Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My mom picked up this book for me after hearing a good review and reading it on her kindle; I'm so glad she did! I am pretty sure this is aimed at children/teens rather than adults but this didn't bother me. I'd not heard of it before, so it made a nice change to read something where I had no idea what to expect plot-wise. With The Hunger Games, We Need to Talk About Kevin and The Help, among others, I had a vague idea of the storyline as they had been so hyped in the press. Its refreshing to read something I knew absolutely nothing about, with no pre-conceived ideas or plot spoilers!
Each chapter starts with an image of the character from whose perspective the story is written. I loved these little touches, which adds to the childish element of the story.
So, what is the book about? Wonder is a story about August (Auggie) Pullman - a ten year old boy with severe facial deformities. We aren't told what Auggie looks like from the off, he simply tells us "whatever you're thinking, its probably worse". We are told the story of Auggie's start at Beecher Prep, and see the trials and tribulations of middle-school life through the eyes of a number of characters. I'd forgotten how cruel children can be!
I won't tell you more than that. It is a really nice, easy read which reminds me of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. I really felt able to connect with the characters, and not just Auggie, to see how having a friend/brother/son with a facial deformity affects their life too. Obviously as a teacher this storyline appealed to me, but anyone who has been through the school system (and perhaps not had the easiest ride!) will find this touching. And although this book is aimed at children, it holds lessons for us all!Have you read Wonder? What did you think?
