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Nora & Kettle

(Paper Stars #1)

Lauren Nicolle Taylor (Goodreads Author)

4.08 · Rating details · 1,558 ratings · 317 reviews

"What if Peter Pan was a homeless kid just trying to survive, and Wendy flew away for a really good reason?"

Seventeen-year-old Kettle has had his share of adversity. As an orphaned Japanese American struggling to make a life in the aftermath of an event in history not often referred to — the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and the removal of children f ...more

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Paperback, 352 pages

Published March 15th 2016 by Clean Teen Publishing (first published February 29th 2016)

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· 1,558 ratings · 317 reviews

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Feb 07, 2015 Shannon (It Starts At Midnight) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2016, read-for-review, february-2016

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Nora & Kettle is set in 1953, and things aren't going great for either of them. For Kettle, things look as bad as they are, because he is a homeless Japanese-American orphan, who has been making it on his own in a tunnel with a bunch of other kids in his situation. He has a job that he to, quite literally, fight for every day. It isn't easy, but he's getting by. Nora's life, on the outsi ...more

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Apr 01, 2016 Hannah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned

I don't have words for how much I loved this <3 The story tore my heart to pieces in every way possible, but it was wonderful, just wonderful. Beautiful storytelling, lyrical prose, dynamic characters, all set in a period of U.S history that far too often ignored. An instant favorite. (Plus it's a series!!! I need more!!!!!)

A video review will be up on my channel very soon :D ...more

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Jul 24, 2015 mith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-publication, male-mains, historical, arcs, reviewed, kindle-or-ebook, retellings, standalone

This was such a wonderful book.
--
GUYYYYYSSSSSSS. IT'S A SERIES OH MY GOD I CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW HAPPY I AM
anyway, here, full review (before I found out it was a series!!)

This was both beautifully written and heartbreaking. If you're worried about romance overtaking everything--do NOT be. This is the story of two separate worlds--and before you think some cliche thing where they crash and everything is changed forever, hear me out. Privileged Nora and her younger sister, Frankie, hide behind walls This was such a wonderful book.
--
GUYYYYYSSSSSSS. IT'S A SERIES OH MY GOD I CAN'T EXPLAIN HOW HAPPY I AM
anyway, here, full review (before I found out it was a series!!)

This was both beautifully written and heartbreaking. If you're worried about romance overtaking everything--do NOT be. This is the story of two separate worlds--and before you think some cliche thing where they crash and everything is changed forever, hear me out. Privileged Nora and her younger sister, Frankie, hide behind walls and bruises. Their father is a well-known civil rights lawyer and he tends to speak with cutting words and his fists. With their mother gone, Nora is the only one that can protect Frankie... but it's only a matter of time before her father breaks her.
On the other side, you have Kettle, leader of the Kings. As a half-Japanese child, he's been tossed around and neglected by the country he lives in just because of who he is. He has to work harsh labouring jobs so he can keep himself and his fellow Kings safe and fed. He's resourceful, not a thief.
I found both their stories to be so heartbreaking. Reading what Nora would go through, both physically and mentally, was especially hard, because the signs were there and yet everyone would overlook them. It broke me to read her point of view. I admired her strength, her will, her determination to keep Frankie safe at all costs, even if it meant she had to get in the crossfire. Even more so, she never hesitated to put herself in the crossfire. Near the end of the novel, when every raised voice and clenched fist was near her, reading about her flinching... that just kind of ruined me.
Kettle... oh my Kettle. I loved him and Kin and the other Kings, limited page time they had. I loved the camaraderie he and Kin had--they aren't brothers, but it shows with every action, every single thing they do for each other. Kettle had to make hard decisions, choices that come to haunt him, even though it was the right thing to do. He took responsibility of a bunch of orphans at only 17 and he's not giving up on them--ever. He's doing everything he can to keep them safe, healthy, and fed. Even if it means aching bones--he's willing to risk everything for them. He has his own demons to face from the past, and little by little, we see his story. From his loving mother, to meeting Kin, to running off and doing their own thing. In his own way, Kettle is admirably strong and capable and he's especially adorable.
I know that this might be a bit strange... but I found both characters to be a bit naive. I mean, with Nora, it's kind of understandable--she HAS seen horrors, but being on the streets was a whole new world for her, of course. With Kettle, though? It wasn't the usual nothings about the upper class... it's hard to explain. After the bit with Kin, he just seemed kind of... lost. He knew what to do, yes, but it went beyond things not being the same. And I guess it's not entirely naivety on his part, but that feeling of helplessness, I suppose.
Taylor wrote from both of their perspectives and I know, more often than not, that doing that is a tricky thing. Authors usually tend to write in the same voice, even though that clearly ins't their intention. I found the voices of Nora and Kettle to be differentiable, though. Like I mentioned, Nora has that innocence, but also that bitter hardness that abuse has brought out; where Kettle has that sense of humour but also the crystal clarity of horror, knowing when something can go wrong, so quickly. The two don't meet for a while, and there isn't much romance in the book. But despite that, I loved that Taylor got both of their stories out instead of just focusing on romance. I felt the ending could've been a bit better--it's very open ending, and I'm not sure if there's a sequel--but in any case, I enjoyed the book overall! ...more

