השמים שלנו

by Luke Allnutt, לוק אולנאט, קטיה בנוביץ' (translator)

רוב קואטס מרגיש שהוא זכה בלוטו. יש לו אישה מדהימה בשם אנה, בית בלונדון, והיקר לו מכול - בן בשם ג'ק, שהופך כל יום להרפתקה מדהימה. אבל כשמחלה קטלנית מכה במשפחה, עולמו של רוב מתחיל להתפורר. הוא מגלה פתאום שהוא לבד ומבקש נחמה בצילום גורדי שחקים ופסגות צוקים שהוא ובנו ג'ק נהגו לבקר בהם. בדיוק כשנדמה שאפסה התקווה, רוב יוצא למסע המפעים מכול ומפלס את דרכו חזרה לחיים, ולסליחה.
השמים שלנו הוא רומן מכמיר לב, אבל היאחזותו בחיים תעורר הזדהות אצל כל מי שחווה אובדן או אהבה גדולה. לוק אולנאט כתב רומן ביכורים רהוט ושנון המהלל את כוחה של האהבה, ומראה כיצד גם לב שבור יכול לשוב ולפעום.
לוק אולנאט, סופר ועיתונאי, נשוי ואב לשני בנים, גדל בבריטניה וחי ועובד בפראג. זכויות התרגום לספרו השמים שלנו כבר נמכרו ל־29 מדינות.
"פרוזה עדינה ורגישה, ועם זאת נגישה כווידוי נוגע ללב של חבר, עם תהפוכות מפתיעות כמו בחיים עצמם."
פבלישרס ויקלי
"סיפור מרגש עד דמעות. ולמרות הצורך הדחוף בממחטות, התקווה היא זו שתישאר איתכם זמן רב אחרי שתגמרו לקרוא אותו." הסאן

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Family, Book Club, Drama, Adult

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2018

About the author

Luke Allnutt grew up in Surrey and has lived and worked in Prague as a journalist since 1998, writing mostly about technology and Eastern European politics.

In 2013, he wrote about his father's death from a brain tumor in UNSPOKEN, a Kindle Single for Amazon. A keen runner, he is married and has two young boys.

Reviews

[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sick child, parents desperate to find help, to do anything to cure their child. The story begins with Rob Coates in a low place, depressed, drinking and grieving alone. The story of a family dealing with a crisis is told from Rob’s point of view. Rob and Anna love their five year old son Jack and each other, but as it sometimes happens, relationships are affected as people struggle to deal with sadness and loss. Decisions are made and rifts occur. It’s an emotional read, about difficult circumstances, yet it captures moments of joy that ease the road to forgiveness and healing. I don’t usually comment on book covers, but this one says so much about the story in it’s beauty and simplicity - a man and his little boy.

I’m finding it difficult to write a review without giving anything away so this may seem a little vague, a little short, but I prefer to keep away from specifics. This is an emotional story, realistic and one that drew me in from the beginning, not just the beginning of the novel, but in Allnutt’s note to the reader at the start of the book, where he tells us what his motivation was to write the book : “I wrote it because I thought I was going to die.” Having been diagnosed with a serious illness, on a journey of healing of his own, he wrote this story of healing and hope reflected in the journey of Rob, Anna and beautiful Jack.


I received an advanced copy of this book from Park Row Books/HarperCollins through NetGalley and Edelweiss.

[Canadian Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The unraveling of a family when a child takes ill. What one parent will do to try to beat the odds. The sacrifices monumental.
This is a story of love, loss and of forgiveness. The stripping of one's character to the most primitive of emotions. The rawness of grief. The flaws in character that are magnified during a dark and desperate moment. And the healing that comes with acceptance.
I found this to be beautifully written but still something amiss for that emotional connection that would have made this a perfect read.
4⭐️

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars to We Own the Sky, a tribute to the love between fathers and sons! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Luke Allnutt had me hooked from his opening where he spoke personally of his own serious illness. He began writing this novel to help him cope while receiving chemotherapy. Allnutt spoke so sensitively about his wife and children that I knew this book was going to grab hold of my heart.

And that it did.

Rob Coates is married to Anna, and their son, Jack, receives a dire diagnosis. Rob is desperate to find a cure for Jack, willing to try any treatment, even if affects his quality of life.

Rob is our narrator, which adds a unique perspective to the story because it enabled the exploration of that special bond fathers and sons can have.

Devastatingly, Rob goes from having it all to losing everything, and the story in between is witty, endearing, clever, and full of hope and healing.

If you’ve experienced loss, Rob, Anna, and Jack’s story will resonate in its authenticity and relevance.

