Blame
Simon Mayo
Ant and her brother Mattie have been incarcerated for crimes they never committed – it’s called heritage crime, and because the authorities couldn’t catch their parents, Ant and Mattie have to serve the time. There’s certain perks that the neighbouring crime jails don’t have, but also other dangers.
Ok, so another reviewer has pointed out that the novel is filled with predictable character types. I think that’s certainly true – plucky heroine protecting her too kind brother and tolerating the hatred of a foster brother who blames her for his parents’ fates. However, I didn’t find it offputting. It gave me more space to think about the implications of the novel, rather than having to do too much thinking about the characters.
That being said, there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming. Amos, you idiot! Ant, how did you think that was a good idea? Mattie, were you even thinking at all? Completely clueless.
I’m not sure how I felt about the ending. Why would a big piece of information like that be stored in that particular inaccessible place. Surely there are safer places to keep it? Anyway, just suspend your disbelief and be carried along anyway.
Now this novel knocked my socks off. I couldn’t wait to keep reading it, and see where they went. Unlike Cell 7, I liked the characters are there was plenty of action to keep me entertained and worried – particularly as it seemed as if some of my favourite characters would die. 4 stars from me.
Penguin Random House | 29 August 2016 | AU $19.99 | Paperback
I’m not actually sure if I received this novel from the publisher, or a new collaboration I am working on with SocialBookCo.
This is some Women’s Fiction with a bite! This actually clearly attempts to take down societal norms, even if it is in-you-face with obviousness of what is being taken down. There’s a lot of drama, some of which is probably needless, and that fits in with this genre too. Contrary to normal for me though, I actually really enjoyed this novel.
This is a thoughtprovoking novel for anyone who has seen a loved one in pain. Instead of watching your loved one in pain, they can take a suicide drink to end it all. We see Evan witness a variety of situations, and personally I think his job is an important one. It’s not the easy way out at all, a lot of thought goes into it.
Sigh. The blurb gives away the whole story. I mean, everything of it. So if you’re going to read this novel, please don’t read the blurb. Why are people so useless at writing blurbs that don’t give away everything?
Why is there no next book? I need one. Why was this so short? I need it to be longer! I didn’t want to step away from the characters.
Liv is a cute little character that isn’t very bright. Oh wait, she’s only 14. So we can excuse a wide number of things she does wrong, except maybe that theft. What were you thinking Liv? I think her brain just went into overdrive sometimes with the sheer amount of mess she had gotten herself into.
Kendra! I love you! I love you every time I read you. You’re plucky, irritating, and yet becoming more human all the time. I do wish you weren’t so stubborn, you should know that your friends will go first, but ah well. Everyone has their blind spots right? [How punny!]
There is no need to have read the 11 books in the Roy Grace series before this. Other reviewers have complained that it took ages for the Detective to enter the story – I didn’t miss this because I didn’t know what to expect of him. I actually loved being in the mind of the ‘Black Widow’ and the other criminals.
I gobbled this up in an hour. I couldn’t put it down. The way Black interacted with her family, with Ed and with the others spoke strongly of her ability to keep on going. But Black, I’m sorry. Sometimes you just aren’t that bright. Sure, you are under a lot of stress, but seriously! Then again, you are only a teenager and teenagers tend to do things like that.
Nessa is an interesting character with her own mind, and she truly grows throughout the novel. It’s not just plot driven, there is definitely character development. Not to mention some very nice world-building of the island and its inhabitants.