When her mum dies, Clover is now under the care of her dad.
She knows very little about this quiet, awkward man who is trying his best to explain his absence in her life but as far as she’s concerned they are nothing alike. Or so she thinks.
They were a team, her mum and Clover, a unit so strong nothing could separate them. A void now exists where once there was clarity and joy.
A new town. A new life with her dad. A new school and more, Clover finds an unexpected friend in Caterina, a nervous girl who seems lost out there in the world too. Polar opposites when it comes to family life, Caterina’s home is full of barked orders, arguments and an unsettling lack of care from the adults entrusted with her well-being. Clover tries to help her but is in danger of doing more harm than good.
When the truth of her mum’s past is revealed, family secrets threaten to unravel Clover’s life. It’s only just beginning when she uncovers letters dated from the 1850s. They reveal a possible connection with her as she considers their contents. The love, despair and cruelty endured pours from each page amid the genuine fear for their lives as those writing to each other seek freedom and peace. The underground network of escape routes mentioned gives rise to hope of a new beginning but at what cost?
Searching For the Remarkable in Things is a hard-hitting fictional read about grief, important acknowledgements within a family’s history and the willingness to admit failures towards others who were enslaved and colonised.
This novel, with stunning cover by Isla Bousfield-Donohoe, was written by Natalie Lucy from her own experiences and privilege, extensive research, much-needed conversations with relevant communities and a conscientious working relationship with American diversity professionals.
I hope that this publication opens the doors for more stories to be told from more points of view of those connected to the enslavement and colonisation of many from our history and beyond.
You can also watch Natalie’s interview with Children’s Books North on this link: https://www.childrensbooksnorth.co.uk/blog/interview-with-natalie-lucy
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