Customer Reviews

10 reviews

• Grazza

  Really original. Great book and it struck a chord. I was a fat kid who got a hard time. A lot of people would relate. Worth reading

• Rosita

  I was highly impressed by this book. From the very first page the book caught my attention. Captivating and definitely a page turner.
  
  "A very powerful story for people to question how they treat other people" - being stigmatized due to weight, racism, colour, religion or gender etc
  is not acceptable.
  
  A story that is confronting, emotional and sad.
  
  A well written novel well worth reading.

• Brigit

  This is a compelling, suspenseful, and important read about a dystopia that is all too recognisable as our own country (NZ). I put it alongside the Lord of the Flies and Sleeping Dogs. It begins with everyday bullying and ends in tragedy. The focus is on obesity – but it could easily have been some other characteristic that people can be made to feel bad about.
  It’s easy to like Monty, a compassionate, impetuous teenage boy whose conflicts and convictions guide the story. Readers experience his loyalty to his obese friend, his own revulsion at Levi’s obesity – and his courage.
  I take from this the importance of never seeking approval because this disempowers us at source – and the importance of the fact that the grandparent, who is a retired news photographer, tells the story.
  The story is set in trusting times when the White Pages were used. The denouement relies on outrage generated by the power of mainstream news media. Today our collective sense of what’s right and wrong does not get explored, developed, or expressed, let alone acted upon in the same way. This is where we are now: Bullying in all forms and all instances must be our personal responsibility to defeat at source. Read this book.
  

• Casa

  Obesity is all around us! This well written book expresses the hardships of friendship, obesity and bullying.
  A must read!

• Jacqui

  A page turner to the unpredictable end, this book has all the necessary elements of an entertaining read - intrigue, suspense and credible characters - and the context, when viewed as metaphorical, adds gravitas.

• Lindy Mac

  What a great story. Wanted to keep turning the page to see how it was going to unfold. Characters with depth and realistic. Well written.

• Chloe baker

  The storyline was very in-depth and interesting to read. Thought it was very wholesome as the friendship between the two boys grew and went through their obstacles together.

• Emma

  I loved this book! It's a real page-turner with pace, great characters and narrative flair. The 'story within a story' works really well, keeping you guessing till the end. The themes are very relevant. Also loved how it subverts expectations, especially around the true role of the hero. Highly recommended!

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