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À la recherche de Jack
Rosie, seize ans, est atteinte de trisomie 21. Elle est choyée par ses parents, auprès desquels elle vit en Angleterre. Sa vie a changé depuis qu’elle a rencontré son premier petit ami, Jack, dont elle est éperdument amoureuse.
Mais Jack a des soucis et Rosie n’a plus le droit de le fréquenter. L’adolescente, parfaitement déterminée, décide de tout mettre en œuvre pour le retrouver et de quitter sa famille, à qui elle se garde bien de confier son plan d’évasion. Elle entame alors un long voyage, initiatique et périlleux. Rien ne semble pouvoir l’arrêter, mais rien, évidemment, ne se passe comme prévu…
Un roman d’apprentissage bouleversant, porté par l’écriture lumineuse de Mel Darbon.
Mais Jack a des soucis et Rosie n’a plus le droit de le fréquenter. L’adolescente, parfaitement déterminée, décide de tout mettre en œuvre pour le retrouver et de quitter sa famille, à qui elle se garde bien de confier son plan d’évasion. Elle entame alors un long voyage, initiatique et périlleux. Rien ne semble pouvoir l’arrêter, mais rien, évidemment, ne se passe comme prévu…
Un roman d’apprentissage bouleversant, porté par l’écriture lumineuse de Mel Darbon.
356 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
49 people are currently reading
2350 people want to read
About the author
Mel Darbon
3 books40 followersMel Darbon spent a large part of her childhood inventing stories to keep her autistic brother happy on car journeys. She won’t mention the time spent with him standing by level crossings waiting for the InterCity 125 to go past as she wouldn’t want to be labelled a train spotter.
Life took her in many different directions working as a theatre designer, a freelance artist, teaching young adults with learning disabilities and running creative workshops for teenage mums, young offenders and toddlers (though not all together).
Mel now writes young adult novels and is a recent graduate of Bath Spa’s MA in Writing For Young People, where she found a channel to give voice to young people who otherwise might not be heard.
Life took her in many different directions working as a theatre designer, a freelance artist, teaching young adults with learning disabilities and running creative workshops for teenage mums, young offenders and toddlers (though not all together).
Mel now writes young adult novels and is a recent graduate of Bath Spa’s MA in Writing For Young People, where she found a channel to give voice to young people who otherwise might not be heard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
March 24, 2020
2,5 Stars
First I thought it was an okay cute story with a strong character that has Downs' syndrome. The middle of the story ruined it for me. Rosie is indeed strong and independent but that twist was unnecessary and is just too overdramatic.
I do think the respresentation of Rosie is super well done, but the story line was a bit doubtful in my opinion.
But don't let my opinion decide you do not want to read this!
First I thought it was an okay cute story with a strong character that has Downs' syndrome. The middle of the story ruined it for me. Rosie is indeed strong and independent but that twist was unnecessary and is just too overdramatic.
I do think the respresentation of Rosie is super well done, but the story line was a bit doubtful in my opinion.
But don't let my opinion decide you do not want to read this!
November 11, 2018
3.5 out of 5 stars!
The main character Rosie has Down's Syndrome and having never read a story that features a character with DS, I was really impressed by Mel's writing style. There were moments that my heart was absolutely breaking for Rosie and at the end, finishing with a massive smile on my face. This is one of those books where you are curious to see just exactly what happens on someone's important journey. Rosie has a boyfriend called Jack, who is then sent away to Brighton after an incident at College. Rosie's Dad isn't keen of Jack but Rosie herself is heartbroken, so decides to run away and find him. Little does she know that massive snowstorms are on the way and ends up getting stranded in London!
I wasn't fully connecting with the storyline, as much I would have liked. There were some chapters that I enjoyed more than others, one of those being the last chapters. I had no major issues other than the pacing at times was a little slow. A UKYA read that I'm happy I gave a go with!
The main character Rosie has Down's Syndrome and having never read a story that features a character with DS, I was really impressed by Mel's writing style. There were moments that my heart was absolutely breaking for Rosie and at the end, finishing with a massive smile on my face. This is one of those books where you are curious to see just exactly what happens on someone's important journey. Rosie has a boyfriend called Jack, who is then sent away to Brighton after an incident at College. Rosie's Dad isn't keen of Jack but Rosie herself is heartbroken, so decides to run away and find him. Little does she know that massive snowstorms are on the way and ends up getting stranded in London!
I wasn't fully connecting with the storyline, as much I would have liked. There were some chapters that I enjoyed more than others, one of those being the last chapters. I had no major issues other than the pacing at times was a little slow. A UKYA read that I'm happy I gave a go with!
July 30, 2018
“Mum told me, ‘Above everything Rose, you are a human bean…. we love the same…. we think the same… and we are as important as each other.’ The words in my head are the same as yours. Sometimes they just come out wonky.”
This book is about Rosie……. and how much she loves Jack. Rosie is a sixteen year old with down syndrome. When she is split up from jack by the world and circumstances, she decide to go on an adventure in order to get together with “her jack” again.
This book was just so so beautiful. And Rosie was a bright shiny star. I loved her so much. She was so brave, extra ordinary and gentle. She made my heart ache. Throughout the story no matter what happened she stayed so strong, brave and determined and kind so so extraordinarily kind. She never let bullies pull her down.
“Oi! Shrek! What you doing away from your swamp!”
“Come on,” Lawrence says, “let’s move further up the platform”
I look at him. His face is full of hurt.
