REVIEW: 15 Days Without a Head, by Dave Cousins

15 Days Without a Head
2013

Despite having a depressed alcoholic mother and a little brother who’s convinced he’s a dog, fifteen year-old Laurence Roach is trying to live a normal life. But when his mom doesn’t come home after work one night, Laurence is terrified that child services will find out she’s gone and separate him from his brother.

For two weeks, Laurence does whatever he can to keep her disappearance a secret. Spinning a web of complicated lies for friends, neighbors, and the authorities, Laurence even dresses like his mother to convince everyone she’s still around. By following clues, the brothers are finally able to track down their mother’s whereabouts. And that’s when the real trouble begins in this powerful story about what it means to be a family

Goodness, what a dismal life Laurence is living, and trying to hold together for his brother. Despite reading the blurb, I hadn't expected this story with this title.

Laurence is the overlooked kid--flies under the radio because that's where he best exists. I love that he fights to be overlooked, especially when the alternative could destroy his small corner of the world. He's the epitome of "don't look at me desperation." 

15 Days is a pretty easy read. Not too heavy on the vocab. The story, by nature, is dark, but in the sense that reality is sometimes very dark. Laurence teaches us about resilience, persistence, and the importance of family--even when they aren't everything you need.

What do you think??

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook galley from Flux Books through the netGalley publisher/reader connection program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed              
                                          are my own.