterly alone. William finds himself drawn to this broken family, and they may need what he has to offer.
The premise of this book intrigued me from the start, and I enjoyed that the story delved into the topic of organ donation. This story was like nothing else I have read before. It was a unique and beautiful, although some aspects did fall by the wayside, the main premise was enough to keep me reading and enjoy the story as a whole.
The writing was beautiful and almost poetic, although the structure at times could be disjointed. The structure tended to jump around rapidly, which made the book hard to follow and frustrating to keep up with.
This YA contemporary was short and a quick read if pushed through, however the slow pacing and drawn out plot made this read feel a lot longer than it should have been. Adam, who this story mainly followed was a wonderful character to delve into the life of. He felt layered and developed well, and although still trying to work out his place in the world, he was artistic and felt very real.
Although our main character was layered and interesting, all other characters including William felt under-developed and we didn't get much insight into their lives other than what Adam was apart of. I would of liked to see a bit more development with the other characters in order to feel more connected to the story and their lives.
Overall, Out of Heart did have a lot of heart, however unfortunately fell short for me on the plot and characters. This story of grief and love was beautifully written, but unfortunately I found it hard to connect.
Rating: 2.75/5
Purchase Out of Heart by Irfan Master from Book Depository and receive FREE SHIPPING:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Out-of...
'he draws it as he sees it and not necessarily as it should be'
I received a free copy of this book from Allen & Unwin on behalf of Bonnier in exchange for an honest review
Out of Heart was heartfelt and covered important topics such as grief, racism and organ donation, but the slow-pacing, and plot fell short for me.
This story follows Adam, a young boy with a sister who cannot speak, a Mother who works two jobs, and a Father that lives close by but has left marks that cannot heal. When Adam's grandfather passes away, he donates his heart to save another. The recipient of Adam's grandfathers heart is William, and with no family he his utterly alone. William finds himself drawn to this broken family, and they may need what he has to offer.
The premise of this book intrigued me from the start, and I enjoyed that the story delved into the topic of organ donation. This story was like nothing else I have read before. It was a unique and beautiful, although some aspects did fall by the wayside, the main premise was enough to keep me reading and enjoy the story as a whole.
The writing was beautiful and almost poetic, although the structure at times could be disjointed. The structure tended to jump around rapidly, which made the book hard to follow and frustrating to keep up with.
This YA contemporary was short and a quick read if pushed through, however the slow pacing and drawn out plot made this read feel a lot longer than it should have been. Adam, who this story mainly followed was a wonderful character to delve into the life of. He felt layered and developed well, and although still trying to work out his place in the world, he was artistic and felt very real.
Although our main character was layered and interesting, all other characters including William felt under-developed and we didn't get much insight into their lives other than what Adam was apart of. I would of liked to see a bit more development with the other characters in order to feel more connected to the story and their lives.
Overall, Out of Heart did have a lot of heart, however unfortunately fell short for me on the plot and characters. This story of grief and love was beautifully written, but unfortunately I found it hard to connect.
Rating: 2.75/5
Purchase Out of Heart by Irfan Master from Book Depository and receive FREE SHIPPING:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Out-of...
March 10, 2018
2018 CARNEGIE LONGLIST BOOK 11/20
As much I appreciate the idea of this book, it kind of...didn't work for me. Well, hey, it was just really boring and didn't really go anywhere. I napped. And then I kind of didn't absorb half of it because when a book gets boring you just kind of skim, you know? I stopped caring on page 3 or something and reading this whole book was a bit of a drag.
So I liked the idea of this book. Kind of. I mean, I have read other books before about heart transplants that I have really liked (e.g. Instructions for a Second Hand Heart) and I think it is an interesting and important topic to tackle. It can be done very well, and the premise of this one sounded pretty interesting. However, no. I was just not interested. Also, the whole time, this seems to talk in circles. It is kind of hard to explain, but you get these random chapters which just kind of ramble and don't go anywhere. It will start off being about one thing and then kind of ramble about random uninteresting things and end up being about something else and you think "well what was the point in that?" And everything just seemed to happen so quickly. Too quickly. The characters became attatched to each other too quickly, and because this book is pretty short, the important moments seemed rushed and then therefore unrealisitc.
Sadly, most of the characters were pretty flat as well. I liked the fact that Adam was an artist, but he didn't really have much other personality beside that. The book was just really not not not long enough to develop these characters properly, and that is sad, because it had the potential to be really emotional and sad. But I just didn't care about any of the characters enough to be shocked or saddened by the ending. Everything in this book just felt really flat and blugh because I DID NOT CARE. Sorry. But I was basically just counting down pages until the end and felt nothing when I got there.
I guess this was really not the book for me. I mean, personally I thought it was too short and underdeveloped and boring. There were some interesting ideas, but not executed very well, sooo. Not one that I would recommend, but I am not stopping you from reading it if you are interested. Everyone has different opinions, but I personally don't think that this one should win the award.
As much I appreciate the idea of this book, it kind of...didn't work for me. Well, hey, it was just really boring and didn't really go anywhere. I napped. And then I kind of didn't absorb half of it because when a book gets boring you just kind of skim, you know? I stopped caring on page 3 or something and reading this whole book was a bit of a drag.
