I haven't read anything by this Scottish author before (her first book is titled Little Bits of Sky), but instantly I was drawn to her style of storytelling. Durrant's writing reminds me a lot of A.S. King (one of my favorite authors!) but for younger readers, perhaps. Both write in a way that I find hard to describe to you...the honesty of the character's voice, and the way they both turn everyday thoughts, events and ideas into compelling stories is really amazing!
Running on Empty is the story of AJ, who lives with his very quirky parents and has recently lost his Grandad, who we discover throughout the story kept AJ's family together and really made sure AJ was taken care of. AJ's Aunt Josephine and her family live nearby and are a big part of the story as well. But AJ is the narrator, and through Durrant's clever storytelling, we become AJ, in all the beautiful and strange ways a 7th graders navigates a complicated world.
I loved this short book, and recommend it to any of you who enjoy realistic fiction and above-average writing. I especially recommend it to those of you who are willing to lose yourself in someone else's thoughts for a while. Durrant is exceptional when it comes to writing "voice", and I found this book to be difficult to put down. 5 paws!
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