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The Bridge of Little Jeremy
The adventure of a young Parisian artist and his dog. A novel of action and reflection; of fidelity and trust; of resilience, love, and the power of art:
Jeremy’s mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast. Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris. This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn’t come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work.
Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time...
Jeremy’s mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast. Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris. This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn’t come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work.
Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time...
- GenresFictionContemporary
370 pages, ebook
Published March 17, 2019
About the author
Indrajit Garai
12 books11 followers"Indrajit Garai, an American citizen now, was born in India in 1965. After his Bachelors degree from Indian Institute of Technology and Masters from Harvard, he worked as a corporate strategy consultant and as an investment banker in America, Spain, and England, while studying parallelly Ayurveda (ancient medicine of India) for stress management. In 2001, after the birth of his daughter, he moved to Paris, opened his private practice of stress management, and then authored six books in this field (five in French and one in English).
Authoring these books on stress management gave him a deep love for writing. Since 2015, he has devoted himself full-time to creating literature."
Authoring these books on stress management gave him a deep love for writing. Since 2015, he has devoted himself full-time to creating literature."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
February 20, 2023
3.5⭐
Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, 3 part story, heart defect, single mom
Jeremy is just 12 years old as he narrates this story. He acts well beyond his years as he tried his best to help his widowed mother pay her debts. What he does in order to get money is truly heartwarming.
He and his best dog friend, Leon, have an adorable bond as they trek around town together. I haven't been to Paris, but I felt the author did a nice job of depicting what it's like. I am not sure when he ever had time to do his schoolwork though as he seemed to always be on the go.
There was a bit of extra information and repetitiveness that made this slow moving at times, but the tone of the story comes across as if he really was 12 years old. Overall, a heartwarming tale that also has some heartbreak.
*Thanks to Indrajit Garai for sharing your book with me. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
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Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, 3 part story, heart defect, single mom
Jeremy is just 12 years old as he narrates this story. He acts well beyond his years as he tried his best to help his widowed mother pay her debts. What he does in order to get money is truly heartwarming.
He and his best dog friend, Leon, have an adorable bond as they trek around town together. I haven't been to Paris, but I felt the author did a nice job of depicting what it's like. I am not sure when he ever had time to do his schoolwork though as he seemed to always be on the go.
There was a bit of extra information and repetitiveness that made this slow moving at times, but the tone of the story comes across as if he really was 12 years old. Overall, a heartwarming tale that also has some heartbreak.
*Thanks to Indrajit Garai for sharing your book with me. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
November 22, 2022
This is a long book. It’s nearly 400 pages, and many of the chapters are quite long within that, and when you pair that with its slow pacing it can be a challenge to get through—at least on Kindle; I may have preferred it in paperback. I have mixed feelings on the pacing in general. I tend to enjoy slower books, and I did enjoy some portions of this book’s meandering flow. It’s a lovely look at the city of Paris, and some of the philosophical themes are interesting to ponder. However, it often felt like there was no driving plot—especially in the first half of the book. I wasn’t invested in the stakes or the goal, nor even really in the characters themselves. The setting was my primary motivation in reading, and while that was done well… I would have liked it to have been balanced with more interesting characters, at least, and ideally plot as well.
The characters weren’t unpleasant (with intentional exceptions), but for the most part they weren’t anything special. Jeremy’s narrative voice seemed inconsistent as far as how mature he sounded, and he rarely sounded like a 12-year-old. Leon, the dog, seemed to have far too human an intelligence. Paolo was intriguing, but we didn’t really get to see much of his character. And the rest were mostly just… there. There was little depth to any of the characters, really. And many exchanges of dialogue—especially between Jeremy and his mother—were extremely flat and unbroken by movement, which could make them hard to follow.
More interest did arise in the plot later in the book, as more conflict arose that had to be directly faced. But it didn’t feel like it fully wove in with the more internal conflict of the main plot, so the weaving of the two at the very end felt rather unsuccessful. And the ending as a whole was… odd. It seemed to continue longer than necessary after the primary conflict was resolved, and then the very end seemed unnecessary and a little weird. The religious undertones toward the end were very odd; they seemed inconsistent. And Jeremy’s perception of the painting as a being was reasonable at first but grew rather extreme in the last few chapters.
For the beautiful exploration of Paris and the interesting philosophical ideas sprinkled through the book, I can give The Bridge of Little Jeremy three stars, but I wouldn’t need to read it a second time.
Here’s a quote I did like:
The characters weren’t unpleasant (with intentional exceptions), but for the most part they weren’t anything special. Jeremy’s narrative voice seemed inconsistent as far as how mature he sounded, and he rarely sounded like a 12-year-old. Leon, the dog, seemed to have far too human an intelligence. Paolo was intriguing, but we didn’t really get to see much of his character. And the rest were mostly just… there. There was little depth to any of the characters, really. And many exchanges of dialogue—especially between Jeremy and his mother—were extremely flat and unbroken by movement, which could make them hard to follow.
More interest did arise in the plot later in the book, as more conflict arose that had to be directly faced. But it didn’t feel like it fully wove in with the more internal conflict of the main plot, so the weaving of the two at the very end felt rather unsuccessful. And the ending as a whole was… odd. It seemed to continue longer than necessary after the primary conflict was resolved, and then the very end seemed unnecessary and a little weird. The religious undertones toward the end were very odd; they seemed inconsistent. And Jeremy’s perception of the painting as a being was reasonable at first but grew rather extreme in the last few chapters.
For the beautiful exploration of Paris and the interesting philosophical ideas sprinkled through the book, I can give The Bridge of Little Jeremy three stars, but I wouldn’t need to read it a second time.
Here’s a quote I did like:
Each of these roses is as beautiful as the one on that mound of compost, but, cramped together here, none of them stands out as distinct. And they don’t have the contrast of that ugly mass of compost to nourish their beauty.
June 28, 2023
4.5 stars (5/10 hearts). Wow… this was not what I expected—in a very good way.
What first drew me to this book was the setting. I have a weakness for Paris. Garai delivered on his promise. I have read few books set in contemporary Paris, so I highly enjoyed that. I absolutely loved the way he portrayed Île St.-Louis and the rest of Paris, painting all the nuances that the different seasons and hours give it. It was amazing. Garai has a unique and delightful writing style that fit the book and characters perfectly, and I really appreciated how beautifully and yet simply descriptive it was.
The characters were very interesting. Little Jeremy himself was a puzzle. I disagreed with him often, yet understood his POV and sympathized with his outlook. I hated how much he sneaked around and lied and did things behind his mother’s back, yet I admired his desire to help her, his passionate loyalty and love for her, his strength and courage to fight for her. She was herself a really amazing woman, even with her flaws. I felt for her discouragement and her struggle to take action instead of passively accepting what life dishes out to her, and I loved how Jeremy inspired her to rise up instead of bowing down. The babysitter I heartily disliked for her part in helping Jeremy break his mother’s strongest rule, and I wasn’t much fonder of the brother-sister pair he came in contact with through her. However, Robert and Paolo were lovely—especially Paolo—and so was the antique-shop owner. And I can’t forget Leon. He was absolutely wonderful and I loved him.
The plot was enjoyable. While at first I was only intrigued by the unusual writing style, narrator, and storyline, the plot quickly gripped me. I loved the artist addition and all the beautiful advice on creating. The themes of finding beauty everywhere; of being patient with oneself in the creative process, accepting our early mistakes, and seeking + receiving criticism were well done; of remembering even “bad” events in our life can turn to “good” by producing good events; of acting on the principle that “violence, even verbal, helps no one”… it was well done. And the sharp reminder of what social media costs us really made me think.
I really appreciated how the climax was created. Garai did a fantastic job showing how we struggle with anger at how inflexible laws hurt us and our loved ones—and by default are irritated with the ones enforcing these laws—yet he also presents well how the ones enforcing must in all justice enforce the laws for everyone, and how that is simply a recurring problem of life and society. I loved how humanely he presented the Palais de Justice and various law enforcement agents. Also, I really enjoyed the mini mystery about the painting and how that tied in so well with Jeremy’s life. The plot was watertight and well-executed. The ending was magical… and heartbreaking and bittersweet all at once. I look forwards to reading this again.
Content: Mention of conception. Mention a man may be peeking at a woman while she dresses (said man known as “the pervert” and is recurring character). Mention of a mother dressing before 12yo son. Mention of a dead father watching over his son. 2 mentions of people kissing. Blasphemy x4. Mention of reincarnation. Mention of evolution. Mention that a patient in a nursing home harasses a worker there and she can’t protest because she’ll be accused of “leading him on.” Mention of giving someone the middle finger. A nightmare of woman undressing a child & preparing to beat him. Someone is called a “woman of vice” and a “woman of passion.” Mention of a man publicly urinating. Mention of a mother bathing her 12yo son. A main character and a forefather of his are born out of wedlock (which is not condemned). Statement that God has enough to do and we shouldn’t pray but handle things on our own. Mention that perhaps a dog has a god. A main character has a sort of vision/dream of his dead father. Indication that a dead person becomes a star. While the book has a MG main character, the themes and content seem more aimed at a YA audience (14+).
A Favourite Quote: I see how the works of Nature and Man have come together to sculpt the beauty of our city. There may be horror stories behind these monuments and gardens and streets of Paris, but the beauty of her face always shines over those horrors. The ugly is there to feed the beauty…. I see what Robert meant when he said beauty wouldn’t be beautiful if it came in plenty. I also see what Paolo means when he says I can lift anything out of the ordinary by looking at it from an extraordinary angle; and the choice of that angle is with me.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: Night has descended on Paris. Over the spot, where the sun has just sunk below the horizon, a twilight arch has formed with its concentric rings of colors: yellow blending into orange; orange, into red; red, into purple; purple, into light blue; light blue, into night blue. Above that arch, the cloudless sky, void of moon tonight, stands adorned with millions of stars. Patches of this sky have fallen over the city and keep twinkling among the monuments of lights erected along the bridges over the Seine. Once more, the works of Nature and Man have come together to lift the beauty of our city out of the ordinary.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: For example, one man complains how the increase of his city tax cut into his budget, how he had to opt for a less expensive hairdresser for his dog, how this new hairdresser gave his dog a serious psychological problem, and, since then, how he has spent several thousand euros on a psychotherapist for his dog. This post has drawn an unbelievable amount of messages of sympathy from others. From there, the chain of discussion has moved to what types of personalities are best suited to be hairdressers for dogs.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
What first drew me to this book was the setting. I have a weakness for Paris. Garai delivered on his promise. I have read few books set in contemporary Paris, so I highly enjoyed that. I absolutely loved the way he portrayed Île St.-Louis and the rest of Paris, painting all the nuances that the different seasons and hours give it. It was amazing. Garai has a unique and delightful writing style that fit the book and characters perfectly, and I really appreciated how beautifully and yet simply descriptive it was.
The characters were very interesting. Little Jeremy himself was a puzzle. I disagreed with him often, yet understood his POV and sympathized with his outlook. I hated how much he sneaked around and lied and did things behind his mother’s back, yet I admired his desire to help her, his passionate loyalty and love for her, his strength and courage to fight for her. She was herself a really amazing woman, even with her flaws. I felt for her discouragement and her struggle to take action instead of passively accepting what life dishes out to her, and I loved how Jeremy inspired her to rise up instead of bowing down. The babysitter I heartily disliked for her part in helping Jeremy break his mother’s strongest rule, and I wasn’t much fonder of the brother-sister pair he came in contact with through her. However, Robert and Paolo were lovely—especially Paolo—and so was the antique-shop owner. And I can’t forget Leon. He was absolutely wonderful and I loved him.
The plot was enjoyable. While at first I was only intrigued by the unusual writing style, narrator, and storyline, the plot quickly gripped me. I loved the artist addition and all the beautiful advice on creating. The themes of finding beauty everywhere; of being patient with oneself in the creative process, accepting our early mistakes, and seeking + receiving criticism were well done; of remembering even “bad” events in our life can turn to “good” by producing good events; of acting on the principle that “violence, even verbal, helps no one”… it was well done. And the sharp reminder of what social media costs us really made me think.
I really appreciated how the climax was created. Garai did a fantastic job showing how we struggle with anger at how inflexible laws hurt us and our loved ones—and by default are irritated with the ones enforcing these laws—yet he also presents well how the ones enforcing must in all justice enforce the laws for everyone, and how that is simply a recurring problem of life and society. I loved how humanely he presented the Palais de Justice and various law enforcement agents. Also, I really enjoyed the mini mystery about the painting and how that tied in so well with Jeremy’s life. The plot was watertight and well-executed. The ending was magical… and heartbreaking and bittersweet all at once. I look forwards to reading this again.
