Reviews for From Where I Stand

Raven is a deeply unhappy teenager. Fresh from a children's home, where he has been since he witnessed the death of his mother, Raven is taciturn, sullen, isolated. His new foster family, the Russells, are earnest, hopeful and kindly people, but they are up against the blank brick wall of Raven's alienation. They try their best, but they fear that reaching Raven and forming any real connection with him is going to be an uphill struggle. At his new school, the usual bullies make Raven's life the usual misery. He retreats to his room as often as he can. And once there, he finds his penknife and cuts his arms. This pain, heartbreakingly, is the only thing that makes the other pain even close to bearable. And then Raven makes a friend. Together with Lotte, he sets out to put an end to his pain. If Raven can track down his mother's killer and expose him, he believes he'll be able to start his life again. If only it were that easy. At one point, I had to put down From Where I Started because my eyes were full of tears. Much as I wanted to read on, the blurred page wouldn't let me. Suzuma put me right inside Raven's head - so busy with fear and hurt and confusion on the inside and so stony and impassive on the outside. I finished the book, far too late for my 42-year-old, have-to-be-up-to-make-breakfast bedtime, and crawled into bed with an indelible picture of the grief-paralysed, alienated Raven imprinted on my mind. As a portrait of a damaged adolescent struggling with his mental health, I found it sensitive, powerful and heartrending. As a psychological thriller, it was perhaps slightly less successful - if the mystery is really what you're after. There are lots of clues and I'd guessed the truth behind Raven's mother's death fairly early on in the book. I'm notoriously slow at that kind of thing, so I don't think many youngsters over twelve would be far behind me. But I don't think it really matters either way. What matters is the clear-sighted patience in which Suzuma explains and unravels the mystery with honesty and care and gentle kindness, but without ever losing the pace and tension in the plotting. I thought the whole book was a remarkable achievement, and there are a whole bunch of adult writers in this popular psychological thriller market who could learn a lesson or two from it. There is an understanding of both character and crisis here that you don't find often. Highly recommended for all sophisticated readers over twelve who enjoy contemporary settings, a realistic emotional landscape and strong, thrilling plotlines. Jill Murphy, The Bookbag There are some writers who can make your skin crawl. Not because what they write is awful (although, admittedly, it can be), but because the story they tell dredges up dreadful memories, memories that you had hoped had disappeared from your mind forever. Such is the case with elements in this book. It centres on Raven, a teenager who has gone to a foster home after the death of his mother. The quiet and sullen teenager, who is prone to cutting himself in dire times, is relentlessly bullied by two youths in his class. Although the bullying is only part of this fast-paced thriller, it is these scenes that will resonate with anyone who suffered at the hands of such tormentors. Suzuma's vital and realistic prose throbs with emotions and uncertainty and she manages to portray the raw awkwardness of new relationships. Vital to the story, however, is Raven's search for his mother's killer and the appalling truth of who did it. When the realisation hits him, there is only one way out. Thrilling, with taut writing, it is perfect for teens. Jayne Howarth This book is a psychological thriller. It is very readable, mostly on account of its emotional poignancy, which grabs the reader's attention. The story ends with a twist that few readers will have foreseen. Suzuma enables a reader to understand the difficulties of the traumatised Raven, without making it comfortable to be in his presence. Ella, the five-year-old daughter of his foster parents, sometimes penetrates his loneliness with her childish innocence. Suzuma manages convincingly to introduce the reader into Raven's lonely world... Ultimately this is a book about guilt and redemption, as well as a deeply compelling read. Books for Keeps Tabitha Suzuma's second novel is a stunner. Raven is a deeply disturbed teenager in foster care. As the story progresses the reader finds out more of what has his distress, but at first only through Raven's eyes. It has amazing portrayal of character: Raven, his foster parents and foster sister, the school bullies and Lotte who befriends him are all wonderfully drawn, and the climax of the book is beautifully written. Revealing too much plot would give away necessary tension, but this is a wonderful teenage read. It reminds me slightly of David Almond's books in that although it doesn't shy away from blackness, it is ultimately life-affirming. Malcolm McEwan Tabitha Suzuma has the rare skill to breathe such life and motivation into her characters that they burn bright and indelibly upon the brain. In “From Where I Stand”, Raven is suffering severe trauma that drives a wedge between himself and others. His resultant vulnerability leads to his being taunted at school. Raven’s grief, despair and guilt moves through stages as the novel progresses. He denies the reality of what has happened, weaving around himself a protective film of lies and half-truths. Though the stigma of mental health problems are encountered through the levels of misunderstanding and of miscomprehension that surround Raven, the mind is depicted here as resilient, strong and in a process of renewal and of resolution. Suzuma’s willingness to draw from a reservoir of biographical experience to colour