Marshland Readers

King of Nothing
I was quite looking forward to reading 'King of Nothing' after recognising the name from a book on last year's shortlist, 'Steady For This'. I enjoyed that book in an odd way. There are obvious similarities between Shaun in that book and Anton in this. However, the differences are clearer. Shaun from the earlier novel is bumbling fool who is charming as a result. Anton from this story has none of those qualities at the start. His whole mind set is skewed wrongly and the only good thing in his list of values is his respect for his Mum. He hangs around with the wrong crowd and acts in the way he thinks he should to go with his image. As his attitude begins to alter due to circumstances, he becomes a more likeable character. I also recognised elements of previous character, Shaun in the character of Matthew. One of the best aspects of the novel is how you slowly come to realise how apt the title is. Anton comes to an understanding he is in fact king of nothing at all that has any real value. So on reflection I enjoyed this book too for its 'feel good' values.

Mr Hyde

King of Nothing
'King of Nothing' is a poignant and humorous exploration of adolescence, identity, and the challenges of growing up. Nathanael Lessore crafts a narrative that is both entertaining and thought-provoking, making it a valuable read for young adults navigating similar issues. While it may not offer groundbreaking plot twists, its strength lies in its authentic portrayal of character growth and the importance of self-discovery. Certain characters, such as the antagonist, may come across as one-dimensional or stereotypical, lacking the depth seen in the protagonist's development. However despite addressing serious themes, Lessore infuses the narrative with humour and sharp dialogue. Anton's interactions with Matthew, a quirky and optimistic peer, provide moments of levity and showcase the development of a genuine friendship.

Sophie

The Things We Leave Behind
The book “The Things We Leave Behind”, by Clare Furniss is such a ravishing book about two young girls, Cam, and Billie, who lived in London and fled to Scotland in hopes to escape being an “outsider”. The book consists a lot of thought-provoking and sympathy towards the girls as we pass between the two girls lives and perspectives on how they see the world that they’re in. It is truly a remarkable book as it contrasts between chapters about what some teenagers could be experiencing as well in real life. Though at times I wasn’t so engaged in the book as I read on because things felt a bit too relevant and relatable, not in a bad way of course, but it almost seemed too good to be true. This book genuinely does reflect on what some lives are like, and I think it’s an amazing book to understand and read as you can feel emotions and feelings you’ve probably never felt before! This book is truly ravishing and is definitely something I’d read again. I would recommend it to any high school, though it does contain foul language, heartfelt scenes, and a nice but subtle sense of ease as you read the chapters, and can sometimes put you on the edge of your seats, but it is so worth the read!

Alexandra

The Final Year
I thought the book "The Final Year" by Matt Goodfellow, was good. It was a very quick read with the way it is written but it shows the inside of what people can be going through and how other people have no clue and treating them the same with no support, that they might need. It's about a 10-year-old boy named Nate as he navigates his final year of primary school. It explores the challenges of family struggles, school changes, friendship dynamics, and the emotions of growing up through the lens of Nate's experiences. The book also touches on themes of bullying, mental health, and the importance of finding your place in the world.

Isabelle

Little Bang
I was pleasantly surprised by 'Little Bang' even after the positive reviews by members of our own Carnegie book club. I was predicting an all consuming romance with all hearts and flowers, a bit of a crisis along the way, followed by the stock happy ending. How wrong I was! The writing is energetic and pacey especially the opening chapters which just flew by. The interaction between the characters is excellent and the split narrative is useful especially later on. However, as with other entries using this as a device, I do think this element could be worked up slightly, especially when Sid and Mel are apart. The background characters are well drawn, especially Lucille his mother. Also Cassie who through talking to Sid allows his character to get off the naughty step in my view, so that by the end you are back on his side, as for large parts of the novel I was not particularly fond of Sid. You will find out why I went off him when you read the book as I hope you do. Thoroughly recommended and the best of the four I have read so far.

Mr Hyde

Play
I found the book "Play" by Luc Palmer enjoyable, I found in some parts it was gripping and emotional. With this book I had to expect the unexpected because I could never tell what was coming next. It's about four friends that live different lives but all care about each other, it does show some behaviour as normal whereas it shouldn't, but I still thought this book was amazing, and I didn't expect the plot twists that were ahead, when I was reading, considering I didn't know anything about the book until I started reading, I would definitely suggest this this book to anyone looking to read something outside of their comfort zone.

Isabelle

Glasgow Boys
'Glasgow Boys' by Margaret McDonald is a really powerful book that dives into friendship, survival, and what it means to grow up in tough circumstances. It follows Finlay and Banjo, two foster kids trying to figure out who they are and where they belong. The writing is sharp and full of emotion, making it feel real and raw. McDonald doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff—she shows the messy side of growing up while still keeping moments of warmth and humor. Even though I can tell it’s an amazing book, there were moments when I wasn’t as hooked, but that’s probably because it’s not the genre I usually read. I know I’m a little biased since I lean toward different kinds of stories, but I can still appreciate how well-written and deeply impactful it is. It’s the kind of book that sticks with you, making you think about identity, family, and the way people shape each other’s lives. Definitely worth a read!

