The things we leave behind

Isabella St Paul’s catholic college Y8

The things we leave behind review:
This books was filled with fun like a rollercoaster
With It’s ups and downs , highs and lows!
It’s so unique with a heartbreaking story line
And with the perfect end and twist at the end!
Overall I think this book is amazing with a great storyline!

Zach

I loved The Things We Leave Behind: it is a sad book about trying to seek refuge from the dictatorship government with the leader Tony Knight with lots of troubles along the way like Claudia going missing early.
Later on when someone who believes the government’s decision of kicking people out the country decides to blackmail Clem. The saddest bit in the book is when Billie goes missing and Clem tries her hardest to cope with the loss of her sister and best friend, overall I thought The Things We Leave Behind was a fantastic book.

Sam

The Things We Leave Behind was a a rollercoaster of a book. She has to go through the hardest of times, whilst also trying to keep safe, keep her sister safe and to keep moving. I really loved how there were twists at the end of the book, the story would change in a matter of a few words. I enjoyed the strong suspense a lot and it meant I couldn’t put the book down. There was an atmosphere of hope, disappointment and mystery throughout the book which created a whirlpool of emotions for everyone in the book and for readers. The range of scenes and scenarios in the book painted pictures inside my head. That is one of the best qualities a book can have in my opinion. It also made me more aware about the radical views people have on politics and it gives you a sense of what it’s like to be someone affected by those particular rules, authorities or operations. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book because it makes strong connections between you and the characters. It paints pictures inside your head which further indulges you into the story. The suspense and cliffhangers kept me hooked and interested, lastly it also gives you a story about what someone’s political views has the power to do if they are in power, not just a story about a girl living the toughest life possible.

Darcy, Year 8, St Paul’s Catholic College

This book is a thought-provoking, heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful tale of a country turning on itself and a young girl’s attempt to survive and find safety. It’s a dystopian tale where a populist government takes power then does its best to ensure it cannot be overthrown, turning on “outsiders”. It is chillingly possible, drawing on recent political events to create a world that feels like only a few bad electoral votes away from reality.

Vanshika, Ardingly Collage, Yr8

‘The things we leave behind’ is a book like no other. It has almost every genre in just one book from action to romance. This book really captivated me, and I was so moved by the end. Even though I’m not an emotional person I definitely felt emotional at least three times during this book. Even though I thought that this book would not be for me I am considering reading it again even though I only finished it last week. This is a must read for everyone!

Caitlin, Year 8 St Paul’s Catholic College

One of the best books I have ever read. It was beautifully written and I loved every second of it. I loved how it developed its characters and half way through it could have stopped and still been an amazing story , but it didn’t and it felt like you grew with them . At the end I cried so hard and when I finished it felt like I had lost a best friend. This author is remarkably talented in the way she writes and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

Gabriella Ardingly College Y8

I loved The things we leave behind. The book was really well written, and I could not put it down. There were lots of plot twists and cliff hangers which made the book even more interesting. The book was extremely heart breaking as Clem’s Mum left when she was little, then she had to flee home by herself and faced lots of challenges. Even though everything was wrong, Clem never gave up. My favourite character was Clem as she was determined and funny. I liked how the book kept switching to Clem’s story, the present and then the story about the sisters. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it to others.

Bella St Paul’s year 9

!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!
‘The things we leave behind’ was a great book; it had it all from action to mystery and from romance to politics. The book was set in a dystopian world of political Tyranny where you could get taken to camps or sent out of the country simply because of where you come from or even where your family comes from.
The plot is about how two sisters ,Clem and Billie, navigate the world after their step mother gets taken by police, their father packs them a bag and sends them on their way not knowing if they will see him again.
My favourite parts of the book was when Clem was talking to Polly about her story. I loved the fact that the book kept jumping between time and fairytales. There was the past, present and a fairytale. Though this did make it quite confusing at first when you get the hang of switching it is very interesting.
This is one of those books that you just can’t put down, turning page after page after page until there’s no more pages to turn.
!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!
I don’t cry at books very often but this book almost got me at the end when it is revealed that Billie was never truly there and that she died at the day of the riot. It made me feel so bad for Clem having to go through that all by herself at such a young age and getting ill multiple times. I loved finding out that for most of the story that Clem was actually an unreliable narrator, only saying what she wished would have happened.
Overall I loved this book and would give it 4.5/5 stars.

