“Is it possible to keep loving somebody when they kill someone you love”
On the advice of a student I decided to read Infinite Sky by C.J Flood. I was warned it was sad and that I might cry. Well cry I did, in fact I sobbed. This is a beautifully written poignant story which did not go as I had predicted from the blurb.
Iris's mother has left for Tunisia and with that she has let a gaping hole in the family dynamic. Her father has begun to drink heavily and her brother has gotten mixed up in an unsavoury crowd. When a group of Irish travellers move into Paddocks field owned by the family. Her father in his loneliness seizes hold of the challenge to rid his home of these unwanted settlers. His mission is in stark contrast to Iris who is intrigued by the settlers and embarks on a sweet and childlike love with the son Trick. Neither family wants this to continue so Iris meets with resentment from both her dad and brother for even entertaining the idea. This story managed to present young love well and it was not overly slushy or romantic considering Iris is a young girl I felt this was appropriate. The way their love is written is endearing and coy and reflects the awkwardness both characters feel as they pursue this forbidden friendship.
The final climax of the story is written in a stilted style to make you unsure who is to blame and in that you can empathise with Iris’s tough unanswerable question posed at the start of the book.
As I said this story was not what I had expected. It is well written for the intended audience but has an appeal for adults also. It was nice to get out of my comfort fantasy/science fiction genre and read something different and brilliant. The tale has an easy rhythm making it a relatively quick read.
A beautifully sad story
There's no harm reading something out of your comfort zone at least once in a while. I took a break from mystery/thriller/historical fiction and read John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, and simply loved it. I hope Infinite Sky is as good as it sounds. Sometimes it's good to cry a little with the book ;)
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