I still don’t know what to say about this book. I loved the original idea, and all the characters. They were all so real, and we got to know about the motivation of even the negative ones. Everyone was complex and very well written. The short chapters, telling the story from four different points of view got me reading well into the small hours more than once, I just couldn’t put it down. Then came the climax… and the book didn’t end. It dragged on for another 30 pages. My excitement and enthusiasm turned into a polite interest. Almost all loose ends were tied up in the end, some of them not very satisfactorily. I don’t mean the opposite happened of what I was expecting, but that I felt like some decisions and reactions didn’t suit the characters.

Read more here (contains major spoilers after the warning line!):
https://blueisthenewpink.wordpress.com/2016/08/09/lets-read-too-much-closure/ ( )

Publicado originalmente: El Extraño Gato del Cuento

Qué cosa más adorable es este libro. Para mí fue uno de esos libros en el cual a los poco párrafos de empezar a leer ya sabía tenía muy probablemente mi libro favorito, de esos que te da miedo acabarlo por miedo a que te decepcione. La narración hecha por niños es algo que muy recientemente estoy experimentando y hasta ahora han sido en su mayoría muy buenas experiencias.

Algo que he notado en algunos escritores europeos es que es son más diversos, en cuanto a personajes, lugares y cultura. Sé que tiene que ver el que no sean norteamericanos pero cuando ellos me dan personajes de diferentes países, ya sean árabes, pakistaníes, libios o griegos, se me hacen naturales, extremadamente ricos de leer. What Milo Saw no fue la excepción, eso sin contar la ternura, y a veces un poco de tristeza, que es leer sobre los pacientes del asilo.

Milo es un niño maravilloso, se me hizo casi imposible no encariñarme con él o su cerdito Hamlet. Es difícil encontrar un libro sobre discapacidad, son muy pocos, y que tengan la calidad de este libro, mucho más difícil aún.

Le puse cuatro de cinco porque soy un adulto sin corazón ni alma. El final me gustó mucho en cuanto como le fue a algunos de los personajes porque en lo que leí el libro, para mí fue obvio que ellos son mucho mejores personajes que yo y si hubiera acabado de otra forma los personajes y la historia no hubieran sido lo que fueran. Es de esos finales que te dejan un poco con la duda, un tanto... no sé como ponerlo.

Hay una historia muy cortita rondando por ahí, se lllama "Where Hamlet Went", la historia es contada por el cerdito Hamlet y es una preciosura de historia corta. Si la escritora decidiera escribir libro para niños, tenía una lectora asegurada. De verdad es muy linda, pero solo pueden leer si leen What Milo Saw primero.

Sin duda una mis mejores lectura del año.

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An easy, light read about Milo, a boy who sees the world in a pinhole. He was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa and eventually could be blind forever. Due to his condition, his grandmother has trained him to see the world differently, more observant to the tiny details. As such, when his grandmother was placed in a nursing home, he could immediately detects the bad vibes happening there. This book captures Milo's journey in uncovering the truth behind that nursing home and also realizing his family's predicament along the way.

I did enjoy Virginia's straightforward prose, great for younger readers, especially the simplicity and innocence of Milo. It touches the importance of family and humanity, the right and wrong of the world from the a few narrators i.e. Milo as the main one with a few others such as his mom, Sandy and grandmother, Lou. Though not as intriguing but it was still an exciting read nonetheless. If you have enjoyed Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, you will definitely like this.

My full review here:
http://www.sholee.net/2017/02/mpov-what-milo-saw.html ( )

This was another book that hooked me from the first page; I couldn't put down and finished it in two sittings. Milo is such a wonderful character and despite only seeing a little bit of the world through his "pinhole" he sees things that other people don't notice. I finished this book thinking "wow, I really do take my sight for granted". As Milo rushes to expose the Forget Me Not nursing home before he loses his sight, I found myself swept along with the gang and was punching the air in delight every time Nurse Thornhill got captured on camera and the noose around her neck tightened.

The residents were a spunky bunch and sometimes Nurse Thornhill's actions were difficult to read about, as we have seen bad press about nursing homes. I know the majority of homes are respectable and well run, but unfortunately this story could be more fact than fiction for some residents of nursing homes.

I liked the story of Tripi - we often hear of illegal immigrants in a negative way, but Tripi was willing to work and make a better life for himself. The story of his escape from Syria was heart-wrenching and again with the things we have seen on the news, we can apply this to real life which makes it even more poignant.

I mustn't forget Hamlet the pig! He is as loveable as Milo. They complement each other and it was lovely when Milo sent Hamlet to Gran's nursing home to keep her warm at night. A completely unselfish act by a wonderful little boy. Now where do I buy one of these teacup pigs?

This book is ideal for readers who loved Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time but I would also put it alongside RJ Palacio's Wonder. As I can't imagine what it would be like to lose my sight, this book really made me feel grateful for what I have. I am in awe of people who don't let things like losing their site get in the way of life, as I'm sure I would be afraid to leave the house. Although it is sad that Milo is losing his sight, he doesn't feel sorry for himself, and I found myself feeling respect for him rather than feeling sorry for him.

Despite the sad subject matter, it really is a feel good book! I laughed out loud quite often at some of Milo's observations. The author has really got inside Milo's skin and has written a most excellent book that everybody should read.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Nine-year-old Milo Moon and his pig Hamlet are on a mission. Milo suffers from a genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa; he sees the world through a pinhole and will eventually go blind. His father has left home and is having a baby with another woman and his mother is just not coping. When Milo's 92-year-old gran is moved into a nursing home suffering from dementia Milo begins to notice that things are not right, especially the bruises on his gran's wrists. Used to caring for his Gran, Milo can see that she is going downhill fast. Unable to find help, Milo enlists the help of Syrian refugee Tripi, the nursing home's cook, to help investigate and expose the heartless Nurse Thornhill.

A great read, Milo is a fantastic wee chap who has an exceptional outlook on the world. ( )