Listen to a sample
My Name Is Leon
- Author
- Kit de Waal
- Narrator
- Lenny Henry
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Publish Date
- 2 June 2016
- Run Time
- 7 hours 51 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Historical fiction, Narrative theme: identity / belonging, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Adoption and fostering
- Rating
- 4.0 (1 review)
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What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
A TIMES and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE IRISH NOVEL PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD & THE DESMOND ELLIOT PRIZE
Soon to be a major BBC film starring Sir Lenny Henry, Malachi Kirby, Monica Dolan, Olivia Williams and Christopher Eccleston.
It's 1981, a year of riots and royal weddings. The Dukes of Hazzard is on TV. Curly Wurlys are in the shops. And trying to find a place in it all is nine-year-old Leon. He and his little brother Jake have gone to live with Maureen. They've lost one home, but have they found another?
Maureen feeds and looks after them. She has wild red hair and mutters swearwords under her breath when she thinks they can't hear. She claims everything will be okay. But will they ever see their mother again? Who are the couple who secretly visit Jake? Between the street violence and the street parties, Leon must find a way to reunite his family . . .
'Startlingly funny. Balances the gritty with the feel good' Observer
'Vivid and endearing - a very powerful book' Emma Healey, bestselling author of Elizabeth is Missing
'Authentic and beautiful, urgent and honest, this novel makes room in your heart' Chris Cleave, bestselling author of The Other Hand
© Kit de Waal 2016 (P) Penguin Audio 2016
Critics Review
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Tender and heart-breaking
Rachel Joyce, bestselling author of 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry'
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A beautiful story told with compassion, urgency and wit
Stephen Kelman, author of the Booker-shortlisted 'Pigeon English'
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Vivid and endearing - a very powerful book
Emma Healey, bestselling author of 'Elizabeth is Missing'
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Leon is pure goodwill in a wicked world, and he won't leave you when you put this unique book down. Authentic and beautiful, urgent and honest, this novel does what only the best do: it quietly makes room in your heart. At the end of the story I couldn't bear to close the book on Leon. I felt I was abandoning him. I wanted to talk about it straight away with someone else who'd read it, and I know a great many readers will feel the same.
Chris Cleave, bestselling author of 'The Other Hand'
See more reviews See fewer reviews
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Beautiful and heartbreaking - I cried buckets of tears for Leon and his family
Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of 'The Last Act of Love'
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A compelling story... Kit de Waal is to be congratulated
Jane Shemilt, bestselling author of 'Daughter'
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Read it and weep
Sunday Times Top Holiday Fiction
User Reviews
Book 4.0
Narration 5.0
-
4.0 5.0
Not something I would usually read but it was for a book club. Really enjoyed it, glad I chose audio version as narration was excellent and really helped bring some parts alive.
Very tough subject matters, very emotional and hard at times. Some light humour as well. The author did a great job at writing from perspective of a child. Would highly recommend.li22ybeth 2024-11-23
Details
- Author
- Kit de Waal
- Narrator
- Lenny Henry
- Duration
- 7 hours 51 minutes
- Release Date
- 2 June 2016
- ISBN
- 9780241976203
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Family life fiction / Stories about family, Historical fiction, Narrative theme: identity / belonging, Narrative theme: social issues / social problems, Adoption and fostering
- Rating
- 4.0(1 review)
- Narration
- 5.0(1 review)
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin.A TIMES and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERWINNER OF THE IRISH NOVEL PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD & THE DESMOND ELLIOT PRIZESoon to be a major BBC film starring Sir Lenny Henry, Malachi Kirby, Monica Dolan, Olivia Williams and Christopher Eccleston.It's 1981, a year of riots and royal weddings. The Dukes of Hazzard is on TV. Curly Wurlys are in the shops. And trying to find a place in it all is nine-year-old Leon. He and his little brother Jake have gone to live with Maureen. They've lost one home, but have they found another?Maureen feeds and looks after them. She has wild red hair and mutters swearwords under her breath when she thinks they can't hear. She claims everything will be okay. But will they ever see their mother again? Who are the couple who secretly visit Jake? Between the street violence and the street parties, Leon must find a way to reunite his family . . .'Startlingly funny. Balances the gritty with the feel good' Observer'Vivid and endearing - a very powerful book' Emma Healey, bestselling author of Elizabeth is Missing'Authentic and beautiful, urgent and honest, this novel makes room in your heart' Chris Cleave, bestselling author of The Other Hand© Kit de Waal 2016 (P) Penguin Audio 2016
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