Without Looking Back, by Tabitha Suzuma

May 2009, Corgi Books
275 pages
Children's: 9 years +

Cushions: 2/5
Clouds: 1/5
Tissues: 2/5
Overall rating: 4/5

Divorce is never an easy event for children, particularly not those of dual nationality. It's an ordinary weekend for Louis (12 years), Max (14 years) and Millie: they're off to visit their Irish father. He makes them go to bed early, because they're going on a small trip. It seems innocent enough to the children, until Louis overhears his father talking on the phone - he's lost the custody case. Louis and his siblings only have this weekend with their father, after that it'll be supervised visits only. Their French mother will hold sole custody of them.

Surely this would be okay - its not an ideal situation, but they get to see their father, right? If only their father thought that way. Louis is a little mystified when their father orders them to bed at 8pm, in preparation for an early start. It seems a bit odd to fly to Amsterdam for the weekend. Even odder when they enter England for a week. What about their father's strange lady friend who cuts Millie's hair, allows Max to change his appearance and forcibly gives Louis a hairstyle he hates?

Surprisingly Max, the eldest, isn't bothered about all this. Not even when the truth comes out and they have to take on different identities, so they can stay with their father. Louis does worry about it all. Living with their father is fun, but he does worry about their mother back home. His concern increases the day he sees himself on a Missing poster.

Without Looking Back, told from Louis' perspective. The mixed emotions over which parent he'd prefer to live with, living with a large secret day in, day out are dealt with well over the story. It is broken up with light, amusing moments that happen with most siblings. The most heart wrenching moment for me is when Louis, a dancer, gets up in the night and practices outside, in the Lake District. Millie comes out, also unable to sleep, and thinks his dancing is beautiful. I needed a handful of tissues when her little voice wonders if their mother remembers them.

In time all the children miss their mother even more. Despite all their father's careful preparations, the truth slips out and they have to run.

It doesn't end as I'd expected, but I was happy with the ending. I would have liked to have seen more regarding the search for the children, and perhaps more desperation in their father's actions. At two points the father's character seemed a little odd;he uses the words darling and love, which seem very strange coming from a man. I've normally experienced them from a female point of view.

Other than these points, Without Looking Back is a good exploration into what happens when a parent abducts their own children during a custody battle.

Information about Tabitha can be found on her website.

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