Clare Furniss

Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize 2017 and longlisted for the 2017 CILIP Carnegie Medal, this novel will make you laugh and break your heart. Our memories are what make us who we are. Some are real. Some are made up. But they are the stories that tell us who we are. Without them we are nobody. Hattie's summer isn't going as planned. Her two best friends have abandoned her: Reuben has run off to Europe to 'find himself' and Kat is in Edinburgh with her new girlfriend. Meanwhile Hattie is stuck babysitting her twin siblings and dealing with endless drama around her mum's wedding. Oh, and she's also just discovered that she's pregnant with Reuben's baby...Then Gloria, Hattie's great-aunt who no one even knew existed, comes crashing into her life. Gloria's fiercely independent, rather too fond of a gin sling and is in the early stages of dementia. Together the two of them set out on a road trip of self-discovery - Gloria to finally confront the secrets of her past before they are erased from her memory forever and Hattie to face the hard choices that will determine her future... Non Pratt's Trouble meets Thelma and Louise with a touch of Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey, Clare Furniss' remarkable How Not To Disappear is an emotional rollercoaster of a novel. 'Funny, moving and packed with characters that jump off the page' Lisa Williamson, author of The Art of Being Normal 'Absolutely gorgeous, heartfelt and incredibly enjoyable' Robin Stevens, author of Lady Most Unladylike 'Funny, sharply observed, shocking and wonderful' Sunday Times Children's book of the week 'A beautifully executed story... gloriously funny, deeply emotional and a triumph' Daily Mail

How Not to Disappear

I always thought you'd know, somehow, if something terrible was going to happen. I thought you'd sense it, like when the air goes damp and heavy before a storm and you know you'd better hide yourself away somewhere safe until it all blows over. But it turns out it's not like that at all. There's no scary music playing in the background like in films. No warning signs. Not even a lonely magpie. One for sorrow, Mum used to say. Quick, look for another. The world can tip at any moment … a fact that fifteen-year-old Pearl is all too aware of when her mum dies after giving birth to her baby sister. Told across the year following her mother's death, Pearl's story is full of bittersweet humour and heartbreaking honesty about how you deal with grief that cuts you to the bone, as she tries not only to come to terms with losing her mum, but also the fact that her sister - The Rat - is a constant reminder of why her mum is no longer around…

The Year of The Rat

Das Jahr, nachdem die Welt stehen blieb

A pregnant teen and her gin sling loving great-aunt go on the journey of a lifetime in this “absolutely gorgeous, heartfelt, and incredibly enjoyable” (Robin Stevens, author of Murder Most Unladylike) novel that shows what happens when you’re on the brink of losing everything. Our memories are what make us who we are. Some are real. Some are made up. But they are the stories that tell us who we are. Without them we are nobody. Hattie’s summer is not going according to plan. Her two best friends have abandoned her: Reuben has run off to Europe to “find himself” and Kat is in Edinburgh with her new girlfriend. Meanwhile Hattie is stuck babysitting her twin siblings and dealing with the endless drama surrounding her mother’s wedding. And she’s also just discovered that she’s pregnant with Reuben’s baby. Then Gloria—Hattie’s great-aunt who no one even knew existed—comes crashing into her life. Gloria’s fiercely independent, rather too fond of a gin sling, and is in the early stages of dementia. Together the two of them set out on a road trip of self-discovery—Gloria to finally confront the secrets of her past before they are erased from her memory forever and Hattie to face the hard choices that will determine her future.

How I Live Now meets Exodus – a startling YA dystopia that imagines London as the epicentre of the refugee crisis, from critically acclaimed author Clare Furniss. In the near future, in a world that could be, but is not quite, ours, sixteen-year-old Clem is happy. Celebrating her birthday surrounded by friends, family and a warm summer evening, there’s nothing that could ruin this day. But by morning, everything has changed . . . After years of a growing totalitarian regime, civil unrest in London has reached an all-time high, and it’s no longer safe to stay in the city. Fleeing with nothing but her half-sister Billie, a notebook filled with stories and memories of home, Clem must make the treacherous journey to Edinburgh, first by road and then by boat. What waits for the sisters on the other side – the start of a new life, or a mirror held up to the past? PRAISE FOR CLARE FURNISS: ‘Lingers in the mind long after the final word has been read’ Malorie Blackman, author of Noughts & Crosses ‘Absolutely gorgeous, heartfelt and incredibly enjoyable’ Robin Stevens, author of the Murder Most Unladylike series ‘Funny, sharply observed, shocking and wonderful’ Sunday Times ‘A beautifully executed story . . . gloriously funny, deeply emotional and a triumph’ Daily Mail ‘Beautifully written’ Stylist

Clare Furniss

About

Books

Join the club