“Don’t worry, I’m used to it, Rose.”
But his eyes are watery. He looks away. And I understand l pull on his sleeve.
“Mum says to ignore people. They don’t understand. They haven’t been brought up pro-perly.”
"It’s hard to ignore me and they’re right, I’m Shrek.”
“You’re not a Shrek, you’re a Lawrence.”
"Thank you”
My most favorite part was her drive, she stayed so determined to get to jack and kept saying how he made her brave and how he made sun shine in her head. Even when the world kept on telling her to turn back and go home she didn’t let go of her commitment. When the world tries telling her that jack is not good for her she keeps driving them away and keeps telling them again and again that Jack is her sunshine and he makes her world brighter. You just help but feel their cuteness. And root for them.
Jack, we don’t get to see much of him but from his letter and how he is so obsessed with Rosie and how she calms her “angry”. He is as equally sad about not having Rosie around anymore than.
I am so happy with all the representation in this book. How brilliantly she is portrayed. It says on the arc cover
“see the world through new eyes”
and you do the world is so much simpler to her. And i loved how exciting everything was to her and to read her description of everything, to see everything with a touch of Rosie!
This book pulls your faith from the world but also puts its back because with all the dark clouds it also show us shiny blue skies and restores our faith in the world.
Overall, this book is a must read… its very easy to follow because Rosie is such happy go narrator. This is such an important read for everyone despite what group they belong to. It has representation, it tells you how to be brave, it teaches you so much. Also i love how it discuses bullying! Please do pick it up, you have too!
Thankyou so much usborne ya for this arc
All quotes are from an arc they might be subjected to change in the finished copy :)
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This was such a heartwarming read!! Loved Loved going into Rosie's head Rtc!
February 13, 2021
I really did not like this. I debated between 1 and 2 stars since it was nice to finally find a book that has a protagonist with Down syndrome, but I didn't like the writing, didn't like the plot, and became increasingly frustrated with Rosie's portrayal so I have to go with 1.
I've gone through a couple of reviews and some seem to dance around without saying it but I think it's important to know going into it: Rosie leaves home to find her boyfriend that's moved away after getting in trouble and she eventually gets taken advantage of and ends up in a house with trafficked young girls. If trafficking is a trigger for you and/or if people with a disability being poorly treated is a trigger for you, do not read this book. I was surprised when I got to that part and not in a good way.
So let me start with the good: I do think there were some important things in here such as seeing people's reactions to meeting someone with Down syndrome, Rosie's singled mindedness in her one goal, Rosie's inability to understand figurative language, and Rosie's perseverance.
However, in my opinion, the good doesn't make up for the bad. Yes, Rosie is in love with Jack and wants to do anything to see him again, but I don't like that people with Down syndrome are portrayed as single minded to the point of reckless. I'm sure this is true for many, but I think a book that focuses on a character with Down syndrome could have taken a much more positive approach about determination. Instead, we get a story about a girl who runs away from her family for a boy. Not only that, but it seems to reinforce the idea that people with Down syndrome can't do anything for themselves or else they'll inevitably be taken advantage of. Honestly, the entire book came off as a tale of "if only she stayed home with her parents and let them care for her, things like this would never have happened." I suppose in Rosie's case it's true, but being a Speech-Language Pathologist, I know that the families I work with have the overall goal of independence and this book seemed to scream that it could never happen.
Listen, I know that I don't have Down syndrome and I don't have a close family member or friend with Down syndrome, so I can't tell you if this is an accurate portrayal of someone with Down's. All I can tell you is that I didn't enjoy the writing, the story, or the overall message I took away from this book.
I will say - don't let my review deter you from reading it if it's a topic that interests you. If anything, at least this book is good for starting a conversation about how we treat people with disabilities.
I've gone through a couple of reviews and some seem to dance around without saying it but I think it's important to know going into it: Rosie leaves home to find her boyfriend that's moved away after getting in trouble and she eventually gets taken advantage of and ends up in a house with trafficked young girls. If trafficking is a trigger for you and/or if people with a disability being poorly treated is a trigger for you, do not read this book. I was surprised when I got to that part and not in a good way.
So let me start with the good: I do think there were some important things in here such as seeing people's reactions to meeting someone with Down syndrome, Rosie's singled mindedness in her one goal, Rosie's inability to understand figurative language, and Rosie's perseverance.
However, in my opinion, the good doesn't make up for the bad. Yes, Rosie is in love with Jack and wants to do anything to see him again, but I don't like that people with Down syndrome are portrayed as single minded to the point of reckless. I'm sure this is true for many, but I think a book that focuses on a character with Down syndrome could have taken a much more positive approach about determination. Instead, we get a story about a girl who runs away from her family for a boy. Not only that, but it seems to reinforce the idea that people with Down syndrome can't do anything for themselves or else they'll inevitably be taken advantage of. Honestly, the entire book came off as a tale of "if only she stayed home with her parents and let them care for her, things like this would never have happened." I suppose in Rosie's case it's true, but being a Speech-Language Pathologist, I know that the families I work with have the overall goal of independence and this book seemed to scream that it could never happen.
Listen, I know that I don't have Down syndrome and I don't have a close family member or friend with Down syndrome, so I can't tell you if this is an accurate portrayal of someone with Down's. All I can tell you is that I didn't enjoy the writing, the story, or the overall message I took away from this book.
