"My Side of The Diamond" is going to be one of those books that will either be loved or hated.......and I'm happy to say I loved it!!
First of all, I must say how beautifully designed and printed this book is. Produced to resemble a moleskin notebook, just like the notebook Becky one of the characters writes in and with some lovely appropriate and detailed sketched pictures throughout, this book is definitely one to keep on your bookshelves.
Jazmin has been shunned ever since her best friend Becky disappeared. But Becky didn't just disappear - she jumped off a tall building and seemingly never reached the ground. It was as if she simply vanished into thin air. Did Jazmin have something to do with her disappearance? Or was it more to do with Icarus, so beguiling and strangely ever youthful, with whom Becky became suddenly besotted . . .
I was quite ambivalent at first about whether I would like this book, being tagged as part science fiction/romance and part social commentary but I was soon well into the story and found I couldn't put it down. I likened the plot to a YA version of Terminator, Men in Black and Dr Who all rolled into one with a running theme of an alien race landing on earth in order to understand love. Priceless.....and I adored it!
I could really feel the emphasis in the writing as each of the very likeable and endearing characters recounted their stories to Mr Jones in a series of interviews.
Very well written, easy to follow and understand, the author Sally Gardner has done an exceptional job with a really unique and original story, for which I'd happily recommend and read more should another follow in the series.
5 stars
First of all, I must say how beautifully designed and printed this book is. Produced to resemble a moleskin notebook, just like the notebook Becky one of the characters writes in and with some lovely appropriate and detailed sketched pictures throughout, this book is definitely one to keep on your bookshelves.
Jazmin has been shunned ever since her best friend Becky disappeared. But Becky didn't just disappear - she jumped off a tall building and seemingly never reached the ground. It was as if she simply vanished into thin air. Did Jazmin have something to do with her disappearance? Or was it more to do with Icarus, so beguiling and strangely ever youthful, with whom Becky became suddenly besotted . . .
I was quite ambivalent at first about whether I would like this book, being tagged as part science fiction/romance and part social commentary but I was soon well into the story and found I couldn't put it down. I likened the plot to a YA version of Terminator, Men in Black and Dr Who all rolled into one with a running theme of an alien race landing on earth in order to understand love. Priceless.....and I adored it!
I could really feel the emphasis in the writing as each of the very likeable and endearing characters recounted their stories to Mr Jones in a series of interviews.
Very well written, easy to follow and understand, the author Sally Gardner has done an exceptional job with a really unique and original story, for which I'd happily recommend and read more should another follow in the series.
5 stars