So I liked the idea of this book. Kind of. I mean, I have read other books before about heart transplants that I have really liked (e.g. Instructions for a Second Hand Heart) and I think it is an interesting and important topic to tackle. It can be done very well, and the premise of this one sounded pretty interesting. However, no. I was just not interested. Also, the whole time, this seems to talk in circles. It is kind of hard to explain, but you get these random chapters which just kind of ramble and don't go anywhere. It will start off being about one thing and then kind of ramble about random uninteresting things and end up being about something else and you think "well what was the point in that?" And everything just seemed to happen so quickly. Too quickly. The characters became attatched to each other too quickly, and because this book is pretty short, the important moments seemed rushed and then therefore unrealisitc.
Sadly, most of the characters were pretty flat as well. I liked the fact that Adam was an artist, but he didn't really have much other personality beside that. The book was just really not not not long enough to develop these characters properly, and that is sad, because it had the potential to be really emotional and sad. But I just didn't care about any of the characters enough to be shocked or saddened by the ending. Everything in this book just felt really flat and blugh because I DID NOT CARE. Sorry. But I was basically just counting down pages until the end and felt nothing when I got there.
I guess this was really not the book for me. I mean, personally I thought it was too short and underdeveloped and boring. There were some interesting ideas, but not executed very well, sooo. Not one that I would recommend, but I am not stopping you from reading it if you are interested. Everyone has different opinions, but I personally don't think that this one should win the award.
December 30, 2018
Age – 12+
Adam’s family is struggling. They have just lost his grandfather and learned that he donated his heart – given to someone else who needed it after he died.
Adam’s mum hasn’t cried yet, and he’s worried about that.
Adam’s little sister Farah still doesn’t speak, preferring to sign instead.
Adam blames himself.
This story could be bleak. It could be dark and depressing and leave you wishing you never picked it up. It is the opposite.
Yes, life is tough. Mum has to work two jobs. They are grieving. Adam likes to be alone even more now, spending all his time drawing in his sketch pad or writing down words to make some sense of the world. His exceptional talent at drawing is also shown in tagging, but unlike other taggers he knows, he is working alone on a bigger project. One that takes months of being out in the cold, bit by bit, revealing something important.
And then there’s William. He’s different. He’s tall and white and just appears one day on their door-step. He has something to tell them. Who is this stranger?
Out of Heart is all about – HEART. All the different types of heart. Kind-hearted. Hard-hearted. Broken-hearted. Cold-hearted. And luckily for Adam’s sake, a Sweet-heart. And with interesting quotes from books, and poems, or facts about the heart sprinkled through the book – it was nothing but heart-warming. LOVED IT!
Adam’s family is struggling. They have just lost his grandfather and learned that he donated his heart – given to someone else who needed it after he died.
Adam’s mum hasn’t cried yet, and he’s worried about that.
Adam’s little sister Farah still doesn’t speak, preferring to sign instead.
Adam blames himself.
This story could be bleak. It could be dark and depressing and leave you wishing you never picked it up. It is the opposite.
Yes, life is tough. Mum has to work two jobs. They are grieving. Adam likes to be alone even more now, spending all his time drawing in his sketch pad or writing down words to make some sense of the world. His exceptional talent at drawing is also shown in tagging, but unlike other taggers he knows, he is working alone on a bigger project. One that takes months of being out in the cold, bit by bit, revealing something important.
And then there’s William. He’s different. He’s tall and white and just appears one day on their door-step. He has something to tell them. Who is this stranger?
Out of Heart is all about – HEART. All the different types of heart. Kind-hearted. Hard-hearted. Broken-hearted. Cold-hearted. And luckily for Adam’s sake, a Sweet-heart. And with interesting quotes from books, and poems, or facts about the heart sprinkled through the book – it was nothing but heart-warming. LOVED IT!
May 2, 2017
Originally posted on: http://www.albainbookland.com/2017/04...
As soon as I got this book, I knew it was going to be something special, and I was not wrong at all. What a beautifully written story. This is not a very long book, it can definitely be read in a couple of evenings, and the plot is quite simple but somehow, it really got to me. It revolves around Adam and his family. They have just lost their grandparent and learned that he donated his heart, so imagine their surprise when the person who is now living with that same heart, William, turns up at their door.
As a friendship blossoms between William and this family, we learn more about their grief, how they are handling it and what other problems they are facing. These are not few. The story handles a lot more issues like poverty, domestic violence or racism, but it also talks about friendship, love and art. It combines positive and negative story lines perfectly to end up creating an inspiring and touching story.
One of my favourite aspects about this book is the insight we get in Adam's notebook. He likes writing about what is going on around him in a very special way, playing with words and feelings. I found his creations fascinating and I would have loved to be able to see his drawings too. He was definitely the most important and developed character in the story and it was difficult not to care for him. In contrast, we didn't really got to know the other characters. I have to say though, that even if I would have loved knowing more about some of them, like his sister, I didn't feel like we were missing anything important about them, we learned enough about them to make the story work. And not knowing more probably made them more interesting.
All in all, I loved this coming of age story. The writing was beautiful. In fact, I'd say it was beautifully simple, almost poetic. I'd recommend this story to anyone looking for a quick but compelling read with a few surprises in store.
As soon as I got this book, I knew it was going to be something special, and I was not wrong at all. What a beautifully written story. This is not a very long book, it can definitely be read in a couple of evenings, and the plot is quite simple but somehow, it really got to me. It revolves around Adam and his family. They have just lost their grandparent and learned that he donated his heart, so imagine their surprise when the person who is now living with that same heart, William, turns up at their door.
As a friendship blossoms between William and this family, we learn more about their grief, how they are handling it and what other problems they are facing. These are not few. The story handles a lot more issues like poverty, domestic violence or racism, but it also talks about friendship, love and art. It combines positive and negative story lines perfectly to end up creating an inspiring and touching story.