Thank you to Luke Allnutt, Park Row Books/Harper Collins, and Edelweiss for the ARC to review.

[Lindsay L · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A very touching story about family, hope, love and loss.

Rob and Anna Coates are happily married with a young son named Jack. Tragedy strikes their lives when a devastating illness is diagnosed. This novel follows Rob through the aftermath of this diagnosis. It is an honest, emotional, raw and sincere look into the face of family tragedy and grief.

The author, Luke Allnutt, writes from the heart. His own personal battle with cancer sparked the idea of writing this heartfelt story. There are many hard-hitting moments. My emotions swirled throughout this book – I felt for this family and shed more than a few tears at what they experienced and endured.

For the majority of the novel, I felt a strong connection, however, I did find there were parts where my mind wandered. For me, there were a few sections that seemed like extra detail that wasn’t necessary but it didn’t take away from the story as a whole. Overall, I really enjoyed this journey.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin and Luke Allnutt for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Ron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy meets girl. Yeah, it's in a bar, but not for reasons you might expect. They are both there to celebrate the birthday of a friend. There is an attraction, and so boy speaks to the girl. Rob is his name. And Anna is hers. Both in college, on the cusp of graduating and moving on to the life that comes after. A job, a career, and what else may come. Love? Yes. For these two, not so mismatched, except in their careers. Anna: no-nonsense, a planner, an accountant. Rob: ideas, software coding, an entrepreneur. Family? Yes. But not without hardship first, that comes in the form of a miscarriage, and then two. Because of it, there is fear. A Boy? Yes. And he is beautiful. He is smart, loving, adventurous. And he is now five. And at five, hardship comes again...

This story broke me. But it also mended. It is strange how a story can do both. Healing may come after grief, but only if you'll allow it, so I guess that is the why, and for these characters as well. This book was beautiful in the way its relationships were expressed: marriage and family with love that is only more meaningful by a child. It is an ode to a father-son relationship, and what a father would do for that love. It is also raw with emotion and choices. Father's can make mistakes in the name of that same love. In here though, I met a boy that I could not forget if I tried, and a dad who never will.

”we raced up the elevator, as fast as a space rocket, and then the doors opened up into a huge glass room and you said it was like stepping out into the sky. and it was Jack, it really was, because we could see right across london, as far as the south downs, nearly as far as the sea. we walked around, looking up and down, left and right, like timothy pope with his telescope and I will never forget that day for as long as I live. your laugh like chocolate as you danced with the shadows, the tinkle of rain on the glass.”

[Sunflowerbooklover · Rating 3 out of 5]

We Own the Sky is a beautifully written novel about love, loss, and family.

Luke Alnutt delivers a very raw and emotional read about a family Anna and Rob struggling with their son Jack's brain tumor.

Interesting fact about myself... during graduate school I did bereavement counseling and that was a very eye opening experience. One thing that I learned you can't judge someone based on how they grieve or don't grieve with loss. Relationships and people are affected differently as they try and cope the best that they can.

I think this novel portrays so well how life can so easily fall through your finger tips. One moment you feel like you're ready to give up on life... and the next by some miracle it's the beauty of healing.

I felt conflicted rating this novel... it had so much beauty especially the significance of the title and the cover. But, I just felt like it was just missing something. I couldn't connect with the characters in the way I wanted... and almost like I was looking into a microscope (without being able to grasp the content).
Anna also felt a little cold to me and I wasn't too fond of her.

The ending with Anna and Rob was a bit over the top and cheesy for my taste.

Overall, I enjoyed this one but not my favorite.

3.5 stars for this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the advanced arc.
Publication date: 4/3/18
Published to GR: 4/3/18.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

’Close your eyes
Have no fear
The monster’s gone
He’s on the run and your daddy’s here

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
Beautiful boy’
-- John Lennon Beautiful Boy

This is a love story in the traditional sense, boy meets girl, and so on, but also it is a love story of a parent’s love of their child, a love of life and making sure the ones you love know that they are loved. And not just loved, but worthy of love no matter how fallible we all are.

Rob - as in the “boy” who meets Anna, the “girl” - shares his story, a likeable guy who is smitten by Anna early on. Rob is creative, his two other loves beside Anna are photography and computers. He is working on some new computer programs, and will become successful over time, always coming up with ideas for programs. Anna is very practical, all about numbers, accounting, her feet solidly on the ground of things that are consistent and provable. They marry, and after some time, a third love enters the picture. Jack.

Jack, their lovely little baby boy that joins them after two miscarriages. Their world changes, their focus on this new addition, especially for Rob, who has made the decision to be the one to stay home and care for Jack, working from home. As Jack grows there are the normal changes that come with time, and normal childhood. He is their beautiful boy.

