Louis lives for dance, so it’s a big shock when Dad suddenly whisks him and his siblings away on holiday in the middle of term, just before a major competition. Louis’ parents have been locked in a bitter custody battle, however, so this is a rare chance for Louis to get to see his father. But then Dad starts to act strangely again. Why is he being so secretive? And why won’t he let them call home? Then Louis comes across a poster – a missing person’s poster. And it has his face on it…

Tabitha Suzuma’s new book is a gripping, poignant story of a family torn apart by divorce. On the brink of being denied all access to his children, Louis’ father has decided to kidnap them – and the children are forced into a life on the run, with new names, haircuts, and identities. But they can’t be careful for ever…

 Without Looking Back develops slowly but smoothly from domestic, almost humdrum beginnings, and although the premise is potentially sensational Suzuma successfully avoids melodrama. There is enough action and suspense to keep readers gripped, but the heart of the book is in the relationships between the characters, which are charted with sensitivity and warmth, particularly the combination of friction and affection between Louis and his siblings. The simple, no-frills style, and Suzuma’s great eye for detail, paint a moving picture of a situation where no one, finally, can win – and where Louis, torn between his dancing career and his father, must make an impossible decision…

Unusually for Suzuma, the characters struggle against circumstances, not themselves, and as a result it’s less complex, and perhaps less powerful, than her other books – but then it’s clearly aimed at a younger age-group, and would be enjoyed by readers who aren’t ready, or willing, to tackle the darker issues of, for example, From Where I Stand. Without Looking Back is a sympathetic, realistic portrait of a family forced to self-destruct – but while it has the integrity not to provide easy answers, it ends on a surprising note of hope.

2009-04-29