“Everything should live up to expectation. A gate should always look like a gate. Today, silver sparks were ricocheting angrily off the tearstained wood. But even during the worst downpour it still fulfilled all the demands that were made of it, the dark timber glistening like tinsel, the rainwater trickling down the bevelled grooves like un-soothed tears running into the gutter.”

The Weight of Small Things is the first novel by British author, Julie Lancaster. At the age of nine, Frankie Appleton is effectively the carer for her mother, and her greatest pleasure is her intense interest in gates. When she arrives home to find her mother’s body in the bedroom, she is certain that she was murdered by her violent, psychopathic boyfriend, Stan, but everyone else, including the police, is convinced it was suicide. Frankie realises it’s up to her to prove otherwise.

Peggy was only nineteen when her fiancé, Ed Appleton, he of many grandiose plans, fell to his death in a disused quarry. Peggy went into labour with a baby she neither realised she was carrying, nor wanted. Peggy was convinced that the barmaid down at The Swan, Stella Evans was somehow responsible for Ed’s death. His mother, Brenda couldn’t keep Frankie, so Peggy Moon, depressed, grieving, haunted by her missing fiancé, was stuck raising a daughter she’d have gladly given away.

Orphaned, Frankie grudgingly consents to live with Brenda Appleton in her (too high) apartment, trying to document this new environment into a manageable form with her sketches of, and meticulous notes on its residents. She writes letters to Peggy: “Dear Mum, I’m sorry about the tone of my last letter, but I was extremely angry with you. I’m still angry with you for dying, but not to such an ‘extreme’ extent. Being angry all the time is just too exhausting.”

“She owned so few things and yet had somehow managed to remember barely any of them. Grief did that to you, she supposed –made you forget the small things, the ordinary things, the things that don’t really matter.” This quirky girl doesn’t fit in easily: “…being called ‘Elephant Man’s Daughter’ was nothing compared to that. They were just words. The letters weren’t made out of axes or spears, even though they sometimes felt like they were. They couldn’t hurt her any more than she’d already been hurt.”

But she gradually makes some friends: Harriet (Harry), Gavin at the camera shop, Vinnie Cheng; “They fell silent again. But it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence this time. It was more like a hyphen, a bridge to cross, the space between two breaths.” But she’s still determined to bring Stan to justice…

What a wonderful story Lancaster gives the reader! She easily evokes the era with songs and current affairs, and her depiction of the community setting will strike a chord with many. Her characters are complex and entirely believable, with strengths and very human weaknesses, as they deal with all that life throws at them: guilt, grief, adultery, domestic violence and more. Earnest and guileless, Frankie instantly elicits the reader’s concern for her welfare and ultimate survival.

Peggy is truly a tragic figure, with the effects of a terrible childhood (“instead of a fostering success, she remained a festering disappointment”) compounded by her loss and grief: “Were there degrees of grief? Peggy wondered, the grief you feel proportional to the length of time that you’ve known someone. Should her grief be less than that of a widow(er) who was married for forty years? Or was a person’s grief as big or as small as it needed to be? Hers certainly felt enormous. Often, it felt too big.”

As the story progresses it becomes evident that she is mentally ill, perhaps suffering from Munchausen by proxy, heavily dependent on pills and alcohol, and clearly unfit to raise a child she doesn’t seem to love. While most of the story is carried by Frankie and Peggy, this is interspersed with occasional narratives by people whose lives intersect with theirs.

Lancaster has a wonderful turn of phrase, as “Peggy tried not to overanalyse the comment, but it continued to sit in the creases of her forehead, refusing to make room for any more rational thoughts” and “She noticed the way that he sometimes looked at her mother, a look that stabbed at her flesh like an ice pick, changing the structure of her, shaping her into something else, something much smaller and darker” illustrate.

If at first the ending feels a tiny bit abrupt, careful consideration of what has already been revealed will reassure the reader that, even if Frankie doesn’t (or perhaps shouldn’t), they actually do know all they need to. This is very reminiscent of Joanna Cannon’s The Trouble with Goats and Sheep (and that’s a huge compliment). A brilliant debut!
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Mirror Books.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into crime/thriller books and even psychological thrillers too so I am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I don't quite no how to write this review. There were so many characters that interwove into the story, Frankie a young girl of 9 seems to be the main one. It has all the elements of the darker side of life. Affairs, Domestic abuse, mental health, child neglect and murder. There are a lot of characters and you need to really concentrate to not get confused about who is who. All that said it was a really easy read which I mostly enjoyed