Childhood, life at any age really, is an adventure, sometimes fraught with danger. The majority of days have an aura of sameness to them, a bit boring - until they are faced with news that will shatter them. Responses to life-changing news varies. Denial, obsessively searching for answers, trying anything, everything to rewrite the outcome are easier than acceptance. Acceptance requires acknowledgement, but first there is a sense of denial, anger, depression, or bargaining. It’s a process, and we frequently find it hard to relate to the different paths others take to get to the same point. Sometimes that process divides us, and our paths diverge.

Still, the story remains unchanged, but we have been changed.

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

Oh those Facebook mothers. The way they talked, as if they had invented motherhood, as if they had invented the womb, telling themselves they were different from their own mothers because they ate quinoa and had cornrows in their hair and ran a Pinterest board on craft ideas for the recalcitrant under-fives.

Her eyes are like lizard tongues, darting toward me when she thinks I’m not looking.

There was a strange musty smell in Anna’s parents’ house: it reminded me of Werther’s Butterscotch or the jasmine-scented handkerchiefs old people put in their drawers.

Too soon. He was seventy-four. He’d had his three score and ten. David Frost had probably spent more time on the toilet than my son had been alive.

I should have listened to my dad. He liked a drink, but hated drinkers. It’s all about them, son, he had told me, boring old bastards, always droning on. All them clever thoughts, son, but the boy could hardly stand. Because it gets you like that, the booze. It makes you think you’re unwrapping the world. But you’re not. The world is unwrapping you.

My Review:

This book gutted me, but in the best way possible. Cleverly written with wit and observantly insightful detail that tapped all the senses, I was engaged and invested throughout this tragic yet uplifting and transformative journey. I was staggered by the knowledge that this stunningly crafted work was Mr. Allnutt’s debut. I was quite taken by his well-honed and smooth writing style, which pulled me right into the vortex of a loving and desperate father’s cranium. I felt and absorbed his jubilance as well as his disequilibrium and misery. The premise was relevant and moving while the prose was heart squeezing and emotive. I fell in love with the adorable little Jack.

[Marialyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find my reviews here https://wordpress.com/page/yayareadsl...

How does one go on after the loss of a child? How do you want to take another breathe, walk another step, live another day knowing that the child you so loved and cherished is gone?

Rob and Anna met at Cambridge, they fall in love and marry and after a time two becomes three as they welcome their beautiful son, Jack into the world. They are so enamored with Jack for it was very hard for Anna to conceive. Jack loves special things, tall buildings, taking photographs, and his special cheese toast. He grows with their love to the age of five and then the world they have created shatters as Jack stumbles in the playground and after being checked by the doctors, they receive devastating news.

As the story continues Jack's life becomes filled with doctor and hospital visits, and Rob and Anna try to navigate their way through this news which will eventually shatter everything. Searching for something, anything that will help Jack, Rob finds an online group and through one of their members receives just the hope he wants to latch onto. As Jack becomes sicker the strain of this all places many cracks in their marriage and as they struggle facing the inevitable they part and each handles the devastation in different ways.

This was a heart breaking story, one that truly affirms that losing a child is the very worst torture a parent can go through. It was an emotional story, one that brought tears to my eyes on many occasions. When reading such a book as this, one can reflect on how very fortunate they are to have had children who are healthy and grow. It is a reminder to always cherish what you have with them and find moments of joy always in their birth and growth in this world.

"At sunset the little soul that had come with the dawning went away, leaving heartbreak behind it" (L.M. Montgomery)

Thanks once again to my local library for having a copy of this wonderful book. Luke Allnutt has written a book relying on his own experiences with this devastating illness we all know as cancer.

[Tracy Fenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you start a book and within the first few paragraphs you just connect. Maybe it's the writing, the situation or the characters, but occasionally these books get under your skin and hook you until the final page.

For me personally, this was one of those books. As a parent it is never easy to read about a young child becoming ill, or follow the parents anguish and hope and desperation to save their son, but this story deals with the subject with compassion and a real sense of believability.

Told entirely through the fathers eyes, We Own The Sky is a story that touched me deeply. I was thinking about this book constantly and when I read the final chapter I knew it would stay with me for a long time afterwards.

A really beautiful and heartbreaking story about love, grief, family, hope and how far we would go to protect our loved ones.

Highly recommended.

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rob and Anna. Then later Jack their son.

Jack blesses his life every day for his wife Anna by his side and the icing on the cake, his son Jack.
He’s in heaven, fully contented with his life.

Then their lives fall apart.


This is an emotional read that you will need tissues close by you.