Eleazar

I really enjoyed this book! It was very engaging and it made me want to read more because I wanted to know if there would be a plot twist. My favourite character in the book was Clem because she was a very resilient and relatable teenager navigating a difficult situation yet showcasing both strength and vulnerability while making tough choices and also protecting her younger half-sister Billie. It really did make me cry but overall I really liked it and it was really an adventure. 8/10

Lara, St Paul

I think think this book was really creative with how it was written, like it kept switching from 3 different stories in a way but it all leads back to what is going on in the main one. Also the ending actually made me start physically crying; it was a sad ending but a really good one so I think this is probably my favourite book in the list. Another thing I think is good is how it is telling a story about what is actually happening in the world but it is showing it in England so I feel like that is a way we can relate to it more and and really think about what it could impact in our lives if it were to happen in our country

Toby St Paul’s

The things we leave behind is a story set in a dystopian world, where you can lose citizenship simply due to your heritage. I believe that this story is an allegory for nazi Germany, with a dictatorial leader and semantic field of prejudice present throughout. It is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time, with this contrast of emotions representing the panic and fear that the characters feel throughout. Some parts, especially towards the end were a bit confusing, however in general it was an enjoyable read that had me hooked from the start to the end.

8.5/10

Adhira – Year 7 – Cavendish

This is an amazing and confusing story about the events after a war. It was a great book and I recommend to everyone.

Isabelle – Year 7 – Cavendish School

The Things We Leave Behind is a fantastic book following a girl who is displaced from her home after a war. It follows her and her little sister, Billie, as they search to find their family.

Lottie – Year 7 Cavendish

What a ride! Fantastic plot twist at the end and superb story throughout: follow the interesting character Clem and discover the things she left behind . . . I loved it!

Esmé Y8 Ardingly College

The things we leave behind.
5/5 stars
Claire Furniss
This book was heart wrenchingly amazing and beautiful. The author’s style of writing is so easy to read and the way she makes you care for the characters so much and making you so sad to the point where tears are falling from your face is unbelievable. The part which made me the saddest was where she visits her grandpa, and you can clearly see that he has some kind of Dementia or Alzheimer’s, and I just felt so sad. Especially how Clem has to deal with him not being like the fun and happy person he was in her childhood who used to tell her magical myths and stories. When she was about to leave, I got so emotional when she just wished he would remember her and that when she was gone, she hoped he would still remember her. Even if he only remembered her as a small child, a memory or just a ghost.

It was also so scary to hear about the political state of England, and how maybe in a few decades, we might be like that. There were also parts where I was thinking about how we should be thankful about how safe our country is at the moment and how lucky we are in this peaceful country. Overall, an incredibly sad book, but an amazing read.

Darcey Y9 Ardingly

I liked this book as I found it a very thought provoking, interesting dystopian fiction that one day could be true. My favourite part was when Clem was forced to leave her home with her younger sister and go to stay with her Grandad. I also enjoyed the stories that she would tell to her younger sister Billie to reassure her. I found the book heart-breaking in some places and felt sorry for Clem to leave behind everything she knows including her parents. Overall, I liked the book but I would have preferred a happier ending.

Roland

This book was good, and I liked the sad ending. The story is about a government gaining power and then turning on many people. I think it was also a slight sign of what can happen in the future. Even though it was a sad ending I still thought it was a good one. The use of cliff hangers really added suspense and made me want to keep on reading. Overall it was a good book.

Jamie

This book tells a wonderful story from the perspective of a young girl and her sister in a Refugee crisis that takes place in the UK. I think that this book offers a lot of insight to how one may feel in a situation where someone will need to be pushed out of their comfort zone, yet provides hope as well as dread occasionally in the story. I also think that the short story extracts / “analogies” that are laced between chapters of the books are a neat feature as they foreshadow what might happen or give us some sort of idea as to what Clem, our main character will soon do.

Violet year 7 SRWA

The things we leave behind is a very moving book that made me cry once too many times. I found it incredibly intriguing and the end is saddest thing I have ever read.

