Meet Saffron (Saffy): spoilt, materialistic and self-centred. After uncovering a hidden secret about her mother, who disappeared 10 years ago, she packs her luxury items and runs away from the home she shares with her dad and “step bitch witch” Melanie. Realising she has nowhere to go, Saffy is forced to spend her nights with the town’s homeless community under a bridge. Can she survive without getting herself into further trouble?
The Colour of Shadows pleasantly surprised me the further I read. At first, I couldn’t take to Saffy as, despite being 17, she acted like a petulant child and it frustrated me. However I soon realised that this is a deliberate technique from the author in order to show the growth of Saffy throughout the book.
The story is also told through the eyes of Tom, Saffy’s friend, and I really loved him. His underprivileged upbringing has made him grounded, hard-working and extremely kind - everything that Saffy is not.
What I found most thought-provoking was the issue of homelessness itself. At one point Saffy finds out that the people under the bridge were once ‘real people’ - a soldier, a university student, a businessman - and a brief change in circumstances, beyond their control, caused them to lose everything. The message that homeless people are still people and have feelings resonate throughout.
This is a well-written book with powerful themes and messages throughout, aided by strong, likeable characters.
The Colour of Shadows pleasantly surprised me the further I read. At first, I couldn’t take to Saffy as, despite being 17, she acted like a petulant child and it frustrated me. However I soon realised that this is a deliberate technique from the author in order to show the growth of Saffy throughout the book.
The story is also told through the eyes of Tom, Saffy’s friend, and I really loved him. His underprivileged upbringing has made him grounded, hard-working and extremely kind - everything that Saffy is not.
What I found most thought-provoking was the issue of homelessness itself. At one point Saffy finds out that the people under the bridge were once ‘real people’ - a soldier, a university student, a businessman - and a brief change in circumstances, beyond their control, caused them to lose everything. The message that homeless people are still people and have feelings resonate throughout.
This is a well-written book with powerful themes and messages throughout, aided by strong, likeable characters.