The Smallest Thing
Lisa Manterfield
Publication date: July 18th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
The very last thing 17-year-old Emmott Syddall wants is to turn out like her dad. She’s descended from ten generations who never left their dull English village, and there’s no way she’s going to waste a perfectly good life that way. She’s moving to London and she swears she is never coming back.
But when the unexplained deaths of her neighbors force the government to quarantine the village, Em learns what it truly means to be trapped. Now, she must choose. Will she pursue her desire for freedom, at all costs, or do what’s best for the people she loves: her dad, her best friend Deb, and, to her surprise, the mysterious man in the HAZMAT suit?
Inspired by the historical story of the plague village of Eyam, this contemporary tale of friendship, community, and impossible love weaves the horrors of recent news headlines with the intimate details of how it feels to become an adult—and fall in love—in the midst of tragedy.
My Reveiw
I'll have to start by saying that I absolutely loved The Smallest Thing. I will admit that I was predisposed to like it. I grew up in Derbyshire and the story of Eyam and it's villagers is one that was already well known to me. I have to admit, that it didn't occur to me at first that this was a modern retelling of the story. I was a little confused as to why the villagers hadn't got more to say about something like this happening for a second time in one small place, but I soon realised that that was because in this version of the story, it hadn't.The fear and helplessness that Emmott faces, seems all too real. How would you cope if you found yourself trapped in a little village with a deadly disease infecting everyone around you. At the start of the story, Emmott is a teenager with a little bit of an attitude, who is desperate to escape the life that she has always known. To get out of her village and see the big wide world in London. She soon discovers that sometimes things don't quite go to plan. We see her character grow from a self absorbed child, to an adult who sees her role and place in the wider world.
It wasn't just the story line and subject matter of this book that drew me in. It was well written and the characters, both the minor players and main characters, were very well drawn and believable. I really really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.
Author Bio:
Lisa Manterfield is the award-winning author of I’m Taking My Eggs and Going Home: How One Woman Dared to Say No to Motherhood. Her work has appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, Los Angeles Times, and Psychology Today. Originally from northern England, she now lives in Southern California with her husband and over-indulged cat. A Strange Companion is her first novel. Learn more at LisaManterfield.com.
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