'When We Were Romans' by Matthew Kneale is a poignant story narrated by a nine-year-old boy named Lawrence, who tries to hold his family together as his mother grapples with mental instability. The book follows Lawrence, his mother, and younger sister as they move from place to place to escape the children's father, with Lawrence recognizing the need to be strong and take care of his family. Through Lawrence's eyes, the reader witnesses the emotional journey of a child caught in the aftermath of his parents' separation, dealing with bewilderment, anguish, and mixed loyalties.

The narrative style of the book is unique, written as a stream of consciousness from Lawrence's perspective. The author, Matthew Kneale, successfully captures the voice of a child, incorporating phonetic spellings and authentic childlike thoughts. The story unfolds through Lawrence's eyes, revealing the challenges he faces in trying to maintain normalcy in a dysfunctional family situation, ultimately leading to a sad and compelling exploration of childhood and family dynamics.

Characters:

Characters include the perceptive Lawrence, his typical younger sister Jemima, and their mentally ill mother Hannah, whose behavior drives much of the plot.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style mimics the voice of a nine-year-old through intentional spelling errors and a stream-of-consciousness technique, capturing a child's unique perspective.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around a family fleeing a stalking father, with the story being narrated by nine-year-old Lawrence as they travel from England to Rome, exploring themes of mental illness and childhood perception.

Setting:

The setting moves from England to contemporary Rome, reflecting the journey of a troubled family.

Pacing:

The pacing fluctuates, with slower sections around the middle but a more gripping conclusion that enhances the narrative tension.

Notes:

The story is narrated by a nine-year-old boy named Lawrence.

Lawrence, his mother Hannah, and his sister Jemima flee to Rome from England.

Hannah believes that her estranged husband is stalking them and intends to harm them.

The narrative includes spelling and grammar errors to reflect Lawrence's voice.

Lawrence's narration captures both the innocence and perceptiveness of childhood.

The setting in Rome allows for whimsical historical references, including discussions about Roman emperors.

Lawrence's character often anthropomorphizes people he meets, assigning them animal traits.

The book explores heavy themes such as mental illness and familial dysfunction through a child's perspective.

Many readers found the misspellings in the narrative either charming or distracting.

The book has been compared to other works with child narrators, such as The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

The structure of the story allows for a unique insight into the dynamics of a troubled family from a child's point of view.

The book balances humor and tragedy, often highlighting the absurdities of adult situations as perceived by a child.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include mental illness, emotional distress, themes of paranoia, and familial dysfunction.

From The Publisher:

When We Were Romans is a haunting psychological novel and another masterful work from the author of the prize-winning English Passengers.

Nine-year-old Lawrence is the man of his family. He watches over his mother and his willful little sister Jemima. He is the one who keeps order, especially when his mother decides they must leave their life in England behind because of threats from Lawrence's father. But their new life in Rome does not go as planned. Short of money and living off of his mother's old friends-all who seem to doubt her story-Lawrence soon realizes that things are not what they seem.

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When We Were Romans

Matthew Kneale

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