Another Life Review

Title : Another Life

Author: Keren David

Release Date: 6th September 2012

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Kicked out of yet another boarding school, Archie couldn’t be happier to find himself back in London with old friends and an exciting social life. But he’s worried about his cousin Ty, who is facing a sentence in a Young Offender Institution and doesn’t seem to be coping. When he begins to learn surprising things about Ty, Archie goes on a mission to discover the truth about his cousin’s part. But who is the real Ty?

Ty is still struggling to fit in anywhere and after being charged with carrying a knife and being sent to a young offender's institute, things seem to go from bad to worse. Can Ty’s cousin Archie help or will he make things worse? What will Archie find out about Ty? Can Ty and his family ever escape from those trying to hurt him?

I was really looking forward to reading ‘Another Life’ as the other two novels in Keren David’s trilogy were brilliant and this one didn't disappoint. With much of the story allowing us to follow Archie, Ty's cousin, the book offers a lot more humour and light heartedness than the previous books. However, it also delves deeper into the dangers of gang culture and all in all the book covers a range of emotions and genres which is what makes it so beautifully constructed.  

All the way through, I sympathised with Ty and Archie which could be down to the first person narratives from their point of views. However, that doesn't mean they don't have character flaws (sometimes their thoughtlessness can put their families in danger). This is another aspect of Keren David's writing that makes her a fantastic author, her characters are believable, they have a varied mixture of emotions and her characterisation is outstanding.

I'm a bit sad that the series has ended and I wondered if Keren David might consider an Archie spin off (hint hint!) as his character was hilarious, so full of life and typically teenage! His attitude is really believable and his friends give the reader a better insight into Archie’s life, both before and after Ty (just as Archie visiting Ty’s home town gives us a deeper insight into Ty’s life before the crime). The way the novel is written definitely ties up a few loose ends from the characters' backgrounds. I think that this is possibly the best book in the series as it offers so much variety and displays Keren David’s talent brilliantly. I would recommend this series to readers who like an adventure and can appreciate good storytelling!

5/5 Absolutely brilliant! A must read trilogy.