Your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life but for Izzy (the protagonist) and her mother Rio (the bride), it is arguably the worst.
Izzy's world is completely turned upside down when her mother, dressed in a stunning and elegant wedding dress, trips down the stairs and winds up in a coma. She struggles with the fact her mother is absolutely overjoyed one minute and in hospital the next. Rio wakes a few days later: great, right?
It gets worse. She soon realizes her seemingly goody-two-shoes mother has forgotten her past and reverted to being a rebellious 14-year-old. Izzy has to find a way to balance this major life event as well as friendships and school life.
Will she be able to do it?
I found Izzy to be a relatable character in difficult circumstances. In many ways I felt quite bad for her, as she feels she has to take responsibility for her mother's memories returning even though the incident wasn't her fault.
In some ways Izzy reminded me of myself. She was quite shy and unsure of herself and what she should do, making her a relatable character for many.
Shine Izzy Shine is a story with elements of familial love as well as friendships and which focus on ways they can impact one another. I would recommend this book to anyone ages 8-12. An interesting tale for people attempting to balance the two easily.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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