Shtum

Whether you think Shtum is a novel about autism or about marriage (it's both, by the way), you will agree that it is, in the end, a love story infused with wit, charm, and a deep appreciation for the complex beauty of damaged souls. * Jonathan Tropper, author of THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU * It's the territory of Tony Parsons and Nick Hornby, infused with the Jewish humour of Howard Jacobson and Shalom Auslander. This impressive novel leads the reader through pathos, comedy and anger. * GUARDIAN * Lester's unusual book conveys a profound message about the whole spectrum of humanity... a thought-provoking and moving read. -- Helena Gumley-Mason * THE LADY * This touching novel tells the story of Jonah, a 10-year old boy who can't speak. * NOW MAGAZINE * Heart-wrenching and thought-provoking story of a family coping with an autistic child. -- Fanny Blake * WOMAN & HOME * Prepare for an unsweetened heart-shredder of a novel, as raw as it is real. -- Madeleine Kingsley * JEWISH CHRONICLE * Gritty, heart-breaking and wonderful all at once. -- Natasha Harding * THE SUN * Shtum is a novel of compassionate understanding, and it is absorbing from start to finish. -- Ian Thomson * TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT * 'At its heart are the things they need to say to each other but often keep shtum about - and the child who says nothing, but communicates his needs eloquently' * FINANCIAL TIMES * Drawing on his own experience of raising an autistic child, Jem Lester has made this a frank and warm portrait of three men bumbling through life * INDEPENDENT * Bleak, candid, funny and touching, this impressively impassioned debut novel reveals how a lack of words does not signify a lack of love * SUNDAY EXPRESS MAGAZINE * [Lester carries] off this challenging storyline with spectacular success. There are some very sad moments, but far more that are blackly funny. Lester is superb at comic cameo, and the local authority jobsworths with whom Ben must deal are hilariously drawn. But it is Georg, Ben's severe and loving father, who is the novel's towering achievement; a complex man whose tragic past illuminates the present * DAILY MAIL * '[Lester] tells a memorable story full of dark humour and heart twistingly sad insight, about the bond between fathers and sons' * SUNDAY MIRROR * An emotive, button-pushing read that should come with a packet of tissues * RED MAGAZINE * A book that has you laughing one minute and is breaking your heart the next. * WOMAN AND HOME * With shades of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time this former journalist's debut is informed by his own experiences with his non-verbal autistic son * BIG ISSUE * Jem Lester manages to capture a difficult and often heart-wrenching story of a family coping with an autistic son, writing with a fast pace and levity that somehow doesn't lessen any of the emotion of this wonderful novel. A must for your reading list * GRAZIA * Funny yet heart-breaking, the book is likely to be enjoyed by fans of The Rosie Project and The Shock of the Fall * INDEPENDENT * Warm, funny and sad * DAILY EXPRESS * A tale of family, loss, self-discovery and forgiveness. Prepare to be moved by its beauty * HEAT MAGAZINE * Powerful, unapologetic and deeply moving, Jem Lester mines a hard-hitting story to discover dark humour and surprising warmth. It's a book that breaks your heart but ultimately uplifts. A simply stunning novel -- Miranda Dickinson Highly intelligent, warm-hearted and clearly based on experience * THE SUNDAY TIMES * 'SHTUM is a thought-provoking novel about the silent ties between generations, with a wonderful child character at its heart. I loved Jonah and ached for the impossible decisions his family had to face' -- Julie Cohen Moving and, at times, painfully sad, Lester's account is also darkly funny. It is an important reminder of the complex spectrum of human emotion, and a profound insight into an often misunderstood disorder * STYLIST * This is the literary territory of Tony Parsons and Nick Hornby, infused with the Jewish humour of Howard Jacobson and Shalom Auslander . . . an impressive novel that gives a very accurate portrayal of the struggles some families of autistic children endure, while taking the reader on an exhilarating roller coaster ride between pathos, comedy and anger * GUARDIAN * Angry and fiercely funny . . . The ending tears the heart out; this is an unforgettable first novel * THE TIMES * A darker, sadder version of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, but just as moving * OBSERVER * Praise for the heartwarming novel of 2017: Jem Lester writes so beautifully, it feels as if you're eavesdropping on a conversation. Shtum is a book with true heart and soul, and I loved every word -- Joanna Cannon, author of THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP