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Half My Life
Katy struggles with anxiety and compulsive behaviour disorders. She self-harms and is seeing a counsellor. When she starts dating it only increases her anxieties. Then her parents hear her Yiayia (grandmother) is ill in Greece and maybe dying. The family decide to visit. Reluctant at first Katy eventually decides to embrace the trip as a way to learn about her Greek family but the visit uncovers some dark family secrets. A novel that explores the fragility of families, and the damage that can be wrought when unresolved issues of one generation shape the lives of the next. Also a story about hope, and the ability of families to survive and heal damaged relationships
- GenresYoung Adult
385 pages, Paperback
Published March 12, 2020
About the author
Diana Noonan
289 books5 followersDiana Noonan is a celebrated New Zealand author who has made a significant contribution to children's literature. Born in Dunedin in 1960, she attended Waihola Primary School and Tokomairiro High School before completing a degree in English at the University of Otago in 1980. She followed this with a teaching diploma and spent four years teaching in secondary schools before turning to writing full-time.
In 1993, Noonan was appointed Writer in Residence at the Dunedin College of Education. She also served as editor of the New Zealand School Journal for eight years, further solidifying her influence on educational and children’s publishing in New Zealand.
Her writing career includes a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles, many of which have been recognized with national awards. Among her most celebrated works is Quaky Cat, a picture book written in response to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The book, which tells the story of a cat experiencing the disaster, raised over $150,000 for the Christchurch earthquake appeal through donated royalties. For this contribution, Noonan and illustrator Gavin Bishop received the North West Christchurch Award in 2012.
Over the years, Noonan has earned multiple accolades. Her picture books and non-fiction titles have frequently been finalists in the LIANZA Awards and the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. She won the Aim Children's Book Award for Best Junior Fiction in 1994 with A Dolphin in the Bay, and for Best Picture Book in 1995 with The Best Loved Bear. Her commitment to both storytelling and education was acknowledged in 2022 when she received the prestigious Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal, honoring her outstanding contribution to literature for young people in New Zealand.
Diana Noonan’s work continues to resonate with readers, educators, and critics alike, combining storytelling with empathy, environmental awareness, and educational value.
In 1993, Noonan was appointed Writer in Residence at the Dunedin College of Education. She also served as editor of the New Zealand School Journal for eight years, further solidifying her influence on educational and children’s publishing in New Zealand.
Her writing career includes a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles, many of which have been recognized with national awards. Among her most celebrated works is Quaky Cat, a picture book written in response to the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The book, which tells the story of a cat experiencing the disaster, raised over $150,000 for the Christchurch earthquake appeal through donated royalties. For this contribution, Noonan and illustrator Gavin Bishop received the North West Christchurch Award in 2012.
Over the years, Noonan has earned multiple accolades. Her picture books and non-fiction titles have frequently been finalists in the LIANZA Awards and the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. She won the Aim Children's Book Award for Best Junior Fiction in 1994 with A Dolphin in the Bay, and for Best Picture Book in 1995 with The Best Loved Bear. Her commitment to both storytelling and education was acknowledged in 2022 when she received the prestigious Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal, honoring her outstanding contribution to literature for young people in New Zealand.
Diana Noonan’s work continues to resonate with readers, educators, and critics alike, combining storytelling with empathy, environmental awareness, and educational value.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
August 14, 2021
Not what I was expecting at all. That is largely due to the rather unfortunate cover art making it look like a tacky teenage holiday romance type story - which it so definitely is not!
Also, just as an aside, the photos of the church and houses on the cover are clearly from an island (likely Santorini) but the story is about a family in the northern mainland on the border of Albania, where the churches and houses would look nothing like this.
The cover art is a bad choice because it also makes it look like it might be a light, fluffy read for tween readers, but I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone under 14/15 years as it deals with male on male rape, a 17 year old girl with severe mental health issues who is self harming and family abandonment. There are some very heavy themes in this book and everyone in the story is struggling with their own demons and secrets, so it is not a read for a younger audience!!