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Nov 20, 2015 Willow Hadley rated it really liked it

4.5 stars! Nora & Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor is a loosely-based retelling of Peter Pan, and it was amazing.

"What if Peter Pan was a homeless kid just trying to survive, and Wendy flew away for a really good reason?"

This takes place in 1953, just a few years after WWII, and Americans are still very prejudiced against the Japanese. Kettle is a Japanese American that grew up in a concentration camp, and now lives as a street kid barely making ends meet, trying to survive and take care of a ban ...more

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Apr 23, 2015 Kerry rated it it was amazing

A truly wonderful story about a girl from a rich family named Nora and a street kid named Kettle. Their stories are both fraught with danger and tragedy. Each have their own story to be told at first, as they live side by side without realising it. Then their lives cross and they become a strange sad and yet brave team. Despite their own problems they aim to help others.
A great read with an ending that leaves you wanting more.

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Mar 28, 2017 Charlie rated it really liked it

Shelves: bullying, damnn-that-was-fans-face, female-pov, kindle, love-the-cover, made-me-smile, male-pov, relatable, standalone, violence

4.5/5 Stars

WHY IS THIS NOT MORE WELL KNOWN!?

So I accidently stumbled across this book when it was advertised in my possible books to read email. (not it's actual name btw)

I liked the blurb of it and thought why not!
Best choice ever!

It's wonderfully unique, with an incredibly sad yet uplifting storyline and characters that are so full of emotion brewing underneath them that I ended up loving them very dearly and desperately wanting to know more, particularly with that ending!

...more

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Dec 06, 2015 Nicole M. Hewitt rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction-addiction-read

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

This is not my normal type of read, but I have to tell you that I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to read it. I have to confess that it was the Peter Pan reference that first got my attention. The book has some very loose ties to the Peter Pan story, but I hadn’t reread the blurb before reading the book and hadn’t noticed any but the incredibly obvious ones – this is not a retelling (though now that I’m thin ...more

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May 22, 2015 Ellen Zacarias rated it it was amazing

A sketch of Nora and Kettle, by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

If you haven’t read anything by Lauren Nicolle Taylor, you’re in for a real treat: Nora and Kettle is an upcoming novel by Lauren Nicolle Taylor, international bestselling author of The Woodlands. Set in the years after World War II, Nora and Kettle features a story about friendship and love between the daughter of a civil rights lawyer and a mixed-race Japanese-American orphan.

The first few pages of Nora and Kettle whisked me away into the sh ...more

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Mar 01, 2016 Lynda Dickson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Ages 14+

Shelves: young-adult

Eighteen-year-old Nora has lived through a life of physical abuse at the hands of her father, a lawyer campaigning for the civil rights of Japanese Americans interned seven years earlier in World War II prison camps. Children who escaped from these camps or became orphans were dubbed the "Lost Children" by the press. Kettle is one of these children. Now seventeen, Kettle lives in the tunnels of the railway station with his "family" of homeless children, the Kings of the Subway. Refusing to resor ...more

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Aug 01, 2020 Kate rated it it was ok