One of my favourite aspects about this book is the insight we get in Adam's notebook. He likes writing about what is going on around him in a very special way, playing with words and feelings. I found his creations fascinating and I would have loved to be able to see his drawings too. He was definitely the most important and developed character in the story and it was difficult not to care for him. In contrast, we didn't really got to know the other characters. I have to say though, that even if I would have loved knowing more about some of them, like his sister, I didn't feel like we were missing anything important about them, we learned enough about them to make the story work. And not knowing more probably made them more interesting.
All in all, I loved this coming of age story. The writing was beautiful. In fact, I'd say it was beautifully simple, almost poetic. I'd recommend this story to anyone looking for a quick but compelling read with a few surprises in store.
October 9, 2017
I love that the family is a Pakistani Muslim family living in England. I loved the premise. However, add 200 pages to this book and it would have been much more well-developed. This story, as it stands, was completely underdeveloped which stops it from packing a more emotional punch.
ALSO ... William was not a teenager. I read 200 pages about him ... and after reading reviews I realised he was an old man. That makes so much more sense. However, it also shows that he was not written well if he read like a teenager.
ALSO ... William was not a teenager. I read 200 pages about him ... and after reading reviews I realised he was an old man. That makes so much more sense. However, it also shows that he was not written well if he read like a teenager.
January 2, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Out of Heart was a story of loss, love and acceptance. The family dynamic of this story was lovely, and the friendship between Adam and William was something I kept wanting to read. I was invested in the plot, although at times it didn't fully hold my concentration, hence only a 4 star rating. However, I think it is an important book to read, and I especially loved that there was a POC narrator. I recommend this book highly.
Out of Heart was a story of loss, love and acceptance. The family dynamic of this story was lovely, and the friendship between Adam and William was something I kept wanting to read. I was invested in the plot, although at times it didn't fully hold my concentration, hence only a 4 star rating. However, I think it is an important book to read, and I especially loved that there was a POC narrator. I recommend this book highly.
February 27, 2018
I REALLY liked this book. I don't really read any of this genre however I felt it covered everything. and I also thought it was this books downfall, some parts I didn't understand and some of it I thought was unnecessary and didn't help the story line. I didn't like the fact where is focused more on the meaning then the actions. It made the book feel like rushed, the scenes and moods changed dramatically across one page. Then there was some actions that should have been high on importance but it was thrown aside for the main issue, this made it feel like the author was trying to tie together too many plots.
June 11, 2019
This book is sort of boring although I don't really think that it's closer to a 2 or closer to a 4, it's mainly in the middle. The main problems in the book is the build up to the final plot, it simply takes too long, other than that though it's a decent book.
August 18, 2021
Out of Heart is a powerful story about the enduring ability of love and how death cannot weaken those feelings.
Adam is a bit of a loner kid. He doesn’t let anyone in. His family live hand-to-mouth, his dad isn’t in the picture anymore, his sister doesn’t speak and then his grandfather dies. This isn’t a spoiler. It happens in the first chapters. However, when the recipient of Adam’s grandfather’s heart appears on their doorstop Adam’s world is rocked.
I honestly loved Out of Heart. I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. It deals with uncomfortable matters with kindness and shows you the value of friendship and love.
Adam is a bit of a loner kid. He doesn’t let anyone in. His family live hand-to-mouth, his dad isn’t in the picture anymore, his sister doesn’t speak and then his grandfather dies. This isn’t a spoiler. It happens in the first chapters. However, when the recipient of Adam’s grandfather’s heart appears on their doorstop Adam’s world is rocked.
I honestly loved Out of Heart. I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. It deals with uncomfortable matters with kindness and shows you the value of friendship and love.
December 20, 2017
3.5/5
wHY??? I’m bawling my eyes out. What was that ending???
wHY??? I’m bawling my eyes out. What was that ending???
March 13, 2017
3/5.
This story, which I devoured within two hours, was pleasantly surprising. With its realistic characters who experience some truly difficult moments aid in making it such a delightful book to read. The simplicity of the plot is also easy to appreciate. There's no unnecessary entanglements or chapters shoved in to make up a word count. It's just a lovely, breezy book that touches on some of the more painful topics in life. Death, organ donation, racism, friendship, love and poverty are just the start!
However, I do find it quite off putting that some of the characters do not seem to have been fully fleshed out. Laila, Adam's grandparents and William could all do with a bit more personality, in my opinion. Additionally, a tad more insight into both Farah's illness and her way of communication would be grand, too.
In saying that though, the overall presentation along with the choice of quotes and facts within were absolutely lovely and a great touch! It's clear that a lot of attention went in to designing its appearance and it most definitely paid off.
This story, which I devoured within two hours, was pleasantly surprising. With its realistic characters who experience some truly difficult moments aid in making it such a delightful book to read. The simplicity of the plot is also easy to appreciate. There's no unnecessary entanglements or chapters shoved in to make up a word count. It's just a lovely, breezy book that touches on some of the more painful topics in life. Death, organ donation, racism, friendship, love and poverty are just the start!
However, I do find it quite off putting that some of the characters do not seem to have been fully fleshed out. Laila, Adam's grandparents and William could all do with a bit more personality, in my opinion. Additionally, a tad more insight into both Farah's illness and her way of communication would be grand, too.
In saying that though, the overall presentation along with the choice of quotes and facts within were absolutely lovely and a great touch! It's clear that a lot of attention went in to designing its appearance and it most definitely paid off.