Content: Mention of conception. Mention a man may be peeking at a woman while she dresses (said man known as “the pervert” and is recurring character). Mention of a mother dressing before 12yo son. Mention of a dead father watching over his son. 2 mentions of people kissing. Blasphemy x4. Mention of reincarnation. Mention of evolution. Mention that a patient in a nursing home harasses a worker there and she can’t protest because she’ll be accused of “leading him on.” Mention of giving someone the middle finger. A nightmare of woman undressing a child & preparing to beat him. Someone is called a “woman of vice” and a “woman of passion.” Mention of a man publicly urinating. Mention of a mother bathing her 12yo son. A main character and a forefather of his are born out of wedlock (which is not condemned). Statement that God has enough to do and we shouldn’t pray but handle things on our own. Mention that perhaps a dog has a god. A main character has a sort of vision/dream of his dead father. Indication that a dead person becomes a star. While the book has a MG main character, the themes and content seem more aimed at a YA audience (14+).
A Favourite Quote: I see how the works of Nature and Man have come together to sculpt the beauty of our city. There may be horror stories behind these monuments and gardens and streets of Paris, but the beauty of her face always shines over those horrors. The ugly is there to feed the beauty…. I see what Robert meant when he said beauty wouldn’t be beautiful if it came in plenty. I also see what Paolo means when he says I can lift anything out of the ordinary by looking at it from an extraordinary angle; and the choice of that angle is with me.
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: Night has descended on Paris. Over the spot, where the sun has just sunk below the horizon, a twilight arch has formed with its concentric rings of colors: yellow blending into orange; orange, into red; red, into purple; purple, into light blue; light blue, into night blue. Above that arch, the cloudless sky, void of moon tonight, stands adorned with millions of stars. Patches of this sky have fallen over the city and keep twinkling among the monuments of lights erected along the bridges over the Seine. Once more, the works of Nature and Man have come together to lift the beauty of our city out of the ordinary.
A Favourite Humorous Quote: For example, one man complains how the increase of his city tax cut into his budget, how he had to opt for a less expensive hairdresser for his dog, how this new hairdresser gave his dog a serious psychological problem, and, since then, how he has spent several thousand euros on a psychotherapist for his dog. This post has drawn an unbelievable amount of messages of sympathy from others. From there, the chain of discussion has moved to what types of personalities are best suited to be hairdressers for dogs.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*
June 6, 2020
My review is on my website. www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
My heart was broken into pieces reading this upsetting story of struggling in life in the city of Paris. I have to honestly 100% recommend reading The Bridge Of Little Jermey as I know you will all be touched by by this not so perfect life set in Paris.
Another reason why I am recommending this novel is that the author Indrajit Garai writing is Superb and what is crystal clear to me Indrajit is an absolute genius at writing a page turning story that is quite emotional. Now Indrajit has become one of my favourite authors.
This story builds on a full emotional story of the stress of being a mother without money. Jeremy’s mother Geraldine is so in debt she put a bucket under the dripping tap, she has no money to their toilet fixed. Heartbreakingly, Jeremy’s mother is worried about money as there isn’t enough food in there fridge. Young Jeremy loves painting and is one good artists, bless him he wants to sell his paintings to help mothers debts that are mounting. When his mother is out he answers the door to baliffs, they want to come in and take their possessions away, but Jeremy’s dog Leon, snarls at them and clever Jeremy tells them he is under age and he cant let them in.
The Bridge Of Little Jermey has an unputdownable offering
My heart was broken into pieces reading this upsetting story of struggling in life in the city of Paris. I have to honestly 100% recommend reading The Bridge Of Little Jermey as I know you will all be touched by by this not so perfect life set in Paris.
Another reason why I am recommending this novel is that the author Indrajit Garai writing is Superb and what is crystal clear to me Indrajit is an absolute genius at writing a page turning story that is quite emotional. Now Indrajit has become one of my favourite authors.
This story builds on a full emotional story of the stress of being a mother without money. Jeremy’s mother Geraldine is so in debt she put a bucket under the dripping tap, she has no money to their toilet fixed. Heartbreakingly, Jeremy’s mother is worried about money as there isn’t enough food in there fridge. Young Jeremy loves painting and is one good artists, bless him he wants to sell his paintings to help mothers debts that are mounting. When his mother is out he answers the door to baliffs, they want to come in and take their possessions away, but Jeremy’s dog Leon, snarls at them and clever Jeremy tells them he is under age and he cant let them in.
The Bridge Of Little Jermey has an unputdownable offering
December 31, 2020
The bridge of little Jeremy was a mix of feelings. In the overall I think it is a good book with many great reviews, but it didn't work for me. I will try to explain myself better.
What I liked: I liked Jeremy a lot. He is a sweet, smart boy who loves his mom, his dog and his art. How do not like him? I liked his determination to help his mom. I totally loved his relationship with his dog Leon. They make a great pair. I liked his passion for art, and how he grew along the story. And of course spending time in Paris is always a plus.
What I did not like that much: I did not like Jeremy's mom. I found her childish and way too passive, doing nothing to solve her own problems, which in a way made Jeremy take the role of the adult in charge of fixing the mess. I just couldn't relate or feel pity for her.
In the overall I thought the book was too long, and my main struggle was the writing. In the way the story is told you are all the time in Jeremy's head, listening to his thoughts and questions, and I found it exhausting.
I am sure that this story will fit the taste of many readers, and I can see already how I am in the minority here. I would read more by this author in the future, though.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked: I liked Jeremy a lot. He is a sweet, smart boy who loves his mom, his dog and his art. How do not like him? I liked his determination to help his mom. I totally loved his relationship with his dog Leon. They make a great pair. I liked his passion for art, and how he grew along the story. And of course spending time in Paris is always a plus.
What I did not like that much: I did not like Jeremy's mom. I found her childish and way too passive, doing nothing to solve her own problems, which in a way made Jeremy take the role of the adult in charge of fixing the mess. I just couldn't relate or feel pity for her.
In the overall I thought the book was too long, and my main struggle was the writing. In the way the story is told you are all the time in Jeremy's head, listening to his thoughts and questions, and I found it exhausting.
I am sure that this story will fit the taste of many readers, and I can see already how I am in the minority here. I would read more by this author in the future, though.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2019
This book, wow! I really felt a connection with the characters especially the main, Jeremy. He is a young teen but with his mother working many hours and it has been ongoing for years, he is very mature and independent for his age which I think is due to his circumstances.
I loved seeing the character development and also loved seeing the interaction between boy and dog. A better friend each could not have.
Pictures I have seen of Paris, where this takes place have been beautiful but the author's descriptions in the book really make me want to go there.
I am a visual reader, the more description it includes the better for me.
This is one of the best historical books I've ever read. I enjoyed it so much!
The author has done an excellent job of drawing me into this book as I was so invested in the story while reading it.
I honestly wanted to race through it but yet not have it end at the same time.
The compassion the boy has for his dog and mother is something not seen every day but it leaves one feeling filled with hope.
This is a very unique story and one I highly recommend!
I hope to read more by this author soon.
Published March 18th 2019 by Indrajit Garai.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
I loved seeing the character development and also loved seeing the interaction between boy and dog. A better friend each could not have.
Pictures I have seen of Paris, where this takes place have been beautiful but the author's descriptions in the book really make me want to go there.
I am a visual reader, the more description it includes the better for me.
This is one of the best historical books I've ever read. I enjoyed it so much!
The author has done an excellent job of drawing me into this book as I was so invested in the story while reading it.
I honestly wanted to race through it but yet not have it end at the same time.
The compassion the boy has for his dog and mother is something not seen every day but it leaves one feeling filled with hope.
This is a very unique story and one I highly recommend!
I hope to read more by this author soon.
Published March 18th 2019 by Indrajit Garai.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
July 30, 2019
The Good:
*Jeremy. I really liked Jeremy’s resolve to do everything that he could to help and protect his mother and his friends. His character had faults and he wasn’t perfect. He grew with the story and he was really mature. He loved art, and was really passionate about his paintings, which I loved since I like to paint sometimes as well.
*Description. I liked the description of Paris. It was beautiful and made me feel more in the story. The way it looked in the different seasons, the history, it was just really nice.
*Plot. The plot was okay. I liked the idea, but the execution was meh. The story was a bit too long, and I was bored through-out most of it. However, it touched on a lot of different important topics, like the harms and benefits of social media, inheritance tax, and also explored Jeremy’s relationship with his single mother who is mostly absent through-out the story.
-
The Bad:
*Slow and Boring. I think the story could have been reduced by maybe a 100 pages. It was too long, and I was bored through most of it because nothing really happened except until the very end. It was also very boring being in Jeremy’s head all the time, because he was always thinking the same thing over and over. By the end of the story, I just didn’t really care anymore.
-
The Wrap:
This was okay. I didn’t love it, I don’t think I’d recommend it, but here’s a positive review to help you decide! The story has a positive message, and the plot was interesting, but the execution could have been better. (Brendon’s Positive Review)
One sentence summary: An okay contemporary novel with a passionate main character.
Overall, 2.5 stars rounded down to 2
★★☆☆☆
Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Blog | Goodreads | Reedsy
April 5, 2024
Before starting this review, I’d like to give a huge thank you to Estelle, who introduced me to this beautiful novel, provided me with a copy, and has been amazing to work with as I have prepared this review. Every page of this book was amazing, so I can’t wait to share my thoughts with you all!
My Rating:
5 STARS!!!!!!!
Review time!!!
The Bridge of Little Jeremy is such a beautiful book, it tells about the journey of Jeremy, a young boy who is selling art to help support his mother, who is in a bad place financially. It’s a story about family, strength, perseverance, honesty, and the power of art. I am so thankful to have has this opportunity to read it. I didn’t really know what to expect going into it, but I’m so glad that I did and I'll definitely treasure it forever <3
This book was a tear-jerker for sure, so bring your tissues! It’s also full of lessons, inspirational characters, and just the right amount of suspense (and can I just say that Leon is the best dog ever to exist on the planet Earth?).
One thing I loved about this book:
I liked Jeremy’s character, his artistic side, plus how he’s so devoted to helping his mom. I enjoyed seeing the perfect balance of responsibility and youthfulness that he has!
Something interesting about this book:
it was such a heavy story told by such a young character, so he was forced to become super mature for his age (because of the circumstances that had happened in his life as well as their financial dilemma). He’s a very secretive person, but does it all for what he believes is right, to help his mother. It was really cool to get that added dimension. Stories like this with such young characters going through so much shows how anyone can win their battles, no matter their age. It was a really inspiring read.
My age rating: :12 & up
Themes: art, dogs, family, honesty,
Genres: middle grade, young adult, all ages, realistic fiction
My Rating:
5 STARS!!!!!!!
Review time!!!
The Bridge of Little Jeremy is such a beautiful book, it tells about the journey of Jeremy, a young boy who is selling art to help support his mother, who is in a bad place financially. It’s a story about family, strength, perseverance, honesty, and the power of art. I am so thankful to have has this opportunity to read it. I didn’t really know what to expect going into it, but I’m so glad that I did and I'll definitely treasure it forever <3
This book was a tear-jerker for sure, so bring your tissues! It’s also full of lessons, inspirational characters, and just the right amount of suspense (and can I just say that Leon is the best dog ever to exist on the planet Earth?).
One thing I loved about this book:
I liked Jeremy’s character, his artistic side, plus how he’s so devoted to helping his mom. I enjoyed seeing the perfect balance of responsibility and youthfulness that he has!
Something interesting about this book:
it was such a heavy story told by such a young character, so he was forced to become super mature for his age (because of the circumstances that had happened in his life as well as their financial dilemma). He’s a very secretive person, but does it all for what he believes is right, to help his mother. It was really cool to get that added dimension. Stories like this with such young characters going through so much shows how anyone can win their battles, no matter their age. It was a really inspiring read.
My age rating: :12 & up
Themes: art, dogs, family, honesty,
Genres: middle grade, young adult, all ages, realistic fiction
November 10, 2022
We find Jeremy and his dog Leon at a time when Jeremy does not attend school due to a heart condition. They spend their days wandering around Paris, on Île Saint-Louis where they live. His mother is working and they don't have a lot of money. However, they live in an old house which they own, but it turns out that his mother owns the state for inheritance tax.