Shelves: peter-pan, read-in-2020

2/5stars

I was actually quite excited for this Peter Pan retelling, as it seems to be one of the most unique, but it became pretty apparently pretty quickly that this was not going to be something I enjoyed. This is marketed as YA but it is on the VERY young side of YA with incredibly over-the-top things happening to these characters and some pretty fucked up shit happening to them but with very surface level conversations about it. This read exactly like a middle grade to me - with an over the t ...more

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Dec 03, 2015 Eri rated it really liked it

Shelves: physical-wishlist, white-author-diversity, asian-lit, e-arcs, unforgettable, once-upon-a-time, land-of-the-sun

One of the more haunting retellings that I have ever encountered, this book gave a whole new outtake on the beloved tale of Peter Pan, grounded it in reality and harsh truths. It's not magical like the original is, but there is a certain lyrical quality to this writing that I inhaled as I read.

I wouldn't say it is a pleasant tale to read, but it's a myriad of light and dark, from the desperation that clouds Kettle's days and the fear that shrouds Nora to the moments of joy and happiness they fee ...more

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Feb 24, 2016 Bianca rated it liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, arc, aussie-author, netgalley, female-author, young-adult, great-covers

"Nora & Kettle" is set in the post-war, 1953 New York.

The seventeen year old, Nora Deere, lives in a nice house with her mum, lawyer dad and younger sister, Frankie. But not all is what it seems. Nora's dad is a bully and physically abusive. Following Nora's mother's accidental death, her dad becomes even more abusive. Nobody stands up for Nora. She's all alone.

Kettle is a part Japanese teenager, who lives on streets as he doesn't want to return to the orphanage he left. His best friend, Kin, i ...more

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Apr 13, 2016 Rebecca (whymermaids) rated it really liked it

In the post-WWII 1950s America, stereotypes and prejudices against the Japanese were still prevalent. Kettle is a Japanese American boy, raised in the internment camps, who prefers life on the streets to the brutality of life in a Home. Along with his “brother” Kin, Kettle leads and protects a group of lost boys, known as the Kings, in a more “free” life. Nora, on the other hand, lives a privileged life of luxury and money, at least on the outside. Behind the scenes, Nora is physically abused by In the post-WWII 1950s America, stereotypes and prejudices against the Japanese were still prevalent. Kettle is a Japanese American boy, raised in the internment camps, who prefers life on the streets to the brutality of life in a Home. Along with his “brother” Kin, Kettle leads and protects a group of lost boys, known as the Kings, in a more “free” life. Nora, on the other hand, lives a privileged life of luxury and money, at least on the outside. Behind the scenes, Nora is physically abused by her father and is the sole protector of her younger sister, who has already been the permanently affected by his abuse.

A historical fiction loosely based on Peter Pan, Nora and Kettle is heartbreaking, beautiful, and rich with character development.

My biggest problem with this book is also one of its strengths: character development. While I loved the extensive look into these characters and their lives, understanding their motivations and who they are individually, it took 200 pages before the characters actually came together and the plot advanced. While this is written in a more “contemporary” style, focused on character and relationships, I would’ve liked to see that struggle of them coming together as more of the focus on the story. Nora on the streets, Kettle struggling with his identity: that’s where the real story lies, not 200 pages of will Nora leave home or not.

The first book in a series, the ending, while cathartic at times, seemed more interested in setting up the next book than finishing the current one. Readers are left with a cliffhanger and a major change in Nora’s life that should’ve been addressed much earlier.

That being said, Nora and Kettle is lyrically written, with beautiful paragraphs of dialogue and description that naturally flow together. It’s very easy to picture and watch the words dance around your head.

Dealing with some very tough topics, Nora and Kettle doesn’t shy away from the brutality of child abuse and racial prejudices, but doesn’t make it the sole characterization of its characters. Nora is abused, and that affects her in very real ways, but she’s also a sister, a dreamer, and someone whose mind hasn’t been shut to new experiences. Kettle is a Japanese American, but even he doesn’t know what that means for him; he doesn’t know what to identify as, and while he keeps his head low to avoid confrontation, he also works hard, refuses to give into those prejudices, and protects those that need it.
Though it takes some time for the title characters to finally come together - for Peter to whisk Wendy away through the window - when they do, it’s magical. They have a natural chemistry, and knowing them as well as we do, it’s exciting to see them together and beginning to fall for one another. It’s fast, but it also feels very slow at the same time.

