Closed Doors

Summary (from the publisher): Eleven-year-old Michael Murray is the best at two things: keepy-uppies and keeping secrets. His family think he's too young to hear grown-up stuff, but he listens at doors; it's the only way to find out anything. And Michael's heard a secret, one that might explain the bruises on his mother's face.

When the whispers at home and on the street become too loud to ignore, Michael begins to wonder if there is an even bigger secret he doesn't know about. Scared of what might happen if anyone finds out, and desperate for life to return to normal, Michael sets out to piece together the truth. But he also has to prepare for the upcoming talent show, keep an eye out for Dirty Alice, his arch-nemesis from down the street, and avoid eating Granny's watery stew.

Closed Doors is the startling new novel from the acclaimed author of The Death of Bees. It is a vivid evocation of the fears and freedoms of childhood in the 1980s and a powerful tale of love, the loss of innocence and the importance of family in difficult times.

Review: I received an uncorrected proof copy of this book from HarperCollins.

Set in a small Scottish town and narrated by an eleven year old, at heart, Closed Doors is a coming of age tale but with a twist - young Michael comes of age abruptly and bumpily because his mother is violently attacked, throwing his family into turmoil. Michael must deal with very adult events and emotions. I thought the summary of this novel was a bit misleading because the synopsis implies a mystery and suspense that I did not feel while reading this. The attack on Michael's mother happens early in the book, and the remainder of the novel is simply the family coping with the tragedy, and witnessing the fallout in their community. In addition, there's really very little of Michael overhearing secrets, since as the novel progresses, his family treat him more and more like a peer, and he is privy to the family secrets.

O'Donnell did a superb job of capturing the voice of an eleven year old boy. Michael is on the cusp of adolescence and struggling with associated points of stress, including interest in girls, establishing himself on the school yard, and negotiating a more adult role with his parents. He's also puzzling out the adult world around him; "I wondered why Da didn't whisper to Ma and I wondered if Granny would stop drinking out of her hip flask when there as plenty of punch. I wondered a lot that night" (78). At times, I almost felt as if I was reading a young adult novel, but only because the author has so completely captured the at times childlike, at times very wise voice of a boy on the brink of manhood.

My greatest issue with this novel is that plot felt like it stagnated and dragged. The main action occurs in the beginning of the novel with the attack on Michael's mother, and the rest of the book shows the family struggling to recover and get past the event. Much of the action is seen from afar, as Michael puzzles out his thoughts on the matter and slowly pieces together what has happened and why his mother is anxious and troubled. Despite the convincing narrative voice, the slow plot development dulled my enjoyment. On the other hand, I was satisfied with the conclusion of this novel, which redeemed the small community that Michael's family fears condemnation from throughout the novel.

Stars: 3