Jeremy lives in his own world with Leon, going for walks, befriending people he meets around his daily walk, especially an artist selling Jeremy's painting. Jeremy is a talented painter and he saves the money to help his mother. One day he happens to see a letter from the authorities concerning the unpaid tax. His fantasy starts working and he thinks his mother will have to go to prison. He slowly becomes aware that life has its ups and downs.
At the same time Jeremy finds an old painting in the cellar. It has a certain kind of magic in it. The motive is a bridge over the Seine, but Jeremy is not able to locate it. Especially, since the bridge is full of buildings. He starts by asking his artist friend who provide him with a few hints. That leads him to an antique dealer, who bought the shop once belonging to his grandfather. It turns out that the painting is rather valuable, but being half destroyed it is impossible to sell. Jeremy decides to take on the restoration of the painting, wanting to sell it to help his mother.
"The gardener points to a large patch blooming with pink and red roses. But none of those flowers looks as striking as this single one on this mound of compost.
"I like this one more."
"Then you're being fooled by rarity."
"Pardon?"
"Beauty isn't beautiful when it comes in plenty."
We follow Jeremy and Leon around Paris, beautifully described making you see it all in front of you. We get to know his friends, neighbours and other people with which he is interacting. Jeremy and Leon are totally tuned in, understanding each other, sometimes without talking. As Jeremy tries to finish restoring the painting, there are other events involving him, some of them rather dangerous.
This novel is a bitter sweet tale of a young boy trying to save his family and the world he is used to. From the beginning I had difficulties with the language, finding it rather simple, and going too much into details. Until I realised that the language is Jeremy's. The language and thoughts of a teenager, trying to find his way around. Once there, I found it mesmerising.
It is a wonderful story, reflecting on the way life is. The close relationship between Jeremy and Leon is beautifully and emotionally told. I would say this book is a modern day fairy tale. Enjoyable, not only for adults, but very suitable for young people. The story has stayed with me after finishing reading. My thoughts often go back to Jeremy and his reflections. Such a wise guy.
Jeremy lives in his own world with Leon, going for walks, befriending people he meets around his daily walk, especially an artist selling Jeremy's painting. Jeremy is a talented painter and he saves the money to help his mother. One day he happens to see a letter from the authorities concerning the unpaid tax. His fantasy starts working and he thinks his mother will have to go to prison. He slowly becomes aware that life has its ups and downs.
At the same time Jeremy finds an old painting in the cellar. It has a certain kind of magic in it. The motive is a bridge over the Seine, but Jeremy is not able to locate it. Especially, since the bridge is full of buildings. He starts by asking his artist friend who provide him with a few hints. That leads him to an antique dealer, who bought the shop once belonging to his grandfather. It turns out that the painting is rather valuable, but being half destroyed it is impossible to sell. Jeremy decides to take on the restoration of the painting, wanting to sell it to help his mother.
"The gardener points to a large patch blooming with pink and red roses. But none of those flowers looks as striking as this single one on this mound of compost.
"I like this one more."
"Then you're being fooled by rarity."
"Pardon?"
"Beauty isn't beautiful when it comes in plenty."
We follow Jeremy and Leon around Paris, beautifully described making you see it all in front of you. We get to know his friends, neighbours and other people with which he is interacting. Jeremy and Leon are totally tuned in, understanding each other, sometimes without talking. As Jeremy tries to finish restoring the painting, there are other events involving him, some of them rather dangerous.
This novel is a bitter sweet tale of a young boy trying to save his family and the world he is used to. From the beginning I had difficulties with the language, finding it rather simple, and going too much into details. Until I realised that the language is Jeremy's. The language and thoughts of a teenager, trying to find his way around. Once there, I found it mesmerising.
It is a wonderful story, reflecting on the way life is. The close relationship between Jeremy and Leon is beautifully and emotionally told. I would say this book is a modern day fairy tale. Enjoyable, not only for adults, but very suitable for young people. The story has stayed with me after finishing reading. My thoughts often go back to Jeremy and his reflections. Such a wise guy.
January 23, 2020
3.8/5.0
If you are interested in Paris and the arts, this book is for you.
Jeremy is a twelve-year-old boy living in Paris with his mother and his dog, Leon. The book is narrated through Jeremy’s point of view and it makes the story very heartfelt.
It is an extremely descriptive and slow-developing story that I know not everyone will enjoy. Each and every conversation and scene is vividly sketched for you to imagine.
Jeremy has a heart condition and he needs to have surgery as soon as they can afford it. But his mom is having financial issues due to debt from inheritance tax. She inherited their flat from her dad and ever since he passed away, the taxes have been accumulating. They’ll be evicted from their home soon and his mom could even go to jail.
Jeremy discovers an underground vault in their flat and finds a very old painting that seems like it could be valuable. The frame is made of wood inlaid with gold and the painting is beautiful. He thinks it might be worth something and may even be valuable enough to help his mom with her debt. He finds someone to restore the painting and help him sell it. Jeremy is off on an adventure to find out about the mysterious painter and how it got to the secret vault in their flat. He discovers things about the generations before him as well as his own past.
Jeremy is one of the strongest characters I’ve ever read about and I loved him. Although he’s only twelve, he’s so independent and strong and he’s determined to help his mom no matter what. His friendship with his dog Leon is touching. They often go on walks in the parks and streets of Paris and I loved Jeremy’s little moments of philosophy. When he meets a fisherman and watches him fish, he asks, “Why can’t we have fun without hurting animals?” When he meets a gardener, they talk about roses and their unique beauty and the gardener says, “Beautiful isn’t beautiful when it comes in plenty.” Overall, it is a beautiful book; different from anything I’ve ever read before.
If you are interested in Paris and the arts, this book is for you.
Jeremy is a twelve-year-old boy living in Paris with his mother and his dog, Leon. The book is narrated through Jeremy’s point of view and it makes the story very heartfelt.
It is an extremely descriptive and slow-developing story that I know not everyone will enjoy. Each and every conversation and scene is vividly sketched for you to imagine.
Jeremy has a heart condition and he needs to have surgery as soon as they can afford it. But his mom is having financial issues due to debt from inheritance tax. She inherited their flat from her dad and ever since he passed away, the taxes have been accumulating. They’ll be evicted from their home soon and his mom could even go to jail.
Jeremy discovers an underground vault in their flat and finds a very old painting that seems like it could be valuable. The frame is made of wood inlaid with gold and the painting is beautiful. He thinks it might be worth something and may even be valuable enough to help his mom with her debt. He finds someone to restore the painting and help him sell it. Jeremy is off on an adventure to find out about the mysterious painter and how it got to the secret vault in their flat. He discovers things about the generations before him as well as his own past.
Jeremy is one of the strongest characters I’ve ever read about and I loved him. Although he’s only twelve, he’s so independent and strong and he’s determined to help his mom no matter what. His friendship with his dog Leon is touching. They often go on walks in the parks and streets of Paris and I loved Jeremy’s little moments of philosophy. When he meets a fisherman and watches him fish, he asks, “Why can’t we have fun without hurting animals?” When he meets a gardener, they talk about roses and their unique beauty and the gardener says, “Beautiful isn’t beautiful when it comes in plenty.” Overall, it is a beautiful book; different from anything I’ve ever read before.
February 20, 2021
Jeremy is a young teen, whose best friend is his canine Leon. He finds out that they may lose their apartment and his mother is already working as much as she can and providing what she can so Jeremy doesn’t have to worry. But Jeremy knows that things are worse than what she is letting on. He is bound and determined to help in anyway he can. He puts his talent to use and tries his hand at selling his art with the help of a gentleman who deals in the arts.
Although Jeremy wants to push himself, he also needs to take it easy as he has some medical issues going on and his mother would have his head if she knew how he was overexerting himself. But he wants to help, he must! Jeremy often ventures around Paris for ideas, and one day he doesn’t have to venture very far when he stumbles upon some art that comes with a mystery tied to it.
Jeremy does some sleuthing about what he found, and it might just be what they need to save the apartment. He is surprised by the things he finds out, and knows he should tell his mother but he can’t, not yet. He still has some work to do, and feels he has also found his calling. He want to not only paint he wants to restore art. Can he do it, and within the time line that they have left before they will have to give everything up, and his mother being put behind bars for the owed inherited taxes.
There is a lot more to this story, but I did not want to give it all away. It was a very quick read, and the author has it broken down into three parts. I like how the author wrote Leon, as Jeremy’s side kick in his adventures, as often we treat our dogs as our kids and friends so that I did enjoy as well. I was to thank the author for the free ebook that was gifted to me, for an honest review. I really enjoyed seeing the sights of Paris through Jeremy and felt the author did a good job of tying it all together in the end.
Although Jeremy wants to push himself, he also needs to take it easy as he has some medical issues going on and his mother would have his head if she knew how he was overexerting himself. But he wants to help, he must! Jeremy often ventures around Paris for ideas, and one day he doesn’t have to venture very far when he stumbles upon some art that comes with a mystery tied to it.
Jeremy does some sleuthing about what he found, and it might just be what they need to save the apartment. He is surprised by the things he finds out, and knows he should tell his mother but he can’t, not yet. He still has some work to do, and feels he has also found his calling. He want to not only paint he wants to restore art. Can he do it, and within the time line that they have left before they will have to give everything up, and his mother being put behind bars for the owed inherited taxes.
There is a lot more to this story, but I did not want to give it all away. It was a very quick read, and the author has it broken down into three parts. I like how the author wrote Leon, as Jeremy’s side kick in his adventures, as often we treat our dogs as our kids and friends so that I did enjoy as well. I was to thank the author for the free ebook that was gifted to me, for an honest review. I really enjoyed seeing the sights of Paris through Jeremy and felt the author did a good job of tying it all together in the end.
September 25, 2023
Set in Paris, this is the touching story of ‘Little’ Jeremy, who lives alone with his mother, his dog Leon and a limiting heart condition. Jeremy’s little family struggles with poverty (due to inheritance tax issues) and we follow him as he tries to take on adult responsibilities without upsetting his mother – not just attempting to earn the money they need but also trying to protect his mother from local perverts, trying to protect Leon from his instincts and from other people and worrying about the local bookstore owner, Paolo. Then he finds a painting that may solve some of his worries… if only he can restore it perfectly.
In other words, he has a lot on his plate for a pre-teen, especially one who is supposed to be resting!
Written in first-person narrative, the story chronicles Jeremy’s adventures and stresses and the ups-and-downs of his daily life. There is a lot of information about art and painting, and a deep sense of the boy’s emotional connection to his work and his painful joy in getting it right (or despair at getting it wrong).
The ending, whilst not exactly a happy-ever-after, feels fitting and offers a tentative hope for a better future, but I turned the last page feeling less hopeful and more gently nihilistic.
I’d recommend this for those who are looking for a thoughtful, heartfelt read about striving and caring and taking on the world’s burdens valiantly, and for those who prefer stark realism over lighter, fluffier feelings.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
In other words, he has a lot on his plate for a pre-teen, especially one who is supposed to be resting!
Written in first-person narrative, the story chronicles Jeremy’s adventures and stresses and the ups-and-downs of his daily life. There is a lot of information about art and painting, and a deep sense of the boy’s emotional connection to his work and his painful joy in getting it right (or despair at getting it wrong).
The ending, whilst not exactly a happy-ever-after, feels fitting and offers a tentative hope for a better future, but I turned the last page feeling less hopeful and more gently nihilistic.
I’d recommend this for those who are looking for a thoughtful, heartfelt read about striving and caring and taking on the world’s burdens valiantly, and for those who prefer stark realism over lighter, fluffier feelings.
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
December 2, 2019
I have lukewarm feelings about this book. The story is certainly heartfelt and told with a nod to detail. The author paints a vivid picture of Paris as he and Jeremy--along with Jeremy's dog Leon--lead us around the city. And the descriptions of artwork and people are rich with detail, as well.
Yet so much of the narrative is spent on a minute-to-minute accounting of each day. It feels laborious and causes the book to drag at times. Overall, the story is filled with love and warmth. I didn't dislike The Bridge of Little Jeremy; rather, I found it to be merely okay.
Yet so much of the narrative is spent on a minute-to-minute accounting of each day. It feels laborious and causes the book to drag at times. Overall, the story is filled with love and warmth. I didn't dislike The Bridge of Little Jeremy; rather, I found it to be merely okay.
