Review: Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow by Siobhan Curham

Publisher: Walker Books
Publication Date: August 1st 2018
Source: Review Copy

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Blurb: 

Fourteen-year-old Stevie lives in Lewes with her beloved vinyl collection, her mum ... and her mum's depression. When Stevie's mum's disability benefits are cut, Stevie and her mother are plunged into a life of poverty. But irrepressible Stevie is determined not to be beaten and she takes inspiration from the lyrics of her father's 1980s record collection and dreams of a life as a musician. Then she meets Hafiz, a talented footballer and a Syrian refugee. Hafiz's parents gave their life savings to buy Hafiz a safe passage to Europe; his journey has been anything but easy. Then he meets Stevie... As Stevie and Hafiz's friendship grows, they encourage each other to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.

 Big thank you to Walker Books for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my full and honest review. I had not heard about this book until I read the press release and once I did, I was extremely excited to read it. 

The novel is told through the dual narrative and perspective of our main characters, Stevie and Hafiz. Although leading very different lives and coming from very different backgrounds, both Hafiz and Stevie are struggling through issues which ultimately bring them closer together and help solidify their friendship. 

One of the aspects I loved about this novel was the way in which is highlighted and also delved into the issues the main characters are currently facing. Stevie, named after her mothers hero Stevie Nicks, has been moved to Lewes after the death of her father. Stevie is a carer for her mother who, since the death of her husband, has developed an extreme anxiety disorder and depression which prevents her from working and often times leaving the house. Stevie faces huge challenges living in such poverty to not only survive but also take on the parental role and be the carer of her mother. 


This is a huge issue that is sometimes invisible as those children acting in  the caring role often feel too embarrassed for fear of being seen as weak to speak out about it or ask for help in their situation. We see Stevie not only caring for her mother and being the sole provider in the house, but we also see the effects of depression on the outside party. We see Stevie witnessing her mothers depression and feeling unable to help her beat it, we see Stevie questioning why her mother will not snap out of it and look after her and we see Stevie become more and more detached from her mother as she receives no comfort or support from her. 

This relationship was so well written and really eye opening about those situations which are being faced by child carers everyday. Stevie was such a great character to read about, shy but feisty and opinionated. 

On the other side of this we have Hafiz who is a Syrian refugee who has come to the UK. He has been through extreme trauma and hardship to reach the UK as he has also had to travel alone. His parents and family are still in Syria and he has no way of contacting them or finding out how they are doing. On top of this Hafiz joins a new school, where he faces bullying, racism and prejudice while also falling into a slow burning friendship with Stevie. 

The theme of escapism as a way of dealing with life issues is a large part of the novel. Hafiz loves football and when he plays, all his thoughts and stresses melt away as he just focuses on the game. Stevie loves music and especially the guitar and vinyl collection her late father left her. She dreams of being a musician and allows music to let her escape from her home life. I loved this theme and think everyone can relate on some level to a passion that allows you to achieve some form of escapism, whether it be playing video games, reading or running. I could strongly relate to Stevie as I also collect vinyl and hold an affinity to its unique sound. 

The novel was so well written. Siobhan has mapped out the story so well that the pacing feels as if you are walking down a winding country road unlocking each chapter one after the other. The dialogue is fun and awkward and so reminiscent of teenage friendships. The issues are extremely topical and provide heartbreaking insight into the Syrian crisis and the hardships refugees face. Overall the novel left me smiling and eager to read any future work Siobhan Curham may produce.