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Thursday 27 March 2014
BOOK REVIEW WITH GREAT ESCAPE BOOKS
Half Bad AS AN adult who only occasionally ventures into young adult reading, I was excited by Half Bad. Although firmly set in the supernatural world (as all good teen books seem to be), there is not a vampire in sight! This debut novel from UK author Sally Green comes with high expectations, having been sold into 27 languages in just three months and with film rights being sold before the book was even released, and it does not disappoint. It’s a fast-paced, captivating story of Nathan, the child of a black witch and a white witch in a world where white is good, black is evil and there is no in between. We first meet Nathan as a prisoner in a cage from which he must escape before his 16th birthday if he is to become a full-fledged witch. Half Bad is an action-packed tale with plenty to keep the pages turning, but it also delves into interesting ideas about those in society who are seen as different. In fact, Nathan’s interactions with the council of White Witches of England, Scotland and Wales, with their increasingly restrictive Notifications, are reminiscent of the treatment of Jews in Nazi Germany. And the treatment of him as a child of mixed blood echoes stories from Apartheid South Africa, or closer to home, the history of Australia’s Aborigines. And that is why this book is so great – it tells a fascinating story that will have you on the edge of your seat, but it also touches on some deeper, important issues.
by Sally Green
Published by Penguin UK RRP: $16.99 Review by Andi Lawson-Moore @ Great Escape Books
The Pure Gold Baby by Margaret Drabble
THOSE fortunate to have seen Margaret Drabble when she was in Geelong recently will know of her extensive back catalogue of acclaimed novels. Her latest, The Pure Gold Baby, tells the story of Jess, a charismatic anthropology student in 1960s London who falls pregnant after an affair with her married professor. Suddenly her life is turned around. Not only will there be no more research trips to Africa, but with the birth of her special Anna, Jess realises she will be a mother for life. Anna is not a normal child and she will be the most incredible blessing to Jess, as well as a lifetime burden. The Pure Gold Baby explores ideas of parenting, responsibility, friendship, community and family life in a touching and often humorous way. Drabble has chosen not to tell the story of Jess and Anna from either of their perspectives and instead a friend, somewhat removed from the heart of the special mother/daughter relationship, is the protagonist. This serves to remove sentimentality in the story (which could easily creep in given the subject matter) and also allows for a great deal of honesty and even judgement about Jess and her role as Anna’s carer. The book is written now, looking back on the 1960s and 1970s, and this also gives it a different perspective – the protagonist has the benefit of hindsight and modern life with which to judge how the world was for Anna and Jess. The Pure Gold Baby is a very moving story about motherhood and its challenges – and ultimately its incredible rewards.
Published by Text Publishing RRP: $29.99 Review by Andi Lawson-Moore @ Great Escape Books
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