A big fan of Peter Pan and its many retellings, this was not a disappointment.

3.5 stars ...more

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Feb 29, 2016 Suze Lavender rated it it was amazing

It looks like Nora is from a perfect home. Her father is a well-known civil rights lawyer, there's enough money to spend and she has a sister she adores. Only Nora's father might stand up for those who need him in the outside world, but at home he's a tyrant. Nora is afraid of his beatings and she wants to protect her sister Frankie from more life-threatening abuse. When nothing and nobody can protect her and her sister any longer Nora tries to find a way out of her dire situation.

Kettle is a Ja ...more

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Apr 08, 2016 Inge rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, retellings

3.5 stars

Wow. Just wow.

I don’t know where I got the idea that this was going to be a light-hearted read – perhaps the fact that this is a Peter Pan retelling at heart – but wow, I definitely do not regret picking it up. This book deals with heavy themes and difficult topics in such an amazing way; I read the book within a breath and a heartbeat and even after the final page did the story stay with me.

I can’t deny that the book weighed heavily on my heart from start to finish. Vivid descriptions ...more

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Apr 02, 2015 Mary rated it it was amazing

I wish I could give a dozen stars!

I don't want to give anything away so, I've decided not to describe the story in my review.

I would like to say this....I have read thousands of books. Fantasy, Dystopian, Post Apocalyptic, Romance...the list goes on and on. I usually give the highest reviews I feel are appropriate to my interest and genuine feel
in/of the story. These five stars are not enough.

This vivid world, crusted with dirt and salt and fish air, this world pulled me in so far that I had to ...more

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Mar 27, 2015 Leah Alvord rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: trigger-warning, incredibly-emotional

This post is going to be different. And it's going to contain a lot of emotional experiences I've been through and a really personal look into my life. If you're not willing to be confronted with those facts, or you at all feel uncomfortable with that idea, please don't hesitate to go read a more upbeat, less emotional review.

Because the truth of it is, this book handled very hard issues in a way that was so realistic that it just about destroyed me.

Summary:

Nora Deere was raised to be the classi ...more

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Jan 20, 2019 Evangeline rated it liked it

(3.7)

cute. A nice take on Peter Pan and Wendy. lowkey broke my heart, but in a gentle way.

There were a million times I wanted to hit *someone* but maybe that's why I'm not the heroine of a book. I'm short, fragile, and full of anger. I wouldn't last very long. ...more

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Sep 15, 2020 ʙᴇʟᴀ.: ☾**:.☆*.:｡. rated it it was amazing

So incredibly beautiful and heart breaking. The best Peter pan retelling...ever.
TW: animal abuse/death; Domestic Violence.

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Dec 21, 2015 Rhea Dsouza rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2016-releases, arc, diverse-quiltbag, favorites-2016, retellings

If I were to describe any book I’ve read so far this year as “unforgettable,” I’d say Nora & Kettle absolutely fits the bill and some more. This book is perfect and tear-jerking and devastating, but hopeful and liberating.

Nora & Kettle is set in 1953, a time when memories of the war, of the destruction at Pearl Harbour, and the hatred towards the Axis powers was fresh in people’s minds. It was in this time that the incarceration of Japanese-American citizens took place, and in what was perhaps If I were to describe any book I’ve read so far this year as “unforgettable,” I’d say Nora & Kettle absolutely fits the bill and some more. This book is perfect and tear-jerking and devastating, but hopeful and liberating.

Nora & Kettle is set in 1953, a time when memories of the war, of the destruction at Pearl Harbour, and the hatred towards the Axis powers was fresh in people’s minds. It was in this time that the incarceration of Japanese-American citizens took place, and in what was perhaps one of the most inhuman of post-war crisis, children with even a small amount of Japanese lineage were removed from orphanages, many ending up with no place to go to. As mentioned in the synopsis of the book, this era is not talked about too often, and even less in YA, and so Nora & Kettle is as informative as it is moving.

Our story begins with Nora, the daughter of a well respected civil right lawyer, who is abusive and controlling. Nora mentions seeing his out of control rage and abuse from a very young age, and though I don’t remember her pin-pointing exactly when he started beating her, I’m inclined to believe that she had been a victim for quite some time before the book began. She has a younger sister, Frankie, whom she must protect, though, and so she endures the violence and hatred her father bears towards her.