Rob is now devastated of course and is just covered in his own fog of grief which no one can penetrate and quite frankly, he doesn’t want to talk about it.

The effects of grief.
The heart thats broken.

Can his heart mend?
Can the relationship get through this?

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make sure you read the introduction to this as it gives you an in-depth understanding of why Luke Allnutt wrote this book. I found it very emotional and was in need of tissues before I had actually even read the first chapter! And you better make sure you keep those tissues handy as you are going to need them!

This is a wonderful book, beautifully written and with an unexpected calmness as the storyline develops. There is no screaming and shouting as Rob and Anna come to terms with what is happening to Jack, just a quiet determination from mathematically minded Rob as he try’s to find answers to what he sees as a solvable problem. Robs relationship with his son was incredibly touching to watch, their father and son connection an uncomplicated delight to behold. In comparison, Anna was very different in personality and dealt with her emotions with more of a “stiff upper lip” but as we find out more about her own background and upbringing, her reactions begin to make much more sense.

Although a book about loss, this isn’t a depressing read. The theme of hope and dreams for the future running throughout the narrative make it an uplifting tale of life but unfortunately our journey through it is often not always the smooth passage that we would hope for ourselves and our loved ones. There were times that I felt more sorry for Anna than for Rob as she struggled with her husbands reaction as well as having to be strong for her son, hiding her emotions from them both until she is alone. But it was refreshing in a way to see this family just through the eyes of a father and his love for his son.

I cried and I prayed but most of all I internalised my rage for Rob and Anna at the shockingly unfair challenges life was throwing at this perfect and happy little family unit. This emotional and heartbreaking tale had an incredible affect on me as I felt so connected to them all and the struggle they faced. And it has remained with me as I still miss the characters now that I have finished the book and wish I could pop back in to find out how they are doing now. Yes they felt that real to me!

A wonderful book that I have no hesitation in recommending! Anyone who has a family or who has suffered loss will immediately recognise that this book has been written by someone who completely understands the devastation of learning to live again without fear and guilt of the past.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mana mamma uzticīgi lasa visu, ko es viņai iesaku. Līdz ar to nevarēju ignorēt to vienīgo reizi, kad viņa ieteica grāmatu man. Un viņa man ieteica skaistu raudāmgabalu. Protams, grūti par skaistu nosaukt patiešām traģisku stāstu. Patiesībā simtiem tūkstošiem stāstu, kas mums ir visapkārt, bet, ja tas neskar mūsu ģimenes, pat nepamanām. Vecākiem nebūtu jāpiedzīvo savu bērnu aiziešana, tas ir kaut kādā ziņā pat pretdabiski. Tomēr tas notiek. Arī miera apstākļos. Arī pārticīgās zemēs un ģimenēs. Un tā ir traģēdija.

"Mums pieder debesis" dod iespēju izsekot vienai šādai traģēdijai, kas ietver gan visplašāko emociju klāstu, gan arī melnu, melnu mārketingu, attiecības ar reliģiju, attiecības ar draugiem, mirstoša bērna vecāku savstarpējās attiecības, alkoholisma postu, kā arī dziedināšanos un Dziedināšanos, kas laikam nekad nebeidzas.

Grāmatu lasīju ļoti raiti, pat pārsteidza, cik āti nonācu līdz beigām. Valoda vienkārša, bet ne pliekana, galvenie tēli attīstās un mainās, sižets aizkustinošs. Ja ir vēlme, šī ir iespēja izbēgt no šodienas šausmām kādā citā traģēdijā.

