3/5 stars
To be really fair, I did read this right after reading Small Great Things, and there were lots of similarities. And who would be able to meet up to the caliber and intricacies of Jodi? So, I'm going to pretend this was the first book I read and go from there, and that's why it's 4 stars and not the 3 I had intended.
A young man, Ryan, is murdered in London, and the two parents grieve in their own ways. There is plenty of introspection, especially the first 2/3 of the way. We go from the trial, to the devastation left to the parents and family, and then finally, the last 1/3 goes very quickly with some revealing of the situation and some action going on.
Things I learned from the book and consequently from a good friend who had to decipher some things for me: Oyster card is a transportation card, not unlike the smart card for Metro. An allotment is a vegetable garden because most backyards in England can't fit all the veggies. So people rend space at a community allotment. Zebra crossing: apparently there are lots of zebras roaming the city of London and henceforth need their own street crossing. (I'm not sure that one is true).
Overall, I have to say, even though I feel like America is very dim with the gangs, racial injustice, etc, it is not confined just to our country. It is a universal thing, just sometimes with different accents and languages. It's nice to know that we aren't alone in the fight for the right that everyone has a right to wake up without fighting to stay alive. That's me, being introspective.
PS- she is drinking tea on the cover. It's symbolic. I love symbolism.