Toppling (review)

Eleven-year-old John has a rather unusual obsession: dominoes. John doesn't play dominoes in the traditional sense; he prefers to line them up in complex arrangements throughout his house then, with a gentle nudge, send the rows toppling down. The title of this Australian import takes on a double meaning when John learns that his best friend, Dominic, has cancer, and John suddenly feels like the world around him is falling down. The story, which is written in ragged-right-margin text, directly explores dealing with the illness and potential death of a best friend; while John initially responds to the news by withdrawing and creating enormous domino arrangements in his room, he then decides to face the situation head on, spending countless days at Dominic's bedside and always thinking of jokes he can share with his friend. The story possesses a somewhat adult sensibility, as John and Dominic openly talk through the nuances of dying, and there's not much plot here. The storyline about Ky, the new kid in the class who is openly rude about Dominic but has a secret of his own, is well drawn, though, and it provides valuable enhancement to Dominic's storyline. Despite the book's flaws, readers drawn to quiet, thoughtful stories with more serious overtones may find it a quick yet affecting read.