Tayanya

Play
I have mixed feeling about 'Play' by Luke Palmer. As a long time participant in the Carnegie Wards, and even longer as a Librarian and English teacher, I have seen many of the elements of this novel before in other books. Last year Tia Fisher's wonderful 'Crossing the Line' revealed the dangers of 'county lines' and I found myself being reminded of that book which was quote rightly voted as winner of the readers' choice awards. That book was superior to this. Oh, and the element of different narrative voices for each chapter. I have lost count of how many time I have seen this now. It's now nearly as common as writing in verse form. However, I think this was done far more effectively in 'The Light in Everything' from the 2023 awards where the different points of view are used most effectively when describing the same specific incidents in an entirely different way because of attitudes and preconceptions. So the narrative voice was more defined there. That book was superior to this. I do not wish to be wholly negative about this book as it does have some merit but I do not feel sympathetic to any of the characters amidst their misogyny and drug abuse depicted as entirely normal and regular rites - of - passage. I will say that I did really enjoy Luke Palmers' previous novel 'Grow'. That book was superior to this.

Mr Hyde

King of Nothing
This book was so funny and relatable to uk students so it was quite fun to read and there were no boring moments whatsoever I just wanted to carry on reading. No spoilers but Antons development throughout the book was really nice to read seeing how he changed for the better but towards the ending it made him realise so much more about women and his mother too which is a nice addition.

amelija

Little Bang
I really enjoyed the book 'Little Bang' , it's highlights the amount of different situations you can be in very quickly. I think it's very helpful for young children to be educated on what people don't always want to talk about. I would definitely suggest reading this book, as it will entice you in and you will not want to stop reading. I also love the way it's written with a duel narrative, showing the different opinions all the way through the entire book. If you would like to read something different and exciting I would recommend this book to you.

Isabelle

Little Bang
I am blown away by ‘Little Bang’ and how I wanted to know what was going to happen and it kept me hooked. It is a situation that is very rarely spoken about and just in the ‘nightmares’ of young girls. I found the book really interesting to get both perspectives and made me gain further understanding into their personal lives and furthermore the pressures they felt. I was invested in the story and also felt this is a book that is about mental health and also doing what is right for you not just by going with society and what others believe. Would definitely recommend and a further insight to some of the stressful situations as women we face.

Miss Curtis

The Final Year
"The Final Year" by Matt Goodfellow is a heartwarming book about a boy transitioning into Year 6, where he goes through friendship issues and family problems. The book is written in a poetic form which I thought I wouldn't like but I quite enjoyed it as poetry can be used as a form of expression. It is a lovely story that helped me understand mental health, personal growth and change. I liked how Mr Joshua was with Nate from the start and stayed by his side. This helped the story develop as Mr Joshua supported him as well as his friends. I can't think of anything to criticise about this amazing book. It brings up issues that some people face everyday. I recommend this book.

zainab

The Final Year
The first thing to say about 'The Final Year' is a comment about its structure. It is a novel in verse form. In this case it is highly effective driving the story on giving it real pace and drive also really helping the narrative voice to emerge. Some reviews on the website are in raptures about this as a form. I first came across this in a modern novel in 'Weight of Water' from 2013. I have seen it countless times since then. It is by no means new and not always effective. Here it helps. You can't help feeling sorry for Nathan and the miserable existence described here of poverty and neglect. In the second half of the novel the family is thrown into crisis but the read up to that point is mostly uncomfortable as the way he is neglected and has to provide care for his siblings is very bleak. All these concerns nip away at him as the story goes on. There are some rays of sunshine in Nathan's life, such as his teacher but he is mostly surrounded by irresponsible and selfish adults.

Mr Hyde

Play
I thought the book play was undeniably amazing. I loved how the POVs alternated to each of the characters stream of consciousness. The ending surprised me more than I can express. I do think the middle of the book was hard to read as it was quite slow paced but overall I think it was a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Sophie

Treacle Town
I have mixed views when considering ‘Treacle Town’. On one hand it is a gritty, down to earth and quite depressing depiction of life in a Glasgow suburb, among a group of unemployed and alienated gang members. Their life is hopeless, drug and alcohol fueled, punctuated by acts of extreme violence along the sectarian divide of the city. Their language while sounding genuine here, is generally unacceptable in a wider society. Particularly when depicted in a book aimed at teenagers. We have of course seen this before from this author with ‘When Mister Dog Bites’. That is a book that never made it onto the shelves of my school Library because that type of foul language is simply not tolerated in that environment. This I fear will be another. The Glaswegian dialect is another issue. On the other hand I found the relationship between Con and his father as the most interesting aspect showing how it changed when there is a death in the family prior to where we, as readers, join them. There is an uplifting tone to save the novel near the end but it comes at a terrible cost. It reminds me of the Robert Frost poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ as Con too takes the path less travelled and that ‘made all the difference’.

Mr Hyde