April 19, 2017
I received a free proof copy of this book from the publishers via CILIP's Youth Libraries Group.
Out of Heart is an absorbing, bittersweet story of family and friendship. It starts out with the loss of a loved one, and Irfan Master works quickly but sensitively through his characters' grief and guilt, leading into a journey of healing and growth. In another author's hands, it might have ended up feeling heavy and bleak, but as it stands, it is a hopeful and uplifting story, even through some difficult moments of death, abuse, Islamophobia and social isolation. What I'm left with is a sense of positivity, drawing from family unity, shared memories and self expression.
All in all, a quick and worthwhile read, with a style that shifts between conversational colloquialisms and teenage banter to a sort of poetic stream of consciousness.
Out of Heart is an absorbing, bittersweet story of family and friendship. It starts out with the loss of a loved one, and Irfan Master works quickly but sensitively through his characters' grief and guilt, leading into a journey of healing and growth. In another author's hands, it might have ended up feeling heavy and bleak, but as it stands, it is a hopeful and uplifting story, even through some difficult moments of death, abuse, Islamophobia and social isolation. What I'm left with is a sense of positivity, drawing from family unity, shared memories and self expression.
All in all, a quick and worthwhile read, with a style that shifts between conversational colloquialisms and teenage banter to a sort of poetic stream of consciousness.
April 16, 2017
Really liked the character of Adam and the very real struggles he goes through. The cultural issues are rendered well and my favourite bits involved the way Adam tried to make sense of the world through his exploration of language and the various heart related quotes/ facts. A very enjoyable read!
December 26, 2022
✧ L E T M E S U M M A R I S E ✧
In Out of Heart, Adam learns that his grandfather has not only died but has donated his heart without telling the rest of his family. The recipient, William, has no real family and finds himself without any purpose. Until he meets Adam’s family who are all a little bit different in their own ways. But maybe William, who has unknowingly took so much from Adam’s family, has a lot to offer them as well.
✧ W H A T W O R K E D W E L L ✧
Out of Heart provides quite a genuine representation of life in Britain, and focusses on Muslim culture throughout the story. It was quite interesting to see the processes that Adam had to be apart of once his grandfather died, and just how different the grieving process is in other religions and cultures.
✧ W H A T N E E D E D W O R K ✧
I actually stopped reading this book for over a week because of how boring the whole thing was. Between incredibly short chapters and random pauses (and some thrown in facts about the heart), I really struggled to read this book. That’s very disappointing considering the whole book was only 272 pages long.
There was nothing to really draw me in as a reader and keep me hooked. As the characters were pretty flat, there was a lack of real depth to them and I just struggled to form any connections with them.
This is definitely more of a personal gripe, but Adam’s interaction with Cans was just so cringe. As someone who has grown up in British culture, I appreciate that slang has a large place in teenage boys lives – but the use in the book was just really, really awkward and I didn’t enjoy their dialogue at all.
✧ W H A T T H R E E W O R D S ✧
Boring, boring, boring.
✧ T O C O N C L U D E ✧
I’m quite sad at my conclusion for this one as it was a book I really wanted to enjoy. I found that at times, the writing of Out of Heart was beautifully poetic. However, the lack of development in other areas and the fact the book was hard to get through just couldn’t overturn my dislike of Out of Heart. I would like to see more transplant representation in YA however, so it was great to see that here.
In Out of Heart, Adam learns that his grandfather has not only died but has donated his heart without telling the rest of his family. The recipient, William, has no real family and finds himself without any purpose. Until he meets Adam’s family who are all a little bit different in their own ways. But maybe William, who has unknowingly took so much from Adam’s family, has a lot to offer them as well.
✧ W H A T W O R K E D W E L L ✧
Out of Heart provides quite a genuine representation of life in Britain, and focusses on Muslim culture throughout the story. It was quite interesting to see the processes that Adam had to be apart of once his grandfather died, and just how different the grieving process is in other religions and cultures.
✧ W H A T N E E D E D W O R K ✧
I actually stopped reading this book for over a week because of how boring the whole thing was. Between incredibly short chapters and random pauses (and some thrown in facts about the heart), I really struggled to read this book. That’s very disappointing considering the whole book was only 272 pages long.
There was nothing to really draw me in as a reader and keep me hooked. As the characters were pretty flat, there was a lack of real depth to them and I just struggled to form any connections with them.
This is definitely more of a personal gripe, but Adam’s interaction with Cans was just so cringe. As someone who has grown up in British culture, I appreciate that slang has a large place in teenage boys lives – but the use in the book was just really, really awkward and I didn’t enjoy their dialogue at all.
✧ W H A T T H R E E W O R D S ✧
Boring, boring, boring.
✧ T O C O N C L U D E ✧
I’m quite sad at my conclusion for this one as it was a book I really wanted to enjoy. I found that at times, the writing of Out of Heart was beautifully poetic. However, the lack of development in other areas and the fact the book was hard to get through just couldn’t overturn my dislike of Out of Heart. I would like to see more transplant representation in YA however, so it was great to see that here.
August 13, 2017
Adam’s family is struggling. They have just lost his grandfather and learned that he donated his heart – given to someone else who needed it after he died.
Adam’s mum hasn’t cried yet, and he’s worried about that.
Adam’s little sister Farah still doesn’t speak, preferring to sign instead.
Adam blames himself.
This story could be bleak. It could be dark and depressing and leave you wishing you never picked it up. It is the opposite.