her characters with credibility makes this a courageous novel and, in an age when one in four people experience mental health problems throughout their lives, a highly worthwhile and contemporaneous one also. Achuka From Where I Stand is a riveting read on two levels: as an edgy psychological thriller and also as an exploration of the depths of despair that an outsider suffering from mental health problems can suffer. Raven, deeply disturbed after seeing his mother die, has been placed in foster care with the Russells. Withdrawn and unable to communicate, he finds it difficult to connect with the family and resorts to cutting himself with a penknife to take away the pain inside his head. At school he is cruelly bullied by two of his classmates. However, Lotte, bored with her girlfriends, befriends him and together they decide to trap his mother's killer. Suzuma's exciting plot carries the reader along as Raven and Lotte skip school and plan dangerous ways of trying to make their suspected murderer confess to the murder of Raven's mother. At the same time the author tackles some really big issues like depression, bullying and suicide. A visit to the author's website gives insights into why she tackles such gritty and painful subjects. The bullying scenes leave the reader gasping with sympathy for Raven and what he endures. Suzuma sensitively portrays Raven's withdrawal into himself and his spiralling descent into depression. The caring nature of Dan, his foster father, and the exuberance of Ella, the five-year-old daughter of his foster parents, counterbalance this. This is a stunning novel with a major twist to the story. What is so clever is the author's ability to keep her reader gasping with the thrill of chasing a killer, while getting inside the head of a grief-stricken teenager. It is highly recommended for teens who like their thrillers moving and thought-provoking. Pat Pledger, CMIS After the success of her first book "A Note Of Madness", Tabitha Suzuma's second book is the poignant story of a teenager struggling to cope with his grief. Raven is a teenager that anyone could identify with; a stony exterior masks the inner turmoil he suffers every day following his mother's murder. Placed into foster care, his new family and new school only make things worse until a friend comes along in the unexpected shape of Lotte and together they hatch a plan to confront his mother's killer. Only things aren't as simple as they seem. This is a story that draws you in compulsively from the first chapter, plot twists are hinted at but it ultimately keeps you guessing right up to the last page. You grow to really care for Raven as he struggles to find solace and an end to the sense of loss that he carries around with him. Good psychological thrillers are few and far between for the teenage market and this has to be one of the best. Major issues such as bullying, grief and truth are handled sensitively and without judgment. A totally absorbing read and worthy follow up to her first book. Sarah Howcutt From Where I Stand is a brilliant book. I enjoyed every page. You know some people, after going through something really difficult they create a story which acts like a cushion, so they don’t have to remember the events? Well, this book is about a young boy, Raven, 14, who lost his mother and is out to seek vengeance. Ever seen film Memento? Well, its a bit like that, except there is no memory loss. Raven lives in a foster home, however he really doesn’t connect with his foster parents, because he doesn’t want to. In school he is bullied, but also makes a friend in the form of Lotte, with whom he hatches a plan on how to get vengeance on the murderer of his mother. However, all is not as it seems. Towards the end the author, Tabitha Suzuma, twists the plot around and reveals the real truth behind Raven’s actions...The book is great and I highly recommend it. The Shelfstalker This is the second book that I have read from the talented Tabitha Suzuma. These books, aimed at a young adult market, both seem to deal with young people with some mental difficulties. In this book it is a lad called Raven who is trying to deal with the events surrounding his mum's death. The novel starts as Raven is being taken to a new foster home. From the moment he gets there he doesn't really feel as though he fits in. He has basically withdrawn into himself and prefers to spend his time in his room away from his new foster parents and their annoying little daughter. However it is the young girl that seems to make the breakthrough and help Raven begin to feel as though he is wanted. While the narrative itself is easy to read and the plot flows along quite nicely, this is no light reading. In fact some of the elements that it deals with are not easy to read about. One issue of this book is self-harm and cutting, and this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed through practical help books and through fiction. In light of some of the darker issues of the book it would have been good if the publishers had thought to put some helplines or helpful addresses at the back of the book... This book surprises right to the end and there are some incredibly powerful descriptive pieces. At times I could really empathise with the character. At one point where Raven freezes at the top of a high slide in an adventure playground I could really imagine that so clearly because I do not like heights! The description of the surroundings is not the important part of this story, they are good but incidental. However the description of what is going on in the mind is lucid, clear and very real. This is a book that may shock and surprise, especially with some twists, but it will definitely give any teen or adult something to think about. Rob Allwright, Soteria Magazine