3.5 zvaigznes

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stau de câteva minute cu telefonul în mână încercând să scriu ceva despre această carte si parca orice imi vine in minte mi se pare prea puțin. Nici nu stiu cu ce sa incep. Nici nu stiu ce sa spun, astfel încât să exprim exact sentimentele pe care le am in aceasta clipa. Uf! Ce greu este!
Cartea asta... este... sfâșietoare!
Sa nu va mire cuvântul ales, pt ca pur si simplu asa am simtit-o.
Am plâns citind, cat nu cred ca am mai plâns la vreo carte (si sunt plangacioasa cand vine vorba de povești de viata, de drame etc). M-am conectat imediat cu povestea, cu personajele, cu modul lejer de scriere al autorului, asa ca nici nu stiu cand a trecut noaptea.
Da, am citit-o in cateva ore, pe nerăsuflate, chiar dacă lacrimile mi se înnodau sub barbie, si ochii mi se impaienjeneau. Efectiv n-am fost capabilă să renunț la ea.
M-a durut teribil insa. Am simtit disperarea, neputinta si durerea lui Rob, de parcă as fi fost eu in locul lui. Am simtit tandrețea si calmitatea Anei de parcă mi-ar fi fost cea mai bună prietenă. Am îndrăgit pofta de viata a lui Jack, de parcă ar fi fost fiul meu.
Recunosc ca dupa ce am terminat de citit, încă plângând, mi-am strâns copilul in brațe și am multumit cerului pentru cat de norocoasă sunt.
Stiti cum e cartea asta? Ca o palmă dată tuturor celor care cred ca lor nu li se poate întâmpla, tuturor celor care pun pret pe orice altceva si mai puțin pe viata.
Cunosc un caz real in care cancerul pur si simplu a rupt o familie in doua... moartea... deși este singurul lucru sigur din viața oricărui om, nu contenește să mă indurereze.
Ne distruge si ne inraieste, scoate din noi tot ce este mai rau. (Vb strict in cazuri din astea). Simt ca aceasta poveste va fi mai usor înțeleasă de cei care au copii, pt ca e posibil sa ia lucrurile mai personal. Eu cel puțin așa am facut.
Am scris o grămadă si n-am mare lucru... dar sunt dată putin peste cap!
Povestea este despre o familie care trece prin cel mai cumplit lucru... acela de a înfrunta moartea copilului lor. Am citit acum cateva luni o carte (n-are legatura cu aceasta) dar care avea pe coperta o singură întrebare: cat valorează viata copilului tau? Citind acum aceasta poveste, aceasta intrebare mi s-a tot plimbat prin minte... dificil răspuns!
Aceasta carte se poate încadra in doua categorii: prima- ajungi sa o pui la loc de cinste ca fiind una buna, care-ti atinge sufletul si nu o poti uita prea curând, si cea de-a doua - sa renunți la ea după primele pagini, si sa ajungi sa o urăști pentru franchețea cu care subliniază toate aceste lucruri legate de familie, boala, moarte etc... Nu cred ca exista cale de mijloc.
Ca o încheiere... pt cei tari de inima si care iubesc genul asta de povești (Cu ultima suflare. O femeie la doctor-gen) v-o recomand.
Celor slabi de inger, care sunt usor depresivi si care suferă... Nu!
Este o carte mult prea încărcată ca sa poata fi asimilată de oricine.
Chiar dacă este o poveste tristă... tot timpul se vede luminița de la capătul tunelului, fapt care ma face sa spun ca in fiecare lucru rau, exista si ceva bun.
5 stele fără doar și poate. 🤩🤩🤩

[Sandra Deaconu · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 steluțe. Al nostru este cerul este o poveste cel puțin sfâșietoare, care sigur o să vă marcheze și o să rămână cu voi. Repet avertismentul: este foarte greu de parcurs și nu știu dacă o poate citi cineva fără pauze. Păcat că nu putem proceda la fel și cu viața, când este grea! Este o poveste cu un mare impact emoțional despre lupta incredibilă a sufletului de a se regenera, de a găsi puterea să meargă mai departe și să vadă frumusețea lumii ascunsă sub gunoaiele aruncate de soartă. Cartea asta ar trebui să se vândă cu un pachet de șervețele inclus. Recenzia aici: https://sandradeaconu.blogspot.com/20....

,,Și-a pus capul pe umărul meu și am stat așa. Lacrimile ei mi-au udat tricoul, în timp ce ascultam zgomotele orașului. Sunetul pe care îl făceau lumile altor oameni.''

[Myrn🩶 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good well written debut novel. I was hesitant at first to read this novel on such a sad, sad issue. What a great reminder that tomorrow’s not promised. 3.5 stars!

[Joy D · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decently written contemporary fiction about a family dealing with illness, suffering, and grief. It is set in England in the 2000’s. I can’t say too much about the plot without spoilers. Several of the descriptive passages, especially of the photographic settings, were quite eloquent. I also found it engrossing in places. The author does a good job of showing the impact of grave illness on a family.

In my opinion, the book summary, which I assume is provided by the publisher, is misleading. It states this book is “a tender, heartrending, but ultimately life-affirming novel that will resonate deeply with anyone who has suffered loss.” Personally, I did not find it “life-affirming” at all and think many people who have experienced loss will be upset by this book, as I was. It stacks one episode of misery on top of the next. I have a reasonably high tolerance for sadness, but I found this book extremely depressing.

Numerous people liked this book, but unfortunately, I was not one of them. Since this is a debut, I would be willing to read another work by this author, especially if the subject matter is not as tragic.

