Killing God Review

Title: Killing God

Author: Kevin Brooks

Release Date: 25^th June 2009

Publisher: Penguin

Dawn Bundy is fifteen. She doesn’t fit in and she couldn’t care less.

Dawn has other things on her mind. Her dad disappeared two years ago and it’s all God’s fault.

When Dawn’s dad found God, it was the worst time ever. He thought he’d found the answer to everything.

But that wasn’t the end of it . . .

This is definitely a strange yet captivating read. Dawn, a fifteen year old girl, is an outcast at school, labelled a ‘lesbo’ and her home life isn’t much better. Two years ago, Dawn’s Dad disappeared and since then she has had to deal with the consequences. Her Mum has become alcohol dependent and Dawn has to run the household on a day to day basis.  

Dawn’s respite is spent with her dogs, Jesus and Mary and listening to her favourite band, the Jesus and Mary Chain. While Dawn’s feelings are portrayed through a first person narrative with brutal honesty, we find out there are two sides to her character. The strong, fifteen year old Dawn who brushes aside the name calling and gets on with caring for her Mum and the younger, thirteen year old Dawn who lives inside a cave in her head and occasionally peers out through her older self’s eyes. While at times confusing, with a plot that veers off course and flashes back to the past, the novel is darkly chilling.

Beginning as a comedy with Dawn’s unsuccessful attempt to find hidden messages within snail shells, it becomes increasingly apparent that something awful has happened in her past which keeps the thirteen year old Dawn trapped. As the novel progresses Dawn’s character changes, drifting away from internal reflection to social interaction.

At the end, Dawn finds herself in a more difficult situation. However, despite this and the challenges both her and her Mum are about to face, for the first time in the story, they pull together and Dawn finally becomes whole again, ‘there’s no one in my head but me’.

I certainly wouldn’t advise you to read this book if you are after something light. I was surprised by the content of the novel after reading the blurb and what seems to be a hilarious and I would suggest misleading title. Some elements contain typical teenage ramblings, Dawn is not bothered by how she is perceived by the outside world and yet on another level, she is. She has a friend, Splodge who I felt I wanted to get to know more but as we often do with our friends, he is taken for granted. However, Dawn is dealing with more than we ever know and at times her disturbed frame of mind leaks into her everyday actions. Overall, this book is definitely worth a read if you want to explore the darker side of young adult literature.

4.5/5 Disturbingly dark and unusual

Far From Home Review

Title:  Far From Home

Author: Na’ima B Robert

Release Date: 1^st August 2011

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Katie and Tariro are worlds apart but their lives are linked by a terrible secret, gradually revealed in this compelling and dramatic story of two girls grappling with the complexities of adolescence, family and a painful colonial legacy.

14-year-old Tariro loves her ancestral home, the baobab tree she was born beneath, her loving family- and brave, handsome Nhamo. She couldn’t be happier. But then the white settlers arrive and everything changes – suddenly, violently, and tragically.

Twenty-five years later, 14-year-old Katie loves her doting father, her exclusive boarding school and her farm with its baobab tree in rural Zimbabwe. Life is great. Until disaster strikes and the family are forced to leave everything and escape to cold, rainy London.

This book brings an emotional side to recent historical events in Zimbabwe. It is very moving and beautifully written.

Tariro thinks her life is perfect and then suddenly her life is thrown into turmoil with the reallocation of her family’s land. Her plans to marry Nhamo are shattered after he is brutally attacked after defending Tariro. Without revealing too much of the plot, things go from bad to worse for her and her family.

Twenty five years later, we are introduced to Katie’s family. Once again, she feels her life is perfect until she is uprooted from her home and sent to England. Dealing with issues of racism, abuse and the importance of belonging, Far From Home is a beautiful but at times uncomfortable read giving two different sides of what we find out to be the same story.  In a weird twist we discover how Tariro and Katie’s tales are intertwined, how one man can be both evil bully and loving father and how love can conquer all. Both Tariro and Katie have to deal with horrific events that are not within their control and this is why what happens to them is so frightening.

The introduction of Tariro’s language is a really nice touch and adds another dimension to her culture and character. The first person accounts of Tariro and Katie show their different characters but also ally them with one another. They may be born years apart (and in terms of culture, worlds apart) but they are also both teenage girls having to deal with change and with the fear of relocation.  The ending of the novel brings surprises as well as a brilliantly written moralistic conclusion by Tariro’s daughter, Tawona. Not only this but I found the ‘Timeline of historical events in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe’ really useful as well as interesting.

Even if this isn’t the type of book you would normally read, I would definitely recommend it for the strength of emotion it portrays. The novel also analyses how real people are affected by events made by governments across the world and the moral is as relevant today as ever.

5/5 A definite challenging, emotional ride, will leave you wanting to know more about the history behind the story.

Special thanks to Frances Lincoln for sending me a copy of the book.

No Use Crying Review

Title: No Use Crying

Author: Zannah Kearns

Release Date: 1^st September 2011

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

The discovery of a grandfather Niki thought had died years ago means a sudden move to London and the start of a whole new life.

Niki has to learn quickly to fit in and survive in the school halls and on the tough streets. And at the same time she must get to know her granddad and come to terms with the fact that her mum has been hiding the truth.

But when Niki suddenly discovers her mum’s biggest lie of all, could it change their relationship – and Niki’s own sense of identity – for good?

Well, this was a surprise read! While the story is by no means light, the plot was engaging and kept me on my toes.

Niki is surrounded by people who have lied to her and throughout the novel she struggles to understand how they believe they all had her best interests at heart. From the little white lies to the big, life changing revelations, the novel reveals the truth in snippets throughout. I cried a little at the end, so keep a box of tissues handy as everything comes to a head for Niki and it is hard to determine whether the novel has a happy ending or not- read the book and judge for yourself. So much happens in the last two chapters and it is hard to keep up. However, there are questions left unanswered (such as, does Niki ever fall for bad boy Tyrone?) but it meant that I could fill in the gaps (of course she does!)

The way in which the novel is written, taking on board the feelings of older generations, Niki’s mother, Angela and grandfather, Robert, is really interesting and allows the reader to experience the anguish faced by all the characters. It was nice to be given an explanation to why certain characters had made certain decisions and how this had impacted on Niki’s life. My favourite character was definitely Robert who knows he has made mistakes in his life and wants to try and make amends.

The characters are brilliantly constructed and the use of dialect really brings them to life. The novel also introduces gang culture in a subtle but thought provoking way, allowing the reader to experience briefly the dangers without detracting from the main story.  Similarly, Niki learns about the cultures of the other people around her and I felt this really added to the enjoyment of the story. Angela and Niki move away from where they feel comfortable and being uprooted, Niki struggles to fit in at school and has to adapt to the new situation, making friends with people she would usually avoid.

Overall the novel is really colourful and full of twists and turns, completely unpredictable. What Niki believes to be true and what she finds out to be true are vastly different and the plot deals with Niki’s attempts to come to terms with this. Like many teens, she wants to know where she fits in in the world and finds moving from one place to the next because of her mum’s job, unsettling. The novel makes it clear how Niki’s personality changes as she finds out the truth and begins to keep secrets of her own. No Use Crying deals with Niki and Angela’s return to their roots and shows how, despite everything, family will always try to protect one another.

4/5 Expect the unexpected!

Special thanks to Frances Lincoln Children's Books for sending me a copy of the book.

Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery Review

Title: Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery

Author: Keren David

Release Date: 4^th August 2011

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Lia’s mum is a nag, her sister’s a pain and she’s getting nowhere in pursuit of the potentially paranormal Raf. Then she wins £8 million in the lottery, and suddenly everything is different. But will Lia’s fortune create more problems than it solves?

Everyone dreams of winning the lottery- but what’s it really like? Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery will tell you everything you need to know.

Lia is a school girl who has won the lottery and this hilarious story takes you on her journey of fame and fortune. However, she finds her fame isn’t always positive, especially when she is hunted by the press after an unpleasant incident with her friend's Mum!