Nora’s life was hell. She was in a situation so ghastly, so terrible that no person must ever go through even a shadow if it, but she lived through it day in and day out, all for the sake of her sister. And that is what won me over. Nora was strong and courageous is the face of adversity, and her infinite love for her sister grounded her and kept her from drowning. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to be scared of your own father, to live in fear for your life in your own house, but wanting to protect your sister from anything and everything evil is something I can understand, and so Nora had my full sympathy from the very beginning.

Kettle, on the other hand, had circumstances completely different from Nora’s—but not any easier. Fighting for a dangerous, possibly fatal job everyday, feeding his “lost boys,” living like a thief in his own country at a time when his skin colour invited only hate and resentment, and these were only the struggles we see him go through in the course of the book. His past does flash back to abuse at the hands of the orphanage he stayed at for a while, and it was gut wrenchingly painful to relive his past with him. But not once did I see resentment or bitterness in his heart for all the people he had to take care of—and Kettle managed to warm my soul with this attitude.

As a unit, we don't see Nora and Kettle together for very long. It takes a long time for them to meet, even longer to break the preconceived notions they had built about each other through the course of the book. And yet, when they were together, they looked like perfection. They were the balms to each others souls and it showed. And I only have the writing to thank for this. In a way I’ve never quite seen before, Lauren Nicolle Taylor managed to show the light at the end of the tunnel. I loved her skill with words, her flowing narrative, her characters that evoke love and support from a reader. Nora & Kettle was both raw and gutting, but it was also gorgeous and gripping from the beginning to the end. The story will weave into your heart and make you want to stop and feel and think, and from mere words on paper, I think that is the greatest thing we can ask for.

I was provided a free earc of this book by Xpresso Book Tours in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review. ...more

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Feb 26, 2016 Sophie L rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. ** I received this ARC through NetGalley from the publishers.**

Initial thoughts:
If a book makes me physically sob, then it's an automatic favourite. It just so happens that this is my most favourite book of all time. I can't begin to describe how I'm feeling right now.

Review:
As soon as I received this book, I was ecstatic about reading it. I had read the reviews on Goodreads and pretty much everyone said it was amazing. I cannot agree more, this book isn't one of the most beautiful books I've ev ** I received this ARC through NetGalley from the publishers.**

Initial thoughts:
If a book makes me physically sob, then it's an automatic favourite. It just so happens that this is my most favourite book of all time. I can't begin to describe how I'm feeling right now.

Review:
As soon as I received this book, I was ecstatic about reading it. I had read the reviews on Goodreads and pretty much everyone said it was amazing. I cannot agree more, this book isn't one of the most beautiful books I've ever read and will infinitely be at the top of my favourites list.

The more I think about the characters, the more I miss them. This book was average length, so you'd think you wouldn't really get that attached, oh no. These two characters, Nora and Kettle, are so different but yet so similar. They come from different backgrounds but both face abuse, they try to care for their families in difficult times and by chance they happen to find each other.

Nora is a strong woman living with her sister and father after the tragic death of her mother. Since her mother's death, her father has been unhinged and takes his anger out on his two daughters. Nora, being the older sister, protects her little sister Frankie by taking her beatings. When she is finally ready to leave her life behind, she stumbles upon Kettle.

Kettle is a JA living in America after World War Two. Since Pearl Harbour and the clash between Japan and America, all JAs have been neglected from their orphanages and workplaces. Kettle is one of the unlucky few living on the streets and barely getting by. He and his brother, Kin, form an underground alliance of JAs, The Kings. And by circumstance, they meet Nora.

If that story doesn't intrigue, I don't know what will. Couple that amazing story with the absolutely beautiful and fluid writing style, you will instantly be sucked into this world and these characters. Now I must warn you, this book is not for the faint of heart, there are some truly gut-wrenching scenes. If you are in anyway sensitive to domestic abuse, then I suggest keeping away from this book because it is quite graphic. But on the whole, this book is amazing and I can't really fault it, I can't even nitpick anything, it is just pure genius. I would like to say I want a second book but I don't know, I kind of liked and didn't like the ending the way it was, I wouldn't object if there was another book but who knows. ...more

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Feb 23, 2016 Louisa rated it it was amazing

If I had wings, they would be black, thin, and feathered. Not a flat color... but iridescent. Shining with hues of purple, green and blue. Catching the light with the barest fingertips. And when I needed, I could fold into the darkest shadows and hide.

