Clementine

by Ann Hood

New York Times best-selling author Ann Hood pens a poignant story of grief and adolescent despair in this follow-up to Jude Banks, Superhero.

Meet Clementine. She's quippy, sarcastic, and dramatic. And the overwhelming guilt of her sister's death weighs on her so heavily that she no longer feels like living.

As Clementine and her mother attempt to continue their lives after Halley's death, the world around them changes. Clementine's best friend now feels like a stranger. Her new school is full of spoiled, carefree kids. She kisses boys just to feel something. She tries to live in the moment. But ultimately, Clementine feels trapped in a snow globe: the real world is out there, while she's stuck in a world where tears like gallons fall all around her.

In her signature lyrical prose, Hood crafts an extraordinary story of grief and guilt, asking the important question: How can you find the will to live again in the face of overwhelming despair?

Praise for Jude Banks, Superhero
"Hood is brilliant at showing the ordinary moments of a family's heartbreak... There are many readers who are navigating guilt and sorrow right now -- for them, this book is a must. And for those lucky enough to take the journey only in their imaginations, this is a story of resilience in the face of devastating pain."--New York Times Book Review

"A tender story of grief and joy... a remarkable read."--School Library Connection (Starred Review)

"Hood's careful gardening of emotions makes this a striking read... Fans of Ali Benjamin's The Thing about Jellyfish will appreciate Jude's search for meaning and reason as he learns to live around the hole his sister has left."--Booklist (Starred Review)

"Ann Hood tells Jude's story of grief without coating it in too much sugar; it's real, and therein lies its power. Jude Banks is a mirror for anyone who's experienced loss, and a testament to the power of human connection."--Jack Cheng, award-winning author of See You in the Cosmos

"Jude Banks is warm and inviting, even as it balances the difficult topics of loss and healing--a powerful and compelling story for anyone who has known loss."--Rex Ogle, award winning author of Free Lunch

Genres: Middle Grade, Fiction, Grief, Mental Health, Childrens, Young Adult, Contemporary

320 pages, Hardcover

Published May 23, 2023

About the author

Ann Hood is the editor of Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting and the bestselling author of The Book That Matters Most, The Knitting Circle, The Red Thread, Comfort, and An Italian Wife, among other works. She is the recipient of two Pushcart Prizes, a Best American Spiritual Writing Award, a Best American Food Writing Award, a Best American Travel Writing Award, and the Paul Bowles Prize for Short Fiction. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Reviews

[Rebecca Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ann Hood's "Clementine" is a profound exploration of grief and recovery. Set in present-day New England, the novel captures the tumultuous journey of its protagonist, Clementine, who grapples with the guilt and sorrow following her sister Halley's death. Hood's narrative, rendered in first-person from Clementine's perspective, masterfully conveys the emotional turmoil and complexity of her experiences.

Clementine is depicted as a character rich in quips, sarcasm, and drama, yet beneath her lively facade lies a crushing burden of grief. The sudden estrangement from her best friend, the alienation felt in a new school filled with indifferent peers, and her fleeting encounters with boys are all attempts to navigate through her pain. However, Clementine perceives her life as being confined within a snow globe—separated from the tangible essence of living. Hood’s writing excels in its lyrical quality, drawing readers into the protagonist’s enclosed world of despair, and posing the critical question of finding the will to move forward amidst overwhelming loss.

The novel's themes—primarily grief and depression—resonate deeply, capturing the essence of human vulnerability and resilience. However, the intensity of these themes, coupled with elements like death, attempted suicide, and other mature content, suggests a readership more suited for those above the age of 14, rather than middle-grade readers. While the book is compelling and beautifully crafted, potential concerns arise with its mature themes, including explicit discussions of death and mental health struggles, that may necessitate parental guidance for younger readers.

In terms of narrative style, Hood employs a first-person perspective that allows readers to closely align with Clementine's inner thoughts and feelings. The language, while simple and accessible, carries a profound depth that mirrors the emotional weight of the story. Character development is another of the novel's strengths, with Clementine and her mother portrayed as deeply relatable figures, navigating the arduous path of loss and healing.

"Clementine" receives a five-star rating for its heartfelt portrayal of grief, its lyrical prose, and the authentic development of its characters. Although it addresses heavy themes, the novel’s treatment of these subjects with sensitivity and insight makes it a remarkable read, especially suitable for an audience aged 14 and above. Ann Hood has indeed crafted an extraordinary story that resonates with the pain of loss and the subtle emergence of hope and healing.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grief is a tangible thing, and it affects each person in dramatically different ways. Ever since her sister died two years ago, fourteen-year-old Clementine has not been the same. A darkness has swallowed her, leaving Clementine with a lack of energy and focus that makes others worry, especially after a failed suicide attempt and a series of bad choices at school. Finally, Clementine’s mother decides to enroll Clementine in a camp that is designed for young people dealing with significant mental challenges, but only time will tell if the structure and guidance at camp will help lead Clementine out of her suffocating depression.