Emily, Year 10, SRWA

The Things We Leave Behind was by far my favourite book from the shortlist, it is also one of the best books I’ve read this year. It was gripping from start to finish, I loved the plot and character development throughout the story.
I had heard that it had a sad ending, which had people crying while reading, and I thought ‘I probably won’t cry’…let’s just say I shed a *few* tears.
This book was written beautifully and I will definitely want to read more Clare Furniss books; although hopefully one that isn’t quite so tragic!
10/10

Theo, SRWA

The Things We Leave Behind
9/10

This book is great! It is a heart-breaking but hope-filled story of young girl trying to escape from her country. It is about a government that goes corrupt and turns on different ethnic groups. It made me think about what it would be like if I was there. It goes through a long and sad journey with ups and downs! The ending was very sad and made me even shed a couple of tears. It was an amazing book and I would 100% recommend it to anyone who likes sad stories.

Lizzy-year 8-cavendish

The things we leave behind is a truly heart breaking dystopian fiction story set during an apocalypse. The story is very well written and moved me to tears!! I love this book so much since (even though it sounds weird) I do like a good book without a happy ending; it’s nice to change things up every now and then 🙂

Lizzy, Year 8, Cavendish

The things we leave behind was a book with one of the most surprising plot twists I have ever read. It is set in a dystopian London where there is a cruel authority figure (like most books) who wants to rule. It was about a girl and her little sister fleeing to Scotland and trying to find their family and the story’s about all the people who look after her. I would have liked some romance but on the whole it was a good book

Arwen

The things we leave behind is a lovely book that evokes sympathy and many other feelings. An outstanding read that encourages lots of contrasting emotions. This a brilliant book that I ought to recommend.

Flo year 8 Cavendish

The things we leave behind is a brilliant book about a girl who has to run away from her home and is trying to find safety and her family. The book is written well and is written as how Clem tells her story. The ending is very shocking and emotional and it made me cry. If you are reading this book I would recommend to read the whole thing because the book wouldn’t be the same without the ending.

Chloe Yr 9 Ardingly

The Things We Leave Behind:
The things we leave behind was a really gripping and thought- provoking novel. It’s a story of a Clem’s experiences during troubled times for her country. Clem is a very caring and capable girl who does her best to keep going when things get stressful and scary. She goes through many difficult situations by herself and it really exhausts and weakens her. Her life was “normal” before and then everything changed as the Prime Minister reduced the rights of certain people in the country and she had to flee home and find somewhere to stay where she would be safer. Some chapters are really sad and discomforting as it’s very believable and things only seem to get worse. At the end, there is a really upsetting twist that leaves the reader emotional. Although, I quite liked being in suspense the whole time while reading. Overall, I would say I really enjoyed The Things We Leave Behind but it was equally engaging and saddening. Thank you.

Yashika Y9 Ardingly Collage

SPOILER ALERT!!!

‘The Things We Leave Behind’ was a heart-breaking story about two sisters trying to trying to escape the sights of their government. This book was was quite sad, so I would recommend it to people who enjoy these types of books. The main character Clem, and her younger sister Billie, have to flee to Scotland, and adjust to their new life, without any idea where their loved ones are. The story starts with Clem discussing her journey, with her psychiatrist in Scotland. My favourite part was the end when Clem writes in Billie’s book, which holds great sentimental value as *SPOILER ALERT* Billie sadly passes away. I would give this book a 3/5 stars as it was very well written, but I don’t usually enjoy sad books.

Burgess Hill Girls SSBA group

The Things We Left Behind was very confusing at the start, but after persevering it opened up to be a little underwhelming. I liked the characters, they were kind of cute but it wasn’t the best dystopia I’ve ever read.

Louis

The things we leave behind is an interesting book. While reading it I thought that our world could eventually lead to a similar scenario. At first I thought that this book would have the main characters as all great. But I was pleased to know that each character had their own flaws, for example Clem was too sad to tell the actual story. Near the end I was shocked with the news of (you know who) dying. At this point I didn’t really know how the book could end well but it did end happily enough with Clem contacting Mischa. I like books when there is a back story that the audience don’t know but gradually get told through flashbacks. This book provided.

Louisa Ardingly College

“The Things We Leave behind” is a gripping and heartbreaking novel set in dystopian London caught up in civil unrest. Clem is forced to flee her home in London and travels by train to her Grandpa’s house where she meets Shaun and Jonas, however she is yet again forced to leave so she makes a treacherous journey up to Scotland. I love Clem’s character as she is a very resilient girl who faces up to any challenge and supports her sister, Billie, through hard times. My favourite part of the book was the plot twist at the end as it added a lot of tension to the book. Overall I loved this book and there was never a boring moment, however I would have loved having a happier ending.