I will say - don't let my review deter you from reading it if it's a topic that interests you. If anything, at least this book is good for starting a conversation about how we treat people with disabilities.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2024
Ta książka to dowód na to, jak potrzebne są trigger warningi. Nie spodziewałam się takiej przemocy w tej historii, powieść czytałam do poduszki i w połowie bardzo mnie zestresowała i zastanawiałam się nawet, czy jej nie odłożyć. Wiele emocji kosztowała mnie lektura, czasami były to za ciężkie emocje i wolałabym wiedzieć, że powinnam się na takie tematy przygotować.
Ale całościowo jest wspaniała i cieszę się, że po nią sięgnęłam.
Ale całościowo jest wspaniała i cieszę się, że po nią sięgnęłam.
September 15, 2018
This book is everything. I adored reading Rosie’s tale, her dedication to Jack and their relationship was amazing to read about, the lengths she went to stay with him and help him. It was phenomenal. I have never read a book with a protagonist who suffered from Down’s Syndrome and this book made me aware of many more things that I didn’t know about. The author, Mel Darbon, has helped people with learning disabilities through her voluntary work and it shows because Rosie’s characterization is very thoughtful and realistic.
I loved how the author balanced things out, there were characters in the book who had absolutely no humanity and tried to manipulate or even hurt Rosie, but also characters who tried to help her through her journey, they supported her and believed in her. I thought it was important to show both sides, but end on a hopeful note that most people help people, most people are considerate.
Rosie is probably one of the most determined characters I’ve ever read about, so brave, I think most people would have given up on a journey when all their trains would have been cancelled, after they lost all their money, but she didn’t. She had to find Jack because what they had together was meaningful and she couldn’t give it up due to her father’s concerns.
I think Rosie Loves Jack is especially important because it shows how people that suffer from Down’s Syndrome can still have a normal life, Rosie goes to college, she has a healthy and supportive relationship, she has great friends and a family that are looking out for her. But in the end, she’s capable of taking care of herself.
rosielovesjack.png
They can’t send you away. What will we do? We need us. I stop your angry, Jack. And you make me strong. You make me Rosie.
My only complaint is that we didn’t see Jack and Rosie together long enough, I wish there were more scenes with them, even flashbacks, because they were so cute. Everything about their relationship was meaningful, whenever Rosie told someone how much she loves Jack and how he’s bringing the sun to her and she takes away his angry (Jack has a hard time controlling his emotions due to a head injury), it was beautiful.
I adored how Rosie stood up for herself in all the situations when people looked down on her or assumed things about her based on her disorder.
I loved how she established friendships wherever she went because she navigated every situation with so much empathy and kindness. Her positive outlook of life was something worth admiring, she definitely earned her spot as one of my favorites heroines of all the time. The people she encountered had stories of their own, struggles, this book really dealt with lots of important subjects from bullying to fatphobia, human trafficking and homelessness.
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who are looking for a beautiful tale of love, of not giving up of what’s most important to you in the face of obstacles and of human kindness.
I want to thank Usborne for giving me an ARC of this book, this hadn’t affected my review, nor my rating in any way.
I loved how the author balanced things out, there were characters in the book who had absolutely no humanity and tried to manipulate or even hurt Rosie, but also characters who tried to help her through her journey, they supported her and believed in her. I thought it was important to show both sides, but end on a hopeful note that most people help people, most people are considerate.
Rosie is probably one of the most determined characters I’ve ever read about, so brave, I think most people would have given up on a journey when all their trains would have been cancelled, after they lost all their money, but she didn’t. She had to find Jack because what they had together was meaningful and she couldn’t give it up due to her father’s concerns.
I think Rosie Loves Jack is especially important because it shows how people that suffer from Down’s Syndrome can still have a normal life, Rosie goes to college, she has a healthy and supportive relationship, she has great friends and a family that are looking out for her. But in the end, she’s capable of taking care of herself.
rosielovesjack.png
They can’t send you away. What will we do? We need us. I stop your angry, Jack. And you make me strong. You make me Rosie.
My only complaint is that we didn’t see Jack and Rosie together long enough, I wish there were more scenes with them, even flashbacks, because they were so cute. Everything about their relationship was meaningful, whenever Rosie told someone how much she loves Jack and how he’s bringing the sun to her and she takes away his angry (Jack has a hard time controlling his emotions due to a head injury), it was beautiful.
I adored how Rosie stood up for herself in all the situations when people looked down on her or assumed things about her based on her disorder.
I loved how she established friendships wherever she went because she navigated every situation with so much empathy and kindness. Her positive outlook of life was something worth admiring, she definitely earned her spot as one of my favorites heroines of all the time. The people she encountered had stories of their own, struggles, this book really dealt with lots of important subjects from bullying to fatphobia, human trafficking and homelessness.
I absolutely recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who are looking for a beautiful tale of love, of not giving up of what’s most important to you in the face of obstacles and of human kindness.
I want to thank Usborne for giving me an ARC of this book, this hadn’t affected my review, nor my rating in any way.
February 25, 2020
Ik vond dit boek zo mooi. Ik heb er geen andere woorden voor, alleen dat het zo goed is om over dit onderwerp te schrijven.
July 9, 2020
Toen ik begon met lezen, dacht ik dat dit een 2-sterren boek zou worden. In het begin kon ik er niet goed inkomen, ik stoorde me aan de kaarten van Jack, en ik zag Rosie niet voor me. Ik ben eigenlijk allergisch voor boeken waarin dingen gigantisch uit de hand lopen, en dit is zeker zo'n soort boek. Aan de andere kant wist ik dit van tevoren en als ik allergisch ben, ja, dan moet ik het maar niet lezen, dat is niet de schuld van de schrijver. Verder ben ik gewoon gestopt met het lezen van de kaarten van Jack en heb geaccepteerd dat ik Rosie niet voor me kan zien omdat ik gewoonweg te weinig ervaring heb met mensen met het syndroom van Down.