The novel is definitely chick lit, as Lia has to juggle dealing with an £8 million fortune and her love interest, Raf. I hope however, that this aspect of the novel doesn’t put off male readers as the book is truly funny. Interspersing the tale with key tips on how to behave with new found wealth, such as ‘Keep an eye on the price tags’(read the book to find out why), there is definitely something for everyone within the plot.

When reading this book, it was nice to come across so many cultural references, Lia is truly a modern girl living in modern times, with an interest in getting to know Raf, who everyone is convinced is a vampire (although Lia doesn’t see herself as a Bella Swan).  Lia’s friends Jack and Shaz are also taken along for the ride. Jack is a typical teenage boy, whose main concerns are how to convince his Mum to let him have a motorbike and how to get the girl he likes. Lia finds that her friend Shaz has more going on than she ever expected and struggles to understand her friend’s religious commitments that conflict with her own desire to spend a lot of money. Lia has to deal with the reactions of her friends and family and struggles to determine who wants to be her friend and who wants a share of the cash. Alongside this, Lia realises she needs to start being sensible with the money, not let the fame go to her head and maybe (just maybe) spend the money on something constructive.

Lia’s Guide to Winning the Lottery introduces some funny characters and some even funnier situations, while Lia attempts to deal with the pressure and her Mum’s request for a boob job - a thought she really, not surprisingly struggles to deal with! I cannot stress enough how much of an easy, light read this book is. Despite the sometimes heavy subject matter, such as bullying and suicide, Lia encounters many of the same problems as any other teen, with one exception… she’s just become a millionaire!

5/5 for hilarity     

Special thanks to Frances Lincoln Children's Books for the copy of the book.

He's After Me Review

Title: He’s After Me

Author: Chris Higgins

Release Date: 7^th July 2011

Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books

Anna meets Jem when her life is falling apart. And he’s everything Anna needs him to be. As long as she has Jem, she knows everything will be OK.

But Anna’s about to find out that not all love stories have a happy ending.

The book has a very eerie opening. Within the first chapter, you will be hooked! The main character, Anna and her sister, Livi, are really enticing. But BEWARE - the content as well as the language all suggest an older teen audience and the novel is very dark at times. Despite this (or because of it) Chris Higgins has really managed to capture the intensity of teen love.

Written from Anna’s point of view, her character is really easy to relate to as she experiences the confusion of puberty alongside her parent’s separation. She often feels alone and insecure and yet Jem offers her everything she needs. Her emotions are really convincing and accurate, often conflicting as she tries to deal with how she feels about each character. As a young woman she throws herself into her relationship in order to escape everything else but it only leaves her feeling more isolated. It is difficult to separate love and life for her (as intense relationships usually feel) and even when things come to a head, she finds she still wants to make excuses for Jem and trust him ultimately. Despite his ‘bad boy’ attitude, Anna wants him, at times, needs him and begins to be absorbed by his personality. I felt really drawn in by her character as she tries to deal with everything, including the overwhelming desire to spend every waking moment with Jem. The novel in this sense almost feels like a warning- it is so easy to abandon your friends and family and lose who you really are when you think you’ve found love, Anna even begins to change her future plans of University study because Jem wants them to be together but realises this isn’t what she really wants.

Throughout the novel, it becomes apparent that Jem is not all he seems and an insight into his thoughts at the beginning of some chapters definitely keeps you intrigued. These little snippets help you understand how he feels, his emotions just as intense as Anna’s. From these dual points of view, at times the plot seems like a murder mystery as you try to piece together what is actually going on and who is telling the truth.

Without spoiling the ending, it is definitely unexpected, changing the tone, pace and in fact the entire novel in the last chapter, although there are subtle hints, it is a real shocker! A lot of questions were left unanswered and the ending is exciting and climactic.

I found the cover art really appropriate and this made me want to read the book. There are a few humorous elements within the novel but it is very dark and quite powerful in the way it handles obsessive love and teen emotions – unputdownable! 

4.5/5

Special thanks to Hodder Children's Books for sending me a copy of the book.