Martyn Bedford - Writer

I’m grateful to fiction critic Jenny Sawyer for the following wonderful review of Never Ending on Readable, the international culture website, where the book has been named Pick of the Week.

“The loss of a loved one is pretty well-travelled territory in YA fiction. But in spite of the fact that Never Ending starts from the same place as the dozens of other titles about death – when we meet her, Siobhan is reeling after losing her younger brother, Declan – this book feels different. For one thing, it’s the way the story is told: in alternating chapters between past and present, all leading up to the moment of Declan’s death. For another, Shiv is enrolled in a cutting-edge program to help her deal with grief.

I loved the way the author used her therapy not just to wrestle with the philosophical questions of holding on versus letting go, but also to explore family dynamics and questions of identity. Mostly, this book is heart breaking. It’s 300 pages of watching someone come to terms with the fact that they have to let go and keep on living. It’s brilliantly done – maybe a little too brilliantly. Because even though I loved Never Ending, it shattered me. Please read this book—but also know that it’s too painful to ever revisit.”