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by Boomert - Letters to Leonardo by Dee White 13 Jan 2010
On his 15th birthday, Matt receives a card from his ‘dead’ mother. How can this be? Matt believed she had died in a car accident. Feeling furious and betrayed by his dad, Matt decides to discover the truth. Meanwhile, he reveals his feelings in heartfelt letters to Leonardo da Vinci, woven throughout the text. Dee White has worked as a copywriter and journalist and it shows in this beautifully written, fast-paced story, devoid of sentimentality. She paints an unflinching portrait of a mother and artist, who suffers from mental illness, and its devastating effect on her son. The use of a first-person narrator is an effective device which imbues the story with an intimate tone. Matt’s friendship with Troy and their shared passion for painting and high-jinks adds humour and warmth, and leavens what is essentially a grim storyline. Child neglect, attempted suicide and death are serious themes, yet the story remains compelling. I found the ending too grim—but as a reflection of some children’s lives, it succeeds. This is a sobering account of the negative impact of untreated bi-polar disorder. It is sensitively written— but be ready for a rough ride. For mature readers, 16 years and up.

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine (March 2009, Vol 88, No 6.) is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2009, Thorpe-Bowker.

Author Biography: Dee White
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Recent books by Dee White » View all books by Dee White

Letters to Leonardo, Paperback (July 2009)

Duel of Words, Hardback (August 2008)