[Loredana (Bookinista08) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superbă și devastatoare carte! Nu cred că am mai întâlnit o asemenea sensibilitate la un scriitor... Scriitura nu are nimic bombastic, dar este plină de sentiment și de trăire. Povestea e răvășitoare. Personajele sunt bine conturate și desprinse parcă din realitate. Ce mai, mi-a plăcut foarte mult! O carte tristă, dar scrisă pe un ton matur și înțelept. Are o luminiță la capătul tunelului, așa că nu totul e negru.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.
Life can change in an instant as Rob, Anna and their young son Jack discover. Change ultimately brings choices and differing views about the way forward. What do you do when you have been given the worst news possible about your son? Do you look for answers in even the most unlikely places? Or accept the inevitable? But is it inevitable? These are the decisions Rob and Anna face and their choices affect so much more than just the situation with Jack. Yes, I’m trying to be very careful in this review not to give too much away.
From the beautiful cover with the sunflowers, this book has moments of charm and joy in amongst the sad times. The characters really come alive but I have to say I had to agree with Rob’s own assessment of himself as ’too arrogant to listen to reason.’ Yes, he was the fun parent who invented great games for Jack and that was the good side of him. But I also thought he was rather selfish, and irresponsible and put too much pressure on Anna by his behaviour and that is not just to do with what happens later in the book.
Some of the scenes are lovely, others are heartbreaking. And yet somehow, for much of the time, I remained outside the action as though looking through frosted glass rather than emotionally involved. That surprised me as I am one who usually cries at the least suggestion of a book being a tearjerker. Given what happens in this book, it should have been. Yes, the story got me in and there was no way I wanted to stop reading it, but I just never felt that emotional connection. Despite that it is a good story, well told and worth reading. The author’s comments at the end about why and how he came to write it add perspective. This is a debut novel so worth giving it a try to see what you think.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.5 stars. Somewhere between liked it and really liked it.

Thanks to Harlequin Books and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this heartbreaking story. Reading about cancer is never easy and when you see children suffering it is even more difficult. In this story a young boy develops a brain tumor and the ways his treatment decisions and his death affect the relationship of his parents. The story is told from the POV of the father who is a computer genius. There are excerpts throughout that have no capitalization or punctuation. I found them distracting until I got to the end of the book. Some of the character interactions in the book seemed crude and unnecessary to the story.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ... It should come with a health warning. Do not read if suffering from heavy cold as elicited emotional response may lead to loss of ability to breathe. I kid you not. There were times when reading this book that I cried so much I almost suffocated as I was suffering from the lovely seasonal flu bug at the time. Oh and do not read this in public unless you are planning of getting a lot of strange looks because if you can read this without being moved to tears, then you are quite possibly a high functional sociopath. Just putting it out there ...

This is such an emotional and moving story. Any book which involves the death of a child would be. How can you not be moved by that? The story charts the story of Rob Coates who meets the love of his life, Anna, and together they marry and try their hardest to start a family. After a few false starts, enough in themselves to elicit afew tears, they are finally blessed with a son, Jack. He is a beautifully developed boy, very sweet and kind and Rob is devoted to him, heart and soul. SO when he is diagnosed with a tumour, it almost breaks Rob, a man who would do anything to protect his child.

And from this stage on, the story develops into the journey that Rob, Anna and Jack go on as Jack lives out his final months. Rob is a man who would give anything to find a cure for Jack, anything, even going as far as checking out all experimental treatments which may offer him some hope. You can feel his desperation seep from the page and as Luke Allnutt draws you further into the story, as a reader you feel there is nothing you wouldn't give for the story not to reach its inevitable conclusion. Gah! It's making me cry again now just thinking about the story to write this review.

Now the story itself has arisen from a very emotional journey that author Luke Allnutt has also been on and this resonates in every word that has been written. The overwhelming fear of loss, the unconditional love between Rob and Jack and the way in which the pressures of Jack's illness affect the relationship between Rob and Anna. It all rings true and every single word will drive an emotional response in the reader, even if at times it is simply disbelief. The way in which the loss of Jack breaks Rob ... It is heartbreaking to read and yet fully believable. And there is one scene, when Jack is really ill but Rob and Anna take him to his school's winter fair. The scene between Jack and his friends ... man. Crying buckets then, crying buckets now. This ... this is the scene that nearly killed me!

Rob's journey is a truly emotional one which sees hims move from elation as a man who has everything he ever wanted, to complete despair, becoming a man so broken that he ends up losing everything. And yet, from the very beginning, despite what you know is yet to come, there is still an element of hope. A tiny slither of light in the darkness and the reason for the title of book. A little bit of beauty which marks the tone of the bond between Rob and Jack. And the end of the book gives the reader hope. Hope that perhaps Rob has not quite lost everything.

