I always thought youd know, somehow, if something terrible was going to happen. I thought youd sense it, like when the air goes damp and heavy before a storm and you know youd better hide yourself away somewhere safe until it all blows over.
But it turns out its not like that at all. Theres 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 mothers death, Pearls 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