BETWEEN US BY CLARE ATKINS

Between Us follows two very different teenagers, both of whom are struggling with their lives and past demons. Anahita is an Iranian refugee who is allowed out of her detention centre to attend school. Life is so restricted at the camp and her pregnant mother is frantic to be reunited with the father of her child. They live not only with the constant threat of being sent back to Iran, but must also cope with the nightmare memories of why they left.

Jono is coming out the other side of a dark depression that threatened to swallow him last year. His girlfriend dumped him, his mother has left the family and his sister has moved with her to go to university. He is left with his strict Vietnamese father Kenny who has started a new job at the detention centre. Kenny is trying to understand the workings of the camp. After giving some friendly advice to Ananhita to look out for his son Jonathan if she needs help at school, he is warned by workmates not to get close to the inmates. He mustn’t trust them, they are only out to use and abuse any kindness offered.

Ana and Jono become friends and as this grows into something deeper, things become more complicated and tensions rise at both the camp and at home for Jono. The teenagers try to cope with their changing circumstances. Ana is enjoying the new freedom she finds at school as well as the joy of being able to learn again. At the camp, her mother gives birth but falls into a post-natal depression that threatens their status and Ana must stay to look after her little brother and the new baby. Communication between her and Jono is limited and he is left wondering what he did wrong. He is stuck with his father who confiscates his phone and along with his friend Will he is smoking too much dope. He tries to visit Ana but the rules prevent her from meeting him. They are both left unable to talk and clear things up between them.

Clare Atkins creates a picture of an ill-fated love. Two people separated by powers bigger than them. The combination of their fight to stay together and the outer forces of their situation prove to be too strong. Ana and her family are moved again and she falls back into a coping mechanism of wiping out the past and starting afresh. Jono is left to continue with his life, but both of them will never forget their time together.

The use of first person point of view for each main character and the way their worlds are formatted, add to the personal drama. The themes of prejudice and abandonment running through this novel give an insight into how others think, and how mistakes can be made on both sides of any relationship.

 For Ages: 12+ years

Number of Pages: 275 paperback.

Published: February 2018

Themes: Prejudice, family loyalty, refugee treatment and relationships.

Rating: 4/5