If you are looking to be taken on an emotional, often heartbreaking journey, then do take a look. I cannot recommend this book enough. It will completely floor you, perhaps even break you a little, especially if you have ever experienced such a loss yourself, but it is far too beautiful a read to miss.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am actually a little sad to be writing that I didn't enjoy this book as much as I wanted. I really wanted to "love" this book. The Coates...Rob, Anna, and Jack were good. They were a loving family. You could tell what they were experiencing was affecting them as a family. Yet, through this all, I still felt like a stranger standing at the window trying to look in. For me, I craved the emotional heartfelt connection that I personally did not experience while reading this book. I kept reading hoping to find that connection.

The storyline itself was nice. This was part of the reason that I kept reading until the end. I liked Mr. Allnutt writing style. If the emotional connection had been there, this would have been the icing on the top of the cake. Yet, still this book was a nice read. I do plan to try out another book from this author.

[Marije · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Wat een ontzettend heftig verhaal. Na de eerste paar hoofdstukken nu net het boek in 1 adem uitgelezen. De tranen lopen over mijn wangen. Zo prachtig! De hoogte- en dieptepunten van liefde, verlies, verdriet, haat en hoop liggen zo dicht bij elkaar.

[Nina Draganova · Rating 5 out of 5]

2.30 е . Седя и не мога да спра сълзите си.
Независимо , че е написана равно и методично, тази книга бръкна до най-недостъпните места на моето сърце.
Ужасяващо тъжна.
И в същото време изпълнена с любов.
Такава , каквато не знам дали съм виждала и дали съществува.
Много силна и истинска книга.

[Arta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pirms grāmatas atvēršanas un tās nelielas nobaudīšanas jau zināju, ka šī būs īpaša grāmata. Zināju, ka autors reiz baltās lapas savā priekšā padarījis par emociju pārbagātu burtu un teikumu virknējumu kodu, radot romānu, kuru nu atkodē (un par izcilu dēvē) lasītāji vairāk nekā trīsdesmit valstīs visā pasaulē. Laikā, kad Lūks Alnats sāka strādāt pie "Mums pieder debesis", autoram tika diagnosticēts vēzis. Iespējams, tieši šīs spēcīgās emocijas ir tās, kuras runā visa romāna garumā. Runā par drosmi. Par neizsīkstošu mīlestību. Zaudējumiem. Par spēku dzīvot tālāk. Par spēku atzīt kļūdas. Spēku piedot. Runā par pasauli, kuru var ielikt plaukstās – tieši tik sīki mēs esam pretnostatīti šīs bargās diagnozes priekšā.
Vairāk par grāmatu (un manām pārdomām) blogā: https://austra.lv/2019/11/04/luks-aln...

[Maria Roxana · Rating 3 out of 5]

”Pentru că asta e iubirea. Să te simți trist că nu ai făcut parte din trecutul unei persoane.”

”Pentru că, uneori, să îți spui povestea este singurul fel în care poți rămâne în viață.”

”Cimitirele par a fi locuri în care domnește mereu iarna; chiar și vara e întunecat acolo, copacii opresc lumina să treacă..”

[Iza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kiedy diagnoza burzy dotąd uporządkowany świat i sprowadza mnóstwo smutku, a ostatecznie żałobę, liczy się każda chwila.

Powieść Luke'a Allnutta porusza ważne obecnie tematy. Jasne, jak sam opis wskazuje, opowiada o chorobie dziecka i podejmowanej przez rodziców walce, by zmierzyć się z nieszczęściem, ale dotyczy też czegoś więcej: załamania psychicznego, problemów w życiu małżeństwa, poczucia bezsilności, które pcha do sięgania po każde możliwe metody leczenia, lub choćby dające na to cień szansy, a także tego, jak niektórzy jawnie i perfidnie wykorzystują takie sytuacje. To duży problem, jednak nie to jest najważniejsze.

Rob i Anna wiodą szczęśliwe życie, do czasu gdy dowiadują się, że ich synek cierpi na niepoddający się leczeniu nowotwór. Rob szuka innych rozwiązań, Anna bierze słowa lekarzy takimi, jakie są i nie próbuje ich podważać - stara się jedynie spędzać pozostałe chwile z małym Jackiem. Ta część książki, w której w trudnym okresie próbie poddawana jest miłość rodziców chłopca, wiedzie do wiadomego zakończenia, w którym autor każdym słowem tłucze serce czytelnika, nie pozostawiając go nieczułym na tragedię, a także dzieli się ogromnym bólem odczuwanym przez ojca malucha, bo to właśnie mężczyzna jest narratorem powieści.

