The Piper's Son

Publishers Weekly

This tender sequel to Saving Francesca focuses on Francesca's friend, Thomas Finch Mackee, whose family is being torn apart by tragedy. Two years ago when Tom's young uncle was killed by a suicide bomber, Tom's father ("He was a drinker, Dom was. Always had been") lost control, causing his mother to leave town with his younger sister. Tom dropped out of his university—and abandoned his tight-knit circle of friends—while his aunt Georgie has yet to acknowledge that she is pregnant by her ex-partner. There is a lot of backstory, and readers may initially have trouble sorting out the pieces. But the story that unfolds through Tom and Georgie's alternating points of view is powerful and tragic, revealing a wonderful and realistically flawed family working hard to fix its deep damage. Marchetta masterfully demonstrates the depth of emotion—and love—the characters feel, sometimes in small but moving moments. The ending may wrap up somewhat neatly, but readers who make this intense journey with Tom and Georgie will feel they deserve the sweet resolutions. Ages 14–up. (Mar.)

VOYA - Dotsy Harland

Tom Mackee is furious at the world. After waking up in the hospital following a reckless night of partying, he is keeping his friends at arm's length. Since his beloved Uncle Joe was killed by a suicide bomber while on his way to work in London, Tom's parents have separated. Tom's dad, Joe's grieving brother, is a recovering alcoholic who is letting his family drift away. Tom is also fighting the deep feelings he has for his ex-girlfriend, Tara. Their relationship ended on a sour note, and now she is seeing someone else. This emotional novel, set in Australia, further explores the group of friends introduced by Marchetta in Saving Francesca (Knopf, 2004/VOYA October 2004). This time she focuses on Tom and his dysfunctional but loving family. Tom is deeply attached to his relatives and wants to protect them, but his own pain forces him to distance himself from those he loves. Gradually, however, Tom accepts the death of his uncle, comes to understand and forgive his father, wins Tara back, and opens up to his family and friends once more. Marchetta creates a poignant psychological portrayal of a close-knit family deeply affected by trauma. Though there is very little action and she depends a great deal on dialogue to move the plot along, readers will enjoy seeing Tom's character develop and mature, and they will be pleased by the outcome of his struggles. Older teens, particularly fans of Saving Francesca, will enjoy revisiting Tom and his circle of friends in this moving novel. Reviewer: Dotsy Harland

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Fans of Marchetta's Saving Francesca (Knopf, 2004) will enjoy revisiting the book's characters, now five years older. This time the focus is on Thomas Mackee, whose entire family is torn apart by grief when his uncle Joe is killed, the result of a terrorist bombing in a London subway. Tom's parents separate, he drops out of university, and hits rock bottom with booze, drugs, and one-night stands. His flatmates bail on him and he finds himself living with his unmarried, pregnant aunt, Georgie. Eventually they're joined by Tom's alcoholic, grieving dad. There's a plethora of family angst, including Grandpa's remains now returned from the Vietnam War and Georgie's boyfriend getting another woman pregnant. At times, the story plods and Tom is quite unlikable, but Marchetta uses smart dialogue, email messages, and a bit of humor to slowly draw readers into the complicated social dynamics. It's a joy to watch Tom reconnect with his friends, his music, his family, and Tara, the girl whose heart he broke.—Patricia N. McClune, Conestoga Valley High School, Lancaster, PA