DAVIES, Anne Wrath JoJo Pub, 2014 316pp $19.99 pbk ISBN 9780987607737 SCIS 1680497
This is a simply told and powerfully compelling novel for the lower secondary school age range of readers. Like many, or perhaps most Young Adult novels, its mode is the first person voice. Luca is a fifteen year old boy, bright and ambitious, a talented runner, a twin to his loyal sister, Katy, and deeply disturbed by his parents’ separation and divorce.
The novel takes us in to the world of a youth detention centre, its limited opportunities for friendship and education, as well as its dangers in terms of drugs, sexual predators and bullies. This is fascinating material, made even more interesting because as readers we are hoping that Luca can negotiate this experience successfully. In addition, we slowly learn about Luca’s act of double murder, its context and his motivation. The gradual revelation of Luca’s full story is deftly handled, and keeps the reader going through a series of events that could easily be destructively catastrophic for Luca, but finally are transformative. Recommended for 12 to 15 year olds.
reviewed by Kevin Brophy