February 2, 2023
Review coming very soon on my blog:
zbestbooks.blogspot.com
zbestbooks.blogspot.com
November 29, 2021
** DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Nevertheless, all opinions presented here are my own. **
When a friend of the author’s reached out to me and asked whether I would like a review copy of The Bridge of Little Jeremy, I was about to decline. I was super busy with work, and besides, I had a ton of other books I wanted to get to.
But then I read the premise and the novel’s first few pages, and my interest was caught! Literary fiction set in Paris? A boy and his dog finding treasure somewhere beneath the city? That sounded like the perfect combination to still at least some of my wanderlust and to nostalgically remind me of all those mystery novels I devoured as a kid!
Unfortunately, however, The Bridge of Little Jeremy ended up falling flat for me. While I did appreciate its vivid descriptions of Paris, I felt like the book had little purpose other than showcasing the city it was set in and being a platform to warn about the dangers of social media and inheritance tax. Though it was a sweet story, I thought it lacked nuance, both in terms of the themes it explored and the complexity of its characters. I didn’t hate it, but nothing about it particularly captured my attention, either.
Set in the historical center of Paris, The Bridge of Little Jeremy follows a young boy who lives in a small apartment with his single mother and loves to paint. Since Jeremy suffers from a serious heart condition, he has been unable to attend school for quite a while, which gives him and his dog Leon a lot of time to explore their surroundings. One day, however, Jeremy’s world is turned upside down when he learns that he and his mother might soon lose the home his family has been living in for generations – his mother is behind on tax payments, and if she doesn’t find a way to raise money in the next few months, they will be evicted. Although Jeremy tries to help out by selling his paintings, it just doesn’t look like it will be enough. Until Jeremy and Leon make a discovery down in the cellars…
Overall, I appreciated several things about this book. Jeremy’s story was endearing, and you couldn’t not root for a boy so determined to help his mother. The loyalty between Jeremy and his dog was heart-warming. The ending was exactly what I had hoped for, beautiful and bittersweet. And I really enjoyed the detail that went into portraying the Parisian setting! The descriptions were so lush and vivid, and there were also a few French snippets in here that language-loving me immediately gobbled up!
However, what ultimately kept me from enjoying the book was its lack of depth in pretty much every department other than city descriptions.
First, there were the characters, who were either annoyingly perfect or utterly despicable. Take Jeremy, for instance: Everything he did, he did to please his mother. He was never selfish. The only times he ever misbehaved were when he was doing something that he thought would help his family in the long run, and even then, the “misbehavior” barely classified as such. I just didn’t buy that he was a twelve-year-old! Seriously, the kid had the narrative voice of a walking encyclopedia:
“Along with the quarries of gypsum, these sewers have played important roles in the three revolutions and the rise of the commune in our city. During the Second World War, this is where the French Forces of the Interior lay in ambush, coordinated with our allies, took the Germans by surprise, and liberated Paris.” (p. 59)
“In the same folder, there’s an offer from a new home insurer; its subscription fees and co-payments are much larger than what we pay now. There are instructions for paying an invoice, the amount that needs to be remitted to accept this offer. They say their proposition expires in two weeks, but I know Mom doesn’t have the money.” (p. 113)
“We arrive at the quarter where the Cour de Miracles used to be in the Middle Ages. On this square, where the king of bandits used to hold his court then, there are banks now.” (p. 165)
I mean, sure, I guess some twelve-year-olds do have a pretty sophisticated vocabulary, especially regarding topics they are particularly interested in. But Jeremy sounded like a sixty-year-old historian/lawyer all the time! He knew everything about Paris and its past, about taxation, about art, you name it. And after a while, the fact that Jeremy had next to no personality other than being the perfect son and a robotic conveyor of info-dumpy background information really started getting on my nerves.
The same thing goes for the other characters in the book. None of them really evolved beyond bland cardboard cutouts. Jeremy’s mother’s only defining traits were that she continuously worried about Jeremy and his heart condition and that she was usually away at work. Jeremy’s friend Paolo had no purpose other than providing a mentor figure for Jeremy. Jeremy’s neighbor, whom Jeremy only refers to as ‘the pervert’ can pretty much be summed up by this moniker. I don’t know… I guess that I was just hoping that a book that focused so heavily on its characters would make them a bit more complex and multi-layered.
The same thing goes for the themes this book explored. They had so much potential, but I often felt as though that potential wasn’t fully reached. There was little nuance to the way certain plotlines unfolded, which made parts of the story a bit tedious to read.
For one thing, art plays a pivotal role in Jeremy’s life, and I loved seeing how it was incorporated into the story. However, instead of fully exploring Jeremy’s feelings towards art and what made it so important to him, the novel mostly hits the reader over the head with art history and details in Jeremy’s paintings that sometimes seem to contradict each other. Like, do you seriously expect me to believe that Jeremy has a detailed knowledge of art epochs and Parisian painters when he accidentally adds nineteenth-century details to a painting depicting a sixteenth-century scene?
I also thought that The Bridge of Little Jeremy touched upon some interesting ideas in the way it portrayed the dangers of social media and the problematic aspects of inheritance law. However, by portraying these things in a very one-sided way, the book didn’t really give any nuance to these discussions and made me feel kind of like I was reading barely disguised propaganda against facebook and inheritance tax. Propaganda coming from a person whose opinion on these things were so fixed in stone that they hadn’t even bothered to research beyond their own bubble.
Take social media, for instance. I’m sorry, but this book is set in present-day France – or at least, in post-2002 France, since the current currency is the Euro - and Jeremy has never used the internet at home before? Why does everybody in the book think this is perfectly normal? Why does Jeremy’s mother suddenly allow him access, then, if she has apparently been super strict about it before? And why does Jeremy, despite his internet-cluelessness, mysteriously have perfect online research skills that allow him to understand tax laws that are so complicated that even I don’t get them? Also, when Jeremy does make a social media account, why is the only thing that we learn about it that it is “on the social network”? Couldn’t we get a few more specifics? To be honest, all the passages relating to the internet kind of read like my grandmother, who always needed help turning on her computer, had written them, and felt very out of touch with the reality of a 21st-century European pre-teen. Which kind of made me take the criticism in the book with a grain of salt as well…
Similarly, while we got to see a lot of the negative effects taxation laws had on Jeremy and his family, I would have liked to see the other side of the picture as well. Since one major plotline revolved around Jeremy trying to attract the government’s attention and get those laws changed, I think it would have made sense to include at least some discussion as to why these laws had been passed in the first place. Don’t get me wrong – I did think it was interesting to see an issue like inheritance tax raised in fiction! But the one-sidedness of its portrayal left quite a few questions unanswered and made things a bit repetitive, since the same arguments were rehashed over and over again.
Finally, a few things about the story just felt unrealistic. Apart from Jeremy’s strange relationship with the internet, there was also Jeremy’s general situation. Somehow, he has a heart condition so serious that he’s not allowed to go to school, but then he’s allowed to run around Paris 24/7 all on his own without his mother batting so much as an eye? The same mother who forbade Jeremy access to social media because it was so dangerous? At least to me, that didn’t quite ring true. As did the fact that Jeremy knew the history of just about every painting and building that had ever stood in Paris.
So yeah – overall, The Bridge of Little Jeremy wasn’t really my cup of tea. While I did think the story was cute and I liked the setting, the characters and the plot weren’t layered enough to make me truly invested. I am, however, nevertheless thankful to have gotten the opportunity to read the book and would like to add that my lack of enjoyment should in no way be seen as an attack on the author! I am sure there are people out there who would enjoy this – I just wasn’t one of them.
When a friend of the author’s reached out to me and asked whether I would like a review copy of The Bridge of Little Jeremy, I was about to decline. I was super busy with work, and besides, I had a ton of other books I wanted to get to.
But then I read the premise and the novel’s first few pages, and my interest was caught! Literary fiction set in Paris? A boy and his dog finding treasure somewhere beneath the city? That sounded like the perfect combination to still at least some of my wanderlust and to nostalgically remind me of all those mystery novels I devoured as a kid!
Unfortunately, however, The Bridge of Little Jeremy ended up falling flat for me. While I did appreciate its vivid descriptions of Paris, I felt like the book had little purpose other than showcasing the city it was set in and being a platform to warn about the dangers of social media and inheritance tax. Though it was a sweet story, I thought it lacked nuance, both in terms of the themes it explored and the complexity of its characters. I didn’t hate it, but nothing about it particularly captured my attention, either.
Set in the historical center of Paris, The Bridge of Little Jeremy follows a young boy who lives in a small apartment with his single mother and loves to paint. Since Jeremy suffers from a serious heart condition, he has been unable to attend school for quite a while, which gives him and his dog Leon a lot of time to explore their surroundings. One day, however, Jeremy’s world is turned upside down when he learns that he and his mother might soon lose the home his family has been living in for generations – his mother is behind on tax payments, and if she doesn’t find a way to raise money in the next few months, they will be evicted. Although Jeremy tries to help out by selling his paintings, it just doesn’t look like it will be enough. Until Jeremy and Leon make a discovery down in the cellars…
Overall, I appreciated several things about this book. Jeremy’s story was endearing, and you couldn’t not root for a boy so determined to help his mother. The loyalty between Jeremy and his dog was heart-warming. The ending was exactly what I had hoped for, beautiful and bittersweet. And I really enjoyed the detail that went into portraying the Parisian setting! The descriptions were so lush and vivid, and there were also a few French snippets in here that language-loving me immediately gobbled up!
However, what ultimately kept me from enjoying the book was its lack of depth in pretty much every department other than city descriptions.
First, there were the characters, who were either annoyingly perfect or utterly despicable. Take Jeremy, for instance: Everything he did, he did to please his mother. He was never selfish. The only times he ever misbehaved were when he was doing something that he thought would help his family in the long run, and even then, the “misbehavior” barely classified as such. I just didn’t buy that he was a twelve-year-old! Seriously, the kid had the narrative voice of a walking encyclopedia:
“Along with the quarries of gypsum, these sewers have played important roles in the three revolutions and the rise of the commune in our city. During the Second World War, this is where the French Forces of the Interior lay in ambush, coordinated with our allies, took the Germans by surprise, and liberated Paris.” (p. 59)
“In the same folder, there’s an offer from a new home insurer; its subscription fees and co-payments are much larger than what we pay now. There are instructions for paying an invoice, the amount that needs to be remitted to accept this offer. They say their proposition expires in two weeks, but I know Mom doesn’t have the money.” (p. 113)
“We arrive at the quarter where the Cour de Miracles used to be in the Middle Ages. On this square, where the king of bandits used to hold his court then, there are banks now.” (p. 165)
I mean, sure, I guess some twelve-year-olds do have a pretty sophisticated vocabulary, especially regarding topics they are particularly interested in. But Jeremy sounded like a sixty-year-old historian/lawyer all the time! He knew everything about Paris and its past, about taxation, about art, you name it. And after a while, the fact that Jeremy had next to no personality other than being the perfect son and a robotic conveyor of info-dumpy background information really started getting on my nerves.
The same thing goes for the other characters in the book. None of them really evolved beyond bland cardboard cutouts. Jeremy’s mother’s only defining traits were that she continuously worried about Jeremy and his heart condition and that she was usually away at work. Jeremy’s friend Paolo had no purpose other than providing a mentor figure for Jeremy. Jeremy’s neighbor, whom Jeremy only refers to as ‘the pervert’ can pretty much be summed up by this moniker. I don’t know… I guess that I was just hoping that a book that focused so heavily on its characters would make them a bit more complex and multi-layered.
The same thing goes for the themes this book explored. They had so much potential, but I often felt as though that potential wasn’t fully reached. There was little nuance to the way certain plotlines unfolded, which made parts of the story a bit tedious to read.
For one thing, art plays a pivotal role in Jeremy’s life, and I loved seeing how it was incorporated into the story. However, instead of fully exploring Jeremy’s feelings towards art and what made it so important to him, the novel mostly hits the reader over the head with art history and details in Jeremy’s paintings that sometimes seem to contradict each other. Like, do you seriously expect me to believe that Jeremy has a detailed knowledge of art epochs and Parisian painters when he accidentally adds nineteenth-century details to a painting depicting a sixteenth-century scene?