My first 5 star book of 2016!!

I requested Nora & Kettle from Netgalley thinking it looked like an interesting read, but I was in no way prepared for how much I would love it.

Within the first 5% of the book I was completely hooked. I found myse If I had wings, they would be black, thin, and feathered. Not a flat color... but iridescent. Shining with hues of purple, green and blue. Catching the light with the barest fingertips. And when I needed, I could fold into the darkest shadows and hide.

My first 5 star book of 2016!!

I requested Nora & Kettle from Netgalley thinking it looked like an interesting read, but I was in no way prepared for how much I would love it.

Within the first 5% of the book I was completely hooked. I found myself caring for the characters very early on, and as the story progressed I only adored them more. I loved that while Nora and Kettle were from different worlds, they were similar in the way that they were both dealt bad luck, one with money and one without.

One of my favourite things about this tale was that it wasn't romance heavy. While I definitely wouldn't have complained if there were more sweet moments, I felt that the plot wasn't completely focused on their romantic relationship, but rather focused on their struggles that led to a forced bond that turned out to be really beautiful. They were established as individual characters before their meeting, too, which is something that I feel is overlooked when it comes to romance in some books. I would have been happy to read about either one of them even if they didn't meet; they were both interesting and developed enough on their own. Their relationship was just a nice fringe benefit.

The writing was beautiful, and so descriptive of the time period. The author didn't shy away from the harsh facts either, whether it be the cruelty shown to the Japanese Americans, or the physical abuse that was hard to stomach. While it was hard to fathom that these things happen, I appreciated the fact that it wasn't glossed over.

I won't be forgetting this one in a long time. I love books that make me take a step back and help me appreciate just how lucky I am to have a roof over my head and a loving family. I can't wait to read more from Lauren Nicolle Taylor.

Thank you to Netgalley and Clean Teen Publishing for this ARC!
...more

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Apr 10, 2016 Kelly Roberson rated it it was amazing

Video Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrgR3...

Going into this book, I was not expecting to love it as much as I did! It is heartbreakingly beautiful, and I couldn't help but love every minute of it. There were many times the book was incredibly difficult to read due to the heavy topics it is dealing with, but I am so impressed with just how well the issues of abuse and racism were handled. I will say there is definitely a trigger warning for abuse. If that is a situation you find hard to ...more

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Jul 06, 2015 Rachel Patrick marked it as to-read

I kid you not, I raised both my hands/arms up in a "shut UP" sort of position after reading the first line of this synopsis and unexpectedly saw Peter Pan and Wendy Darling mentioned.

Give it to me.

Give it to me now. ...more

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Apr 20, 2017 Kim marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: awards-finalist-or-winner, young-or-new-adult, literary-fiction, biopsychosocio-fiction, pro-re-nata, historical-fiction, fables-or-inspired-by, 2018-tbr-challenge

2017 Gold Medallion IPPY Award winner in the National YA Multicultural Fiction category.

Source: Purchased it at full price, but currently free on Amazon at time of pre-review.

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Feb 29, 2016 Cynthia (Bingeing On Books) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: five-star, ultimate-favorites, book-series, retellings, books-that-made-me-cry, favorite-friendships

This book was so incredibly beautiful and moving and amazing and I really don't know if I can do this book justice. Everything about it was perfect! I am a really, really fast reader but for this book, I had to force myself to slow down and savor it. Every single word was perfection.

I freaking loved the characters. First of all, this book takes place in a time period that isn't often talked about. It is set after the horrible period in American history where Japanese Americans were placed in "in This book was so incredibly beautiful and moving and amazing and I really don't know if I can do this book justice. Everything about it was perfect! I am a really, really fast reader but for this book, I had to force myself to slow down and savor it. Every single word was perfection.