Yes, life is tough. Mum has to work two jobs. They are grieving. Adam likes to be alone even more now, spending all his time drawing in his sketch pad or writing down words to make some sense of the world. His exceptional talent at drawing is also shown in tagging, but unlike other taggers he knows, he is working alone on a bigger project. One that takes months of being out in the cold, bit by bit, revealing something important.
And then there’s William. He’s different. He’s tall and white and just appears one day on their door-step. He has something to tell them. Who is this stranger?
Out of Heart is all about – HEART. All the different types of heart. Kind-hearted. Hard-hearted. Broken-hearted. Cold-hearted. And luckily for Adam’s sake, a Sweet-heart. And with interesting quotes from books, and poems, or facts about the heart sprinkled through the book – it was nothing but heart-warming. LOVED IT!
Adam’s mum hasn’t cried yet, and he’s worried about that.
Adam’s little sister Farah still doesn’t speak, preferring to sign instead.
Adam blames himself.
This story could be bleak. It could be dark and depressing and leave you wishing you never picked it up. It is the opposite.
Yes, life is tough. Mum has to work two jobs. They are grieving. Adam likes to be alone even more now, spending all his time drawing in his sketch pad or writing down words to make some sense of the world. His exceptional talent at drawing is also shown in tagging, but unlike other taggers he knows, he is working alone on a bigger project. One that takes months of being out in the cold, bit by bit, revealing something important.
And then there’s William. He’s different. He’s tall and white and just appears one day on their door-step. He has something to tell them. Who is this stranger?
Out of Heart is all about – HEART. All the different types of heart. Kind-hearted. Hard-hearted. Broken-hearted. Cold-hearted. And luckily for Adam’s sake, a Sweet-heart. And with interesting quotes from books, and poems, or facts about the heart sprinkled through the book – it was nothing but heart-warming. LOVED IT!
February 16, 2018
Ugh.
I am sooo disappointed in this book. Have you ever physically thrown a book when you finish it? I hadn’t either until today but it was so frustratingly bad!
The writing style was irritating and repetitive. The story as a whole was slow moving and unrealistic, with the ending being incredibly rushed and anti-climatic.
The author clearly tried to add depth to the story and make it a really enlightening and emotional book but it didn’t work at all sadly. I found most of the characters quite irritating and barely any background information was given about William, one of the main characters. In fact, you are only informed of the fact he’s a middle-old aged man around 70% into the book. By this point, I already felt like giving the book up but I always try to finish books.
I could go on and on about how terrible this book was but I would end up rambling, just like the author did in Out of Heart.
I’ve had this book on my shelf for almost a year and was putting it off until I really needed a book to get me back interested in reading. This obviously didn’t work.
I am sooo disappointed in this book. Have you ever physically thrown a book when you finish it? I hadn’t either until today but it was so frustratingly bad!
The writing style was irritating and repetitive. The story as a whole was slow moving and unrealistic, with the ending being incredibly rushed and anti-climatic.
The author clearly tried to add depth to the story and make it a really enlightening and emotional book but it didn’t work at all sadly. I found most of the characters quite irritating and barely any background information was given about William, one of the main characters. In fact, you are only informed of the fact he’s a middle-old aged man around 70% into the book. By this point, I already felt like giving the book up but I always try to finish books.
I could go on and on about how terrible this book was but I would end up rambling, just like the author did in Out of Heart.
I’ve had this book on my shelf for almost a year and was putting it off until I really needed a book to get me back interested in reading. This obviously didn’t work.
August 10, 2017
DNF. I tried to like this book. Sadly, it wasn't really for me.
February 19, 2018
It is not surprising that 'Out of Heart' by Irfan Master has been chosen for the Carnegie Medal long list. It is a poignant story with believable characters who resonate in the reader's heart because of the power of Irfan's metaphors and similes. The narrative is cyclical and skilfully crafted around the central motifs of the myth of Icarus and the fascinating mystery of the human heart. This is enhanced by the brilliant use of word play, streams of consciousness, evocative imagery and the intertextuality of facts and quotes concerning the heart. Irfan also manages to show not tell by the use of pictures at the start of selected chapters to represent his key protagonists causing his story to work on multiple levels.
'Out of Heart' opens with an extract from William Blake's lyric poem 'The Little Boy Lost' taken from his 18th Century collection 'Songs of Innocence'. The plaintive cry:
Father, father, where are you going
O do not walk so fast
tugs at the heartstrings and introduces Adam Shah who has a painful relationship with his father and has disconnected himself from the world as a result. He chooses to express his angst by scribbling connected strings of ideas (ex: Suntrap. Sun trapped. Trapped son) and losing himself in his art. Irfan signifies him as Icarus, frightened to take the leap and follow his dreams because of the trauma that his family have suffered. His 8 year old sister Farah lives in silence communicating via sign language and absorbing herself in connecting dots. She is represented by hands in the shape of a heart, and is perceptive and sensitive to the feelings of others. Adam's mother Yasmin chooses keeping the house in order as a way of coping and he is so removed from her that all he can visualise is a pile of folded shirts. The other ubiquitous image used is a clenched fist.
When an enigmatic and homeless stranger, William, appears following the death of Adam's grandfather Abdul Aziz, the Shahs' lives start to change. He senses that their hearts ache but can he bring them peace and in doing so find a purpose? Furthermore can the non judgemental, quiet and patient William find acceptance in the Shah family's Muslim community?
