Clementine and Rudy

by Siobhan Curham

Rudy is a street artist; Clementine is a poet. The day after Rudy sneaks out late one night and posts her first piece of artwork, Clem discovers it, awestruck. She takes a photo, writes a poem in response and posts them together on Instagram. Soon the two fifteen-year-olds meet and begin their unique friendship, one that nurtures creativity and results in a special creative collaboration. The girls may be from very different backgrounds, and experiencing difficulties at home, but each strives to be true to herself and follow her dreams.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Friendship

336 pages, Paperback

Published June 4, 2020

About the author

Hi, I’m Siobhan - which for those of you not familiar with the wonder of Irish names, is actually pronounced, Shiv-on!

I’m an award-winning author of over 50 books, fiction and non-fiction, for adults, young adults and children, and my first book was published back in 2000, so I’ve been at this writing game for almost a quarter of a century now.

I’m also a former council estate kid and a university drop-out - I dropped out because I didn’t think I had what it took to make it in the middle class world of publishing. Thankfully I managed to overcome my self doubt and fear and achieve my writing dreams, and now I love helping others do the same through my mentoring, courses and talks.

I don’t know about you, but during the pandemic I felt as if my life had collapsed in on itself and I’d had to shrink myself to fit this strange new world of lockdowns and zoom calls (oh, so many Zoom calls!) and working from home and working alone. Even when things returned to some semblance of normal back in 2022, I felt that I’d lost sight of who I was and I’d definitely lost my joy for living.

Then, an unexpected trip to Jamaica changed everything, jolting me back to life and reminding me of who I truly am. In a bid to never lose sight of myself and my sense of wonder and purpose again, I started travelling more and writing a weekly Substack letter called Wonderstruck. And in September 2023 I gave up my home in the UK and pretty much all of my worldly goods to solo travel the world while I write my books and mentor other writers.

I send Wonderstruck out to my subscribers every Sunday morning, writing about the places I visit and the lessons I learn there. My sole aim for writing this letter is to inspire others to rediscover their own sense of purpose, wonder and adventure.

If you've enjoyed reading any of my books I'd love it if you joined the Wonderstruck community over on Substack.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing my books, I really appreciate it!

Siobhan

Substack: siobhancurham.substack.com
Facebook: Siobhan Curham Author
Instagram: @SiobhanCurhamAuthor
Twitter: @SiobhanCurham

For more information about my books, mentoring and courses, please visit: http://www.siobhancurham.com

Reviews

[Rania T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siobhan Curham makes me want to live in Brighton (not the snobby Melbourne suburb by the way). Loved the dynamics between Clementine and Ruby. As a street art connoiseur, this was a brilliant read, with references to Basquiat and Berlin. Will leave you a feeling of wanting to hunt down any street art in your local neighbourhood too.

[Hannah Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! I felt so connected to the characters and I really wanted to live in their world, to the point where I was gutted to leave them at the end of the book (and Tyler bore a striking resemblance to my own teenage fantasy boyfriend!). The depiction of Brighton was so vivid that I could almost smell the spray from the sea! The best bit though was the creative collaboration between Clementine and Rudy - I thought they were completely brilliant; I would definitely buy one of their prints and hang it on my wall. A thoroughly engaging and empowering read.

[Vighnesh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a beautiful exploration of friendship. I liked how the characters met and their conversations didn’t feel awkward at all which I loved. I liked how they indirectly helped each other face their fears and grow. They way the bounced off each other’s energy and improved themselves was really well-written and I appreciated the commentary on misogyny and caring for the environment. Overall really liked this book and I would highly recommend.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm definitely not in the target age group of this. But it was still a good read. Interesting to think about the street art scene. Touched some relevant social, personal, family, and friendship topics. I marked a lot of lines. I can imagine how inspiring and influential it can be to younger dreamers and artists.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there was actual pictures of the art they did

[Kira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clementine and Rudy is a powerful contemporary, following two young girls - Clementine and Rudy as they each have their own personal struggles, which they manage to get through by using their common interest of art. Multiple representations are also touched upon in this read, including diversity, racism and disability. I really enjoyed reading this book and I'd definitely be open to checking out more of Siobhan Curham's works in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Janna (Bibliophile Mom) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clementine and Rudy mainly talked about passion, friendship, and resilience. Although it was not my cup of tea, I sort of enjoyed reading it and finished it really quick. The pacing is fast and the characters are interesting. I like reading about the younger generation’s POV as it was like walking down the memory lane for me. I received a review copy from Walker Books Australia last year but only managed to have the time to jump into it recently. It is wholesome and highly recommended to younger readers.

