Without Warning and Only Sometimes: Quick Reads 2024

by Kit de Waal

Kit de Waal and her brother and sisters had a hard childhood in the West Midlands. Her Irish mother didn't feed them, didn't believe in Christmas or birthdays, and thought the world would end in 1975. Her father saved all his money to return to the Caribbean, where he planned to make a new life without them. At school, their faces just didn't fit in.

This is the story of how Kit and her brother and sisters helped each other escape, and what gave Kit the strength to keep living.

98 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2024

Reviews

[The Cookster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.8/5

This book is part of this year's Quick Reads programme from The Reading Agency. I am very much a fan of the scheme, which is primarily aimed at encouraging people to take up reading or to get lapsed readers to re-engage with the activity.

Rather than being an original short story, this contribution from Kit de Waal is an abridged version of her largely autobiographical novel of the same name from 2022. Although, I have not read that longer version, I felt this short format worked really well and if you didn't know that it hadn't been originally written as a short story, I would defy anyone to notice. A quick read and an enjoyable one that depicts the challenges facing a mixed race child growing up in relative poverty in 1960s-70s Birmingham.

[Erica⭐ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This contribution from Kit de Waal is an abridged version of her largely autobiographical novel of the same name from 2022. Although, I have not read that longer version, I felt this short format worked well and if you didn't know that it hadn't been originally written as a short story, I would defy anyone to notice. A quick read and an enjoyable one that depicts the challenges facing a mixed race child growing up in relative poverty in 1960s-70s Birmingham.

[Mady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book does not say it, it’s a short version of a longer autobiographic / memory written by Kit de Waal.
I have been feeling quite tired and have difficulty focusing in longer/complex plots, so this was a perfect short book!

I have quite liked all that I read so far by Kit and this was no exception! I’m even more curious to read her other books now that I’ve had a short glimpse into her life/childhood!

[Debbi Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a short read it sure does pull a punch. Love Kit de Waal 😍

[Nicola (Not Just Books) Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of this years quick reads books, it is a good introduction to this author and her work. I found it an interesting read. It gave me insite in to a social history that can sometimes be hard to read but was done so well with this book.

[charlie.s_chapters · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alright, this was strange. I feel like this was just a collection of chapters from a larger book. I mean that could be true, I don’t know. Just as it got more interesting it ended so maybe there is more to this story but I’m not sure I will be rushing to find out. I’m not really sure what else to say…not a lot happened really. I always like finding the Quick Reads to read but this one was a little disappointing.

Blurb
Kit de Waal and her brother and sisters had a hard childhood in the West Midlands. Her Irish mother didn't feed them, didn't believe in Christmas or birthdays, and thought the world would end in 1975. Her father saved all his money to return to the Caribbean, where he planned to make a new life without them. At school, their faces just didn't fit in.

This is the story of how Kit and her brother and sisters helped each other escape, and what gave Kit the strength to keep living.

[Mia Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5)
It's hard to rate memoirs, feels unfair. I did enjoy this read, it was very fast paced and felt like a journey. The social history aspect considering race and religion was also very important. However I don't think I'll think about it again after finishing it.

"I start to think I might not die. I might find a way to live through books and other people's lives...
I turn the page and keep reading. I'm going to live"

[Sarah Swatridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad autobiography of Kit de Waal's life growing up in Birmingham but well written and well drawn and described characters. The cover said 'A story of laughter, love and hope'. I didn't find much laughter nor love but there was hope.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great short read that makes you appreciate how hard life was in the 60's.

[Fabulous Book Fiend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this years Quick Reads titles! Full review to come...

[Sandra]

A short story which makes you aware of different cultures and different lives making you feel blessed with what you have and the childhood you enjoyed.

[Samantha Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this quick read based on the author's childhood in Birmingham in the 60's. An interesting read.

[Natalie Fleckney · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't understand this book I found it very confusing

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5🌟

[Natasha Jarrold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good descriptive writing depicts the struggles of a family in the 1970s. A memoir of heartache, childhood, adulthood and all the in-between.

[Lottie Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn’t my favourite, as this is not what I would typically read. However it explored new topics that I haven’t seen before as well as allowed me to read a book I would have never picked up

[Tracey Pearce · Rating 3 out of 5]

This again was another Quick Reads book and abridged version of her full autobiography. I have only read one of her books again another Quick Reads book (Six Feet Five) which i did not enjoy as i did not understand it. Not an author i would read again but this short story was quite good - how she was raised in a mixed race family in 70's birmingham, uk

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good abridged story. I wouldn't mind reading the unabridged version.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Soon, I'm back in the bookshop. I go on like this, week after week, month after month. I'm in Nepal, I'm in Brighton, I'm in Vienna. I'm a nurse, I'm a thief, I'm a soldier. I start to think I might not die. I might find a way to live through books and other people's lives. I might have children. I might grow up. I think of all the books in the bookshop in town, thousands of them, millions. It would be years before I got through them all and there's new ones every week. I'd be an old lady before I got to the end. I turn the page and keep reading. I'm going to live.'

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

won't give this a rating because my library only had the quick reads version which i imagine is not as good as the original. i still really enjoyed it and found it very interesting, but would definitely recommend the full-length version instead as this did feel quite disappointing and lacking in detail/fluidity towards the end. would have loved to have read it full-length to really understand the author's upbringing.