I also thought that The Bridge of Little Jeremy touched upon some interesting ideas in the way it portrayed the dangers of social media and the problematic aspects of inheritance law. However, by portraying these things in a very one-sided way, the book didn’t really give any nuance to these discussions and made me feel kind of like I was reading barely disguised propaganda against facebook and inheritance tax. Propaganda coming from a person whose opinion on these things were so fixed in stone that they hadn’t even bothered to research beyond their own bubble.
Take social media, for instance. I’m sorry, but this book is set in present-day France – or at least, in post-2002 France, since the current currency is the Euro - and Jeremy has never used the internet at home before? Why does everybody in the book think this is perfectly normal? Why does Jeremy’s mother suddenly allow him access, then, if she has apparently been super strict about it before? And why does Jeremy, despite his internet-cluelessness, mysteriously have perfect online research skills that allow him to understand tax laws that are so complicated that even I don’t get them? Also, when Jeremy does make a social media account, why is the only thing that we learn about it that it is “on the social network”? Couldn’t we get a few more specifics? To be honest, all the passages relating to the internet kind of read like my grandmother, who always needed help turning on her computer, had written them, and felt very out of touch with the reality of a 21st-century European pre-teen. Which kind of made me take the criticism in the book with a grain of salt as well…
Similarly, while we got to see a lot of the negative effects taxation laws had on Jeremy and his family, I would have liked to see the other side of the picture as well. Since one major plotline revolved around Jeremy trying to attract the government’s attention and get those laws changed, I think it would have made sense to include at least some discussion as to why these laws had been passed in the first place. Don’t get me wrong – I did think it was interesting to see an issue like inheritance tax raised in fiction! But the one-sidedness of its portrayal left quite a few questions unanswered and made things a bit repetitive, since the same arguments were rehashed over and over again.
Finally, a few things about the story just felt unrealistic. Apart from Jeremy’s strange relationship with the internet, there was also Jeremy’s general situation. Somehow, he has a heart condition so serious that he’s not allowed to go to school, but then he’s allowed to run around Paris 24/7 all on his own without his mother batting so much as an eye? The same mother who forbade Jeremy access to social media because it was so dangerous? At least to me, that didn’t quite ring true. As did the fact that Jeremy knew the history of just about every painting and building that had ever stood in Paris.
So yeah – overall, The Bridge of Little Jeremy wasn’t really my cup of tea. While I did think the story was cute and I liked the setting, the characters and the plot weren’t layered enough to make me truly invested. I am, however, nevertheless thankful to have gotten the opportunity to read the book and would like to add that my lack of enjoyment should in no way be seen as an attack on the author! I am sure there are people out there who would enjoy this – I just wasn’t one of them.
June 7, 2019
Resilience.
That has been a word I have been coming back to in 2019 for many reasons. Once in a while a book I am reading resonates perfectly with how I am feeling and the events that are happening around me. Reading The Bridge of Little Jeremy was one of those experience that thematically aligned with my lived-experiences at the time of reading. Author Indrajit Garai’s new novel is centered on deep resilience, care and commitment to family, and the love and passion for art. And instead of leaving my final thoughts to the end, I want to be transparent at the beginning of my review: I very much enjoyed this novel and would highly recommend it to other readers.
I was first familiarized with Indrajit’s writing when I read and reviewed his short story collection, The Sacrifice – a highly thematic collection of well-written, engaging stories. The following year, he followed up his first short story collection with a second titled, The Eye Opener. When I learned Indrajit was releasing a novel, I was excited to experience his story telling in a longer format. Throughout reading Indrajit’s writing, one aspect is always consistent. As a reader, I am engrossed with his ability to unfold a story, develop his main characters over the period of the story, and infuse candid, honest human emotions and experiences into his characters.
The Bridge of Jeremy follows a young man, Jeremy, as he faces many challenges in his life – contending with his heart condition, supporting his family as they are pressured to pay an undue amount of inheritance tax, and dealing with a neighbor who at best can be described as misogynistic but more likely a perpetrator of violence against women. Jeremy is extremely optimistic in his experience and has an mazing, supportive best friend Leon, an intelligent, loving, and protective dog. Who is always by Jeremy’s side This novel is his journey of trying to save his family by restoring and selling a painting while pursuing his love of art and learning about his family history.
I think the story is meaningful for readers to discover themselves and do not want to write about how the story progresses. I will say that Ingrajit Garai touches on many different topics on interest that impact our modern world through this novel. This includes the role of social media in social movements, the morals and ethics of tax, particularly inheritance tax, discovering unflattering family histories, health care access, single parent households, and more! The amount of topics he chooses to put in his stories, the way he is able to weave them together, and the commentary on each through Jeremy’s journey is a testament to Ingrajit’s ability to write and tell stories.
Indrajit Garai is an independent author who writes stories that I have always enjoyed. His writing style disrupts the mainstream way of telling stories and I think worthwhile for readers to check out. While his style and stories might not be for everyone, his voice as a storyteller, along with other independent authors, is vital to the landscape of literature. Please take a bit of time to find out more about his book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Little-Jeremy-Indrajit-GARAI-ebook/dp/B07PT936PZ
Final Rating: 4.5/5
See the original review on my blog: http://gamingforjustice.com/2019/06/07/book-review-the-bridge-of-little-jeremy-by-indrajit-garai/
February 16, 2020
The story’s main character and narrator, Jeremy, is a young teenager who is way mature for his age. His independence and maturity is because of the ongoing situation in his life. For years now his mother is working long hours and he knows that they are tight on money, they never have enough food in the fridge and sometimes he knows his mother lies about eating at work. He is really worried about his mother and he is selling his sketches, but he can’t tell his mother that he is selling them. He is saving the money for the time she needs it.
Leon, the German shepherd is his trusted bodyguard and his best friend.
Jeremy has heart condition and must go through another heart operation because the valve doesn’t work the way the doctors wanted.
The story develops very slowly and that might not be attractive to some readers, yet I enjoyed the pace of this book. The story is set in Paris and the author has perfectly described and penned all the details about Paris.
The empathy and kindness between Jeremy, hi mom and Leon is unique and admirable. There were several moments that Jeremy’s philosophical words reminded me of The Little Prince.
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and I really liked it.
I liked the character, the plot, the finely described detail and the story.
You can see the more reviews on:Bookoholiccafe and @Bookoholiccafe
Leon, the German shepherd is his trusted bodyguard and his best friend.
Jeremy has heart condition and must go through another heart operation because the valve doesn’t work the way the doctors wanted.
The story develops very slowly and that might not be attractive to some readers, yet I enjoyed the pace of this book. The story is set in Paris and the author has perfectly described and penned all the details about Paris.
The empathy and kindness between Jeremy, hi mom and Leon is unique and admirable. There were several moments that Jeremy’s philosophical words reminded me of The Little Prince.
by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, and I really liked it.
I liked the character, the plot, the finely described detail and the story.
You can see the more reviews on:Bookoholiccafe and @Bookoholiccafe
July 18, 2019
Young Jeremy is a loving and doting son. Despite being only 12 years old and despite having a heart condition that he had recently had surgery on, he still cares for and worries about his mother. As a single mother she must work hard to support her and her son as well as his beloved dog Leon. Unbeknownst to his mother, Jeremy has been selling his paintings and sketches, putting the money aside for when it is needed most. It is only when Jeremy comes across a damaged painting by a famous artist does he believe he can finally save his mother from prison.
The Bridge of Little Jeremy is a unique book. Told from the point of view of Little Jeremy himself, it has the rambling talkative style that most young boys employ when talking. In his descriptions of his walks around the city of Paris, the detail given is enough that is easy to imagine walking beside Jeremy and Leon. The prose is enough to evoke the wonder and beauty that is the city of lights.
Knowing that Garai lives in Paris makes sense because who else would be able to describe a city so perfectly than one who lives there?
In reading the book, I must wonder if the book was translated from French to English. It feels that way as there are certain words and phrases that do not translate that well from one to the other. This only happens a handful of times and is not enough to detract from the beauty that is the story itself.
I am quite happy that Garai approached me for reviewing his book as I enjoyed it very much. Whether you have visited or even if you have never been, The Bridge of Little Jeremy will cause you to fall in love with Paris. I recommend this book to all of my dear readers.
November 1, 2022
A unique, poignant book about family, perseverance, and making hard decisions. I was amazed at how Garai captured the vulnerability of growing up in his book and made it accessible through the life of a little boy. It was beautiful and moving.
I wouldn’t call the book polished—it has its rough edges, to be sure. The tone is straightforward and unembellished. I found myself appreciating this simple style for the most part, but at times I felt the language didn’t flow smoothly. Yet somehow, it fit the artless nature of the story. Little Jeremy’s story came from the heart, and I could feel that as I read. To me, that’s worth a few faults in the end.
You can find my thoughts more fully fleshed out at https://thoughtsfromastumblingsaint.b...
I wouldn’t call the book polished—it has its rough edges, to be sure. The tone is straightforward and unembellished. I found myself appreciating this simple style for the most part, but at times I felt the language didn’t flow smoothly. Yet somehow, it fit the artless nature of the story. Little Jeremy’s story came from the heart, and I could feel that as I read. To me, that’s worth a few faults in the end.
You can find my thoughts more fully fleshed out at https://thoughtsfromastumblingsaint.b...
June 10, 2020
Jeremy is a character with a lot of heart. He will do anything to help his mother, and his loyalty is unrivaled.
Jeremy’s mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast.
Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris.
This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn’t come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work.
Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time…
(Description from Amazon)
The Bridge of Little Jeremy paints a beautiful picture of Paris. I love how the descriptions of the landscape and how the natural beauty lays the perfect background for a story about a painter. You can feel the setting come to life and create the world around us. Jeremy has a beautiful home and the perfect place to hone his painting skill.
Also, Jeremy is a kind and caring character. I loved how brave and strong willed he was, his personality is perfectly complimented by his guard dog Leon. The character dynamic between them is beautiful and realistic. They have the true bond of a kid and his dog. I feel like the author picked up on how a kid and dog would interact and did a great job of illustrating that through writing. Their relationship was my favorite part of this book.
The pacing of this novel is very slow. While I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of Paris, in some places I felt like I was reading a travel book instead of a fiction novel. The pace sometimes slows to an almost halt and makes it difficult to keep reading. Luckily, I was able to keep reading because the stakes were high enough to force me to pursue the ending. This novel could have been about 50 pages less due to over descriptive scenes and also the repetitive nature of Jeremy’s thoughts. This was probably my least favorite part. Siphoning through Jeremy’s constant repetition of stress was a bit daunting and unnecessary. I understand that that’s how stress works in the real world, but it could’ve been executed in a way that doesn’t slow the plot so much.
Maybe it’s a cultural thing, but the moms complete unwillingness to let Jeremy partake in technology was irritating. She didn’t have internet for him to use in the beginning of the story, even though he’s presumably homeschooled. That just seems really strange and unrealistic. The homeschool students I know completely rely on the internet to do their school work. I don’t completely disagree with this next part, but Jeremy’s mom also has a weird thing against Jeremy having social media. I understand not allowing your kids to have social media, but this novel gave me the feeling that the mom felt like technology was evil, and the novel does kind of villianize it a bit.
This book also seems like it needs a more thorough edit. The language is wonky in some areas and it seemed like words got misconstrued. It damages the flow of the novel because any time something odd showed up I stopped reading to figure out the issue.
I really wanted this novel to end in a way that made me fall in love with the novel, but it didn’t. The ending felt abrupt and out of place. Jeremy does all this work and the ending just blows that all up. I won’t give too much detail because I don’t want to spoil it.
In all of this, Jeremy and his dog Leon are great characters in a novel that could use more developing.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
I give The Bridge of Little Jeremy 2/5 stars. But, don’t just take my word for it. Go check out Goodreads because there are plenty of positive reviews that oppose mine.
Jeremy’s mother is about to go to prison for their debt to the State. He is trying everything within his means to save her, but his options are running out fast.
Then Jeremy discovers a treasure under Paris.
This discovery may save his mother, but it doesn’t come for free. And he has to ride over several obstacles for his plan to work.
Meanwhile, something else is limiting his time…
(Description from Amazon)
The Bridge of Little Jeremy paints a beautiful picture of Paris. I love how the descriptions of the landscape and how the natural beauty lays the perfect background for a story about a painter. You can feel the setting come to life and create the world around us. Jeremy has a beautiful home and the perfect place to hone his painting skill.