Some reviews are easier to write than others, the words and thoughts flow and it’s clear to articulate how much you enjoyed the reading experience or not! I really had to consider and order my thoughts upon finishing this impressive and ambitious debut novel whose main protagonist Frankie is a character it’s impossible not to take to your heart and cherish.
I found this quite an unusual storyline in terms of the writing style,not expecting it to turn into a murder mystery, albeit not one of your usual sort. I had been imagining a novel driven by a quirky, lovable character and fairly lighthearted and certainly Frankie’s character on the face of it is quite eccentric with her obsession with gates. However behind this strange habit lies a life for a nine year old child that is full of dark and disturbing events meaning the author tackles some serious subjects. Forced to live with her grandmother upon the death of her mother Peggy, Frankie is determined to find the culprit who murdered her mother, a fact she is utterly convinced of and her determination in carry out this mission is admirable. She is very intelligent, resourceful and resilient but her life is devoid of love which made me feel both sad and angry that she doesn’t have the privilege of a ‘normal’ childhood. She is quite literally carrying the weight of shattered,troubled lives on her small shoulders.
The narrative does jump around from past to present and switches between multiple narrators so that you begin to understand the backstory to Frankie and Peggy’s lives as well as Stella’s and their complex natures. If I’m completely honest I did get muddled at times with whose voice I was listening to but that is a very minor criticism.
Frankie is a solitary figure forced to assume a far more adult life than should ever be expected of her since it’s abundantly clear Peggy her mother is incapable of being the responsible, caring and loving individual she should be. To say the females in this storyline, namely Peggy and Stella are incredibly unlikeable is an understatement and for the majority of the time I felt little compassion for either of them. However,when the narrative goes back in time and you learn of Peggy’s past childhood and events that have led her to become the dysfunctional adult she is you can’t help but feel history is somewhat to blame and a cycle of abuse and neglect is the inevitable outcome for Frankie. As for Stella, it would seem to me she has led a life of disappointment, let down by the men that darken her doorstep, harbouring much resentment aimed primarily at Peggy and Frankie. Obviously their lives are all connected in ways that become apparent you deeper you delve but it’s fair to say the men in this novel are equally appalling and even worse characters than the women, ranging from despicably evil, controlling and manipulative, untrustworthy, unfaithful and deeply unsavoury, capable of murder, child abuse and domestic violence.
It’s not all doom and gloom; there is some light and hope amidst the darkness. Whilst the subject matter is harrowing there is love and humour to be found. Mrs Barlow, mother of Frankie’s friend Ellie provides nourishment, respite from Peggy and a degree of safety until she is moved away from the area to live with her grandmother. Thankfully she recognises the need for intervention and Frankie’s vulnerability. I think her friend Vinnie does too, recognising a fellow broken mate. I loved the innocence of their exchanges, a brief interlude from the harshness of Frankie’s existence. What makes Frankie so resilient and uncowed by such a miserable childhood when Peggy has allowed the burden of her past to destroy her makes her so inspiring. Her attention to detail and passion for all things concerning gates is like a comfort blanket warding off further evil. If I could have whisked her away from her surroundings and enveloped her in the love she so deserves I would have!!
The pages preceding this novels rather abrupt (and not wholly satisfying) ending contain some shocking revelations that I wasn’t expecting. I was so wrapped up in wanting Frankie to have a happier settled life that I almost forgot I needed to discover the truth behind Peggy’s death.
Overall I thought the approach to this unusual murder mystery was refreshing and the creation of such an interesting character as Frankie goes some way to making the reading of the horrors that befall these individuals slightly more palatable. Nothing though can detract from the grim and stark reality that exists for some children.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read . I think this author has a promising writing career ahead of her. I will look forward to her next offering!

Frankie is going to find her mom’s killer. She knows who he is and what he looks like, and she just needs to snap a photo of him to give to the police to arrest him. Stella is the barmaid that Frankie’s mom blames for Frankie’s dad’s death. All she wants is to raise Frankie since her mom is failing the job.

Sad, easy to read, with a powerful message and like-able characters, The Weight Of Small Things shows how intertwined our lives with those who we care about and those we surround ourselves can be and how decisions we make and actions we take affect of those same people. It left me feeling morose and gloomy, but sometimes you need a book to make you feel those emotions.

A storyline that both intrigues and grabs you instantly. Such a clever depiction of mental health issues - extremely current and highly readable with a cast of characters who leap out and affect the reader on all levels. An excellent read that will stay with you beyond the final page.

Publisher’s Synopsis:

Nine-year-old Frankie Appleton likes to count gates.

One day she hopes to design the perfect gate – a gate to keep the bad things out.

Little does she know that the bad things have already got in.

Now her mother is dead, and the only other person with a house key has disappeared.

Frankie thinks she knows who it is. But first she has to prove it.

A delicately brutal exploration of what lies behind closed doors, and of the secrets and lies that form the fabric of every family, The Weight of Small Things is as charming as it is chilling.

Review: Okay I really hated this book and I hate giving poor ratings but I always promise to be honest so here goes.

I was originally intrigued by this book because it sounded painfully similar to one by an Australian Author that was recently published, so I was curious. Turns out the books are completely different, the other book is actually worth reading. This book started off super rocky and confusing. Two character plot lines turned into three, on different timelines. Completely interwoven and erratic with no point i’m assuming other than to confuse the reader. The middle of the book was great! I was ready to give it a four star rating. I had no idea how to categorise the book or what to expect and was thoroughly enjoying my reading journey with this book. And then the last 20 pages came. Spoilers: this book has the worst ending in any book known to humans. The author has clearly lacked creativity for an ending and wanting to tie all the loose ends together using a little creativity as possible. I was irate that I hate wasted time in my life reading this book for it to end like that.

So with that, I give it a two star rating, which I know is a terrible rating but you know what else is terrible? This book.

2/5 Stars

I really enjoyed this book, mainly because of Frankie, who is an incredibly likeable character. I don't want to give anything away but can safely say that Frankie is a great kid despite, rather than because of her circumstances. You can't help but want her to succeed.

My only issue with the book (aside from a few typos) is that it jumps around a lot. There are lots of characters in the different time periods and if I read this again, I genuinely would keep notes as I read, as I found I had to check back quite regularly to make sure I knew who was who. That said, I highly recommend this book.

A raw account of life which is hard to read in places. Frankie has had an unimaginably hard life. I found this story heartbreaking in places. The writing is raw and honest and kept me reading. People’s lives can be so complicated and so much can be hidden and I think that this book captures this perfectly.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Mirror Books for an advance copy of The Weight of Small Things, a stand-alone set somewhere in England.

When nine year old Frankie’s mother, Peggy dies she is sent to live with her grandmother. Unsettled by new surroundings she seeks to make sense of her mother’s death and their shared past.

I was invited to read this title which I don’t think I would have chosen otherwise as it is fairly far outside my comfort zone of crime fiction. Nevertheless I enjoyed the extremely mature Frankie’s take on life. The novel is told by Frankie in the present, which is 1988, but slips into the past for key events. There are various narrators for these events whose significance only becomes apparent later in the novel but mostly it is Peggy and Frankie separately picking over their dysfunctional relationship.

As I said my main interest is crime fiction where everything eventually leads to a finite solution and I’m disappointed when it doesn’t, so I’m not used to the examination of events and reactions for the sake of it. I found myself wondering more than once what the point was and yet I couldn’t help but be beguiled by the artless (Frankie) and self justifying (Peggy) explanations of events. It gets steadily darker as the novel progresses and deep secrets are revealed, many of them surprising.

Frankie is nine in the novel but just the descriptions of her school life never mind her maturity would suggest that she is closer to twelve. It is a jarring note, why not adjust her age to her reality? Her fixation on gates is initially quirky but soon it becomes obvious that it is a coping mechanism. It’s clever and inventive. Peggy is a monster but the reasons for it are documented and explained, not that it endears her to the reader. The oblique descriptions of her behaviour leave the reader to read between the lines.

The Weight of Small Things has quite an artless, almost naïve tone that hides a multitude of sins, emotions and secrets. I found it compulsive in parts, less convincing in some of the revealed secrets and it just seems to stop at the end. I think it is a good read.

The Weight of Small Things is an accomplished debut novel by Julie Lancaster.
Frankie, the books main narrator, is only nine years old, and yet she has seen more in her short life than any person should have seen. Her mother Peggy, who is the second narrator, is very damaged, addicted to alcohol and drugs, attention seeking and not a suitable mother for Frankie.
There are several other narrators, working on different timelines, and at first it is not apparent how their stories link into those of Frankie and Peggy’s. As the story develops all soon becomes very clear.
The book deals with dark themes but Frankie’s resilience and determination shines through and there are many light and humorous moments.
A great original and unique debut novel.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Mirror Books for inviting me to read a digital proof via NetGalley - my thoughts are my own.

This was a difficult book to read due to the subject matter. I work with young people and the story kept shouting 'safeguarding issue'.

The positives - Frankie is determined to get on with life despite the tough start to life she has had - she is a resourceful young woman who has been surrounded by a set of adults with major issues. She is determined to prove that her mother was murdered and the story is full of twists before we find out what really happened to Peggy.

The negatives - the stories are very dark - rape, suicide, prison, murder, child abuse.

I did read the book through to the end because I wanted to know what happened to Frankie, but I found the ending to be rather abrupt - I'm not sure if the final copy would have some further information.

This was such a quick read! Thank you so much to Summit Books for the advanced ADVANCED copy. 😏 I got this before it even went live on netgalley
If you loved My Grandmother Told Me To Tell You She’s Sorry or All That’s Bright and Gone by (another ARC I received and loved!), you may really love this one. It’s told in two different timelines and at first- I couldn’t quite figure out what tied the characters together but then it all makes sense.
Frankie Appleton is a nine year old who is mature beyond her years, is obsessed with fences, and tries her hardest to take care of her mom who suffers from mental health issues and doesn’t quite know how to be a mom.
This is one of those family sagas (though it’s billed more as a murder/mystery and I wouldn’t quite call it that) that shows the depths of childhood trauma and the ways that one decision can unravel for many generations to come. It was hard to read at times, Frankie just wasn’t loved the way you would’ve wished she was (the mother in me was just aching for her) and you can see the lasting effects of this.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It’s like a solid 3.75 stars for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This book is set to release on August 6th, 2020

This is more than the story of young Frankie. It's also the story of her mother Peggy, who you know from the start is dead, and her grandmother. The lives of these two adult women are fraught with violence and troubles and, as a consequence, Frankie has a regrettably sad outlook on life. This is more than a mystery as well- it's the story of three generations all coping- or not coping-with some of the worst life can bring to women and girls. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Well written, tough to read in spots, but worth your time.

The Weight of small things is a book based on nine year old Frankie and her life. When her mother dies and the only other person with the key to her house disappears she is in some ways transported into reality. There are so many twists and turns in the book along with a crime it will keep you gripped.

The Weight of Small Things is an unique book - different to what I’ve read before, and different to what I expected. It covers tough topics that you might not want to think about, which made this book even more powerful.

The story is told through the eyes of 9-year-old Frankie who wants to find out who murdered her mother. It reminded me how it’s never easy to look into the dark corners of your life and how everything isn’t always what it seems. I hope it reminds others how different things can be behind closed doors, and to be kinder to others.

The characters were deep, meaningful and easy to connect with. It’s natural to think they lead their own lives outside the book.

It could get quite confusing with all the twists and turns and the multiple timelines. It was sometimes hard to keep up and remember who was who but it didn’t take away too much from the enjoyment of the book.

Overall, a dark but powerful and absorbing read and one I’ll recommended to all.

A fantastic find!

This book was excellent. I don't read a lot of fiction-mostly memoirs; true stories. But I loved this. It's told from different characters' own points of view, and well observed and detailed, so it often feels realistic and really gets you engrossed in their story.

The book starts with seemingly trivial things; quirks. And becomes much more. The small, everyday things can escalate to bigger things. The book quickly hooked me in, got me asking lots of questions, and reading on to find out more.

Some of these thoughts 9 year old Frankie voices to the reader seem almost comical. Yet I was feeling, should I be smiling at this she's said, given the darker side to the book? But this did provide a great balance. Sad, dark. But also some funny things some of the characters say. An entertaining and different read. A great book which keeps you questioning and guessing.

This book reminds me of 'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine'. Not in any happenings-just the gradual unfolding of events. Some dark times. The characters' thoughts. And that it was an unknown quantity. Then you read it and think: That is a gem!

First glance at blurb: Young Frankie obsessed with gates......eh? You could go straight past this wonderful book and never know how fantastic it is. There are so many things going on. And believable, real life issues the characters go through. Unexpectedly, there is a crime to puzzle out in the midst of all this. It was just so well crafted. Could it be this year's book find that everyone will be talking about? I think it could.

Deep, dark, depressing, violent, abusive. This book was not at all what I expected. Multiple time lines, different characters in the timelines, sometimes you are not sure why you are reading about them and sometimes it doesn't even become evident.

Clearly, this book was not written for me. I found it very confusing and depressing.

The one bright spot in the book was Frankie, a 9 year old girl whose mother is found hanging in the first few pages. Due to her upbringing Frankie was wise beyond her year. A very bright and determined child. Frankie is the reason I am giving this book an extra star.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review purposes.

Frankie is a solid, brilliant 9 year old character with a horrible story to tell. It’s not an easy read but definitely an important story to tell.
For a debut novel this is excellent! Great characterisation, well written and hard hitting.

This book is the debut novel by Julie Lancaster.
It follows the story of 9 year old Frankie who is trying to work her way through her abusive life. I found it quite a confusing read trying to keep track of lots of different character. but once i settled into the style i found it a great read . albeit a challenging one.