Half a World Away (ARC Review)

The story of two half-siblings living very different lives in London, Half the World Away explores family, privilege, and adoption. 

Noah, raised by a well-off white family, with a good job as a barrister, and a wife and kid he loves, has never been one to look back at the past…unless he’s forced to. Meanwhile, Kerry, a white woman living in a less-than-great neighborhood, has raised her son just fine on her own despite her turbulent past, making a living off cleaning the houses of people like Noah. But since they were separated, Kerry has spent her entire life leaving letters and hoping that someday, Jason…Noah, will reach out and find her, the big sister who still loves her little brother so much.

Half the World Away takes the opportunity to switch between the two perspectives of Noah and Kerry as they discover each other, and as they do so, things about themselves they hadn’t known before. 

Rife with opportunities for conversations about a multitude of topics, Half the World Away is surprisingly lacking in suspense and takes on more of a quiet drama approach to the problems that arise in Noah and Kerry’s lives. Some readers will like the slow burn of the story while others may find the progression of events somewhat boring. But the ability to get to know the characters, who are well-rounded and realistic, on such a deep level is at the forefront of Half A World Away, and certainly its greatest strength.

Unfortunately, the suspense that is created is done so by skipping around in time and withholding information from the reader until it can make a good reveal. A cop-out of a writing tactic,  the twists in the story completely cheapen the otherwise interesting exploration of the characters and more subtle look into privilege and poverty. And the ending does nothing to strengthen it.

Certainly a writing style that will suit some readers, this one wasn’t my cup of tea. American readers should also beware of the many many Britisihisms that will likely miss their mark.

I rated Half the World Away 3 out of 5 stars. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review!