Theo and his mum look around an art gallery together but unfortunately they are in the wrong place at the wrong moment and an act of terrorism tears Theo's world apart. This book is the account of Theo's life after this event, how he tries to deal with loss and how he seeks comfort in a painting - a piece of beauty that death cannot touch. 
 There are some wonderful characters in this story, I loved the character of Pippa, Boris and Hobie. I loved the way despite their awful, neglected lives the boys cared about Poppchyk when they left. I desperately wanted things to be different and wanted the boys to make different choices. Both boys so badly affected by the loss of their mothers, although their relationship with each other was destructive it was also touching and suprisingly it is Boris that makes a sensible decision eventually. 
 This book is sad and very emotional. I would like to see another book continuing Theo's life from where this book finishes.