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Recommended by Marcus Stanforth (@marcusstanforth)
Form and genre: Prose/Novel/Romance
Length: 289 pages
Summary: After his stint in a psychiatric hospital, Pat returns to his parent’s house desiring the return of his estranged wife Nikki. He meets Tiffany, who has her own issues too. They care for each other: Pat performing in a dance competition with Tiffany and Tiffany helping him win back Nikki.
Age recommendation and challenging content: There is a lot of swearing. Tiffany is clinically depressed. It is never specified, but it could be suggested that Pat has bipolar disorder. He has to piece together his memories about why Nikki left. Tiffany’s husband dies and she loses her job. Pat is dealing with the breakdown of his marriage and apparent separation. Great film adaptation from 2012, directed by David O. Russell and starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence (Rated 15). I would recommend this for Y9.
Notable reasons for recommending this book: Links to the themes of unrequited love, breakdown of marriage, separation, fidelity and romantic love.
Other helpful information: A great addition to any school library