Also, Jeremy is a kind and caring character. I loved how brave and strong willed he was, his personality is perfectly complimented by his guard dog Leon. The character dynamic between them is beautiful and realistic. They have the true bond of a kid and his dog. I feel like the author picked up on how a kid and dog would interact and did a great job of illustrating that through writing. Their relationship was my favorite part of this book.
The pacing of this novel is very slow. While I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions of Paris, in some places I felt like I was reading a travel book instead of a fiction novel. The pace sometimes slows to an almost halt and makes it difficult to keep reading. Luckily, I was able to keep reading because the stakes were high enough to force me to pursue the ending. This novel could have been about 50 pages less due to over descriptive scenes and also the repetitive nature of Jeremy’s thoughts. This was probably my least favorite part. Siphoning through Jeremy’s constant repetition of stress was a bit daunting and unnecessary. I understand that that’s how stress works in the real world, but it could’ve been executed in a way that doesn’t slow the plot so much.
Maybe it’s a cultural thing, but the moms complete unwillingness to let Jeremy partake in technology was irritating. She didn’t have internet for him to use in the beginning of the story, even though he’s presumably homeschooled. That just seems really strange and unrealistic. The homeschool students I know completely rely on the internet to do their school work. I don’t completely disagree with this next part, but Jeremy’s mom also has a weird thing against Jeremy having social media. I understand not allowing your kids to have social media, but this novel gave me the feeling that the mom felt like technology was evil, and the novel does kind of villianize it a bit.
This book also seems like it needs a more thorough edit. The language is wonky in some areas and it seemed like words got misconstrued. It damages the flow of the novel because any time something odd showed up I stopped reading to figure out the issue.
I really wanted this novel to end in a way that made me fall in love with the novel, but it didn’t. The ending felt abrupt and out of place. Jeremy does all this work and the ending just blows that all up. I won’t give too much detail because I don’t want to spoil it.
In all of this, Jeremy and his dog Leon are great characters in a novel that could use more developing.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
I give The Bridge of Little Jeremy 2/5 stars. But, don’t just take my word for it. Go check out Goodreads because there are plenty of positive reviews that oppose mine.
September 25, 2022
Plot:
Jeremy has a heart condition that keeps him out of school and allowed to roam around Ile Saint-Louis and the heart of Paris. Accompanied by his faithful German shepherd, Leon, Jeremy and Leon look for a way to save Jeremy’s mother from the police. See, Jeremy and his mother could not afford a house on Ile Saint-Louis, and only lived there because Jeremy’s grandparents left his mother their house. So when the inheritance taxes began to want their claim of Mom’s inheritance, those were prices they could not afford. Avoiding the bailiff who has come to repossess their furniture, Jeremy knows he needs to make money fast. Known for his art, Jeremy teams up with his friend Paolo to sell some of Jeremy's work to tourists. Doing his daily exploring, Jeremy stumbles upon a great treasure that, if done correctly, could save his mother from jail time, and provide Leon the life he deserves. Yet, not everyone is looking out for Jeremy, especially his own body. As Jeremy's heart struggles to keep up with Jeremy’s and Leon’s adventures, his mother pushes for surgery, with the hopes of making Jeremy’s life normal again, one that it has not been for a long time.
Thoughts:
Indrajit Garai writes this innocent eye narrative of a little boy named Jeremy, his dog Leon, and the adventures they have in downtown Paris. Where many books have Paris as the setting, none tells it like Garai who un-romanticizes the city, showing the true life of what it means to live here, especially for those who cannot afford it. This book has a central plotline of inheritance tax, taxes you pay on something you inherit, which causes problems for Jeremy’s mother, who cannot afford to pay these taxes on the house she was given. With Jeremy's dad dying in military service, we see a single mom trying to provide for her medically ill son. Garai should have written her to be a supermom, strong and independent; yet the mother Garai writes about seems to be weak, passive, and truly does need her son’s help to pay for things. Jeremy as a character was a strong, independent child, which is how he and Leon ended up in a lot of situations, not many young boys do. You can see his loyalty to those he calls close to him, like his worry over Paolo, and his protectiveness over his mother and their neighbor whom Jeremy calls a pervert. With a strong friendship towards his dog, Jeremy and Leon’s relationship was the star of the show. Unfortunately, where the characters rock, the plot was slow, as Garai took their time with Jeremy and his other adventures, making the entire book seem like a stroll. It was just a hard plot to care about, as the looming threat of Jeremy’s mother going to jail was never a real threat, of mom spending a night in jail or a midnight escape, it was a hard reason to keep moving on with the story. The side plots were also either non-existent or more boring than the main plot, making the story difficult to finish. With a horrible ending, Garai pulls the heartstrings for no reason, making you madder than sad with the way they end things. This is a solid okay novel, not one to remember, but a cute one to read if you are in for the hardships of this economy, and what it is doing to people in Paris.
Jeremy has a heart condition that keeps him out of school and allowed to roam around Ile Saint-Louis and the heart of Paris. Accompanied by his faithful German shepherd, Leon, Jeremy and Leon look for a way to save Jeremy’s mother from the police. See, Jeremy and his mother could not afford a house on Ile Saint-Louis, and only lived there because Jeremy’s grandparents left his mother their house. So when the inheritance taxes began to want their claim of Mom’s inheritance, those were prices they could not afford. Avoiding the bailiff who has come to repossess their furniture, Jeremy knows he needs to make money fast. Known for his art, Jeremy teams up with his friend Paolo to sell some of Jeremy's work to tourists. Doing his daily exploring, Jeremy stumbles upon a great treasure that, if done correctly, could save his mother from jail time, and provide Leon the life he deserves. Yet, not everyone is looking out for Jeremy, especially his own body. As Jeremy's heart struggles to keep up with Jeremy’s and Leon’s adventures, his mother pushes for surgery, with the hopes of making Jeremy’s life normal again, one that it has not been for a long time.
Thoughts:
Indrajit Garai writes this innocent eye narrative of a little boy named Jeremy, his dog Leon, and the adventures they have in downtown Paris. Where many books have Paris as the setting, none tells it like Garai who un-romanticizes the city, showing the true life of what it means to live here, especially for those who cannot afford it. This book has a central plotline of inheritance tax, taxes you pay on something you inherit, which causes problems for Jeremy’s mother, who cannot afford to pay these taxes on the house she was given. With Jeremy's dad dying in military service, we see a single mom trying to provide for her medically ill son. Garai should have written her to be a supermom, strong and independent; yet the mother Garai writes about seems to be weak, passive, and truly does need her son’s help to pay for things. Jeremy as a character was a strong, independent child, which is how he and Leon ended up in a lot of situations, not many young boys do. You can see his loyalty to those he calls close to him, like his worry over Paolo, and his protectiveness over his mother and their neighbor whom Jeremy calls a pervert. With a strong friendship towards his dog, Jeremy and Leon’s relationship was the star of the show. Unfortunately, where the characters rock, the plot was slow, as Garai took their time with Jeremy and his other adventures, making the entire book seem like a stroll. It was just a hard plot to care about, as the looming threat of Jeremy’s mother going to jail was never a real threat, of mom spending a night in jail or a midnight escape, it was a hard reason to keep moving on with the story. The side plots were also either non-existent or more boring than the main plot, making the story difficult to finish. With a horrible ending, Garai pulls the heartstrings for no reason, making you madder than sad with the way they end things. This is a solid okay novel, not one to remember, but a cute one to read if you are in for the hardships of this economy, and what it is doing to people in Paris.
August 29, 2023
The first two details about this book that caught my attention are that it takes place in Paris and that it involves a main character that is a painter. Paris is a city that has long been intriguing to me, and so as a setting it's a dear favorite of mine. And as an artist, I love characters that are painters or plots that involve paintings and art. Along with those two details, I absolutely loved the descriptions in this book and how the plot followed the different seasons. The writing style is unique but reminiscent of an old classic novel.
This story is more character centered than plot driven, as the plot slowly unwinds to the reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. Jeremy was an interesting character that I quickly became attached to. While there were many times I didn't agree with his actions (particularly sneaking around behind his mother's back), I still understood with his struggles and hoped for him to do better. With that said, I did admire his dedication to helping his mother. And Leon. I absolutely loved Jeremy's faithful German Shepherd. At times I struggled to understand his mother's character and at times her way of thinking just seemed a little immature to me, but at the same time she's a character who has been through a lot of hardships in life and has given up to some degree. Paolo and Robert were both lovely characters. I also enjoyed the owner of the antique shop. I did not care for Jeremy's babysitter; she seemed more of a bad influence than anything else.
The plot was intriguing and instantly pulled me in. I loved the mystery of the painting that we slowly got to unravel with Jeremy. I was invested in finding out the truth and seeing what actions Jeremy took. With the situation with Jeremy and his mother, it would be easy for there to only be irritation with those enforcing the law, but Garai points out they enforce the law for everyone and orchestrates well the fact that they are human too.
I loved the themes of creativity, beauty, nature, and the creative process woven throughout the story. I also really appreciated how Garai explored how social media affects us and comes with a cost, often crippling our creativity and stealing precious time when instead we could be living. And the ending. I was not expecting that at all, but it fits entirely. I was not entirely sure of what to expect when I began reading this book, but I found a treasure that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Content: a character referred to as "the pervert" who may be peeking at a woman and who appears throughout most of the story; four instances of blasphemy; mentions of reincarnation and evolution; mentions of harassment/abuse to a character from someone in a nursing home; mention of giving someone the finger; mention of man urinating in public; a statement at one point of God having enough to do and so we should handle things on our own instead of praying; a statement that maybe a dog has a god; a character has a vision of his dead father; implied that dead character became a star.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
This story is more character centered than plot driven, as the plot slowly unwinds to the reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. Jeremy was an interesting character that I quickly became attached to. While there were many times I didn't agree with his actions (particularly sneaking around behind his mother's back), I still understood with his struggles and hoped for him to do better. With that said, I did admire his dedication to helping his mother. And Leon. I absolutely loved Jeremy's faithful German Shepherd. At times I struggled to understand his mother's character and at times her way of thinking just seemed a little immature to me, but at the same time she's a character who has been through a lot of hardships in life and has given up to some degree. Paolo and Robert were both lovely characters. I also enjoyed the owner of the antique shop. I did not care for Jeremy's babysitter; she seemed more of a bad influence than anything else.
The plot was intriguing and instantly pulled me in. I loved the mystery of the painting that we slowly got to unravel with Jeremy. I was invested in finding out the truth and seeing what actions Jeremy took. With the situation with Jeremy and his mother, it would be easy for there to only be irritation with those enforcing the law, but Garai points out they enforce the law for everyone and orchestrates well the fact that they are human too.
I loved the themes of creativity, beauty, nature, and the creative process woven throughout the story. I also really appreciated how Garai explored how social media affects us and comes with a cost, often crippling our creativity and stealing precious time when instead we could be living. And the ending. I was not expecting that at all, but it fits entirely. I was not entirely sure of what to expect when I began reading this book, but I found a treasure that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Content: a character referred to as "the pervert" who may be peeking at a woman and who appears throughout most of the story; four instances of blasphemy; mentions of reincarnation and evolution; mentions of harassment/abuse to a character from someone in a nursing home; mention of giving someone the finger; mention of man urinating in public; a statement at one point of God having enough to do and so we should handle things on our own instead of praying; a statement that maybe a dog has a god; a character has a vision of his dead father; implied that dead character became a star.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book for promotional purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*
November 17, 2022
12-year-old Jeremy and his single mother live in a small flat in Ile Saint-Louis, an island in the Seine River in Paris, France. Jeremy's mom works in a nursing home and money has been tight ever since the operation that saved Jeremy's life. Jeremy continues to have difficulties with his congenital heart defect and has been home schooled until he fully recovers. Secretly, Jeremy has been selling his sketches and saving his earnings to help his mother. One day, Jeremy is startled by a noise in the attic, upon investigating he finds a map, a ring of keys and a paper with calculations on it. Curious as a young boy would be, he begins to explore the cellar for clues and happens upon a secret room and a painting with a gold frame. Half of the painting appears to have been damaged too, and he can only make out the artists first name, Vittorio. Finding the painting opens up many questions about its origins, who the artist was, and who stored it in their cellar? As Jeremy begins to explore the painting further, he also learns that his mother is having financial difficulties. Due to an unintended error by his grandmother and now mother not paying the inheritance tax on their flat, they're at risk for losing the flat if they can't repay the debt they owe to the State. Hoping to help his mom, Jeremy sets out to restore the painting, can he earn enough to save their home?