Adam also has to deal with the added complication of alarming and surreal dreams which connect him to his grandfather and to William. They disturb him because they feel so real. Pressure also appears from other quarters placing him in a terrible quandary. Meanwhile, Laila, the girl he likes, who has 'stormy eyes' and 'hands that flutter like butterflies' remains elusive because he can never manage to say the right words to her. At school his only friend is 'Cans' who devotes all his time to music and whom he sees as a skull on a record with playlists circling inside his head.
Irfan deftly controls the plot, shifting the action from the exterior of gritty urban streets and rail yards to the interiors of the Shahs' frozen home life and Adam's chaotic school where the conflicted boy seeks out the tranquillity of the Art Room. He also expertly contrasts the inner and outer landscapes of his protagonist's world enabling the reader to connect with Adam's psyche. 'Out of Heart' explores anger, loss, fear, grief, guilt, violence and psychological turmoil in a compelling way, including moments calculated to shock, challenge, engage and repel the reader. The book ends with another significant poem by William Blake and a dot to dot puzzle but to unlock that mystery you will have to immerse yourself in its expressive pages.
'Out of Heart' opens with an extract from William Blake's lyric poem 'The Little Boy Lost' taken from his 18th Century collection 'Songs of Innocence'. The plaintive cry:
Father, father, where are you going
O do not walk so fast
tugs at the heartstrings and introduces Adam Shah who has a painful relationship with his father and has disconnected himself from the world as a result. He chooses to express his angst by scribbling connected strings of ideas (ex: Suntrap. Sun trapped. Trapped son) and losing himself in his art. Irfan signifies him as Icarus, frightened to take the leap and follow his dreams because of the trauma that his family have suffered. His 8 year old sister Farah lives in silence communicating via sign language and absorbing herself in connecting dots. She is represented by hands in the shape of a heart, and is perceptive and sensitive to the feelings of others. Adam's mother Yasmin chooses keeping the house in order as a way of coping and he is so removed from her that all he can visualise is a pile of folded shirts. The other ubiquitous image used is a clenched fist.
When an enigmatic and homeless stranger, William, appears following the death of Adam's grandfather Abdul Aziz, the Shahs' lives start to change. He senses that their hearts ache but can he bring them peace and in doing so find a purpose? Furthermore can the non judgemental, quiet and patient William find acceptance in the Shah family's Muslim community?
Adam also has to deal with the added complication of alarming and surreal dreams which connect him to his grandfather and to William. They disturb him because they feel so real. Pressure also appears from other quarters placing him in a terrible quandary. Meanwhile, Laila, the girl he likes, who has 'stormy eyes' and 'hands that flutter like butterflies' remains elusive because he can never manage to say the right words to her. At school his only friend is 'Cans' who devotes all his time to music and whom he sees as a skull on a record with playlists circling inside his head.
Irfan deftly controls the plot, shifting the action from the exterior of gritty urban streets and rail yards to the interiors of the Shahs' frozen home life and Adam's chaotic school where the conflicted boy seeks out the tranquillity of the Art Room. He also expertly contrasts the inner and outer landscapes of his protagonist's world enabling the reader to connect with Adam's psyche. 'Out of Heart' explores anger, loss, fear, grief, guilt, violence and psychological turmoil in a compelling way, including moments calculated to shock, challenge, engage and repel the reader. The book ends with another significant poem by William Blake and a dot to dot puzzle but to unlock that mystery you will have to immerse yourself in its expressive pages.
December 30, 2017
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Adam is the darkness, joined only to the rest of the world by a thread, bound within his own drawings and head, barely speaking. His sister doesn’t speak, and neither does his mother or grandfather. After his grandfather dies and donates his heart to William, William becomes a fixture in Adam’s house and life.
This novel felt disjointed and fast. Somehow, 7 months passed and I didn’t notice. There’s hardly enough pages in there for any details. Trying to fit in an abuse/transplant/love/damage storyline was too much, and instead I was left feeling cheated about the whole lot.
I felt disconnected from Adam, and couldn’t even get excited about the fact that he grew a spine somewhere between his childhood (where it wasn’t his fault and it was safer not to have one) and now. Simply, even the violent scenes left me cold, because the prose wasn’t compelling, and I felt distant the whole time. So did Adam, but it’s hard for me to care to keep reading….
The word plays that Adam uses could have been used even more effectively, or perhaps some more images that he drew. Anything! I actually really loved the idea of what he drew on the trains, but it wasn’t clear at all what the point was – if you can only see it from 24 floors in the air! That being said, yet another tortured artist student novel right here.
Does Farah not go to school? What’s wrong with doing dot-to-dots? How long has it been? School seems to feature so little in anything, despite readers listening through a set of school parent-teacher meetings. What are the two jobs Adam’s mom works? How does Adam get to work on time? Where do they live?
Something I hate, and maybe it’s just because I perhaps need glasses, is when thoughts or memories in a novel are included in a special type of script that isn’t just printed text. It almost guarentees I will dislike the novel,
Nothing remarkable to see here. There wasn’t enough substance, it took me about 1 hour to read it, and I didn’t feel like I had gained anything after it because I hadn’t become attached to the characters. I’m giving it 2 stars – I’m not feeling that kindly about it because I have many other novels to read that are (hopefully) way more exciting. I think I need to be more wary of Hot Key books (such as Fly on the Wall), no matter how intriguing they sound.
Adam is the darkness, joined only to the rest of the world by a thread, bound within his own drawings and head, barely speaking. His sister doesn’t speak, and neither does his mother or grandfather. After his grandfather dies and donates his heart to William, William becomes a fixture in Adam’s house and life.