I freaking loved the characters. First of all, this book takes place in a time period that isn't often talked about. It is set after the horrible period in American history where Japanese Americans were placed in "internment camps." Kettle and his friend, Kin, are homeless and live with a group of Lot Boys. These boys are all of Japanese ancestry and they all have a fear of authority due to their time in the camps. Kettle had been forcibly removed from an orphanage to be taken to a camp, while Kin's mom actually died of TB while inside the camps. Both of these boys, along with the children they take care of, have emotional scars from this time and the amount of racism in America does not help. Kettle and Kin had to dodge physical blows and name calling at every single turn. There were people who obviously felt bad about the camps, but wanted to forget anything had happened. Then there were people who still thought Japanese people were dangerous and bad. It was so incredibly sad, but man, I loved, loved, LOVED Kettle. He was so incredibly brave and loyal and protective. He worked awful (and very dangerous) jobs to pay for food for his lost boys and he refused to steal to do it.

Then there was Nora. My heart broke for Nina on every single page. On the outside, things looked great. She was very well off and she seemingly had a great family. Her dad was a famous civil rights lawyer who was trying to get compensation for the Japanese Americans who had been placed in the camps. The problem was that Nora's father was an abusive and controlling and sadistic man. I hated that man with every fiber of my being. But Nora was so incredibly strong. She had a sister, Frankie, and she was wiling to do ANYTHING for her. Frankie was partially deaf and needed a hearing aid because of an injury that their father inflicted when she was young. Nora vowed to make sure her dad never laid a hand on her again and she took so much punishment for it. There was one scene where Frankie tried to comfort her and she said "You saved me." I just lost it at that point. My eyes tear up right now just thinking about it. Their relationship was the most beautiful thing in Nora's life and I adored Frankie so much. It was so twisted that this man was so focused on getting justice for others on the outside, while he treated his family like they weren't even human.

The book goes back and forth between the two POVs. Their lives kind of intersect and overlap, but they still don't meet each other until more than halfway through the book. I was waiting and waiting for them to meet and I was not disappointed. I don't want to give away any of the plot, but I loved their interactions. These two people had so much in common and they were destined to meet.

It looks like this book MAY get a sequel. The author has a sequel outline, but it depends on how well this one does. So basically, you need to read this book NOW!! Read it because I know you will love it and then you can give it a rave review and then we can get that sequel! ...more

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Jun 06, 2017 DJ rated it liked it

Shelves: abuse-and-neglect, young-adult, female-author, poc-mc, historical-fiction, australia-new-zealand, re-tellings, published-2016

I think this is less a retelling of Peter Pan, and more inspired by Peter Pan. At least that's how it read to me.

Set a little after WWII in what I'm assuming is America (it's not really specified), focusing on two very different young adults.

Nora is a rich, white girl in a very scary, unhappy home, dreaming of running away but staying to protect her little sister.

Kettle is a homeless Japanese boy living in a country that hates him (that whole Pearl Harbour thing I guess), trying to take care of ...more

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Mar 30, 2015 Jasmine Smith-clark rated it it was amazing

This is a story that dives into the depths of depravity and the purpose of hope in life. Without hope in desolation, there is no life worth living. Nora and Kettle live through things that most of us cannot grasp as reality, but unfortunately this is all too real for some. It is only with the help of one another that they find their true courage and inner strength. This story is incredible and I honestly cannot wait to see what comes next. It made me laugh, it made me cry and it even made me ang ...more

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Apr 07, 2015 Jacy rated it it was amazing

It left me speechless. I tried to flip the last page over a number of times hoping that magically more chapters would appear. It should be said that if you have experienced domestic violence or are sensitive to that subject matter this may not be the book for you due to Laurens ability to write and build characters that will literally walk off the pages and into your heart. I shed many a tear over nora and kettle for both their torments and triumphs. I anxiously await it's sequel where my journe ...more

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Mar 16, 2016 Lucija The Reader rated it it was amazing

Shelves: e-book-review-copies

This book is amazing it opened my eyes a bit more and the characters are so wonderful because no matter how hard their lives are they still manage to have fun and enjoy life. This book is really underhyped and more people should read it!

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About Lauren Nicolle Taylor

Lauren Nicolle Taylor

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Lauren Nicolle Taylor lives in the lush Adelaide Hills. The daughter of a Malaysian nuclear physicist and an Australian scientist, she was expected to follow a science career path, attending Adelaide University and completing a Health Science degree with Honours in obstetrics and gynaecology.

She then worked in health research for a short time before having her first child. Due to their extensive ...more