This Is the Life

This poignant and compassionate novel from British children’s author Shearer (The Speed of the Dark) concerns one brother serving as the primary caregiver for another brother battling a life-threatening disease. Louis, who lives in a Brisbane suburb, is diagnosed with a brain tumor “the size of a billiard ball” and asks his younger (unnamed) brother, living with his family in the U.K., to travel to Australia and assist him. The introspective younger brother narrates their stories through nonlinear anecdotes, about their early years growing up together in a blue collar British family and about Louis’s grueling present regimen of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Louis has university degrees in chemistry and engineering, but he’s too restless and unfocused to hold down a good job. His nomadic lifestyle, which led him to Australia, and his broken relationships with women contribute to his frequent bouts of “black dog” depression, especially during the difficult medical treatments for his illness. The earthy humor that often peeks through provides much-needed comic relief from the downbeat sections about Louis’s deteriorating health, and the brothers’ dialogue stands out as authentic and spot-on. The small life rituals, such as the younger brother’s hassles when trying to return Louis’s broken TV under warranty, take on profound significance as the pair comes to grips with saying their final good-byes. [em](Feb.) [/em]