The museum of broken things by Lauren Draper

This is a dramatic story from a debut author that will appeal to teenage readers, particularly those that like gentle mystery and romance combined. Clarissa (also known as Reece) is in a world of pain. She is broken. The cause is a secret to the community in her new home town. Having left her old High School behind, where her pain is most potent, she has to resettle into a new school for her final school year. Her family is now living within the community where her Grandmother was well-known. She has had to leave everything (including her other best school friend, Nina, behind), but carries her struggles and pain with her. Sadly, the death of her Nan, a former renowned surgeon, adds to her pain and Reece is a shadow of her former self. The inheritance of some unusual gifts leads Reece into some strange historical territory, but it is the connection to the hunky Gideon, who pulls her from the ocean rather than leave her drowning in her own grief, that ultimately gives her an opportunity to see a way forward.  The new friends that she makes help her to see a future that deals with the past and builds new connections.

For a first-time author, this is a well-crafted story dealing with teenage friendship and romance as well as a psychological journey into grief and the struggle of dealing with trauma. The secret carried by Reece remains suitably ‘hidden’ for a considerable part of the novel, which magnifies the psychological difficulties for the central character and leaves the reader wondering.  It is good that she has a strong and loving family (her younger brother is a gay teen who is comfortable with his sexuality and accepted by his family, but is exploring his own romance journey). The romance aspect of the story will appeal to lovers of teen romance fiction, and there are a number of slightly steamy scenes but without extreme description. Beware though giving this to very young readers, it is targeted to readers at the end of their High School journey when exams, future decisions and romance complications may collide, sometimes uncomfortably. The difficulties of trauma and grief and the psychological impacts for a teenager would best be appreciated by readers aged 15+.

Themes: Romance, Grief, Accidents, Family, Friendship, Future plans, Illness.

Carolyn Hull