Splinters of Sunshine

by Patrice Lawrence

From the multi-award-winning author of Orangeboy, comes a YA road-trip mystery.

I pick up the envelope . . . As I rip down the sides, there's loads of paper bursting out; stuck on flowers, dandelions, roses . . .

Spey recently received two surprises. The his ex-prisoner dad turning up unannounced, and the a mysterious package containing torn-up paper flowers.

Spey instantly recognises it as a collage he made with his old friend Dee, and decides she must be in danger, but there are no clues to her whereabouts.

There's only one person he knows who can help to track her down . . . On a road trip like no other, will Spey and his dad find Dee, before it's too late?

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary, Young Adult Contemporary

233 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 2021

About the author

Patrice Lawrence is a British writer and journalist, who has published fiction both for adults and children. Her writing has won awards including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Older Children and The Bookseller YA Book Prize.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This book was really hard to get into because nothing really happened at the start but in the end I actually think I enjoyed it :)

[Karen Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Splinters of Sunshine is a story that draws you in, shows you the darker side of life but also emphasises the need to look for the glimpses of hope.
Our main focus is Spey, a boy who lives with his mum and who is doing well at school. He is stunned one Christmas morning when his father (who has been absent for most of his life and recently come out of prison) arrives for the day. They have little in common, but Spey’s mum wants them to find out about each other.
In spite of his reservations, Spey has to use his father to help him try and work out what has happened to an old friend, Dee, who has got caught up in county lines activity. She is vulnerable, Spey has - over the years - been aware of potential problems for Dee but this time he decides he cannot walk away.
We follow Spey as he journeys from London to Hastings then Brighton in order to try and find Dee.
Interspersed with Spey’s story we learn about Dee and how she came to be in this position. We learn the importance of not giving up, and see just how vital friends can be.
Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this before publication in exchange for my thoughts.

[Jae · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Rory Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me a while to get into. I think the reason why it is 4 stars and not 5 is because the beginning was too slow. Too little was revealed about the characters in the first few chapters to hook me in properly.

Otherwise this book was great. It touched on so many different issues with real sensitivity without feeling apologetic or preaching. The writing style was really down to earth which I think helped with this, and although the plot was simple, the character development was really great - I especially liked the character of Dee and the flower motif that went with it.

I think the best thing about this book was how it discussed many aspects of British society which many people ignore, or know little about. Personally I knew little about County Lines past attention-grabbing headlines which offered little information on the nature of the problem.

I would definitely recommend this book to a few friends who are stuck in the fantasy YA rut and need to be brought down to earth.

[iz✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This was a really good book without being anything special for me. It was funny, aware and dealt with some really important issues in an informative way. I didn't like the structure too much, but I loved Dee's chapters and the flower symbolism was one of the best things to ever happen to me. The characters were all really interesting, too, and it was very easy to read. Would definitely recommend.

[Marine Co · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je n'ai pu que tomber en amour avec cette couverture renversante. Des pétales jaunes, plein de peps, sur fond noir avec des éclats de verre et un titre en relief. Qui dit mieux?

Dans ce roman, nous allons suivre Spey, adolescent de 16 ans, tout ce qu'il y a de plus ordinaire. Et pourtant. Au réveil le matin de Noël, celui-ci va trouver, endormi dans son canapé, son père qu'il n'a pour ainsi dire jamais connu car tout juste sortie de prison. Alors que cette rencontre va chambouler sa vie, un autre événement, tout aussi perturbant va venir le chercher. Spey va recevoir dans sa boîte aux lettres, un collage de fleurs en papier qui va lui rappeler en mémoire Dee, une amie d'enfance perdue de vue... Il sait avec certitude que cette dernière est en danger. C'est alors qu'avec son père fraîchement retrouvé, ils vont partir à la recherche de l'adolescente, très certainement en mauvaise posture.

En voilà un de thriller psychologique épatant! D'abord, parce qu'il s'adresse à un lectorat jeune adulte et qu'on en a très peu dans ce goût là. Ensuite, parce qu'il se lit très vite -excellent pour une première lecture VO!- et qu'en à peine 300 et quelques pages, l'autrice arrive à nous construire une intrigue complète, cohérente et plausible. Et enfin, que visuellement, ce titre est extrêmement réussi que ce soit au niveau des entêtes de chapitres, ou au niveau de la couv. C'est donc un ravissement que de le parcourir à toute vitesse. Ce qui pêche un peu selon moi, c'est l'approfondissement des personnages que l'on connaît finalement très peu même une fois le livre refermé. Sinon, une réussite à tous les niveaux. Chapeau bas 👒

TW. violence morale et physique, manipulation/chantage, racisme, drogue (en marge. vie carcérale, mort/deuil).

[Dr. Cheryl Diane Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh gosh. This book! My poor heart! When I first began reading it, I was confused. I couldn't seem to make out who was speaking or what was happening but it soon slotted into place. (Active reading at its finest.) And when I finally got to grips with the story, I didn't like it. Gangs, underground county lines, drugs. I generally avoid these types of books and films as I cannot take the violence in them. But this was different. It focused more on the emotional side and is a tale of friendship and loyalty.

Our protagonist Spey tried to track down a friend who is in trouble. Having not helped her in the past, he feels he needs to make it up to her by rescuing her from the situation she has found herself in. Meanwhile, there is a ghost from his past who materializes for similar reasons. He vows he will make it up to Spey for letting him down in the past.

