Amazon summary:- Faces flashed before my eyes. And for every face there was a time that they had let me down. Each punch that landed was revenge, my chance to tell them I hadn’t forgotten what they did. Eight years in a care home makes Billy Finn a professional lifer. And Billy’s angry – with the system, the social workers, and the mother that gave him away. As far as Billy’s concerned, he’s on his own. His little brother and sister keep him going, though they can’t keep him out of trouble. But he isn’t being difficult on purpose. Billy’s just being Billy. He can’t be anything else. Can he?
Review:- I was very lucky in winning a signed copy of this book from the wonderful book blog Wonderous Reads.
I woke up at 5am this morning and read this book in one sitting could not put it down.
I found it a very emotional book, it gave you an insight into the mind of a 15 year old boy in care. He is aggressive anti- establishment, school, care home etc. The only people he cares about is the twins his little brother and sister.His mother had given up her rights to him and allowed him to be put forward for adoption, it didn’t work out and he was returned to the care home and reunited with the twins. Although in a care home he looks after them , puts them to bed , reads them stories prepares their breakfast etc. His alcoholic mother gets her act together and eventually gets the twins back and Billy always looking after their interest makes it easier for them to leave him, although it is the hardest thing he has to do.
Without spoiling the story , he does find that one of the care workers has always been looking out for him and as the story unfolds he realises not everything or everyone is as it seems to him.
Although there is a lot of aggression in Billy you understand what is behind it and how in his mind it is always justified. The author obviously has an insight into his subject matter through his previous employment. Although hard hitting I found it a very believable account.
I would recommend this to everyone, it’s not my usual read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a powerful read.
This post is protected under copyright. SusankMann 2009 – 2014