Sonder – it means to understand that everyone around you is living a life as complex and vivid as your own.
To me, this is the heart of ‘Taking Down Evelyn Tait’ by Poppy Nwosu.
Lottie is fun, impulsive, loves heavy-metal and is struggling to come to terms with her new family situation. Her new step-mother, Celeste, new baby brother, Jude, and new evil step-sister, Evelyn Tait.
And things get even worse when Lottie’s best friend, Grace, starts dating Evelyn. Why can no-one else see now evil Evelyn Tait really is?
Why does the sudden interest of her long-term crush, Sebastian, feel so wrong?
As Lottie works to take down Evelyn Tait she starts to also discover much more than she expected about just what is going on in the lives of those around her and maybe things aren’t always what they appear on the surface.
I loved this book. I loved Lottie. I love Poppy’s writing.
There is so much more to this story than you first realise and its a lesson in bravery, kindness and being yourself.
Read more about the author, Poppy Nwosu.