When We Were Romans by Matthew Kneale.
This is the story of 9 year old Lawrence, his sister Jemima and their mother Hannah. The story is told from the perspective Lawrence, which at times gives the story an odd twist. At that age his is totally unaware of anything outside of the view of life other then the truth that his holds as his mother. His sister is difficult and self involved but it is his relationship with his mother that guides his life. When Hannah becomes convinced that her ex-husband and father of the children is stalking them. She decides that they should travel to Rome to get away from him. So they leave London behind to begin their adventure. Once they are in Rome they survive off the good will for friends that his Mother had known in her younger year. It is during a visit with an old friend in Rome that we the reader are first lead to question her story. Lawrence’s only concern is of toy soldiers, tin tins and the safety of his hamster. Then his mothers fears start to shape his world, there is sightings of his father’s yellow car and poisoned food. Soon the fears of Hannah become those of Lawrence as he struggles to make his mother happy even when they travel back to Scotland to end the problem with his father. Till in the end when he faces his own struggles with his mothers mental illness. In the end the ability of the young to heal allows Larry to return to the childhood that going to Rome stole from him. It is difficult for a while but in the end he is once again the child that he was meant to be. There are times that the story drags on a bit as it works to maintain the voice of Lawrence in the story. There are also many misspellings in the novel which may just be a reflection of the age of the protagonist. The story does make you aware of the influence of the parent on the child good and bad.
This is the story of 9 year old Lawrence, his sister Jemima and their mother Hannah. The story is told from the perspective Lawrence, which at times gives the story an odd twist. At that age his is totally unaware of anything outside of the view of life other then the truth that his holds as his mother. His sister is difficult and self involved but it is his relationship with his mother that guides his life. When Hannah becomes convinced that her ex-husband and father of the children is stalking them. She decides that they should travel to Rome to get away from him. So they leave London behind to begin their adventure. Once they are in Rome they survive off the good will for friends that his Mother had known in her younger year. It is during a visit with an old friend in Rome that we the reader are first lead to question her story. Lawrence’s only concern is of toy soldiers, tin tins and the safety of his hamster. Then his mothers fears start to shape his world, there is sightings of his father’s yellow car and poisoned food. Soon the fears of Hannah become those of Lawrence as he struggles to make his mother happy even when they travel back to Scotland to end the problem with his father. Till in the end when he faces his own struggles with his mothers mental illness. In the end the ability of the young to heal allows Larry to return to the childhood that going to Rome stole from him. It is difficult for a while but in the end he is once again the child that he was meant to be. There are times that the story drags on a bit as it works to maintain the voice of Lawrence in the story. There are also many misspellings in the novel which may just be a reflection of the age of the protagonist. The story does make you aware of the influence of the parent on the child good and bad.
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