This middle grade novel addresses mental illness and depression in a markedly different way than other stories of this type. For much of the book, Clementine is wallowing in her sadness, finding little joy in her daily life and occasionally retreating into herself when things become especially challenging. Raw and honest, this story draws readers into the grittier realities of how it feels to lose a beloved sibling, especially when guilt over earlier behavior complicates those emotions. Readers who have ever experienced severe depression or feelings of hopelessness may require a trigger warning due to the weight of this story, but this presentation likewise makes this book an important one to share with any young reader.

Despite the weight of Clementine’s emotions, the narrative moves quickly and the chapters are relatively short. There are several instances in which Clementine makes forward progress and then reverses course, much in the same way behavior change happens in the real world. Little by little, the truth of Clementine’s feelings come to light, and readers will empathize with her sorrow whether they themselves have lost a sibling or not. Beautiful descriptions also anchor readers in the setting of this story, enhancing the sentiments experienced by Clementine herself. This is a companion to Jude Banks, Superhero, although it is not imperative to have read that book prior to reading this one. Clementine is a book that will resonate especially well with readers who have experience with severe depression or the death of a close family member, and it is an important addition to library collections for middle grade readers.

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is well written, hence 4 stars. But it's utterly depressing so I won't be purchasing.

Clementine is in a deep state of depression since her younger sister died. She can't move beyond it. She's already overdosed on Advil which didn't help. Now all she wants to do is sleep all day. It doesn't help that her Montessori school ended at 8th grade, forcing her to start 9th grade with a new group of kids. Or that no therapist can help her. Or that her best friend moved away. Or that she just has no energy to try and make new friends. She's a freak at school and it's all she can do to drag herself there.

Her mom's trying her best, but she's overwhelmed, which is how Clementine ends up in a group home for troubled girls. Even that backfires. Through it all, there's a couple of kids who are making an effort, but Clementine barely has the energy to even care.

Sadly, Clementine's state of mind is becoming all too common with girls today. Ann Hood captures her personality perfectly. We're talking 10 out of 10. The problem I have with this book is that Clementine never quite moves beyond her depressed state. I wanted growth. I wanted her to come around. I wanted her to see that the Sandy Point list of things that are good for you is actually a great list. Clementine acts like she's a hopeless case and that's not a message I want my kids getting.

I'm not giving up on Ann Hood. She clearly has talent. I just hope she goes for a more uplifting topic next time.

[Tonya · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character deals with the death of her father at a young age and the horrific loss of her sister to which she blames herself …Sadly as a YA book there is no healing for the character and I don’t think that is healthy. As an 8th grade ELA teacher who sees students dealing with the grief this character deals with every day…this book seems very hopeless and I do not think it would be healthy for my students to read it , I want them to seek ways to heal themselves in healthy ways and this book is not it… I kept waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel and it just wasn’t there. The mother also seriously needs grief counseling herself and doesn’t seem to get any help yet keeps blaming the daughter for not getting healthy. I’m not sure this is a book that needs to be in hands of students suffering from mental health. I truly kept thinking oh this is where it’ll will be the turning point, this is where she gets help, this is where she gets better but it never happened. For adults that’s one thing, for teens, this type of bleakness is not ok.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 5 out of 5]

(actual rating: 4.5 stars)
This year's SCASL list has quite a few hard-hitting, emotional books. In this book, the main character, Clementine, struggles with the death of her sister the year before from an allergic reaction to peanut butter. The main character has sunk into a deep depression that has, prior to the start of the narrative, led her to attempt to take her own life. Her mom, struggling with her own grief, tries a number of different things to help Clementine. This book is raw and real and incredibly hard-hitting for all ages yet written so well for the target age group.

[Angela La Voie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The early teen years are difficult for nearly everyone as we try to make sense out of shedding parts of our childhood selves and try on new bits and pieces, but when complex grief is added into this mix, the emotions that come with it can feel insurmountable. Ann Hood has done a brilliant job of capturing that experience and navigating the reader through it. I hope that this book finds its way into the hands of many readers who can benefit from such a story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I plucked this book out of the middle grade fiction section of our local library, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with my tweens reading this. While the author does a good job of outlining various stages of grief in the life of a teen (and opened my eyes to different triggers), it's a bit too heavy for young readers. There are several mentions of suicide and even descriptions of how the main character tried to overdose on medication.

[JustAnotherReader · Rating 3 out of 5]

One queer character, mild romance (kissing and making out), no profanity.

Discusses grief, depression, suicide, and OCD.

The ending (window) was random and totally unnecessary. I think it was just to keep the reader engaged after the prologue.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a moving middle grade novel about a girl who has depression and is suicidal after her little sister dies. I enjoyed the audiobook.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fell apart in Act 4.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Made me cry amd not in a good way

[Cosette Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

i cried, can relate heavily to this (dont worry no one died in my life though-)

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 / 5 stars
Poignantly written. The only thing is that the ending was a bit abrupt and didn’t feel like a solid enough conclusion.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unlikable main character. Completely unrealistic plot occurrences. Not good.

[Jennifer Cook Nafziger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an honest and beautiful exploration of grief. The book was heavy, but worth diving into.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grief and the many things that can come with navigating grief are discussed very well especially for a middle grades book.

[eve.lyn._.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Stars

[Meredith Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read my review for this book in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.