Lullabies and Little Criminals (no spoilers)

Here is my review of Lullabies for Little Criminals:

3. Lullabies for Little Criminals, Heather O'Neill

2006, audiobook

Rating: 5 stars!

Comments: I picked this audiobook without knowing anything at all about it, so it was all a surprise to me. Now, a few days later, I have no doubt that this tragicomic book will make my top 5 list for 2011. I listened to this audiobook, and then right out and bought a paper copy. I have ordered copies for a couple of people in my family who I think will also really like it. It’s that good.

The narrator of Lullabies for Little Criminals seems to be an adult retelling the events following her twelfth birthday. Her fifteen year old parents labeled her with the unfortunate name of Baby, which was meant to be ironic and she was told that it meant she was “cool and gorgeous.” Her mom died while she was a baby, and she had been raised by her childlike, dysfunctional heroin addicted father, Jules in a series of seedy hotels in Montreal. For the first part of the book, I found Baby’s voice utterly charming and rather funny. However, as the story progressed and Baby’s life spiralled out of control, I realized that this book was significantly more serious than I had originally expected. Baby’s voice, however, remained constant throughout—poetic, keenly observant, beautifully sad and vivid, both wry and winsome at the same time. Baby is smitten with low-lifes and bohemians, and this book is full of them—guidance from healthy adults is sorely missing.

O’Neill is shrewdly accurate in capturing the dialogue of this culture. The reader of this audiobook, Miriam McDonald, captured the tone perfectly. The author gives us a view of the gritty side of Montreal seen through the eyes of a twelve-year old, full of her innocence and imagination. Beyond that, the writing was a delight to both hear and read. I just didn’t want this book to end, which is unusual for me. Unfortunately for us, thus far Lullabies is O’Neill’s only novel.

While I widely recommend this book, it isn’t for every read, despite winning the CBC Canada Reads competition in 2007. Readers who are highly sensitive to swearing will quickly be turned off. The bad language, however, is not gratuitous, but an accurate portrayal of the language of her world. Further, the book dives deep into the nasty side of life, including drug addictions and child prostitution. But unless you’re extremely squeamish about these topics, I urge you to give this book a try.

Lullabies for Little Criminals was nominated for the Orange Prize, Governor General's Award, IMPAC Dublin Literary award, and a whole slew of other prizes.

When I started reading this, I'm pretty sure that my eyes were rolling when I discovered the main character's name was Baby. But, wow: what a fantastic character! Though I agree that some readers will squirm at the mere idea of reading about drug-use and prostitution, I think a lot of readers who might think they should give this book a miss would be seriously missing out: Baby's voice is amazing and it carries the reader through all the gritty bits of this story.

I think I rolled my eyes too, but I was listening to it on audio book (while walking through a beautiful snowfall) and was already utterly charmed by her. I agree that some will prejudge this book and miss out. I'd never heard of it when I picked up the audiobook for twenty-five cents at a charity sale last spring, but did I ever score on this one!

I just got a copy of this from my book-exchange club. We meet for supper, have a great gab, then the few of us who read bring out the bags and trade books. We never actually discuss the books. Looking forward to reading it.
It also won Canada Reads in 2007, not that that's a literary award.

I read this one because it's on the Canada Reads list - I had no idea it was an Orange book as well! I totally agree with above; it's a difficult subject but not a difficult read. I really enjoyed the overall innocence of it all.

Reviving this topic, as I think there are a few reading it. Here's the review I posted to my blog. I'm not sure I'd call this spoiler-free as I included some plot points that happen later.

Winner of Canada Reads 2007, I think I have been mixing this book up with The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. While Glass Castle is a memoir, Lullabies for Little Children is fiction, though I gather from reading about the author, that it is somewhat based on her experience growing up in Montreal.

Baby, the twelve year old narrator, is being raised by her father, Jules, a heroin addict with some mental health issues. Baby's mother has died, and Jules has raised her since he was fifteen, living in downtown Montreal. While they may not have much stability, there is love. Twelve year olds are at the best age, since they are still kids, but are getting mature enough to see the world around them, and beginning to understand their place in it. Baby is a strong character and proves the adage that if children have one person who loves them, they have that support they need to turn out okay. Eventually, as she ages, and with Jules disappearing at times, Baby begins facing adult situations. When the local pimp makes her his project, Baby reaches a cross roads, conflicted by the grownup world and her friendship with a 'normal' twelve year old. The contrast between Baby's time with her friend Xavier and her dates with Alphonse the pimp are stunning.

The first half of the book, with Baby's stream of consciousness, was really strange. Her view of Montreal and her life thus far was weird and I wondered how the author came up with each bizarre incident. They seemed so random, but then life is random for children, especially ones who don't have a lot of stability. Once Baby's life had been established, I found the second half of the book much stronger. Some people are survivors.

