Ana is only 12 years old and is dying of cancer. This book pierced my soul in many ways! The author has definitely captured the big questions in a lighthearted way. What I loved about the book is the family dynamics that were woven so beautifully even though the situation which presented was not so great!

What a fun loving character Ana is and I hope to read more heartwarming stories such as this that are like a hot cup of cocoa on a cold day! Thank you to the publisher and the author for this EARC.

What a heartbreakingly beautiful debut novel.

Ana is 12 ½ and is dying from cancer. But Ana is a strong brave girl who takes this challenge by the horns.

And while her story is a rollercoaster of life and death, kindness and cruelty, ordinary and extraordinary. She has a few things she got to do be for she exits.

For years she is bullied by Alyssa Anderson, something she keeps to herself, until she discovers she’s dying so she sets out to stand up to her bully and put her in her place.

The target audience for this book is 10+ and teaches a couple of really wonderful values within the story. I will definitely be buying this one for my bookshelf for when my daughter is older as I know she’ll get something from it!

This occasionally illustrated novel by Maryam Master is aimed at upper primary readers. Told in the first person by Ana who is dying from cancer, it is partly the story of her last year of life but mostly the story of facing down her bully. It is an easy read, and relatable for anyone who has ever been picked on. It also touches on themes of online safety. I was a bit disappointed in the outcome with regards to the bully, but so was Ana.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I knew very little about this book before I started reading. I had seen the cover, read the blurb and knew a bit about the author but that was it.
I read it in just a few hours and it took me on a roller coaster of emotions.
Despite sharing no plot points, the voice and format really reminded me of the princess diaries series, Angus, thongs and perfect snogging and the secret library or hummingbird house. Actually it shares some themes with this last one especially parent divorce and being bullied by someone who has a similar experience and is coping in a different way.
The design and formatting was so fun and the illustrations were as enjoyable as the writing itself. It is a book filled with movement, life and joy as much as it is about mortality, illness and life’s challenges. That is made so clear through both the writing and the beautiful design.
It was so about the chemo process and I loved seeing it explored through a younger character. As someone who has witnessed their partner undergo chemo during their twenties (yes a different age but strikingly similar) and has experience with Hogdkins (the lymphoma Anahita doesn’t have) this book really resonated with me as it feels like an experience that is not explored much in middle-grade and new adult literature. It is explored in YA but this is often through the lens of romance and tragedy. It was so refreshing to have the celebrations of family and platonic love in this book. I adore that! This book feels like a rare gem. Some of those moments I felt in my bones and could so vividly see.
My only criticism is that in the final chapters the characters, especially their dialogue, felt like they aged up quickly and didn’t align with their portrayals throughout, especially Al’s final big speech. It felt like the author was speaking through him and it really didn’t align to the voice he had used throughout and didn’t mesh well with his characterisation. It also felt a little didactic and became very explicit about what was to be taken from the novel which I think really wasn’t necessary as the whole thing was so beautiful and had perfectly weaved the message throughout without being overbearing or preachy until those last few chapters. I think it would’ve been perfect if it had dropped some of those final chapters and had faith in the readers and the strength of the writing to understand the message of the book.

Exit Through the Gift Shop - Maryam Master
This book, is an unexpected gem, I looked at the cover and the title and thought it looked interesting. Anahita has cancer and has been bullied for years by Alyssa who is cruel and has no sympathy or regard for others.
Maryam's narration is brilliantly done, its surprisingly funny, empathetic and thoughtful. Despite the subject matter it was a telling tale of how Ana copes with her disease, her impending death and how life is to be lived, savored and enjoyed.
This was such an interesting read.

It’s rare that a book comes out that is grounded in telling it like it is with a main characters voice that is full of humour and real-ness.

It’s not a story about feeling sorry or finding a way to garner sympathy or even resolution, it’s a story that conveys the highs and lows of living, even when you have cancer.

What you realise reading this is that Ana won’t and shouldn’t be defined by as the sick girl, nor should anyone else, there are way more important things than that.

The only thing I would note is that some of the references made to pop culture will age quickly, but hopefully not before heaps of enthusiastic readers have read it.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Exit Through the Gift Shop is a middle grade book that has a great story to tell, it is encouraging and heartbreaking, but filled with humour and intelligence. Ana is such an inspiring girl who faces hardships at school while dying of cancer. Death is always such a hard topic to discuss, as well as difficult for young children to understand, but I think this book doe sit in a loving way. Also I loved the definitions throughout the book, written to help build understanding for the reader.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC of this book.