Dit boek raakte me. Ik moest een beetje huilen aan het eind en ik vind Rosie echt een heerlijk personage geworden. Dat is natuurlijk wat boeken doen: je loopt een keer een kilometer in de schoenen van iemand anders.
Dit boek raakte me. Ik moest een beetje huilen aan het eind en ik vind Rosie echt een heerlijk personage geworden. Dat is natuurlijk wat boeken doen: je loopt een keer een kilometer in de schoenen van iemand anders.
March 23, 2021
I was so excited to read this book because this was my first time reading about a protagonist with Down syndrome, but sadly enough this book couldn't convince me.
I think that the author did a good job with the representation of Rosie and I loved how strong she was, but my biggest problem was the storyline.
I think Mel Darbon could have done so much more than a story where the girl runs away from her family after a boy. The things that happened while Rosie was on her way were also unnecessary and in my opinion a bit weird.
I had high hopes for this book, but sadly enough it didn't work out for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
This did not affect my opinions in any way.
I think that the author did a good job with the representation of Rosie and I loved how strong she was, but my biggest problem was the storyline.
I think Mel Darbon could have done so much more than a story where the girl runs away from her family after a boy. The things that happened while Rosie was on her way were also unnecessary and in my opinion a bit weird.
I had high hopes for this book, but sadly enough it didn't work out for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.
This did not affect my opinions in any way.
February 9, 2020
4,5 ⭐️
Door een waas tranen (van ontroering) type ik dit korte bericht om jullie te laten weten hoe fantastisch dit boek is. Rosie is absoluut een van mijn all time favoriete heldinnen geworden. Ik zou meer willen typen, maar ik word momenteel even overweldigd door all the feels ❤️❤️❤️
Door een waas tranen (van ontroering) type ik dit korte bericht om jullie te laten weten hoe fantastisch dit boek is. Rosie is absoluut een van mijn all time favoriete heldinnen geworden. Ik zou meer willen typen, maar ik word momenteel even overweldigd door all the feels ❤️❤️❤️
February 24, 2020
Zo’n prachtig verhaal over Rosie. Moet je gelezen hebben.
September 3, 2021
Dit boek was echt te chaotisch voor mij.. Mijn volledige recensie lees je binnenkort bij de Leesfabriek.
August 29, 2020
Rosie loves Jack. Jack loves Rosie.
This was an amazing diverse book, where Rosie tries to find her true love, Jack. I have to say, of all the diverse books I've read, this one's the best I've read in ages. How Rosie loves Jack so much that she searches for him, where the world is not what she thinks it is.
Rosie, has Down's Syndrome but still loves Jack with all her heart. Jack's one of the troublemakers, his temper always up and down but when he's near Rosie, she's all he can think about. But when Jack does something that makes the two of them separated, Rosie's heartbroken without him. She may have DS, but her heart tells her to find Jack.
As Rosie goes through dark places where she learns not all parts of the world is beautiful, she struggles to get herself together. With no one to help her, she just thinks she might get broken all over again. The only thing that makes her brave enough to continue are the photos she has of Jack to remember why she's here and how much she loves him.
This book broke my heart in thousands of different ways, but it was a beautiful book full of sweet and brave things. And I can guess Rosie really does love Jack because even the title says it.
Rosie Loves Jack
This was an amazing diverse book, where Rosie tries to find her true love, Jack. I have to say, of all the diverse books I've read, this one's the best I've read in ages. How Rosie loves Jack so much that she searches for him, where the world is not what she thinks it is.
Rosie, has Down's Syndrome but still loves Jack with all her heart. Jack's one of the troublemakers, his temper always up and down but when he's near Rosie, she's all he can think about. But when Jack does something that makes the two of them separated, Rosie's heartbroken without him. She may have DS, but her heart tells her to find Jack.
As Rosie goes through dark places where she learns not all parts of the world is beautiful, she struggles to get herself together. With no one to help her, she just thinks she might get broken all over again. The only thing that makes her brave enough to continue are the photos she has of Jack to remember why she's here and how much she loves him.
This book broke my heart in thousands of different ways, but it was a beautiful book full of sweet and brave things. And I can guess Rosie really does love Jack because even the title says it.
Rosie Loves Jack
August 28, 2018
I thought I knew a little bit about teenagers with special needs but this extraordinary book has completely changed my perspective. It is an important story and Rosie's incredibly powerful voice has been echoing around my mind ever since I put the book down. I hope she stays there for many years to come - I imagine she will.
The story itself is a real edge of your seat page turner. It tackles some very dark issues, skilfully skips over a lot of sensitive matter and takes you on a tear jerking, laugh out loud funny journey to the very last page.
I believe Rosie Loves Jack is targeted at young adults, but my 13 and 14 year olds couldn't put it down, I loved it and a friend of mine gave it to his 70 (ish) year old Mum and apparently it passed her test too.
Huge congratulation are due to Mel Darbon - you deserve your book to be an enormous success.
The story itself is a real edge of your seat page turner. It tackles some very dark issues, skilfully skips over a lot of sensitive matter and takes you on a tear jerking, laugh out loud funny journey to the very last page.
