TBGS Readers

All That It Ever Meant
All that it ever meant is a book that normally I would have never read, it is written in a way that, at first, wasn't very interesting or engaging for me, but as I read on, I realised that I was entering the thoughts and emotion of this writer, stepping into another world I wasn't really familiar with. It took a while to get used to the jagged flow of the book, with it having many different stories and ideas that were introduced throughout, it was a lot. But, I came to enjoy to try and understand what it was saying, and it has introduced me to different ways of thinking, a different way to see the world. It is a very thought-out book, portraying several ideas that, in retrospect, are quite hard to explain to someone, but this book does it in a way that makes sense, and I realised towards the end, I wasn't there for the actual story, but for the person telling it, and all the people with them. A really eye-opening book that dives deep into things I hadn't thought of before, even when it feels tough or boring in some stagnant parts, it is all worth it in the end. I would definitely recommend this to a reader that is up for a little bit of thinking, you need to be able to evaluate the thoughts and ideas it gives you, and even be prepared to never find out, but that's what made it fun for me, the adventure of trying, and the satisfaction of seeing when I wasn't 100% sure I would.

Akashnil

Little Bang
This is a great book which creatively discuses the dilemma of abortion. The author tells the story between two unique characters giving them different perspectives and lifestyles. She seamlessly switches between them while still maintaining a clear engaging narrative. The book also has a running theme of space and time travel and is beautifully referenced to, to always leave you lost in thought. Although the book does contain strong language this book is an excellent read.

Martin

The Final Year
The final year is a great book written in verse by an award winning poet. The book is quite a straightforward period of time for a young boy who is going through quite a stressful situation. Full of friendships, death, life and some enemies, the book is one that you just can't put down. It would’ve been better to hear more about Jax however, on the whole it’s great. Definitely recommend to a friend

Reu

King of Nothing
I really enjoyed King of Nothing. It definitely highlights lots of the problems that we have in society, including sexism and peer-pressure, and also shows that a person can change when in the right environment and with the right people.

Jack

The Things We Leave Behind
Really touching story. The constant time changes I managed to keep up with (somehow) and the characters' traits and personalities were beautifully explained. The words "There was once a girl who died" genuinely heart-broke me when I realised who it was talking about. Honestly, I just hope Toby gets his just desserts.

Matthew

Treacle Town
Treacle town is a brutal read but brilliantly crafted by Brian Conaghan. The first person perspective from the point of view of Connor is a brilliant feature as the world is seen through his eyes and it is important for reader's eyes to be opened to the perspectives of people in different situations. This is so effective that by the end of the novel, you are completely committed to Con and really connected with the decisions that he makes and the troubles that he has to face. Along with this, the story really challenges head on basically every problem that the world is facing, from racism being criticized in some of the slam poems, to his internal monologue and the way that he thinks about all of these issues such as the Scottish 'schemes'.

Sam

The Final Year
I found the book slightly hard to get into, but when I got the feel of how it was written, I found it really enjoyable. The book is definitely set in a scenario that is reality for a lot of people - not having enough money to sustain your family and friendship difficulties at school (for children). I really got a feel of how the narrator spoke and felt based on the language he used and the rhythm of the verse.

Jack

Play
This was a very enjoyable book and whilst I was reading it I was hooked; the fast paced drama of it all made it a real page turner. However, the themes could be a bit repetitive and sometimes felt like the story was going nowhere. All in all I think it was beautifully constructed and was an amazing read.

Arnold

The Final Year
This book was written in outstanding verse, which made it engaging and hooking, however, this did mean that it was a bit tricky to follow along. Also, the sudden change with the character PS is unexplained and does not make much sense. All the same, I still think it was a great book and thoroughly enjoyable read.

Arnold

The Things We Leave Behind
The Things we leave behind is a great, well thought book with twists with different versions of the same story. I love the way it mixes the political instability with 15 year olds experience and how we see what is going on through her eyes. Also, I believe the author, Clare Furniss does a great job at representing an authoritarian regime and the dangers it brings. I love how she turns a 15 year old citizen into a refugee as it adds a whole new layer of excitement. This book is an amazing piece of literature and I have loved reading it.

Jamie

The Final Year
this a deeply moving book that is highly relatable to many readers written in an avant-garde poetry format, allowing for highly emotive language, however the poetry format often didn't relay enough information or add to the story, and as it may be relatable to citizens of London or others who live in metropolitan areas, it would be less so towards people who live a more rural or less populated area.

ben

King of Nothing
King of nothing is a funny book for young teens. The book starts when Anton (the main character) is in a mean gang of so-called “friends” but when his mum makes him go on a camping trip, his thoughts about behaviour, and kindness change and he opens up to be someone completely different. It is a humourous book full of jokes and fun language. I really enjoyed reading about Anton's relationships with his classmates, however, I would’ve liked to know more about the backgrounds of Anton's gang of friends and get to know them slightly better. The book left me feeling good. All in all I would definitely recommend it to a friend.

Reu

The Things We Leave Behind
This was a brilliant and beautiful read. It was an incredibly woven tale with a brilliant twist, chillingly plausible.

Ben

The Final Year
I like the way that this book is written in poems but it is a bit hard to follow.

Ernest

Play
Play is a book about the challenges of growing up, and the stories that result. We journey with 4 friends, hearing each of their opinions about the events that are happening, in detail. In my opinion, the opening few chapters could be elaborated on, as they gloss over several years in a very short space of time. In addition to this, in this section, the visual description is quite underdone, meaning that readers may struggle to picture some of the scenes. In the middle of the book, many themes are carefully explored, which is a huge credit to the book, but it does fall into a repetitive cycle of silly decisions followed by consequences, which leads to quite a long read. The ending is superb, however, a beautiful sting in the tail, which successfully and concisely wraps up the preceding events extremely well. Overall: a book that is well written and structured, exploring a wide variety of difficult topics, but could be expanded in places. 8/10

Benjamin

The Final Year
Writing an entire book in the format of a poem is a very unique idea. I found it quite hard to understand but I figured it out in the end. I don't really like that 'you' is replaced with 'ya', and the way of talking throughout. Though I have to say, it's rather good. Very interesting.

Matthew

Play
There's one thing which simply wows me. The story is written from every boys' perspective. This really makes you feel like you know these characters, letting you really immerse yourself in the story. I feel like the swears are a bit piled on, but a really solid storyline and plot. The ending kept me confused for ages! Highly recommend it.

Matthew

King of Nothing
This book was unique and had a flair and sweetness that many other books do not have, the character change was cunning and very enjoyable, watching the young Anton turn from a young gang boy to a wholesome individual. All the characters were very well placed and constructed. However, there was a slight undertone of repetition and was relatively predictable. It is a good book and I was pleased reading though.

Arnold

The Things We Leave Behind
Such a great book with an amazing twist at the end that really made me love it. I am hoping for there to be a sequel.

Ernest