Świat Roba się rozpada, mężczyzna zupełnie nie potrafi sobie poradzić z losem i wtedy rozpoczyna się ostatnia część, część, na której wolę się skupić, ponieważ uważam, że może być światełkiem dla ludzi w podobnej sytuacji i ukazuje, iż mimo wszystko życie toczy się dalej, nawet gdy brakuje w nim małego człowieczka, który dotąd przynosił mnóstwo radości.

Droga Roba i Anny była ciężka i wyboista, ale ostatecznie ukazuje, że cierpienie można przekuć w coś dobrego, że da się żyć mimo rozerwanego na strzępy serca, że nadzieja jednak istnieje i że można ją ofiarować także innym. Czas leczy rany - nie jest to wyłącznie pusty frazes, lecz trzeba mu pomóc i stawić czoła stracie.

Niebo na własność to przede wszystkim i paradoksalnie powieść o zdrowieniu, z jej ostatnich stron płynie mnóstwo nadziei.

Główny temat przewija się dość często zarówno w literaturze, jak i filmie, ale przedstawiony został w ciekawy sposób, nieco odmienny, szczególnie ze względu na zaprezentowanie go z perspektywy ojca.

Jest to dobrze napisana książka, od której nie może się oderwać i na pewno zasługuje na miano godnej polecenia.

4-

[Ioana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al nostru este cerul este o pledoarie închinată iubirii, dar și suferinței. Este o scrisoare de dragoste tristă, dar și frumoasă, deoarece te poartă prin toate stările posibile, și chiar dacă ești doar un cititor neputincios, fără posibilitatea de a schimba cursul poveștii, chiar dacă simți că în fața ta drumul conduce spre durere, deznădeje, boală și suferință, ai totuși speranța că în final, după ce toate lucrurile au fost spuse și nu mai poți controla ce tocmai s-a întâmplat, chiar și atunci, în întunericul de după, ai vaga impresie că inima ta va fi capabilă să bată din nou. Poate nu la aceeași intensitate ca înainte, dar cu pași mici, susținuți, îți vei regăsi puterea.

Al nostru este cerul te va impresiona așa cum puține cărți o vor face. Îți va frânge inima în mii de bucățele, ca la sfârșit să le recompună. Unele părți vor fi vătămate pe vecie, altele vor regăsi drumul spre bucurie și speranță. Oricum vei citi această carte, îți garantez că nu o vei uita prea ușor.

Recenzia completa: https://twistinmysobriety-alexa.blogs...

[Ghanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cartea asta este extrem extrem de tristă. Ori, viața reală e suficient de dureroasă și dacă nu citim despre poveștile groaznice ale altora. Și totuși, cred că ar trebui, uneori, să încercăm să citim și astfel de volume, să experimentăm în acest mod controlat și părțile mai negre ale vieții. Nu ca să ne simțim norocoși pentru că n-am trecut prin asta, nici ca să ne reamintim cât de fragilă și efemeră e viața. Ci pentru că dincolo de toate, e o carte despre speranță.

E o poveste care îți reamintește că nu poți fii curajos dacă nu ești vulnerabil, că nu poți construi o relație dacă nu lași alți oameni să te cunoască și că uneori greșim chiar și atunci când încercăm să facem totul cât mai bine. Ba mai mult, în cele mai grele momente, e cel mai probabil să greșim în cele mai rele moduri, orbiți de sentimentele puternice prin care trecem. Pentru că suntem oameni.

Și tot ce putem face e să ne descurcăm cât de bine putem. Chiar dacă uneori, nu e de-ajuns.

Mai multe detalii în recenzia de pe blog: https://jurnalul-unei-cititoare.ro/bl...

[Oana Crâmpeie de suflet · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Al nostru este cerul” este o carte dureroasă, cu o temă teribilă, cutremurătoare, însă, în egală măsură, este un roman extraordinar de frumos, de plin de emoția aceea în stare pură pe care doar iubirea nesfârșită și suferința fără margini ți-o pot oferi. Este una dintre acele cărți numai bune împotriva depresiei și a anxietății despre care vă vorbeam mai demult, pentru că romanul are puterea unei terapii de grup și ajută părinții care trec prin aceleași evenimente ca acelea traversate de cei din carte să știe că nu sunt singuri și, cu toate că durerea pierderii nu trece niciodată cu adevărat și nici nu devine mai ușoară și nici nu pare mai corectă, cu toate că acel „de ce” nu încetează să te bântuie, aceasta devine mai suportabilă odată cu trecerea timpului și permite discutarea despre ceea ce s-a întâmplat cu cel iubit.

https://crampeiedesufletblog.wordpres...