Vala – Year 8 – Ardingly

The Things We Leave Behind – Review
This book had elements where it left me gripping and there was one part in it where they see the leaders that are super realistic to the ones that we already have. The Things We Leave Behind shows the world what can happen and what people face around the world by showing Clem and Billie’s travel. The blurb doesn’t give the book away like other books can and I think that that is good because it doesn’t give away the whole plot. With other books that I have read it gives away too much at the start and makes it hard to keep reading. The start of this book in my opinion isn’t the most gripping and I found it difficult to keep reading, but I am glad that I did because it had such an amazing finish, when Clem manages to contact Mischa but Clem seems happy yet sad in a way because I feel like there are elements in this book that show she is scared to lose her half-brother. Overall, a better book that I was expecting and I’m looking forward to reading it again and would certainly recommend it!

Coco Ardingly College Year 8

I thought that The things we leave behind was an incredibly moving book. The idyllic day of Clem’s fifteenth birthday really contrasted with the sort of living nightmare that came to be as her home and way of life spiralled out of her control. I thought that the book was very immersive and emotional, and I could feel what she was feeling and I could imagine my self in her situation, from the mass protest to the capsizing of the boat, asking myself what I would do. Honestly my answer was that I didn’t know what I would do. I really felt sorry for her as I saw the grief that she carried on her shoulders and the toll it had on her. I can’t imagine carrying that weight myself. Overall I thought this book was heart-wrenching and moving, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who wants a immersive read.

Sophie

I really like this book; it is so amazing and I would recommend it to most of my friends. It was so good- I generally don’t like this type of book but I like it because it was aimed at our age group. I also like some of the other books like Bite risk but I believe this was my favourite book out of all of them that I have read so far this. This book was amazing in so many ways like the author had so many little bits in the book that keep you so hooked into the book so you keep on reading it, it was so good I managed to finished the book in 5 day with there being 305 pages

I would give this book 9/10 because it is the ideal book to read but I need to read the other books that I haven’t read yet. Also this book hooked you into the story right at the start so it makes people pressured to find out what happened next in the book like one day I was planning to read 50 pages I managed to read about 87 because I wanted to find out what happened at the part they were planning to protest and then people went missing and also I want to know what happed to the mum and also B when she was in a coma because her friend disappeared. I just love the book so I would definitely give it a 9/10. I also like all the characters.

Freddie Ardingly Collage Y9

At first, I thought the book was a bit confusing but once I understood what was happening, I found it very emotional and full of cliff-hangers and plot twists. It ended up being really interesting and gave me a new perspective of London. I really liked Clem’s bond with her sisters and when she was reading out a story with them, I think the plot is really well written and her journey is full of ups and downs. I loved how it switched from present to past time. Overall it was a really good book and I would really recommend it to everyone.

Barney, Ardingly college

This book is great, it leaves you yearning to turn the page and needing to know what happens next. The main character, called Clem, is in trouble. After a shock election result ending with a person who wants to return the death penalty, England is no longer safe for Clem and her sister Billie. This left them wanting to leave for Scotland. The book tells the story of their journey from London to the safe haven that is Scotland.
At the beginning of the book you find out that this is Clem telling the events to a woman named Polly. but when Clem finishes her story you find out what she has not been telling Polly – however it is quite emotional but it is still great as it shows that Clem had some problems that she suffered with. Sometimes the endings that make you think are just as good as the ones that make you happy.

Holly, Ardingly

The things we leave behind is a story about the bond between sisters and family. Two sisters travel to their Grandad’s home to escape from the cruelty of the Government. It makes you think about the many refugees fleeing their countries. The way it is written makes you feel for the characters, putting yourself in their situation and trying to figure out what you would do. The most beautiful and saddest part of the book was the ending, it was one of the ones where you feel you should have figured it out and when you look back it seems obvious but it still made me cry. A very beautiful book.

Lizzie, year 8, Ardingly

My review on ‘The Thing We Leave Behind’ by Clare Furniss.

I absolutely loved this book! I loved how it was like we were right behind the main character, Clem, for the entire story. Clem is a kind but tough girl who loves family but wants to forget her past. Her best friend, Mischa, is a fashionable and cool girl that Clem loves. I also really liked Clem’s little sister, Billie, who is sweet and silly with a love of birds. I think my favourite part of this book was when Clem had arrived at her grandpa’s house and met Shaun and Jonas. I could have cried at the end with the plot twist about Billie.