I was contacted by Estelle Leboucher, the godmother of Indrajit Garai's daughter regarding reviewing his book. As soon as I read the premise and found out it was set in Paris, I knew that this was a book that I wanted to read. Jeremy is a dear, wise soul. He's an explorer, painter, both inquisitive, and observant, especially of nature and the things around him. He goes into great details in the story about his travels around Paris as he gathers information about the painting and Vittorio. It was interesting to learn about the connection that the painting had to his family and I really wish I could see the things he describes in person. Jeremy's also a subtle storyteller in his own paintings, so kind and protective of both his mother and his dog, Leon. I was really saddened by Jeremy's life of solitude while his mom was working, and the loneliness he must have felt. Sure, he goes out each day exploring in Paris with his trusty companion, Leon, but I had hoped for a friend to enter his life. He did have a babysitter and many adults who helped him, but it's not quite the same.
The story beautifully depicts Jeremy's love for his mom and Leon, his thoughtfulness and how important art was to him. I also really liked Paolo, the man who sells Jeremy's sketches and only takes 10% as his fee. Paolo is the one who helps Jeremy to expand his restoration, to make it come alive while also being historical accurate. They have wonderful conversations about how "viewing is not a collective art", and how "beauty wouldn't be beautiful if it came in plenty." I should caution that this story would also be considered a sad book with an ending that at first feels like an about face from the direction it was heading, although the more I reflect on the book there are moments of tragedy leading up to it that shouldn't make it a complete shock. I'd still keep a tissue handing when reading this. Because of the messaging expressed in the book about art and beauty and the ending being sad, I'd recommend this to a mature middle grade reader.
**I'd like to thank Estelle Leboucher for the gifted ebook, I really enjoyed reading this touching story. **
I was contacted by Estelle Leboucher, the godmother of Indrajit Garai's daughter regarding reviewing his book. As soon as I read the premise and found out it was set in Paris, I knew that this was a book that I wanted to read. Jeremy is a dear, wise soul. He's an explorer, painter, both inquisitive, and observant, especially of nature and the things around him. He goes into great details in the story about his travels around Paris as he gathers information about the painting and Vittorio. It was interesting to learn about the connection that the painting had to his family and I really wish I could see the things he describes in person. Jeremy's also a subtle storyteller in his own paintings, so kind and protective of both his mother and his dog, Leon. I was really saddened by Jeremy's life of solitude while his mom was working, and the loneliness he must have felt. Sure, he goes out each day exploring in Paris with his trusty companion, Leon, but I had hoped for a friend to enter his life. He did have a babysitter and many adults who helped him, but it's not quite the same.
The story beautifully depicts Jeremy's love for his mom and Leon, his thoughtfulness and how important art was to him. I also really liked Paolo, the man who sells Jeremy's sketches and only takes 10% as his fee. Paolo is the one who helps Jeremy to expand his restoration, to make it come alive while also being historical accurate. They have wonderful conversations about how "viewing is not a collective art", and how "beauty wouldn't be beautiful if it came in plenty." I should caution that this story would also be considered a sad book with an ending that at first feels like an about face from the direction it was heading, although the more I reflect on the book there are moments of tragedy leading up to it that shouldn't make it a complete shock. I'd still keep a tissue handing when reading this. Because of the messaging expressed in the book about art and beauty and the ending being sad, I'd recommend this to a mature middle grade reader.
**I'd like to thank Estelle Leboucher for the gifted ebook, I really enjoyed reading this touching story. **
September 14, 2022
I want to express my thanks to Estelle Leboucher who offered me this book to read in return for an honest review.
When Estelle emailed me asking if I’d like to read this book by Indrajit Garai, I was tempted to decline as I had a long list of other books waiting to be read and reviewed, but after confirming there was no rush, I accepted and put it on my list. And I’m glad I did as it’s such a lovely book.
I will say, I did get a bit confused by the time period. It mentions phones and cars and computers, so it’s obviously set in modern times, but it has a very classic, old-fashioned, Dickensian type tone to it so that was slightly jarring. But if I’m honest, I almost ignored the modern parts of it and let myself be swept away by the classical elements.
I haven’t been for a long time but I love France and I feel Indrajit has got the description and the feeling of it down perfectly, you can tell he has a love for the country. He shows the beauty of the country but doesn’t hide from the harsher elements.
I admit I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. What I didn’t expect was how emotional I would find it. It’s a real tear-jerker, yes for sad reasons and heartbreaking moments, but also for the hope that fills Jeremy.
It’s written in a very….unusual way. Do I mean unusual? It’s hard to explain really if you haven’t read it. It’s from the point of view of this 12 year old boy and it definitely gives off the feeling that we’re listening to his inner monologue. It’s full of long drawn out paragraphs as well as short, sharp sentences. I wouldn’t necessarily say it did anything to improve upon the story but it didn’t detract it either. I like that the author is trying a multitude of styles.
The protagonist is only 12 and like how he’s been portrayed. He can be a bit naive, juvenile and uninformed but he’s trying to improve himself and his knowledge, and he’s trying all he can to help his mum and I found him quite endearing - although his constant questioning became a bit tedious after a while, but that’s normal for someone his age I suppose.
There are some heavy topics - illness, death, security, safety, physical violence, financial difficulties, financial worries - but they’re handled so sensitively.
The ending is stunning, really the best bit of the book. It’s hard to read with tears in your eyes but it is really lovely.
Sure, there are a few spelling issues and typos but I don’t really care about them - which is surprising considering how pedantic I am for spelling and grammar issues, but it just didn’t seem to be that much of a problem with this one.
January 19, 2020
Some of the best stories are far-fetched and require a suspension of disbelief. ‘The story of ‘The Bridge of Little Jeremy’ surely is improbable, but this story is told in a direct and sincere manner which makes reading it a pleasure. Along the way, we get delightful scenes of pleasant Parisian ambiance and street life.
Jeremy is a 12 year old boy, almost 13, and he is the first-person narrator of this story. He lives with his mother in an old, old apartment which was passed down through several generations and is near the Seine River in Paris. They are within walking distance of several of the Parisian landmarks as well as a few of the bridges that cross the Seine. Now they may lose the apartment for failure to pay inheritance taxes, and his mother might wind up in prison.
Jeremy is truly a precocious boy. He can already sell his own paintings through a dealer with a shop near the Seine. He has had one surgery for his bad heart but requires another as soon as they can afford it.
One day as Jeremy is exploring his apartment building he discovers an underground vault in which there is what looks to him like a valuable old painting which has been slightly damaged by dampness, and he sets about restoring it himself. Of course there is a story behind this painting.
Jeremy’s dog Leon is also one of those amazing dogs you will only find in fiction.
The boy and his dog spend a lot of their time walking along the Seine. Here they gaze upon an impromptu music festival:
“At eight in the evening, the sun is still beating down harshly, but the heat doesn’t bother those singers and dancers on the boat going over the river with their colorful banners. The festival is going on around the Ile Saint Louis too, and from our isle, with its shape of a vessel and all these people singing and drinking and dancing everywhere, looks like a huge discotheque cruising through the wakes of the Seine.”
When I was in my twenties, I took a two semester night extension course on the history of art which had a profoundly beneficial effect on my life. When discussing the Impressionists, our instructor made sure that we did not overlook or underrate “the merely pleasant”. Since then I have associated Paris with “the merely pleasant” which might amount to a walk along the Seine or any other river for that matter.
So ‘The Bridge of Little Jeremy’ is a fantastical tale with a light touch and with charm, beauty, and almost magic.
Grade: A
Jeremy is a 12 year old boy, almost 13, and he is the first-person narrator of this story. He lives with his mother in an old, old apartment which was passed down through several generations and is near the Seine River in Paris. They are within walking distance of several of the Parisian landmarks as well as a few of the bridges that cross the Seine. Now they may lose the apartment for failure to pay inheritance taxes, and his mother might wind up in prison.
Jeremy is truly a precocious boy. He can already sell his own paintings through a dealer with a shop near the Seine. He has had one surgery for his bad heart but requires another as soon as they can afford it.
One day as Jeremy is exploring his apartment building he discovers an underground vault in which there is what looks to him like a valuable old painting which has been slightly damaged by dampness, and he sets about restoring it himself. Of course there is a story behind this painting.
Jeremy’s dog Leon is also one of those amazing dogs you will only find in fiction.
The boy and his dog spend a lot of their time walking along the Seine. Here they gaze upon an impromptu music festival:
“At eight in the evening, the sun is still beating down harshly, but the heat doesn’t bother those singers and dancers on the boat going over the river with their colorful banners. The festival is going on around the Ile Saint Louis too, and from our isle, with its shape of a vessel and all these people singing and drinking and dancing everywhere, looks like a huge discotheque cruising through the wakes of the Seine.”
When I was in my twenties, I took a two semester night extension course on the history of art which had a profoundly beneficial effect on my life. When discussing the Impressionists, our instructor made sure that we did not overlook or underrate “the merely pleasant”. Since then I have associated Paris with “the merely pleasant” which might amount to a walk along the Seine or any other river for that matter.
So ‘The Bridge of Little Jeremy’ is a fantastical tale with a light touch and with charm, beauty, and almost magic.
Grade: A
July 5, 2019
A physically weakened 12 year-old boy, an artist, a hero, and a very conscientious son, narrates his adventures from Paris, where he lives with his mom and his German Shepherd Leon. Little Jeremy might not be the biggest boy for his age, but his courage, determination, and thoughtfulness prove him worthy of love and admiration. This novel contains the straightforward telling, though Jeremy’s own words, of the tortuous journey of his conscience. It’s a remarkable, dreamy telling, without tricks of plot or temporality, showing us the perils and rewards of growing up with artistic talent and an abiding love for one’s mother.
Indrajit Garai has written the tale, and displays a close familiarity with the Île de la cité and the Île St Louis in Paris. It appears also that he wrote the story in English, since no translator is given credit. That likely led to the basic and unadorned, but sweet and heartfelt style of this narrative. I congratulate Mr. Garai on writing from the point of view of a twelve year-old artist: it works wonderfully throughout.
Little Jeremy has had several operations on his heart because of a faulty valve. This misfortune means that he does not attend school and can roam about his home neighborhood with Leon. Like any neighborhood, it has its perils, human and otherwise. A fair amount happens to Jeremy during the few months of this story; some of it makes him a celebrated hero for a time.
He attacks a tormentor of his mother, firing a damaging missile with a slingshot. He rescues a baby locked in a car; discovers a work of art secreted away in a basement; as he researches the artist he unearths a hidden past impinging on his own mother and her economic wellbeing. Bravely he juggles these vicissitudes, all the while keeping his mother’s, his friends’, and his dog’s best interests at heart.
I have mentioned this is a dream-like tale. Its language gently carries the reader along, while it shows Jeremy’s nature: he is giving, contemplative, and artistic. His thoughts range a wide variety of issues, always in a methodical and balanced way. Good things happen to Jeremy during this story, and these things affect his loved ones for the better.
If you are interested in the trials of a sensitive, artistic Parisian boy about to step into his teen years, The Bridge of Little Jeremy is definitely a rewarding journey.
Indrajit Garai has written the tale, and displays a close familiarity with the Île de la cité and the Île St Louis in Paris. It appears also that he wrote the story in English, since no translator is given credit. That likely led to the basic and unadorned, but sweet and heartfelt style of this narrative. I congratulate Mr. Garai on writing from the point of view of a twelve year-old artist: it works wonderfully throughout.
Little Jeremy has had several operations on his heart because of a faulty valve. This misfortune means that he does not attend school and can roam about his home neighborhood with Leon. Like any neighborhood, it has its perils, human and otherwise. A fair amount happens to Jeremy during the few months of this story; some of it makes him a celebrated hero for a time.
He attacks a tormentor of his mother, firing a damaging missile with a slingshot. He rescues a baby locked in a car; discovers a work of art secreted away in a basement; as he researches the artist he unearths a hidden past impinging on his own mother and her economic wellbeing. Bravely he juggles these vicissitudes, all the while keeping his mother’s, his friends’, and his dog’s best interests at heart.
I have mentioned this is a dream-like tale. Its language gently carries the reader along, while it shows Jeremy’s nature: he is giving, contemplative, and artistic. His thoughts range a wide variety of issues, always in a methodical and balanced way. Good things happen to Jeremy during this story, and these things affect his loved ones for the better.
