Sunday 16 August 2015

The Kingdom of Childhood by Rebecca Coleman


Kingdom of Childhood

From Goodreads

The Kingdom of Childhood is the story of a boy and a woman: sixteen-year-old Zach Patterson, uprooted and struggling to reconcile his knowledge of his mother's extramarital affair, and Judy McFarland, a kindergarten teacher watching her family unravel before her eyes. Thrown together to organize a fundraiser for their failing private school and bonded by loneliness, they begin an affair that at first thrills, then corrupts each of them. Judy sees in Zach the elements of a young man she loved as a child, but what Zach does not realize is that their relationship is - for Judy - only the latest in a lifetime of disturbing secrets. An emotionally tense, increasingly chilling work of fiction set in the controversial Waldorf school community, The Kingdom of Childhood is equal parts enchanting and unsettling and is sure to be a much-discussed and much-debated novel.

My thoughts 

Firstly, can I say despite the subject matter of this book that I really enjoyed it and gave it 5 stars or 10/10.

This is the story of Zach Patterson a 16 year old boy/young man, who's Mother has had an affair which he is finding hard to come to terms with and Judy McFarland, a Mother and Kindergarten teacher, with problems of her own.

As this unlikely pair are thrown together helping and working towards organising a charity School fundraiser, they spot in each other a loneliness and a kindred need for attention from another person. Judy's marriage and family life is strained, she is at a crossroads in her life and has certain choices to make. Zach is young and longs for attention and needs someone to fill a void. As he spends more time with Judy, he sees this void being filled by her. As they embark on a relationship that is so wrong on so many levels, they are consumed by a passion that soon turns into something far more sordid.

This debut novel deals with a taboo subject and would make a great reading group read. At times I found it quite dark and I hated the way things were happening, but I couldn't help to continue to read it in an almost voyeuristic read. I hated Judy for what she was doing and felt for Zach.

I was on the outside looking in at a married woman with problems in her life, becoming more and more infatuated with a boy/young man who she should never had become involved with.    

Not an easy read due to the subject matter, but a worthwhile thought provoking read that I am glad I randomly chose from the Library.

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