Anahita (Ana) is a bright young girl. She loves to read, hang out with her best friend Al and spend time with her loving family (even if they’re also incredibly annoying). But the thing is, the worst thing that could have happened, happened. Ana was diagnosed with cancer at the meager age of 12.5 years. And that sucks.

As if her luck wasn’t bad enough, Ana’s life at school is made even more difficult since she has to put up with teasing and taunting from her arch-nemesis, Alyssa. When Alyssa takes the bullying a few steps too far, Ana decides to take matters into her own hands. Enter: The Revenge Plan. With the help of her best friend in the whole world, Ana ventures out of her comfort zone to finally stick up for herself and get back at evil Alyssa once and for all.

When Ana’s health takes a turn for the worse, things are put into perspective. Forced to reflect on matters of life and death, Ana finds herself following a path to acceptance while still living her life to the fullest.

This book is a beautiful story about a girl who’s been dealt one of the worst hands life has to offer, and how she battles through it one day at a time. Written for children, the book includes a fun selection of word definitions, illustrations and checklists that add an element of playfulness to the reading experience. Even though the topics in this book are quite heavy, it wasn’t difficult to read at all. Ana’s voice was spirited and sassy and felt very much like your typical talkative twelve-year-old girl.

I loved the best friend, Al! I thought he was such a great character and a truly amazing friend. He was always there to stick up for Ana and it was heartwarming to read about the things he did to help his friend through such a horrible experience. The scene with the wigs made me tear up with both happy and sad tears at the same time. One thing that I would have liked to read more about though, is how Al felt about his best friend dying. He always seemed to be bubbly and enthusiastic despite the circumstances. However, since the book was written in first person from Ana’s perspective, I understand why she wouldn’t necessarily have had that insight into Al’s feelings.

Ana’s experience in the hospital with a fellow cancer kid was so touching and genuinely heartbreaking to read. As sad as it was, I liked that it was included in the story because I think it’s a really common experience for people to have. Humans have a tendency to bond over shared experiences, particularly when they’re tragic and it’s a good example of life moving on, no matter what happens.

The resolution of the bullying was an interesting one. I think it shed a light on the fact that you never know what other people are going through underneath the surface. So even though a person can be absolutely horrible to you, it’s important to consider different perspectives. I liked that the conclusion wasn’t perfect, but it still highlighted the importance of standing up for yourself. For anyone who has flashbacks of bawling while reading the Fault in Our Stars when they read this – not to worry! This is a kids’ book after all, it’s okay to end on a little hope.

Maryam Master, has adapted novels for the stage, and has written for television, but this is her first novel and I am always interested to read someone's first novel.

The blurb tells you what the story is about, but what you find out when you read the book are the additional layers and themes to this story.

It is about Ana, a 12 and a half year old girl who has terminal cancer, so it's going to be sad.

But for me, this story is about people and character...how we deal with the cards we're given.

Ana has been horribly bullied by one girl, Alyssa, for years...when the news of her illness becomes common knowledge at school, this bully makes 'fake friends' with Ana...to gain more likes on her social media...and the bullying continues. When Ana finds out about a heartbreak that Alyssa has suffered, that may in some way make her behaviour understandable, she confronts Alyssa, but Alyssa has no remorse, even admits she had fun tormenting her. Just showing how dealing with tragedy can make a person want to make someone else's life a misery (Alyssa) or, be grateful for what you do have, and make the most of every opportunity (Ana).

You will go through all of the emotions with this one...this is a book about death and dying, but it is also about life, and how we choose to live it.

Book: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Author: Maryam Master
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)
Publication Date: 27th of July 2021

Anahita or Ana for short is a 12.5 year old girl who is dying of cancer and is given just a year to live. We meet an inspiring young girl who not only has to deal with cancer she also has to put up with a notorious school bully.

The book is full of humor which is portrayed through words, font and font sizes and the beautiful and meaningful illustrations scattered throughout! I love the way that Masters inserts dictionary meanings for words and uses the different fonts and illustrations to help the reader to understand how Ana is really feeling and what she is going through!

Exit Through the Gift Shop is a children’s or middle grade book but I think it is a fantastic story for all ages to read. It is heartbreaking and inspiring all at the same time. It is beautifully written. Bravo @maryammasterauthor 👏🏼

Thanks so much to @netgalley and @macmillanaus for the Advanced Reader Copy of Exit Through The Gift Shop in exchange for an honest review 💕⭐️

Wow. I just finished Exit through the Gift Shop and it is amazing. Such a beautifully written book which should be put in everyone’s hands. Death is never an easy topic but this book hits it will all of the most wonderfully heartfelt inspiring heartbreaking way.
The best book about how to live that I have read in years.