When I read the blurb for this book I anticipated something a little bit like an older Jacqueline Wilson story – friends falling out, coping with boyfriends and school and hormones, things not perfect but the protagonist finding a way to deal with it. Well, in some respects it is: a lot of what Lauren has to deal with has been dealt with in many MG stories, plus the many references to Enid Blyton’s school-set novels adds an air of innocence to the novel.
However, it is clear that Lauren also has to struggle with some very difficult issues including her sexuality and that of her friends, making it a definite step-up from MG to YA fiction. On the whole I thought Hennessy’s novel engaging and thought-provoking.
However, it is clear that Lauren also has to struggle with some very difficult issues including her sexuality and that of her friends, making it a definite step-up from MG to YA fiction. On the whole I thought Hennessy’s novel engaging and thought-provoking.