I believe Rosie Loves Jack is targeted at young adults, but my 13 and 14 year olds couldn't put it down, I loved it and a friend of mine gave it to his 70 (ish) year old Mum and apparently it passed her test too.
Huge congratulation are due to Mel Darbon - you deserve your book to be an enormous success.
May 20, 2019
I love it, when wonderful books find me on their own accord.
I had not heard of this brilliantly voiced story about Rose, a sheltered girl with Down's Syndrome, sneaking out on a tube-and-train roadtrip to be reunited with the love of her life, Jack, in Brighton, before I swapped it on a whim at Tauschticket. Even the cover did not ring any bell, when I curiously looked the title up to find out what it would be about.
I was a bit afraid of the book turning out either too sad or too soppy. But it proved to be just the right mix of dark and light, of dangerous and hopeful
A lot of dark things happen to Rose due to train cancelations, thoughtless or mean passengers and even shady pimps collecting fresh meat among the naive and helpless.
But the majority of the travellers Rose encounters mean well, try to help her or look out for her as best as they can. Most of them seem to part ways with her happier then they were before - because Rose simply speaks what's on her mind. She is kind and loving and honest and very determined and she somehow reads people's hearts, because pretty words and complicated, superficial explanations do not mean anything to her and represent superfluous layers that have to be stripped away.
Gosh, I adored the young mother dancing with Rose in the tube tunnel, that old lady in the Cafe pulling out her "bragging book" to show her family's pictures, Rose kissing overweight Lawrence's cheek for rescuing her at King's Cross, and, especially, homeless Tom and his dog Bella managing to set Rose up for the last stage of her obstacled journey.
I had not heard of this brilliantly voiced story about Rose, a sheltered girl with Down's Syndrome, sneaking out on a tube-and-train roadtrip to be reunited with the love of her life, Jack, in Brighton, before I swapped it on a whim at Tauschticket. Even the cover did not ring any bell, when I curiously looked the title up to find out what it would be about.
I was a bit afraid of the book turning out either too sad or too soppy. But it proved to be just the right mix of dark and light, of dangerous and hopeful
A lot of dark things happen to Rose due to train cancelations, thoughtless or mean passengers and even shady pimps collecting fresh meat among the naive and helpless.
But the majority of the travellers Rose encounters mean well, try to help her or look out for her as best as they can. Most of them seem to part ways with her happier then they were before - because Rose simply speaks what's on her mind. She is kind and loving and honest and very determined and she somehow reads people's hearts, because pretty words and complicated, superficial explanations do not mean anything to her and represent superfluous layers that have to be stripped away.
Gosh, I adored the young mother dancing with Rose in the tube tunnel, that old lady in the Cafe pulling out her "bragging book" to show her family's pictures, Rose kissing overweight Lawrence's cheek for rescuing her at King's Cross, and, especially, homeless Tom and his dog Bella managing to set Rose up for the last stage of her obstacled journey.
May 22, 2021
I really liked this book. The plot was pretty conventional and I can't real talk to the quality of the typical of disability but I can say that the characters seemed real well written and realistic. I also liked how everyone in the situation pretty much tried to help but in many ways they kept making it worse. That seemed pretty true of real life. Also I cried and cried and cried. I don't even really know why because even tho sad things happened they weren't hugely highlighted by the story but I was just sobbing. Also my names Rosie and as a Rosie hell yeah Rosie if he makes you more Rosie then he sounds like a keeper. Go Rosie.
May 23, 2024
loved this one!!!
June 21, 2023
Cute and heartwarming. Was continuously rooting for Rosie.
June 7, 2021
(3,5)
Parecia ser só mais uma história fofinha e com uma mensagem legal, mas acabou surpreendendo pelas temáticas pesadas e as viradas que a história dá. Gostei de acompanhar uma protagonista com Down, mas achei que o livro se perdeu em alguns momentos. Ainda assim, super recomendo a leitura.
Parecia ser só mais uma história fofinha e com uma mensagem legal, mas acabou surpreendendo pelas temáticas pesadas e as viradas que a história dá. Gostei de acompanhar uma protagonista com Down, mas achei que o livro se perdeu em alguns momentos. Ainda assim, super recomendo a leitura.
September 9, 2018
Also Posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds
Disclaimer: An ARC was provided via USBorne YA in exchange for an honest review. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.
Every once in a while, you come across a book that change not only your perspective about the world but about yourself – Rosie Loves Jack is exactly that kind of book; it hurt my heart so bad, yet I was pulled in immediately, not only by the writing style but also by the character who changed my life.
This is one of MY TOP FAVOURITES of 2018 – and if you read this book (READ THIS BOOK!); you will definitely know why.
Told in the perspective of Rosie, a teenager with Down’s Syndrome, when she embarks on a journey alone to reunite with the boy who makes everything better for, Jack.
Rosie is in love with Jack – they have a beautiful relationship – both believe that they make each other better. So when Jack is sent away because of his anger management problems and Rosie’s parents run interference with their communication; Rosie makes the unilateral decision to make the journey to Jack so that he knows that their love still stands strong.
What follows is a journey that made me laugh and cry happy tears all the while smiling so huge that my face almost hurt. This is a magnificently written debut novel that denotes exactly what representation should be in books along with delivering the message with dazzling simplicity – that you or me; no matter what our differences maybe, we still remain the same. Always.