Liked:
❥Fast paced
❥Setting
❥Street Art

Disliked:
❥Assh*le Stepfather of Clementine
❥Clementine’s mom who could not stand up for herself
❥Cliff hanger with the love interest in the end

Setting: 5⭐️
Character Building: 3⭐️
Writing Style: 3⭐️
Message: 3⭐️
Overall: 3⭐️

[Holly Skilbeck · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a cute story about friendship, support and alway following your heart no matter the situation you're in.
This book was very enjoyable and I was able to read it fast. Everytime I had to put it down I was wishing I had a bit more time.
It obviously wasn't my favourite book, it was okay but I'm glad I was able to be apart of Clementine, Ruby and Tyler's life.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick read. This book left me happy and jumping for joy I was glad there was a happy ending.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book symbolises the perfect story. Two friends, from two completely, yet the same, world. I love this book soooo much. Rudy and Clementine are two friends who help each other get through tough times. This book is amazing!!!

[Rae's Reading Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am insanely in love with Clementine and Rudy's story and growing friendship throughout this book.

It embodies two powerful girls fighting for their interests and what they love, pushing against what society and the people around them do to try to control them and stop them from being who they truly are.

A street artist and poet once separate beings now come together to create masterpieces and make memories and a future where they can see themselves both living happily.

My only regret is finishing it as soon as I did!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author of this book for providing me with an arc for my honest review.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong and inspiring. Great friendship novel.

[Amy Fawcett · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring read on so many levels! Excited to recommend this to my YA book loving friends.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Clementine and Rudy’ follows the dual perspectives of two fifteen-year old girls called Clementine and Rudy, who connect over their love of street art and decide to join forces to create their own street art using Rudy’s art and Clementine’s poetry. However, the two girls are also dealing with their own personal struggles, as Rudy deals with her mothers new boyfriend moving in, and Clementine has to deal with her horrible stepfather, Vincent.

The friendship between Rudy and Clementine was one of my favourite parts of this book. I loved how throughout the book, you could see the two girls getting closer to each other and learning to confide in each other. I loved the descriptions of all the art work in the book and of all the settings which the book took place in. This book also dealt with a lot of harder topics, for example Clementine’s mothers relationship with Vincent was emotionally abusive as he does blackmail her into staying in a relationship with him, and I felt like this was done well and I particularly liked the scene where Clementine was able to confide in her mother about the way she feels about Vincent.

However, I did think that the end of the book was rushed and the book could have been a little longer.

Overall, ‘Clementine and Rudy’ was a fun read and I enjoyed every page of the book. This book is a solid YA book about art, poetry and the importance of friendship.

Thank you to Walker Books for sending me this book via Netgalley.

[Naadhira Zahari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clementine & Rudy is a story about friendship and celebrating each other through art and poetry. For this day and age, this book is realistic and most likely to happen in real life. For these two teenagers who are going through the rocky waters, it feels like an escape and able to breath again from the other's help and care.

I really like the poetry written by Rudy and the messages she brought along with it. Its exactly the kind of thing I need to hear more and that no matter what happens, you should continue to fight for your dreams and vision, even despite the circumstances that may come along the way.

I can envision the art by Clementine but I'm sure my imagination wouldn't bring it justice to the real thing, if it even exists. I might be asking too much, but it would be way nicer and better if the artwork were included as well.

The one thing I find a bit unrealistic were the fact they were both so easygoing and would support anything the other do, including their works of art and poetry. They seem to like it so much with absolutely no objections nor void of any criticism. I don't know if this is just me but yeah, it seems too easy and straightforward.

So, overall this story was a short and fun read. To be able to find a friend in a sea of people who truly get each other is definitely something else and inspirational for what the characters were fighting for and that is to never stop fighting and thrive on.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an utterly delightful story.

This is a story about friendship, about learning to not judge a book by it's cover (or a person by their exterior) and it's a story about being yourself, expressing yourself and following your dream.

Clementine and Rudy couldn't be more different but they have one thing that unites them: Art. For Rudy, it's her street art, her mixed media paintings. And for Clementine it's her poems. Words that she just feels whenever she gets inspired.

Together, they made a brilliant team.

As a reader, I got to witness their budding friendship, them going through ups and downs together only to find themselves in a place where they can fully experiment with what it means to be true to oneself and - by extension - to social justice.

This was an absolutely beautifully written and thought out novel and I had the most brilliant time reading it. The only critisism I have is that I would have loved for it to go on forever! And also that the ending felt pretty sudden to me. I was quite confused for a minute and was wondering if I was just missing a couple of pages.

Nevertheless, this was an absolutely brilliant read that I would recommend to everyone but especially to young girls who may need some friends while finding their own way in the world. Because Clementine and Rudy will be here for you 100%.

Also: Everyone knows my vegan-self is a sucker for veggie rep in literature and this DELIVERED! I need and want to live in Rudy's cafe FOREVER!

[idreamofallthebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Their poetry and art will change the world.

I devoured this story in one sitting. Told from the two perspectives of the titular characters, you are immediately immersed into a world where two young people are grappling with their sense of who they are and who they want to be.

