I was almost in floods of tears for most of the last fifth of the book, and kept having to swallow the lump in my throat, purely as I didn't want people wondering why on earth I was crying poolside on holiday. Meanwhile over in an affluent part of London, Noah is a successful barrister with a wife and daughter he adores. Knowing he was adopted, he has always accepted this with no desire to look into where he came from and trace his birth mother. His refusal to accept his past is causing marital problems and when he receives a letter from someone claiming to be his sister his life is turned upside down. When I finished High School I studied at the University of Sydney. I had a great time studying mainly history but also getting involved in lots of things happening at the University and the city. It was the time of the anti-Vietnam war protests and the rise of the Women's Movement.

I do need to warn readers that this is an intensely emotional book, although beautifully written and uplifting in parts, it does give cause to have tissues close by but I did enjoy it and I would definitely read more by this author again. A tug at the heartstrings but funny, endearing and uplifting and a story I won't forget. An absolute must read! Heartbreaking and wonderful, a beautiful book about the power of love to surmount almost anything. -- Julie Cohen As the adoptive mother of four internationally children, all of whom were placed with me at about the same age Jaden was placed, I have very divided opinions about this book. Yes .. it shows a journey to love. I would (perhaps) have preferred the story to be in Jaden's voice. (Who is clearly very bright and who speaks excellent English after 4 years in America.) But the picture of international adoption didn't work for me. His parents, for example, are still dealing with a child showing habits (e.g. food hoarding) which usually disappear after 4-6 months after placement, and desires to set fires (yes, he's in counseling for this.) He lies. OK. But ... they leave a 12-year-old with these issues (among others) alone in a new country? And even at the "orphanage" - they let him play with the toddlers without supervision? (Although they do ask him to join them in "bonding with the baby." Ask?) I too” was exactly the kind of thing Steve said. “Perhaps” for “maybe,” “distressed” for “upset,” and so on. He was a word nerd.

The baby’s name was Bahytzhan. In his picture he appeared Central Asian, and he had scabs on his forehead—from bugs? That’s how Jaden had gotten scabs on his face when he lived in Romania. Steve, his “dad,” had made three copies of the Bahytzhan picture: one for himself, one for Penni, and one for Jaden. Jaden kept his copy in a drawer in his night table.

I haven’t read a Middle Grade in a while, but after hitting a bump, I decided to go for this one because I knew Kadohata wouldn’t let me down. One of the books I can remember making a huge difference in my life as a kid was Kira Kira by the same author, which is why I was so sure I would love this one. I am so glad I wasn't proven wrong. I’ve now read 3 of her works and have yet to be let down. This woman can work magic. Her stories are powerful and moving and this one was no different. There are many gems of wisdom in this book, including the fact that his parents are able to love unconditionally, even though their patience is tried to the limit with Jaden. And, there is incredible beauty as Jaden learns to love as he relates to Dimash, and, through his this special relationship grows to laugh and love. All together .. I was very disappointed in this book. I wanted to like it. But it was a prose-poem to love and acceptance disguised as a novel. Two family members , living world's apart, like strangers really, with not much in common as one a cleaner and the other a barrister. Where do I begin with this review? Well firstly, I listened to it on Audible and the narrators Kayi Ushe and Joanna Brookes were absolutely incredible and I could see them quite clearly in my mind and to me Kerry was a very young Kathy Burke and Noah a young Adrian Lester!Steve took off his wire glasses, cleaned them, and gazed at Jaden like he wanted to see him better. “It’s unbelievable, isn’t it? In forty-eight hours or so from now we’ll be in Kazakhstan, meeting your baby brother.” Steve smiled. Jaden looked at Steve’s face. The smile looked real, not phony the way Steve’s smiles sometimes looked. Steve used to be a smiling, lovable geek. But he’d changed. That is, Jaden had changed him. Thomas Edison had called electricity “a system of vibrations.” Jaden loved Thomas Edison. Edison had more than a thousand US patents. He had invented things left and right. Jaden wouldn’t hate life like he often did, if only he could invent that much. Because electricity is magic,” he’d answered. That same psychiatrist was the first of many to say that Jaden couldn’t attach properly to Steve and Penni because of being betrayed by the one caretaker he’d ever had—his mother. From age four to eight, he’d had to fend for himself in group homes. When they get to Kazakhstan, it turns out the infant they’ve traveled for has already been adopted, and literally within minutes are faced with having to choose from six other babies. While his parents agonize, Jaden is more interested in the toddlers. One, a little guy named Dimash, spies Jaden and barrels over to him every time he sees him. Jaden finds himself increasingly intrigued by and worried about Dimash. Already three years old and barely able to speak, Dimash will soon age out of the orphanage, and then his life will be as hopeless as Jaden feels now. For the first time in his life, Jaden actually feels something that isn’t pure blinding fury, and there’s no way to control it, or its power. How have I not read a Mike Gayle book before? I want to give this book all of the starts in the universe. I cried my eyes out at the end. It is touching, heart-wrenching and thought-provoking.' Netgalley

This story is raw and beautiful and sad. It puts lots of things into perspective and makes you think about what is important in life. Beautifully written, easy to read and will certainly bring tears to your eyes. A must read.’ NetgalleyFlying half way round the world, he is furious, scared and hurting. The process in Kazakhstan is not going smoothly and the parents are not given the baby promised to them. Instead, they are shown children who are biologically deformed, and/or gravely challenged. The voice of Jaden, the main character is sweet, wonderful and completely authentic. I think this book was extremely well done in the way it handled the very real experiences of adoptees and their well-intentioned parents. This book IS very character driven and focuses on Jaden’s journey. There will be times you’ll want something more to happen, but you’ll realize there are so many things already happening with Jaden. Half a World Away follows the heartbreaking story of two siblings, Kerry and Noah, who are taken into care and live very different lives.