Alex and tabs book club

Today I went to the beach for 2 hours and I finished October October by Katya Balen. This is a book for a younger audience but covers universal and mature themes for all ages. I am twenty years old and found the book comforting and touching.

I love the cover of the book. It depicts the major themes of the books including freedom, being wild, uncertainty, and fear. This drew me to buy the book because the cover caught my attention and made me read it.

October, October by Katya Balen tells the story of October, a young girl who lives in the woods with her dad. October and her dad are very close and have a strong relationship. This greatly contrasts October’s relationship with her mom. When October turns eleven years old, her mother comes to visit but October gets scared and climbs up into a tree. This leads to her dad falling out of the tree and having to go to the hospital for a very long time as he is healing from his injuries. October is very upset about having to live with her mom but also feels extremely guilty and believes she is at fault for her dad’s injuries. she worries her dad will never love her again.

October forms a strong connection with an owl, Stig, she rescues but has to give the owl away when she goes to London to live with her mom. This is hard for October but she realizes that not everything has a perfect ending. Stig was lost and abandoned but October gave the owl a safe and loving home to the best of her capabilities. She learned that it is hard to let go of the things you love but sometimes this is out of one’s control.

The story showcases October forming a meaningful bond with her mother. This bond is forged over time and takes a lot of trust for October to feel comfortable with her mother. October is a very dynamic character and grows remarkably fast throughout this short story and begins to understand more about the world, love, life, and death.

The author uses very descriptive words that set the scene for autumn beautifully and poetically. The author highlights the wonders of the wilderness and keeps it realistic, showing not only the glorious parts but also the death. The death is shown as a cycle of life, renewal, and part of nature. This is an impactful outlook to have.

I would rate this book 5 stars because I thought it held symbolism and deeper meaning but conveyed in an understandable and easy-to-read way.