There were a number of heavy issues woven throughout the evolution of Clementine and Rudy’s budding friendship. Though these issues – racism, sexism and loss – appeared in a consistent way throughout the story, Curham dealt with them in a way that wasn’t heavy-handed or over the top. To me, it felt like there was more power in witnessing some of these ideas simmer rather than dominate the focus.

I also particularly enjoyed the awkwardness of the developing friendship. Making friends is hard. It involves letting your guard down and learning to put someone else ahead of yourself. Curham showed this in an authentic and genuine, and I think it stood out well in the instance where the two girls consciously meet for the first time.

I can’t wait to share this story with my students!

Thank you @walkerbookaus for gifting me this story to read and review!

[Sophie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! You follow artist Ruby and poet Clementine. These 2 couldn’t seem more different on the surface but underneath they are very similar. The way Curkham writes these characters is what makes this book such a compelling narrative. They are so relatable and likeable. All the characters (even the background ones) seem authentic.

Characters aside, this book explores the friendship between Clementine and Rudy as they team up to create street art together around Brighton. Rudy isn’t happy as her mum has a new boyfriend meanwhile Clementine does have the stepfather from hell. These dynamics make for interesting plot points. I really liked how the plot was tackled and how the street art developments were described. It made for a very inspiring and bright book. Also made me want to visit Brighton! Berlin street art is also mentioned which I enjoyed as I’ve seen a lot of that!

This book doesn’t have loads going on plot wise but the characters and the authenticity of the friendship explored within the pages of this book make it a lovely little journey to read about. I don’t usually like books all about relationships but this one just got everything right.

[Blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

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Thank you Walker Books for this book in exchange for an honest review

I don’t think this was my cup of tea or maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace when I read it? I’m not sure but regardless it just wasn’t as amazing as I thought it would be?
Basically Rudy is a student living in Brighton and works in a vegetarian café whilst being a media street artist. Browsing social media she comes across someone who created a poem based around her street art. The poem creator Clementine is from the posh side of Brighton who goes by Clem.
While there was activism, friendship and feminism, it felt like the whole thing was forced and didn’t make the story flow and the characters were just meh and boring. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. However credit where credit is due the writing was beautiful but unfortunately the remainder of it, just wasn’t for me!

[Laura S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this so much, painting and writing are two things very close to my heart and to see two characters come together with them to create something great and powerful was inspiring. Not only that I loved the way the author builds the friendship between two very different girls, I love that the awkwardness is included and how it is so natural. The story is sweet, endearing yet powerful and strong and creates a world in which we can only hope to see, where differences are not a reason to segregate but to celebrate and utilise them to make something even better. My only downside was the side comments about people asking for gluten free food at the restaurant, but that’s coming from someone recently diagnosed as coeliac and very anxious about eating out. But they do say that Tyler is intolerant to other people’s fake intolerances... so not really a big deal.

But loved this story and would love to hear about more adventures from these characters!

[Rach (pagesofpiper) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rudy lives in Brighton, she is a student and works in a kitchen at a vegetarian cafe by day and by night she is a mixed media street artist. Browsing the hashtag #BrightonStreetArt soon after putting up her first piece she finds someone has taken a photo of her art and put it to poetry. That poet is Clementine. Clem is from Hove, the posh side of Brighton. The two of them are so different, yet come together over the love of their art.

I loved this book, it was such a powerful and beautiful read. Brighton was a really vibrant setting for the book. I really enjoyed the developing friendship of the two main characters. I enjoyed the activism and feminist tones throughout. The story explored step-families dealing with emotional abuse but also positive outcomes.

[Amelie]

IM BEGGING YOU!!! PLEASE MAKE A CLEMENTINE AND RUDY 2!!! We NEED to see a Tyler and Clem relationship bloom! We also need to see more if Rudy’s street art again! You are such an amazing author and I’m IN LOVE with this book. I strongly recommend this book to people from the ages of 12- a young adult. This book is just pure gold!

[TBHONEST · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clementine and Rudy is a beautifully written story which explores friendship and how people can connect over a common shared interest regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances and how it can inspire you to follow your dreams.

[Charlotte Leask · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was not what I expected. It isn't my normal genre of book, but I enjoyed reading it all the same! I recomend as light and emotional reading. It was very sweet and good political message. It is also very inspirtional!

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t realise this was a book for young adults but it made a change. Rudy and clementine meet and start to do street art paintings, it has a simple plot. It has lots of messages for young people about keeping positive when things don’t seem great.

[Deanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it an amazing book about friendship, family and doing what makes you happy

[Kimberley L · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really easy, nice read.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fucking love this book. It was awesome!

[ezme petal stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

omg this book is so super cute
rudy please come and give me a kiss, I absolutely love you😋

also Vincent die in a ditch surrounded by dog shit xx

[Niamh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an inspirational book full of life, love and art. Opened my eyes to so many different kinds of creativity and introduced me to the brilliance of street art. Loved every second of it 😍

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Misogyny