This is certainly a very compelling novel, though at times, a little hard to read what July has to endure.

It's a family drama packed with emotion, poignancy and heartbreak. It centres on twelve-year-old July, who clings to the eighteen things she knows about her deceased mum because her dad and stepmum won't talk about her to her. Nor will her grandparents albeit for different reasons. But she's desperate for her only parent to love and cherish her, so she does as she's told. But Dad isn't the sort of father anyone would want.

The storyline rolls out very strategically and at a good pace. July is a character you just can't help loving. However, her twelve-year-old voice just isn't credible. Twelve going on twenty-two, perhaps. Her sagacity and logic just isn't that of a pre-teen.

It didn't spoil my enjoyment of an extremely well-written and enjoyable book, however. I loved it. This isn't Koch's first novel, but it is the first of hers I've read. I will definitely be seeking out more! ( )

A well-written novel about a young girl trying to find out the truth about her dead mother. Characters are nuanced and story is compelling, but be warned, that this novel could be triggering for some readers. The description makes the novel sound more innocuous than the story really is. ( )

What does July Hooper know? She only knows 18 things about the mother who died when she was little. She knows that her father is a difficult man who keeps details about her mum to himself and doesn't like July asking about her. A school project and an anonymous note lead her down a path of discovery where she learns much more than she could ever have imagined.

July turns ten at the beginning of this book: so young and yet so plucky. I loved her character and her quest for the truth about what really happened. I don't think writing an authentic child protagonist is an easy task but Emily Koch has done a fantastic job with not only July but her stepsister, Sylvie, too. The dynamic between them is a perfect mixture of the friendship and rivalry that often exists between children and I regularly found myself smiling at their exchanges.

July's story is not always easy to read. She misses the mother she doesn't remember and seems to antagonise her father without even trying, but there's Shell, the stepmother who looks out for her, her grandparents, and a new person who she discovers can possibly fill in some blanks for her. As she edges closer to the truth there are revelations aplenty for July and for the reader.

This is such a beautiful novel. The author displays a deft touch when combining the innocence of 10 year old July with the dark story that unfolds before the reader's eyes. Yet, although that darkness is abundantly clear, there was still hope shimmering through. It accurately depicts the complicated home lives that people sometimes must live with and my heart broke for July, who just wanted a kind word or gesture from her daddy.

I thought What July Knows was a very special book with a very special main character who I took to my heart. This is a story about growing up, taking responsibility and challenging what you're told, a mystery that is also a domestic drama and psychological fiction. I enjoyed it so much. ( )