The pace is gentle but the subject is not. What was most moving about this book was the portrayal of the way foster care affects a child.
Erich experienced the pain of having to leave foster parents he loved, and the agony of having to live with parents who didn't treat him kindly. And on top of that, the constant insecurity of having pretty much no say in the matter. Sometimes he felt there was no one to turn to; and even when there was someone he trusted, he didn't know if he'd have to leave them suddenly, or if they'd leave him.
There was also the problem of being separated from his brother, then reunited (making him feel his position in his new foster family was threatened), and later they were separated again.
As Erich gets older, he loses more people and has less control over who he can hang on to, and I feel this comes across very well and compelled me to keep reading. The more I read, the more I felt unable to put the book down: I had to see how things would turn out in the end.
I liked the gentle pace because although in some ways I felt the urge to rush on and see what would happen, I also enjoyed 'looking at the scenery as I passed'. It made the journey very vivid and beautiful.
It kept its sense of realism nicely though, too. And although it is set in post-war Ireland, it could just as easily describe the emotional experience of being a foster child today, or at any time.
Because of its subtlety, I would recommend it for children of any age: the story follows Erich from age 5 to 15 so most children will relate to something of Erich's feelings and adventures. But adults could enjoy it on a deeper level because there is a lot beneath its surface, too.
A good read!!