I am very concerned by the addition of the male rape storyline and how it is then dealt with. This is a real issue and probably the least talked about and acknowledged when it comes to sexual violence. The boys and men this happens to are often too embarrassed and humiliated to come forward because of all the implications and suggestions it may bring up and so many cases go unreported and victims are left without the help, advice, care and support they so desperately need. It is such an important issue to raise and talk about, especially in young adult literature, and I was very surprised, but pleased to see it included in the story, as an opportunity to create discussion around this hidden and shadowy topic. Especially taking into account the age group the book is aimed at, I feel Noonan, if she made the decision to go down this path, had a responsibility to deal with this issue in a complete and respectful way. Unfortunately, in this book, the extremely delicate issue is used just as something else to add to our female protagonist’s woes and while the character’s immediate victim blaming reaction to finding out her boyfriend’s terribly traumatic secret, was very real and typical, it was never then unpacked, analysed and dealt with, especially the harm that reaction would have caused to her boyfriend’s already delicate healing process. She then flew off to Greece where the entire issue was sidelined to get lost in an awkward, bizarre and somewhat unbelievable secret agent storyline! I understand this was NOT a book about male rape but it is too delicate an issue simply to throw in and then step away from.
Another quick aside if you’ll allow me - I don’t know when the author was last in Greece, but I did bristle a bit at the suggestions Athens and other parts of Greece are unsafe, even during the day or that the police are doing road blocks to catch illegals moving through the country. This is not the case at all, but works for the story so assuming the author decided on artistic licence, even if it portrays Greece in a poor light. Unfortunately what she did get right was the appalling public health system, bringing your own sheets and food and bribing the doctors and nurses just to get adequate care, are all a reality of life in Greece. But I digress.
The Greek storyline is totally far fetched and unlikely and with only one exception the characters are all unlikeable and, as you may have noticed, I think Noonan deals with incredibly delicate and hugely important issues irresponsibly, BUT on the whole this is a readable book about a highly dysfunctional family, that will appeal to mid-teenage audience.
Also, just as an aside, the photos of the church and houses on the cover are clearly from an island (likely Santorini) but the story is about a family in the northern mainland on the border of Albania, where the churches and houses would look nothing like this.
The cover art is a bad choice because it also makes it look like it might be a light, fluffy read for tween readers, but I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone under 14/15 years as it deals with male on male rape, a 17 year old girl with severe mental health issues who is self harming and family abandonment. There are some very heavy themes in this book and everyone in the story is struggling with their own demons and secrets, so it is not a read for a younger audience!!
I am very concerned by the addition of the male rape storyline and how it is then dealt with. This is a real issue and probably the least talked about and acknowledged when it comes to sexual violence. The boys and men this happens to are often too embarrassed and humiliated to come forward because of all the implications and suggestions it may bring up and so many cases go unreported and victims are left without the help, advice, care and support they so desperately need. It is such an important issue to raise and talk about, especially in young adult literature, and I was very surprised, but pleased to see it included in the story, as an opportunity to create discussion around this hidden and shadowy topic. Especially taking into account the age group the book is aimed at, I feel Noonan, if she made the decision to go down this path, had a responsibility to deal with this issue in a complete and respectful way. Unfortunately, in this book, the extremely delicate issue is used just as something else to add to our female protagonist’s woes and while the character’s immediate victim blaming reaction to finding out her boyfriend’s terribly traumatic secret, was very real and typical, it was never then unpacked, analysed and dealt with, especially the harm that reaction would have caused to her boyfriend’s already delicate healing process. She then flew off to Greece where the entire issue was sidelined to get lost in an awkward, bizarre and somewhat unbelievable secret agent storyline! I understand this was NOT a book about male rape but it is too delicate an issue simply to throw in and then step away from.
Another quick aside if you’ll allow me - I don’t know when the author was last in Greece, but I did bristle a bit at the suggestions Athens and other parts of Greece are unsafe, even during the day or that the police are doing road blocks to catch illegals moving through the country. This is not the case at all, but works for the story so assuming the author decided on artistic licence, even if it portrays Greece in a poor light. Unfortunately what she did get right was the appalling public health system, bringing your own sheets and food and bribing the doctors and nurses just to get adequate care, are all a reality of life in Greece. But I digress.
The Greek storyline is totally far fetched and unlikely and with only one exception the characters are all unlikeable and, as you may have noticed, I think Noonan deals with incredibly delicate and hugely important issues irresponsibly, BUT on the whole this is a readable book about a highly dysfunctional family, that will appeal to mid-teenage audience.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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