A Million Things, Emily Spurr
A Million Things, Emily Spurr
List: $17.50 | Sale: $12.25
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A Million Things

Author: Emily Spurr

Narrator: Zenia Starr

Unabridged: 8 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Published: 08/24/2021


Synopsis

“An original and impressively assured debut. A gem of a novel.”
—Graeme Simsion, New York Times bestselling author of The Rosie Project

A soaring, heartfelt debut following fifty-five days in the life of ten-year-old Rae, who must look after herself and her dog when her mother disappears.
 
For as long as Rae can remember, it's been her and Mum, and their dog, Splinter; a small, deliberately unremarkable, family. They have their walks, their cooking routines, their home. Sometimes Mum disappears for a while to clear her head but Rae is okay with this because Mum always comes back.

So, when Rae wakes to Splinter's nose in her face, the back door open, and no Mum, she does as she’s always done and carries on. She tends to the house, goes to school, walks Splinter, and minds her own business—all the while pushing down the truth she isn't ready to face.

That is, until her grumpy, lonely neighbor Lettie—with her own secrets and sadness—falls one night and needs Rae's help. As the two begin to rely on each other, Rae's anxiety intensifies as she wonders what will happen to her when her mother's absence is finally noticed and her fragile world bursts open.

A Million Things transforms a gut-wrenching story of abandonment and what it's like to grow up in a house that doesn't feel safe into an astonishing portrait of resilience, mental health, and the families we make and how they make us in return.

About The Author

Born in Tasmania, Emily Spurr lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her partner, their twins, and a deaf, geriatric cat. Short-listed for the prestigious Victorian Premier's Unpublished Manuscript Prize, A Million Things is her first novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Mary Beth on July 22, 2021

5 Happy Dance ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿ’ƒ Stars! A Million Things transforms a gut-wrenching story of abandonment and what itโ€™s like to grow up in a house that doesnโ€™t feel safe into an astonishing portrait of resilience, mental health, and the families we make and how they make us in return. I have not liked the Contempor......more

Goodreads review by Angela M on June 24, 2021

55 days in the life of ten year old Rae haunted me, hurt me, made me pause at a moment of discovery and I thought I wouldnโ€™t be able to read more. But my heart had already been stolen by Rae and her elderly next door neighbor, Lettie, and there was just no going back. I had to know how their story w......more

Goodreads review by Jayme on August 24, 2021

WARNING: This book will break your heart! ๐Ÿ’” This is a HAUNTING story about 10 year old Rae, and her beloved dog, Splinter as they survive for 55 harrowing days when her mother abandons them. Sure, she has left before-but never for this long. No CHILD should have to live like this. Trying to stay โ€œund......more


Quotes

BookBrowse Best Debut Winner 2021

"Spurr delivers a haunting account of a young girl grappling with abandonment in this excellent debut...Through Rae's devastating yet hopeful interior dialogue, Spurr delicately illustrates the complexity of loss and isolation."
Publishers Weekly

"A Million Things draws the reader into an intimate world of unforgettable characters and heartfelt expressions of love and grief. This is a great selection for book clubs who are looking for...a genuinely touching read."
BookBrowse

“Swept me into its thrall so immediately that I didn’t realize I’d been holding my breath until I reached the end...Fresh and slim, this novel pierces like a bullet and soothes like a psalm.”
Amy Jo Burns, author of Shiner

“Poignant, uplifting and beautifully written.”
Catherine Jinks

“Spurr deftly slides into Rae’s 10-year-old consciousness, expertly balancing the innocence and maturity of a child grown up too soon.”
Booklist