Paper Butterflies

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Junes home life is not easy, with a stepmother who puts Lady Tremaine to shame she lives to get free from the house. School isn't much better with the taunts from kids and the racial impact is real. Blister, however, comes to make it that little bit easier, to try and take Junes mind away from the horror that is her life. From the moment we start reading, we know, we can literally feel, that June is living a terrible nightmare. Her step mom and sister by marriage torture her, and her dad apparently has no clue. Sadly, June is subjected to similar abuse at school. Yet, nowhere does anyone around her think to inquire about her situation. Liv?” His voice sliced into my awareness. Maybe even through my irritation. (Who was I kidding? Neil’s words were like a knife cutting through warm butter.)

PAPER BUTTERFLIES | Kirkus Reviews PAPER BUTTERFLIES | Kirkus Reviews

This is the story of June. Her life is full of traumatic abuse, physically, mentally and emotionally.And I know the book revolves around June, but can I just say how much I loved Blister? He is just the sweetest! June meets Blister in the woods & they begin a friendship that proves to be crucial especially towards the end when...let's just say June gets something she doesn't deserve. (No pesky spoilers, I'm trying!) Blister is such an amazing character; I would love to see a standalone or something with him, & I rarely say that about anyone. One of the cons about avid reading involves venturing into tales with repugnant subjects. Depending on the story line, separating fiction from reality triggers a toll on one's heart, if they're unprepared. For me, child abuse remains number one on the subjects I find difficult to experience. To open this book is to step into a disturbing world – June’s world. June is a young girl who lives with her step-mother and step-sister. Her dad lives there too, except he’s away a good deal, working. June’s mother died, she drowned. June's life at home with her stepmother and stepsister is a dark one—and a secret one. She is trapped like a butterfly in a net.

to Make a Paper Butterfly (with Pictures) - wikiHow How to Make a Paper Butterfly (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Books like this are rare, they are ones that you don’t want to share. That sounds strange doesn’t it? However, you want this book for yourself to love and to keep safe because you think after reading June’s story that you can keep her safe within it with you. My mind is still racing from this. I can’t seem to shut off those imagines in my mind. Granted, I feel like I’m suffering from PTSD after reading Paper Butterflies, I don’t regret reading it one bit. If you can endure a story of abuse, it’s worth reading. Just prepare yourself.

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And I still had to tell him about the bet, but right now seemed like an increasingly stupid time to do so. I knew what I’d said, about wanting to slip inside his world, and take a nap in it, or whatever. But I’d been in a vulnerable place, okay? I hadn’t seen my brother in weeks. And he had just left me— again. Neil’s face had felt like a ray of sunshine on a dark and shitty day. If I can control my emotions for a second I'll try to tell you a bit about it. The story follows June from her young childhood to early adult years, moving between the "Before" and the "After". During her childhood and teen years, she lives with her abusive stepmother, Kathleen, who plays vindictive mind games; her stepsister - Megan - who acts as an accomplice; and her completely clueless father who refuses to see what is right in front of his eyes. It broke my heart over and over. Destined to be one of THE most important books this year.' - Melinda Salisbury, author of The Sin Eater's Daughter. What is interesting, however, is the way the book examines cycles of violence and abuse, asking us to consider at the book's darkest moments: what horrors must have happened to Kathleen to make her this way? How much fear must Megan live in to assist her mother in abusing her stepsister? We are reminded that no one is born evil. Your life is precious. Every day that you’re on earth is precious. You have a place. You’re wanted.” – Lisa Heathfield, Paper Butterflies

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Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - Olivia inner monologue is comical and on point. Every thought she had about life, relationships, and her future are thoughts everyone has had at some point in their life. Same can be said for Neil and his struggles to live up to the expectations set for him but also the happiness he wants and desires. Throughout this whole story, the friendship Olivia and Neil built is the cornerstone of their future and the safe haven they both want. They encouraged each other, while also pushing each other buttons, to be the best possible versions of themselves even when it wasn’t what they wanted.

She doesn’t want a boyfriend UNTIL she realizes something about her childhood friend, son of a preacher Neil has changed since last year. June doesn't have any respite at school either. She is horrifically bullied to the point where the children abuse her whenever they can. Holding her down and painting her skin white to match theirs is a scenario I will not forget. I really loved the structure of this book and the fact we flipped from June’s young life and upwards whilst also fast forwarding to the ‘After’. The big reveal of the ‘After’ was a huge surprise to me. I had no idea it was coming and I definitely wasn’t expecting it. The last few chapters of this book gave me so much to think about and I have to thank Lisa Heathfield for that. She truly brings into question the importance of a victim speaking out and shows that by not speaking out things can get even worse than imaginable. I would hope that reading this book may give encouragement to victims of abuse to feel able to talk to someone, to push past that barrier of fearing they will not be believed and to communicate their pain to someone.

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield - Fantastic Fiction

But then June meets Blister, a boy in the woods. In him, she recognises the tiniest glimmer of hope that perhaps she can find a way to fly far, far away from her home and be free. Because every creature in this world deserves their freedom… But at what price?June's recounted tales of the tragedy of her young life are intersected with glimpses at her full-grown self and how she is struggling to cope with and to accept her abuse. Primarily, however, this isn't an adult telling a memoir, but is viewed through the child's perspective as she relives her ordeal. It feels real and each moment is made more heartbreaking because of it. I understand why this choice was not made — opening without revealing the ending spurs instant empathy from the audience, while revealing the ending could’ve ruined this. However, the result is that this book is marketed as a narrative about abuse, and that was my expectation going in. The real point of the story is not clear until the 90% mark, quite literally. Personally, I don’t think Paper Butterflies works as a narrative about abuse.