Rosie honestly steals the show – throughout her journey, no matter who she meets, she treats with kindness & empathy that ends up endearing her to the world around her, even if she tries so hard to deflect the meanness of the world around her. Rosie shows us the world through her innocent eyes, and it is a perception that ends up changing a little bit of my own perception as well.
The author has done a fan – freaking – tastic job of writing a character who is not only endearing, but until it is actually specified, you wouldn’t ever believe that she was any different from you or me.
This book should be on MUST READ LIST of everyone who was and is a reader; or even someone who has ever wanted to understand why anyone with disabilities would not be different from you or me.
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February 19, 2019
Received in exchange for an honest review from Usborne Publishing UK.
Despite having read this book a fair few weeks ago, I kept putting off reviewing it because 1) I was caught up with uni and 2) I couldn't properly gather my thoughts about it. The latter is because there's just so much to talk about that I don't quite know where to start - I still don't, but it wouldn't be fair to put it off till even later so I'm going to give it a shot. Okay? Okay.
Rosie has a boyfriend, Jack, who is at rehab due to some problems that arose at college due to his anger management issues. While Rosie's parents aren't entirely too happy about this turn of events, and about Jack in particular, Rosie is determined to get to Jack because she is convinced they need to be together, especially at this point of their lives. She runs away, with the sole intention of finding Jack who is literally miles away fom her, but little does she know that she has to face various obstacles on the way. Be it snowstorms, being stranded in London or getting in with the wrong crowd of people, Rosie has to go through a lot en route to Brighton, where Jack is.
The main character, Rosie, has Down's syndrome, and her way of thinking was both deep and heartwrenching at points. It was really interesting to read things from her POV and I felt the author did a wonderful job of conveying it with nuance. The writing style was engrossing, and I was all the more fascinated since this was my first book about a protagonist with Down's. I was invested in Rosie's story right from the start, not so much because it was anything new in terms of plot, but because it was important seeing someone who you wouldn't usually imagine in such a position as Rosie's do what she does.
The author paints a convincing picture of the struggles Rosie goes through. Be it trying to figure out a map or finding her way through London, Rosie proves to us what she's made of and how strong she is, and you'd finding yourself rooting for her every step of the way. One of the very few complaints I had was that there were times when things felt a tad too impossible, or even unrealistic. At times I couldn't quite connect with the story, and I did feel certain things worked out easier than they might have in real life, but this was still a pretty solid book and I'd definitely recommend it. If anything I mentioned here sounds appealing to you, pick this one up already!
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Enjoy factor: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
Despite having read this book a fair few weeks ago, I kept putting off reviewing it because 1) I was caught up with uni and 2) I couldn't properly gather my thoughts about it. The latter is because there's just so much to talk about that I don't quite know where to start - I still don't, but it wouldn't be fair to put it off till even later so I'm going to give it a shot. Okay? Okay.
Rosie has a boyfriend, Jack, who is at rehab due to some problems that arose at college due to his anger management issues. While Rosie's parents aren't entirely too happy about this turn of events, and about Jack in particular, Rosie is determined to get to Jack because she is convinced they need to be together, especially at this point of their lives. She runs away, with the sole intention of finding Jack who is literally miles away fom her, but little does she know that she has to face various obstacles on the way. Be it snowstorms, being stranded in London or getting in with the wrong crowd of people, Rosie has to go through a lot en route to Brighton, where Jack is.
The main character, Rosie, has Down's syndrome, and her way of thinking was both deep and heartwrenching at points. It was really interesting to read things from her POV and I felt the author did a wonderful job of conveying it with nuance. The writing style was engrossing, and I was all the more fascinated since this was my first book about a protagonist with Down's. I was invested in Rosie's story right from the start, not so much because it was anything new in terms of plot, but because it was important seeing someone who you wouldn't usually imagine in such a position as Rosie's do what she does.
The author paints a convincing picture of the struggles Rosie goes through. Be it trying to figure out a map or finding her way through London, Rosie proves to us what she's made of and how strong she is, and you'd finding yourself rooting for her every step of the way. One of the very few complaints I had was that there were times when things felt a tad too impossible, or even unrealistic. At times I couldn't quite connect with the story, and I did feel certain things worked out easier than they might have in real life, but this was still a pretty solid book and I'd definitely recommend it. If anything I mentioned here sounds appealing to you, pick this one up already!
Plot: 4/5
Writing: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Enjoy factor: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
September 16, 2018
I raced through this book and it is just really awesome.
Rosie loves Jack is the story of Rosie a downs syndrome main character. Her boyfriend Jack has recently been moved across the country and Rosie is very upset about this and resolves to find her own way to visit him despite her parent's best efforts to stop her for making contact.
I really enjoyed it as Rosie managed to find her way to Brighton using public transport. For me what this book highlighted is the way in which some people treat others who are different to them. I also enjoyed how Rosie defied the odds to show what she could do despite the fact that everyone around her treated her like a baby.
All in all such a brilliant book
Rosie loves Jack is the story of Rosie a downs syndrome main character. Her boyfriend Jack has recently been moved across the country and Rosie is very upset about this and resolves to find her own way to visit him despite her parent's best efforts to stop her for making contact.
I really enjoyed it as Rosie managed to find her way to Brighton using public transport. For me what this book highlighted is the way in which some people treat others who are different to them. I also enjoyed how Rosie defied the odds to show what she could do despite the fact that everyone around her treated her like a baby.