This novel felt disjointed and fast. Somehow, 7 months passed and I didn’t notice. There’s hardly enough pages in there for any details. Trying to fit in an abuse/transplant/love/damage storyline was too much, and instead I was left feeling cheated about the whole lot.
I felt disconnected from Adam, and couldn’t even get excited about the fact that he grew a spine somewhere between his childhood (where it wasn’t his fault and it was safer not to have one) and now. Simply, even the violent scenes left me cold, because the prose wasn’t compelling, and I felt distant the whole time. So did Adam, but it’s hard for me to care to keep reading….
The word plays that Adam uses could have been used even more effectively, or perhaps some more images that he drew. Anything! I actually really loved the idea of what he drew on the trains, but it wasn’t clear at all what the point was – if you can only see it from 24 floors in the air! That being said, yet another tortured artist student novel right here.
Does Farah not go to school? What’s wrong with doing dot-to-dots? How long has it been? School seems to feature so little in anything, despite readers listening through a set of school parent-teacher meetings. What are the two jobs Adam’s mom works? How does Adam get to work on time? Where do they live?
Something I hate, and maybe it’s just because I perhaps need glasses, is when thoughts or memories in a novel are included in a special type of script that isn’t just printed text. It almost guarentees I will dislike the novel,
Nothing remarkable to see here. There wasn’t enough substance, it took me about 1 hour to read it, and I didn’t feel like I had gained anything after it because I hadn’t become attached to the characters. I’m giving it 2 stars – I’m not feeling that kindly about it because I have many other novels to read that are (hopefully) way more exciting. I think I need to be more wary of Hot Key books (such as Fly on the Wall), no matter how intriguing they sound.
August 1, 2017
Check out my full review HERE!!
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Thank you to Hot Key Books publishing for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for a full review.
This was an interesting novel and it was much different than what I was expecting before going into it. The novel tells the story of Adam, a teenager with a passion for drawing who lives with his mum and sister and of William, a man without family who has received the heart of Adam's recently deceased Grandfather.
The novel had such a unique plot and although I enjoyed reading about the many twists and turns of Adam's life as he tries to do the best for his family and himself, I didn't feel gripped to the novel. I really enjoyed reading from Adam's persepctive, his voice was honest and engaging. I enjoyed his relationship with William and their slowly growing friendship was nice to read about. I liked reading about Adam's passion for art and his feelings for Laila.
The charcters in the novel were well written. I particularly enjoyed Adams mother- she was fierce and strong and resilient. Adam's younger sister who does not speak was also a really interesting charcter and I loved reading about her as the story unfolded more.
The novel was broken up with little illustrations and facts about hearts or quotes from books about hearts whhich I thought was interesting. In the novel it never said what age William was and I assumed he was a teenager like Adam but then later in the novel found out he was a man! This jarred me a little and I think the novel could have been a little more descriptive with characters in places.
The writing style sometimes felt a little flat for me but I enjoyed the novel overall and read the book in a day. I liked the short chapters of the novel and the cover is striking yet understated. I just felt the novel was a little lacking in places and did not grip me as much as I would have liked.
A unique and interesting novel of family, loss, passion and belonging.
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Thank you to Hot Key Books publishing for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for a full review.
This was an interesting novel and it was much different than what I was expecting before going into it. The novel tells the story of Adam, a teenager with a passion for drawing who lives with his mum and sister and of William, a man without family who has received the heart of Adam's recently deceased Grandfather.
The novel had such a unique plot and although I enjoyed reading about the many twists and turns of Adam's life as he tries to do the best for his family and himself, I didn't feel gripped to the novel. I really enjoyed reading from Adam's persepctive, his voice was honest and engaging. I enjoyed his relationship with William and their slowly growing friendship was nice to read about. I liked reading about Adam's passion for art and his feelings for Laila.
The charcters in the novel were well written. I particularly enjoyed Adams mother- she was fierce and strong and resilient. Adam's younger sister who does not speak was also a really interesting charcter and I loved reading about her as the story unfolded more.
The novel was broken up with little illustrations and facts about hearts or quotes from books about hearts whhich I thought was interesting. In the novel it never said what age William was and I assumed he was a teenager like Adam but then later in the novel found out he was a man! This jarred me a little and I think the novel could have been a little more descriptive with characters in places.
The writing style sometimes felt a little flat for me but I enjoyed the novel overall and read the book in a day. I liked the short chapters of the novel and the cover is striking yet understated. I just felt the novel was a little lacking in places and did not grip me as much as I would have liked.
A unique and interesting novel of family, loss, passion and belonging.
July 8, 2017
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from the publisher through a goodreads giveaway. My first impression was a bit of coverlove. I think the cover design is really eye-catching and appealing (although why a sun design instead of a heart?). The synopsis had me intrigued and I bumped it up my tbr list because I was really interested to see what the story was like.
I was not disappointed. It was thoroughly enjoyable and easy to devour. It is quite a short and easy read (I read it in one evening). The plot meanders along at a slow and steady pace.
The story is about Adam and his family. After suffering the loss of his grandfather, the recipient of his donated heart comes into their life quite unexpectedly. I loved that it seemed like it was the heart bringing William walking to that door. Each member of the family has their own quirk (mums inability to cry and truly grieve, Adams compulsive notetaking and scribbles, Farah’s muteness). I enjoyed that aspect. My only complaint is that, at times, the characters seemed a little one dimensional. I would have liked to have seen a little more depth and character development.
