The truth of grief. The truth of life, larger than grief.

This is a very good bok. I thought it something less on a beginning (my bad), but now I can only recommend this story of suffering and healing. It rings true in both pain and hope. I like the books when I can connect because of the authenticity - and here I can connect wholeheartedly.

15-year-old Rakmen, 9-year-old Jacey and her mother Leah (and several more characters) are connected by death of someone beloved. They are broken and just cope, feeling empty and alone.
So when Rakmen is made by his parents to spend the summer with Jacey and Leah at the lake in the Canadian wilderness, he is infuriated. And sure, they are both wacky. But then Leah decides they go to trip to wilderness, "au large" - and while the trip is physically hard, it is also healing. Because everything is connected in life and even the broken ones can go all the way.

This is the read that can stay with you in its simple message of a deeper truth.

This one just did not work for me. The pacing felt off - it wasn't a bad book and I've actually told a few friends about it who may really like it, but I never connected with the characters and it just wasn't for me.