We Own the Sky
A Novel
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4.8 • 9 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
A triumphant story of a father and his little boy—and a love that knows no limits.
Rob Coates is a survivor.
He’d thought he’d won the lottery of life—a beautiful home, an incredible wife Anna, and their precious son Jack, who makes every day an extraordinary adventure. But when tragedy befalls his family, Rob becomes his own worst enemy, pushing away all he holds dear. With his world now suddenly just outside of his grasp, Rob turns to photography, capturing the beautiful skyscrapers and clifftops he used to visit—memories of the time when his family was happy. And just when it feels as though there’s nowhere left to turn, Rob embarks on the most unforgettable of journeys to reclaim the joy and love he thought he’d lost.
Deeply emotional, beautifully written, and filled with tremendous heart, We Own the Sky is a soaring debut about the strength of the human spirit and the boundlessness of love. It is a stunningly honest reminder of life’s greatest gifts, showing how even a broken heart can learn to beat again.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This impressive debut from Allnutt doggedly recounts a young family's tragedy. Between programmer Rob Coates's relentless optimism, his auditor wife Anna's knack for order, and their son Jack's joyful demeanor, their life in London is happy and full of love. But when a tumor is found in Jack's brain, the bonds of the marriage are tested. After Jack is given a year to live, Rob becomes intrigued by an experimental treatment he learns about from an online forum. Though Anna isn't interested in pursuing it, Rob goes behind her back while she is away and takes Jack to the clinic in Prague. But the questionable treatments administered to Jack only worsen his health. As his marriage crumbles, Rob becomes determined to atone for his mistake by making sure no one else is hurt by the bogus clinic. Rob's experience as a father of a child stricken with cancer is punishing, marked by a desperate belief that a cure is just around the corner, frustration with well-meant and poorly delivered sympathy, and renewed appreciation for the smallest comfort and kindness. The resulting story is tender and raw, spun in pragmatic prose as personal as a friend's heartfelt admissions, with turns as unexpected as life itself.