You could not make a child with bad memories into a kid with good memories. A really effective social worker would have to be a time traveler who could go back in time and undo the abuse most kids {in detention} had suffered. p 191

Oh - I'll just skip over your review for now - or just glance at it. I really loved The Glass Castle. I hope that I enjoy Lullibies for Criminals even 1/2 as much.

deb - I haven't read The Glass Castle yet so I don't know if they are similar. I often have pairs of books I mix up and think are just one book.

I'm about 60-70 pages into Lullabies for Criminals. I'm totally immersed in it - loving it! I finally understand what all of the hype has been about.

The Glass Castle has many similarities, but many differences too.

I finished Lullabies for Little Criminals this evening and came away impressed with how O'Neill presented the subject matter. Here is the review that I have posted:

A child's mind is like a bird trapped in an attic, looking for any crack of light to fly out of. Children are given vivid imaginations as defense mechanisms, as they usually don't have much means for escape.

Shortlisted for the Orange Prize in 2008, O'Neill's debut novel takes the reader into the world of 12-year old Baby. No, that is not a pseudonym. As Baby will tell you, that is the name on her birth certificate. The product of a teenage pregnancy, Baby lives with her young father Jules, who has been raising Baby on his own since her mother's death shortly after Baby was born. We learn right upfront that their relationship is more brother and sister than father and daughter in nature and that their life is somewhat transient - moving from apartment to apartment, resident hotel to resident hotel. Baby's world in Montreal is connected to the world of prostitutes, drug dealers, addicts and pimps, a neighborhood of strip joints and hot dog shops. No white picket fences, chintz curtains and frilly dresses with bows here. With trips into foster care and the custody of a neighbor when Jules is hospitalized and then does a stint in rehab, Baby's life is anything but stable and secure.

O'Neill does an amazing job bringing to life the world of a troubled adolescent. Baby's life is such a hard one with an unpredictable and at time abusive father, being misunderstood by the system - who the heck places an honor's student into remedial schooling?!?! - and a victim of the vultures that lurk in society and prey on the young and the weak that was heartbreaking to read. O'Neill manages to balance this depressing story of abuse, abandonment, addiction and child prostitution with humor, optimism, naivety and wisdom and in the process produced a novel that is beautifully written and really speaks to the plight of children in need. As Baby says, "Childhood is the most valuable thing that's taken away from you in life, if you think about it."

Rating: 4 Stars

I couldn't help but smile at Baby's words and thoughts even through the tragic events of her life. Her perception of reality is fascinating. It is much more complex than meets the eye; the narrator is childish and overly mature, she makes simple comparisons as everything is "like" something else and yet they're quite deep and imaginative at the same time. The irony is brilliant and O'Neill has a definite gift. I know she grew up on Montreal streets but I need to look further into her bio.

I always enjoy stories that are set in cities I know as it makes it so much more visual and real. A real page turner, I could have read all night!

I'm very excited to be getting this book through Paperbackswap! Yay me! I will probably not read it in January but definitely sometime during 2012.

Isn't it interesting, this one, particularly reflecting on it a couple of years down the track, it didn't grab me at all, so much so, I felt I had to comment, since there have been so many comments about it in the Orange reading group. Not my usual style at all.
I read it a couple of years ago in 2010, it was a very quick read, took about a day.
Maybe I've already read so much about drug use, seen it covered in documentaries, dramas on screen and listened to radio, also covered it quite a bit through my highschool education, and discussed with my teenage kids about people they meet and kids they introduce me to who live on the seedy side of life, that that there was no new ground for me.
I wonder if it is my Australian perspective? These sorts of lifestyles are really exposed here and there is lots of concern about kids in foster care and with parents with problems.
Reflecting on my bookcrossing review, while reading about the authors life at the end of the copy I had, quite a bit of it was obviously close to home to her. I found it interesting too, how much of herself she decided to share in pages at the end of the book.

Perhaps it is a good eye opener for those who have not had much exposure to these dysfunctional lifestyles. Perhaps also if I had listened to it on audio I would have come away with more?
Interesting!

#13 - For me it was all in the protagonist's voice. If the voice doesn't grab you, perhaps it's all same-old, same-old. I too have read lots about the subject matter, and generally find it somewhat boring,. In this case it's the POV and how she approaches the subject matter that I find appealing (and not the subject itself). Of course, though, it would be so boring if we all liked the same things.

The July August 2012 issue of The Walrus features a new short story by O'Neill that uses characters from Lullabies for Little Criminals. I haven't read it yet, but you can find it online at: http://walrusmagazine.com/articles/2012.07-summer-reading-and-they-danced-by-the...