All in all such a brilliant book
January 4, 2019
Rosie loves Jack. They’re going to marry, have children and live happily ever after. Unfortunately, Rosie’s dad is less than happy with Jack’s influence on his daughter, and after an incident at college he stops Jack seeing his daughter. Rosie is so upset by this that she decides to travel to Brighton to find Jack.
Things go terribly wrong and bad weather forces Rosie to abandon plans to travel by train. Her purse and possessions are stolen from her in a hostel and then she ends up taken in by a Polish man running a sex-trafficking ring.
National TV appeal ensues once Rosie has been missing for days, and thanks to the generosity of some people she encounters Rosie eventually gets to Jack.
The story is very unrealistic in execution, and only seems to happen because people take advantage of/ react to the fact that Rosie has Downs Syndrome. Her voice seems quite artificial, and the whole scenario felt forced.
There is an attempt to give Rosie a voice - and the author’s notes at the end suggest she’s better qualified than many to do this - but it all felt contrived and not the kind of thing that would happen in this way at this point in time. I’m genuinely unsure who this would appeal to.
Things go terribly wrong and bad weather forces Rosie to abandon plans to travel by train. Her purse and possessions are stolen from her in a hostel and then she ends up taken in by a Polish man running a sex-trafficking ring.
National TV appeal ensues once Rosie has been missing for days, and thanks to the generosity of some people she encounters Rosie eventually gets to Jack.
The story is very unrealistic in execution, and only seems to happen because people take advantage of/ react to the fact that Rosie has Downs Syndrome. Her voice seems quite artificial, and the whole scenario felt forced.
There is an attempt to give Rosie a voice - and the author’s notes at the end suggest she’s better qualified than many to do this - but it all felt contrived and not the kind of thing that would happen in this way at this point in time. I’m genuinely unsure who this would appeal to.
January 5, 2025
I have never had such difficulty in rating a book. I will try and deconstruct it into Pros & Cons below.
Positives: I found it so easy to read and difficult to put down (I will never ordinarily read a book in only a handful of days!). Having a main character with Down's Syndrome was interesting, and the actual writing was well done. Being from the South East, I know a lot of the places in the story we'll and could really visualise what action was occurring.
Negatives: Although the writing of a DS character's thoughts & dialogue is good, I feel that the actions of Rosie are not reflective in a positive light, which is a shame. The story is definitely over dramatic, which takes me out of it a little. But my BIG problem with this book is as follows. The romance is resolved (obviously!), but there is a storyline of MUCH higher stakes that takes up the middle third of the story that is inexplicably left ambiguous as to its conclusion. The book is so focused on Rosie that all other characters get no ending. People who's lives and futures are much more at risk.
To me, that final point is an unforgivable mistake and why, on balance, this story only gets a 3/5 from me, as ultimately I'm left unsatisfied.
Positives: I found it so easy to read and difficult to put down (I will never ordinarily read a book in only a handful of days!). Having a main character with Down's Syndrome was interesting, and the actual writing was well done. Being from the South East, I know a lot of the places in the story we'll and could really visualise what action was occurring.
Negatives: Although the writing of a DS character's thoughts & dialogue is good, I feel that the actions of Rosie are not reflective in a positive light, which is a shame. The story is definitely over dramatic, which takes me out of it a little. But my BIG problem with this book is as follows. The romance is resolved (obviously!), but there is a storyline of MUCH higher stakes that takes up the middle third of the story that is inexplicably left ambiguous as to its conclusion. The book is so focused on Rosie that all other characters get no ending. People who's lives and futures are much more at risk.
To me, that final point is an unforgivable mistake and why, on balance, this story only gets a 3/5 from me, as ultimately I'm left unsatisfied.
May 5, 2022
"I want to sit [on a swing] and pretend I'm a little girl again. Then all the big things I have to think about would be gone. I'd kick my legs up to swing higher and higher so I could sit on a cloud and be safe."
- Page 141
This book got a whole lot darker then I thought it ever would.
It was very important and a really brilliant insight on a minority that often is genuinely treated like a minority. I loved how honest, as far as I know, it seemed, with Rosie not always 100% understanding everything but is also very skillful and ingenuitive. She figured out how to save herself and all the others from every situation she came across, which were pretty extremely frightening ones (again, I was not expecting how dark it got).
- Page 141
This book got a whole lot darker then I thought it ever would.
It was very important and a really brilliant insight on a minority that often is genuinely treated like a minority. I loved how honest, as far as I know, it seemed, with Rosie not always 100% understanding everything but is also very skillful and ingenuitive. She figured out how to save herself and all the others from every situation she came across, which were pretty extremely frightening ones (again, I was not expecting how dark it got).
October 4, 2018
This is a story of determination, of kindness and warmth. A realistic and important message. This is a wonderful debut novel and I will read anything Mel Darbon publishes in the future. This is my favourite read of the year. It changed my perspective and allowed me to connect with someone different from the norm. We need more young adult books with such inclusive characters. I hope this book will be read far and wide, and will touch the hearts of everyone.
March 18, 2020
Wow, what an unexpectedly beautiful book about how everyone has a place in this world. By the end I had tears dripping off my face and just really wanted the good to triumph. A good reminder to be kind, and that kindness can be found in the most unlikely of places (Paddington Station, under a bridge etc).
December 24, 2019
Je bent zelf aan het huilen.
July 6, 2020
“Jack is at the end of all my journeys.”
When I first saw this book, I wanted to read this book. The (Dutch) cover for this book just really appealed to me. It made me happy. At that time I didn't even know exactly what this book was about. But once I knew that, I really know I wanted to read it. I've never read a book about characters with Down syndrome before. I've also never come across a book about characters with Down syndrome before. Which I actually find quite unfortunate. Even though I must say that this book was different from what I expected.