Having started out not liking this book I soon fell in love with the characters. Soon, in my head, I was with Spey at the coast, looking for Dee. I was with him when the criminal Robbie found Spey and Benny and was scared right alongside with Spey when he had to face down Dee's attacker. By the end, I loved it and am now looking forward to reading the author's other books.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book, probably my favourite Patrice Lawrence book so far. Spey is a mixed race teenager being brought up by his white mum and doing well at school. When his Dad turns up on Christmas Day, Spey is blindsided. He doesn’t recognise his Dad and is really mixed up about him. He’s been in and out of prison all Spey’s life and yet Spey’s mum is seemingly welcoming. When Spey receives a scrapbook of flowers from a girl he knew at nursery school and who he knows is now invoked with selling drugs, he’s determined to find her. With the help of his Dad, they track Dee to Brighton. On the way, Spey has to deal with his Dad’s history, his prison life following him on their journey and the dangers that brings and Spey’s growing self-awareness of his own capabilities to make decisions for himself. It’s a fantastic book, there is underlying humour, the characters feel so real and the layers of themes that Patrice Lawrence threads through the story are deep and complex but at no point is the story confusing. She tells it with a linear precision that makes you want to keep turning the page.

[Lianah Shaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I got this book as a twin with my school friend… and I absolutely disliked it! If anything I believe that the start was better than the end because there was Christmas and the arrival of Beni and at least it made sense. Firstly, there is absolutely no context of the collage or random mail being sent even through the chapters where Dee narrates it. Secondly, the protagonist is a coward and I hated the “agonising dear” bs that he kept on writing about. I do think that there was some good context to drugs and social services and what it’s like to struggle to leave the vicious cycle of trouble as you come out of prison (Beni’s perspective) but what was with all the stabbing and random adventure to get to the county lines. Personally, I just didn’t think this poor had much planning. But if anything it passed the time.

[I Read, Therefore I Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrice Lawrence’s 5th YA novel is a well-plotted, self-standing contemporary thriller about county lines drug dealing and absentee fathers that never feels judgmental. The first person narrative voices for both Spey and Dee are pitch perfect (particularly Spey’s wry comments about being the light-skinned, black son of a single white mother) and his awkward interactions with Benni (last seen in EIGHT PIECES OF SILVA) ring true.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bunch of tough topics covered in this book but it was all handled incredibly well. I think the author did a fab job of creating believable characters and scary scenarios. Sometimes I find it frustrating when random things - in this case, pictures and info on flowers - are inserted into a narrative but it really worked here, and I loved how much Spey had taken in from Dee's passion about them. My biggest complaint was that I really disliked the font used for Benni!

[Nicola Whyte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brilliantly written - tight and taut, with nothing wasted. Spey and Dee and Benni all get POV time, painting a full and revealing picture for the reader. Patrice Lawrence is unflinching but entirely non-judgemental; you understand how the characters have ended up where they have, the pain they carry with them, and the corners they found themselves painted into. It's sensitive and gripping at the same time. Highly recommended.

[Paula Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this more than 5 stars. It is outstanding, I devoured it in one sitting. It will have you crying, shouting, and cheering all at the same time. Patrice Lawrence is one of the best authors out there and her books just get better and better. If you want real then it doesnt get better than this. LOVED IT!

[Lillian King · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It had me hooked from the first page. The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is because at first I found it a little confusing to keep up with but soon enough I understood it no bother.

Love that this book goes against so many stereotypes and breaks the norms! Also great to see a book tackling subjects that are very real.

Lawrence made it impossible to not love this story. I especially love the way Astrid is portrayed, particularly towards the end.

All round a great read but please check TW’s first as it does deal with some sensitive topics.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Patrice Lawrence is back with another hard hitting contemporary, this time with a focus on county lines. A slow start made this a tough novel to get into but the ending was much stronger. A very important story, especially for young people today.

[Camilla Chester · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great YA by this gifted writer.

I loved the differing characters POV and understanding how they saw one another and how that was different to their self perception.

It was a dark backdrop and didn’t shy away from tackling difficult issues.

A book centred around race, identity and belonging but entwined with a saviour storyline, it’s a good read.

[Joanne Gray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I found it difficult to engage with the characters and very slow to start. Then suddenly it was all over.

[Olivia Philipsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Patrice always does the most exiting thing at the end, this makes me want to read it sooo bad!

[Daisy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf 2/3 in 🫠

[Caitlin]

DNF

[David Peat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great teen novel

Super novel based on friendship, identity, county lines, manipulation, drugs and redemption. Beautifully written and constructed - highly recommended indeed

[Astilbe · Rating 3 out of 5]

kinda mid. 3.5

[Leonie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book felt a bit flat and nothing really happened for me and I wanted more I did love Spey as a character but I felt like nothing really happened and this book is longer than that too

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Libraryliz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Average drug/dv YA book.

[James Crowther · Rating 1 out of 5]

No me gusta

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 stars

[irha ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

💌 two stars 𖤐 ! ˚₊ . ᰍ
## 🎧┊͙ review to come ✧˖*°

[Syd · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Sat on my shelf for two years. Wasn’t bad but loved the pop culture references