I found that there was never a boring moment with this book. It made me want to laugh and cry all at the same time. This is one of my favourite books I’ve ever read! I loved how it switched between the past and present so it never felt like a bit too much.

I thoroughly recommend this book!

Aidan Y11 St Paul’s Catholic College

SPOLIER ALERT:

I loved this book. The scenario that the protagonist finds themselves in is scarily realistic – leaders like this already exist. This helps the reader relate to the characters and the world as it is one that we could live in ourselves. Not only that, but the author has masterfully created the characters to be realistic – they have flaws, skills, relationships: everything that you or I have and everything that everyone has. Seeing the protagonist try to adapt and survive the environment that they have been forced into is terrifying and captivating. It is truly impressive seeing them manage to live through and escape the tyranny that has come into place. I also really liked the sub-story that was told throughout it about the girl rescuing her sister. The plot twist of Billie not surviving the rally was shocking; Clem telling the false story as she did not want to face the trauma was shocking, but the fact that they still managed to find a happy ending was very satisfying, and Clem being able to contact Mischa was so relieving.
9/10 incredible

Evie R-S Y8 Seaford head

This book was amazing! It’s the sort of book that stays with you long after you finish the book.This novel is so revolutionary and is really current to what is happening around the world right now. I also could not belive how clever Clare Furniss is to write a book like this one – the fact that its written as a flashback and how she sneaks in the idea that somethings wrong but does in a way which is inconspicuous. Writing about something but not telling the reader what that something might be is so hard and any author who can do that is amazingly talented. Another thing about this book would be how sad it is (but in a good way) because we are strung along with what we think is happening but there is a hidden secret. This secret is only revealed at the very end which I like because you really get attached to the characters by then. Also it amps the devastatingly sad bits up a notch – so much that I actually cried and when does that ever happen! Personally my favourite bit in ‘The things we leave behind’ would be when Clem is talking to Mishca in her head because I just love Mishca’s character because she’s just so sassy and her power and perseverance is just so impeccable.

I will recommend this novel to anyone I meet even if I just meet some random person in the street because it’s just got every genre you could ever hope for. It’s got a (kind of ) sci-fi aspect to it, it’ got drama , it’s got action , it’s got fantasy , it hasn’t got horror but there are some eerie aspects to it and it has romance -not a lot of romance but at least there is a little.

I would give this book a 9/10 because it was so amazing and powerful though I could have wished for more romance but that’s just me being picky!

Alexis

At first, I did not understand what was happening but once I got the timeline correct, I found it very emotional and full of cliff-hangers and plot twists. It shows how hope can drive you forward and achieve something truly special. My favourite part was when Clem was reading out the story of the two sisters, because I thought it was really cool how she uses a fantasy story to portray what condition she was in. I would recommend this book as it is a mix of emotions and includes a corrupt world. At least it ends happily (or does it?).

Misty

I loved this book, It was very interesting and gave me a great point of view of what London could be like in the future. It was also written in very descriptive and imaginative language which added to the intensity and reality of the book. I think the plot was written well and the journey from London to Scotland had many ups and downs which made it exciting! Nearing the end there is the most imaginative plot twist that I would never have seen coming, it made me want to re-read the whole book, just to see how things would be once you knew. Overall I think this book was very good and I enjoyed reading it.

Maximilian

The Things We Leave Behind is a very thought-provoking warning to the future; the authoritarian regime under Toby Knight could happen, especially with the rise of many far-right parties around the globe. I loved the world and its setting, and the beginning of the book was great. However, I found the plot twist didn’t evoke much of a reaction in me, and therefore the ending didn’t really feel meaningful . Overall, it is still a good book, but not as amazing as some of the other books I have read.

Rose

The things we leave behind is a heart breaking but hope filled story of a young girl’s attempt survive and find safety when her country ends up turning on itself.
The story is about when a government gains power and turns on outsiders. It will do anything to prevent its downfall. It made me feel greatly sad and emotional at numerous times. It challenged my brain and what I would have done in her situation.
I loved most of the book but the end was heart breaking I just knew there would be something really awful at the end. It was so sad and left me in tears! But it was a beautiful book. I absolutely adored it, however I would have loved a happier ending! But overall I loved it.