Now I really don't read a huge amount of young adult fiction but I thought I'd have a go at this one... Happy I did? Most definitely, hats off to you Jason Wallace - it's brilliant. Zimbabwe: 1980's. Written in the first person, set in the early years of the Mugabe government, a young lad moves to southern Africa with his family and is forced to go to a boarding school that already gives him the shivers. Sharing a dorm with two dozen other boys, all white except one, is daunting for Robert Jacklin, but nothing compares to what he later has to face. Will he choose the right group of friends? One, boisterous and bullies - the other kind but bullied.
As the story unfolds you realise the huge impact one's decisions can have on other people's lives, it really does come down to life or death in this thrice award winning novel from Jason Wallace. Endearing characters like Weekend, the telephone operator with whom Jacklin speaks to very often - desperately trying to get hold of his parents, really make the book more about life as a Zimbabwean at the time.
A brave debut novel, tackling issues many young adults are almost clueless about (including myself), beautifully written with vivid character portrayals and beautiful landscape descriptions that remind me of my time spent in East Africa when I was the protagonists age.
Recommended age 14+
Published by Andersen Press in paperback and is £6.99