I was ready to read something cute and fluffy and I really thought this would be such a story. In a way, it was. But there was also a less fun, even nasty part in this book. A twist that I should have expected, but just didn't want to happen. I don't know if I really found this twist necessary. I don’t think so really. It made me think different about this book than before.
The writing style of this book is very simple and childlike. Something I had to get used to in the beginning, but which I later came to understand. It fits the story. Otherwise, the story would be much less credible. It is actually nice to read how uncomplicated the world is for Rosie. Even though, the childlike and simple writing style makes the character feel much younger than they are.
What I struggled with, with the writing style, were the letters from Jack and some things Rosie said. Although I understand that it fits the story, they were sometimes difficult to read. I have dyslexia, but because I read a lot, I have less trouble with it. I can read now just as quickly as people without dyslexia, but because the words are deliberately misspelled, they are more difficult for me to read.
Furthermore the story is easy and quick to read. I felt very committed to Rosie's story and wanted to know if she would be okay. I did feel that the story felt a bit slow here and there, and felt that a lot of repetition was taking place, because Rosie meet lot of people that help her.
Rosie is also the only character you really get to know. You follow her the whole time, others are quickly mentioned. Fortunately, Rosie is a nice main character to follow. I really enjoyed getting to know her. She is sweet, follows her feelings, really cares about Jack and is a really indepenent , despite her fears and her handicap. She is loves chatting and starts a conversation with everyone. She is also so innocent and does not see any danger, which can cause problems.
In the story, you can also notice that everyone looks at Rosie differently because of her disability. They don't look at her like any other girl. They look more at her disability than at her as a person. They only look at her to see if she needs help, which doesn't always have to be wrong. They look at her as a target for banter or worse. They look at her with prejudice. They only look at her as a person when they really get to know her.
It is so easy to judge someone. Sometimes we do it without thinking, without listening. We judge by what we see or what we think we know, from previous experiences or from stories of others. But you can't actually judge someone with that. Everyone is different, and that is just as true for people with disabilities. It is important to look beyond the limitation. By listening, looking, trying to understand. You can only judge if you know the whole story.
I think that is one of the things I love about reading. Reading makes it possible to look through someone else's eyes, someone with a very different life than yours. It helps you understand and be more open to others. At the end of this book you will find a letter from the writer, who tells about her own experiences. This also makes the story much more real to me.
Like the author, I agree that everyone deserves to be heard, and I hope there will be many more of these types of books that help people to judge less quickly and to help understand each other better.
When I first saw this book, I wanted to read this book. The (Dutch) cover for this book just really appealed to me. It made me happy. At that time I didn't even know exactly what this book was about. But once I knew that, I really know I wanted to read it. I've never read a book about characters with Down syndrome before. I've also never come across a book about characters with Down syndrome before. Which I actually find quite unfortunate. Even though I must say that this book was different from what I expected.
I was ready to read something cute and fluffy and I really thought this would be such a story. In a way, it was. But there was also a less fun, even nasty part in this book. A twist that I should have expected, but just didn't want to happen. I don't know if I really found this twist necessary. I don’t think so really. It made me think different about this book than before.
The writing style of this book is very simple and childlike. Something I had to get used to in the beginning, but which I later came to understand. It fits the story. Otherwise, the story would be much less credible. It is actually nice to read how uncomplicated the world is for Rosie. Even though, the childlike and simple writing style makes the character feel much younger than they are.
What I struggled with, with the writing style, were the letters from Jack and some things Rosie said. Although I understand that it fits the story, they were sometimes difficult to read. I have dyslexia, but because I read a lot, I have less trouble with it. I can read now just as quickly as people without dyslexia, but because the words are deliberately misspelled, they are more difficult for me to read.
Furthermore the story is easy and quick to read. I felt very committed to Rosie's story and wanted to know if she would be okay. I did feel that the story felt a bit slow here and there, and felt that a lot of repetition was taking place, because Rosie meet lot of people that help her.
Rosie is also the only character you really get to know. You follow her the whole time, others are quickly mentioned. Fortunately, Rosie is a nice main character to follow. I really enjoyed getting to know her. She is sweet, follows her feelings, really cares about Jack and is a really indepenent , despite her fears and her handicap. She is loves chatting and starts a conversation with everyone. She is also so innocent and does not see any danger, which can cause problems.
In the story, you can also notice that everyone looks at Rosie differently because of her disability. They don't look at her like any other girl. They look more at her disability than at her as a person. They only look at her to see if she needs help, which doesn't always have to be wrong. They look at her as a target for banter or worse. They look at her with prejudice. They only look at her as a person when they really get to know her.
It is so easy to judge someone. Sometimes we do it without thinking, without listening. We judge by what we see or what we think we know, from previous experiences or from stories of others. But you can't actually judge someone with that. Everyone is different, and that is just as true for people with disabilities. It is important to look beyond the limitation. By listening, looking, trying to understand. You can only judge if you know the whole story.
I think that is one of the things I love about reading. Reading makes it possible to look through someone else's eyes, someone with a very different life than yours. It helps you understand and be more open to others. At the end of this book you will find a letter from the writer, who tells about her own experiences. This also makes the story much more real to me.
Like the author, I agree that everyone deserves to be heard, and I hope there will be many more of these types of books that help people to judge less quickly and to help understand each other better.
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