If you are interested in the trials of a sensitive, artistic Parisian boy about to step into his teen years, The Bridge of Little Jeremy is definitely a rewarding journey.
October 31, 2019
This is the story of a boy and his dog. But it is much more than a simple tale like that, for as the narrative grows the reader finds himself on a journey of discovery with Little Jeremy. It turns out to be a variation on the mythical journey of a hero and as it develops the sometimes dreamlike quality of the story draws the reader forward with the intensity of a mystery, the bounteous beauty of Paris, the suspense of unexpected events, and a joyousness that can only be found in the love of a boy for his mother.
The setting is Paris which underlies the beauty of the story - a beauty that is enhanced by young Jeremy, who even at his age has the budding eye of an artist:
"I see the sinuous streets and the steep staircases of Montmartre that I haven't seen for a long while, and then I see how the works of Nature and Man have come together to sculpt the beauty of our city."(p 136)
Not only is the beauty of the setting framed by the eyes of young Jeremy but the narrator limns the setting with descriptions like that of the "Jardin-des-Plantes" where Leon, Jeremy's trusted and loving dog, is seen chasing butterflies. As the story develops the intricacies of the city and its spaces add to the mysteriousness of Jeremy's journey.
Little Jeremy narrates the story, and we learn he has a medical condition - a weakness of his heart due to a faulty valve. As a result he does not attend school and often spends his days scouring the city with Leon. His encounters with the city and the world beyond his small apartment during the arc of the story are both interesting and exciting - he becomes a hero for a time. His mother, unfortunately faces a serious financial debt due to taxes. Ultimately, Little Jeremy's desire to help his mother leads him to a discovery that with the application of his artistic skills and help from some friends may provide the funds that are essential for their survival as a family.
It is the innocence and loving nature of Little Jeremy contrasted with the realities and difficulties of living that makes this a mesmerizing story. There is great suspense leading to a denouement that demonstrates the magic of the search for an ideal. That combined with the importance of love for those that are close to you and a need to nurture the genius within you makes this a wonderful novel.
The setting is Paris which underlies the beauty of the story - a beauty that is enhanced by young Jeremy, who even at his age has the budding eye of an artist:
"I see the sinuous streets and the steep staircases of Montmartre that I haven't seen for a long while, and then I see how the works of Nature and Man have come together to sculpt the beauty of our city."(p 136)
Not only is the beauty of the setting framed by the eyes of young Jeremy but the narrator limns the setting with descriptions like that of the "Jardin-des-Plantes" where Leon, Jeremy's trusted and loving dog, is seen chasing butterflies. As the story develops the intricacies of the city and its spaces add to the mysteriousness of Jeremy's journey.
Little Jeremy narrates the story, and we learn he has a medical condition - a weakness of his heart due to a faulty valve. As a result he does not attend school and often spends his days scouring the city with Leon. His encounters with the city and the world beyond his small apartment during the arc of the story are both interesting and exciting - he becomes a hero for a time. His mother, unfortunately faces a serious financial debt due to taxes. Ultimately, Little Jeremy's desire to help his mother leads him to a discovery that with the application of his artistic skills and help from some friends may provide the funds that are essential for their survival as a family.
It is the innocence and loving nature of Little Jeremy contrasted with the realities and difficulties of living that makes this a mesmerizing story. There is great suspense leading to a denouement that demonstrates the magic of the search for an ideal. That combined with the importance of love for those that are close to you and a need to nurture the genius within you makes this a wonderful novel.
June 4, 2020
I didn’t finish this novel, so this review is my honest opinion of the first ~33% of it. My favorite thing about The Bridge of Little Jeremy was the immersive setting of Paris. Jeremy and his dog Leon spend a lot of time adventuring around Paris, and these passages are written in such a way that I felt like I was wandering alongside them. At times I felt that the descriptions of Paris were a bit superfluous – some detail could have been omitted and the passages still would have been quite immersive – but at other times these scenes took on an absorbing and surreal quality, which might not have been achieved without such vivid detail.
I also liked the main character, Jeremy. He is kind and compassionate toward people and animals alike, he is confident and charismatic, and he doesn’t let his financial and medical struggles dampen his amazement for life. The fact that Jeremy retains his childlike curiosity in spite of his struggles made him a very realistic child narrator for me (and in this way he reminded me of Jai from Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line).
My main issue with this novel was that I just couldn’t get into the writing. There was a lot of focus on the mundane details of Jeremy’s day-to-day life, which worked well at times, but fell flat at others. Based on the first ~33% of this book, I think it could have been considerably shorter. Interestingly, I noticed on Goodreads that the paperback format of this book (which is the format that I read) has a lower rating than either of the Kindle editions – perhaps the intricately detailed writing lends itself better to scrolling on a Kindle? If I ever get an eBook reader, I will try The Bridge of Little Jeremy again and see if the different format improves my experience.
While I enjoyed the immersive setting and compassionate main character, I couldn’t get into The Bridge of Little Jeremy and ultimately decided to stop reading about one-third of the way through. Although I struggled with this book, there are plenty of positive reviews of it on Goodreads, so do still check it out if you’re interested! And maybe go for an eBook edition, since that format has higher reviews than the paperback format!
Thank you to Estelle Leboucher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I also liked the main character, Jeremy. He is kind and compassionate toward people and animals alike, he is confident and charismatic, and he doesn’t let his financial and medical struggles dampen his amazement for life. The fact that Jeremy retains his childlike curiosity in spite of his struggles made him a very realistic child narrator for me (and in this way he reminded me of Jai from Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line).
My main issue with this novel was that I just couldn’t get into the writing. There was a lot of focus on the mundane details of Jeremy’s day-to-day life, which worked well at times, but fell flat at others. Based on the first ~33% of this book, I think it could have been considerably shorter. Interestingly, I noticed on Goodreads that the paperback format of this book (which is the format that I read) has a lower rating than either of the Kindle editions – perhaps the intricately detailed writing lends itself better to scrolling on a Kindle? If I ever get an eBook reader, I will try The Bridge of Little Jeremy again and see if the different format improves my experience.
While I enjoyed the immersive setting and compassionate main character, I couldn’t get into The Bridge of Little Jeremy and ultimately decided to stop reading about one-third of the way through. Although I struggled with this book, there are plenty of positive reviews of it on Goodreads, so do still check it out if you’re interested! And maybe go for an eBook edition, since that format has higher reviews than the paperback format!
Thank you to Estelle Leboucher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2023
I have to say that I really enjoyed The Bridge of Little Jeremy.
The story is told by Jeremy, a 12 year old boy who shows maturity beyond his years. His best friend is his dog, Leon but he has regular encounters with other people like Mathilde who is a neighbour and Paolo, a stall holder to whom he sells his paintings. He lives with his mum who is extremely hard-working and cares deeply for Jeremy.
The plot centres around Jeremy helping his mother financially and thinking about ways in which he can do this without her realising it. He is an intelligent, caring boy who is faced with his own difficulties but always seems to be looking outwards, towards others.
There are lots of things to like about this book. Jeremy's narrative takes us on a tour of Paris where we learn about the favourite spots where he likes to visit and take Leon and you get a sense of Paris as a place to live, a locality which is familiar as Jeremy's home. I loved the relationship that Jeremy has with Leon, verging on fantastical with the way that Jeremy intuits Leon's expressions as indicators of, for example, his dismay or acquiescence for something that Jeremy has said. You get the sense that these two are tightly bonded and it creates warmth throughout the book.
Jeremy's mum is in a predicament, not of her own making, but as a result of certain tax initiatives that governments set up and this threatens both Jeremy's and her stability, in more ways than just financial. This is key to the action of the book and Garai prompts discussion of this - the unfairness of certain taxes - but it does not dominate to become a political treatise, staying peripheral to the story of Jeremy.
I think that the novel has wide appeal for young readers to adults alike and if you are looking for a book which holds the warmth of humanity in a gently told, simple story, then this would be a good choice for you.
Easy to read and nicely put together, I felt quite charmed by it.
I was privileged to be offered this book as an ARC. This review is a true and fair reflection of my opinion of the book.
The story is told by Jeremy, a 12 year old boy who shows maturity beyond his years. His best friend is his dog, Leon but he has regular encounters with other people like Mathilde who is a neighbour and Paolo, a stall holder to whom he sells his paintings. He lives with his mum who is extremely hard-working and cares deeply for Jeremy.
The plot centres around Jeremy helping his mother financially and thinking about ways in which he can do this without her realising it. He is an intelligent, caring boy who is faced with his own difficulties but always seems to be looking outwards, towards others.
There are lots of things to like about this book. Jeremy's narrative takes us on a tour of Paris where we learn about the favourite spots where he likes to visit and take Leon and you get a sense of Paris as a place to live, a locality which is familiar as Jeremy's home. I loved the relationship that Jeremy has with Leon, verging on fantastical with the way that Jeremy intuits Leon's expressions as indicators of, for example, his dismay or acquiescence for something that Jeremy has said. You get the sense that these two are tightly bonded and it creates warmth throughout the book.
Jeremy's mum is in a predicament, not of her own making, but as a result of certain tax initiatives that governments set up and this threatens both Jeremy's and her stability, in more ways than just financial. This is key to the action of the book and Garai prompts discussion of this - the unfairness of certain taxes - but it does not dominate to become a political treatise, staying peripheral to the story of Jeremy.
I think that the novel has wide appeal for young readers to adults alike and if you are looking for a book which holds the warmth of humanity in a gently told, simple story, then this would be a good choice for you.
Easy to read and nicely put together, I felt quite charmed by it.
I was privileged to be offered this book as an ARC. This review is a true and fair reflection of my opinion of the book.
September 8, 2020
I was contacted by a friend of the author to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Whilst I am not familiar with the authors work the synopsis drew me in and I was intrigued to discover more about this story.
The entire story is told from the POV of 12 year old Jeremy, who has underlying health issues so he spends his days at his home in Paris whilst his mother works as a carer. He has made friends with many of the locals who all look out for him but his most loyal companion is his dog, Leon.
The communication between humans and their pets is very interesting and animal psychology has always amazed me. Leon is Jeremy’s very own super dog sidekick who listens, obeys, trusts and offers unconditional love. Without spoiling too much of the story there is a particular moment when Leon truly shines and it makes me love him even more. The relationship between him and Jeremy was my favourite part of the story.
I enjoyed learning about the history of Paris and how the area has developed over the centuries. I could feel the passion behind the authors voice when he was describing the scenes and the artistic elements too. He brought Paris to life in my imagination.
There were a few moments in the story were I felt my attention waver, that being said when the drama arrived I was immediately hooked back in and enjoyed seeing how Jeremy’s adventure developed. For a 12 year old he seemed almost too mature and grown up at times but I think this was largely down to his circumstances. I loved how he thought so much about every little detail and desperately wanted to be the man of the house and help his mum. The ending was not something that I had expected and I was almost shocked. On reflection I think it was the best way to end it and avoid the usual cliches but it certainly tugged at my heart strings.
Overall this was a heartwarming, magical, tragic and emotional tale of adventure and love that I very much enjoyed reading.
The entire story is told from the POV of 12 year old Jeremy, who has underlying health issues so he spends his days at his home in Paris whilst his mother works as a carer. He has made friends with many of the locals who all look out for him but his most loyal companion is his dog, Leon.
The communication between humans and their pets is very interesting and animal psychology has always amazed me. Leon is Jeremy’s very own super dog sidekick who listens, obeys, trusts and offers unconditional love. Without spoiling too much of the story there is a particular moment when Leon truly shines and it makes me love him even more. The relationship between him and Jeremy was my favourite part of the story.
I enjoyed learning about the history of Paris and how the area has developed over the centuries. I could feel the passion behind the authors voice when he was describing the scenes and the artistic elements too. He brought Paris to life in my imagination.
There were a few moments in the story were I felt my attention waver, that being said when the drama arrived I was immediately hooked back in and enjoyed seeing how Jeremy’s adventure developed. For a 12 year old he seemed almost too mature and grown up at times but I think this was largely down to his circumstances. I loved how he thought so much about every little detail and desperately wanted to be the man of the house and help his mum. The ending was not something that I had expected and I was almost shocked. On reflection I think it was the best way to end it and avoid the usual cliches but it certainly tugged at my heart strings.
Overall this was a heartwarming, magical, tragic and emotional tale of adventure and love that I very much enjoyed reading.
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