Some of the side characters seemed superfluous. I would have preferred it stuck to the family unit and developed them more.
At its core, this book is about grief, healing, and the meaning of family. I like that it highlights that family does not always come to you in the conventional form. There were hints as to the faith of the characters, I think that it should have been either highlighted or just left out – as it was, it felt unimportant.
I loved the art aspect of the story and found that feature compelling – I’d love to glimpse inside that notebook.
Overall, an engaging and heart-warming tale.
I was not disappointed. It was thoroughly enjoyable and easy to devour. It is quite a short and easy read (I read it in one evening). The plot meanders along at a slow and steady pace.
The story is about Adam and his family. After suffering the loss of his grandfather, the recipient of his donated heart comes into their life quite unexpectedly. I loved that it seemed like it was the heart bringing William walking to that door. Each member of the family has their own quirk (mums inability to cry and truly grieve, Adams compulsive notetaking and scribbles, Farah’s muteness). I enjoyed that aspect. My only complaint is that, at times, the characters seemed a little one dimensional. I would have liked to have seen a little more depth and character development.
Some of the side characters seemed superfluous. I would have preferred it stuck to the family unit and developed them more.
At its core, this book is about grief, healing, and the meaning of family. I like that it highlights that family does not always come to you in the conventional form. There were hints as to the faith of the characters, I think that it should have been either highlighted or just left out – as it was, it felt unimportant.
I loved the art aspect of the story and found that feature compelling – I’d love to glimpse inside that notebook.
Overall, an engaging and heart-warming tale.
August 31, 2018
"With Adam, he's on the page. He's in every scribble and scratch of his pencil. He questions in every drawing what art is. And each time he breaks his image down to its true essence."
This book was really slow, really quiet, and had very little details. Normally, that sounds like something that would earn at most two or three stars from me, but for this book, it's what made it a favourite.
Out of Heart dealt with a lot of complex themes like love, family, friendship, loss, art and disability, but it was told in a simple and thought-provoking way, which was quite beautiful and rather poetic. The characters in this book felt incredibly real, although I did feel that some of them, namely Laila and Farah, could do with a bit more development. Adam, the main character, is also a Muslim POC, and the book briefly touches on the racism faced by his community, as well as the issue of domestic violence.
The only big problem that I had with this book was when Adam's friend voices some terrible comments about Autism, saying that Adam's "whole silent-drawing, faraway deep thing" is going to end up making teachers think that he's on the autism spectrum, and he uses some pretty derogatory terms to describe this. Yikes.
If written in a different way, this story could have been really heavy and depressing but although the ending was really sad, it ended with a lot of hope for the future of its characters. The problems faced by Adam and his family aren't quite resolved, but as a reader you get a sensing that one way or another, they'll all be okay in the end. All in all, it was a very bittersweet read that made me feel a lot of feelings and think a lot of thoughts, and I'd definitely recommend reading this book with an open mind.
June 30, 2017
I don't know why but I was expecting this to be a story about two boys, but it's about a boy and a man, which changed the whole dynamic of the book for me.
I really liked Adams story and really felt for him with everything he went through, I was expecting to feel the same with William, bit he just felt a bit flat to me?
The ending felt rushed and sudden, and I got annoyed at how the characters spoke to each other, I also didn't like how characters were introduced and then just appeared once or twice. It was like the idea for the story was there, and each subject was touched upon briefly, but I wished it would've been a bit more 'deeper' and heartfelt. And the ending just didn't make any sense to me? like, why?
I really did like Adams story though so, 2.5 stars
I really liked Adams story and really felt for him with everything he went through, I was expecting to feel the same with William, bit he just felt a bit flat to me?
The ending felt rushed and sudden, and I got annoyed at how the characters spoke to each other, I also didn't like how characters were introduced and then just appeared once or twice. It was like the idea for the story was there, and each subject was touched upon briefly, but I wished it would've been a bit more 'deeper' and heartfelt. And the ending just didn't make any sense to me? like, why?
I really did like Adams story though so, 2.5 stars
November 7, 2017
I loved this book. It is a sensitively told story about William who gets a donated heart. The heart was donated by Adam's grandfather - and William feels increasingly drawn to the family. Visiting them one day, he meets Adam - a teenager who desperately misses his grandfather and resents the fact that his heart now lives in William; and his little sister Farah who is a selective mute. Their mother welcomes William into the family, and Adam has to work out his grief and guilt - guilt because he feels he is responsible for Farah's condition.
A beautiful story of love and families from Irfan Master. This book deserves it's place on the Carnegie longlist.
A beautiful story of love and families from Irfan Master. This book deserves it's place on the Carnegie longlist.
March 19, 2019
"Out of Heart" tries so hard to be meaningful it seems forced. The premise sounded great but it didn't go the way I expected it.
The characters appear to be flat as well.
Reading it also got me aware of my own heart and it made me quite uncomfortable.
Like back in school when we were talking about arteries, the nervous system or our brains in biology class it was almost like I could feel those thinks working inside me and it drives me crazy. But that's just a personal problem I have with reading about human body parts.
Over all I did not enjoy this book and it did not meet the potential it could have had.
The characters appear to be flat as well.
Reading it also got me aware of my own heart and it made me quite uncomfortable.
Like back in school when we were talking about arteries, the nervous system or our brains in biology class it was almost like I could feel those thinks working inside me and it drives me crazy. But that's just a personal problem I have with reading about human body parts.
Over all I did not enjoy this book and it did not meet the potential it could have had.
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