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what_heather_loves's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
"I reached under the bed for my torch, switched it on and went back to my book. In just a few pages, my mind and body quietened as the words performed their hypnosis. I knew that my favourite character, Georgina - known as George for her tomboy looks and something called 'pluck' - would not be frightened about moving or even about the Yorkshire Ripper. In fact, she would probably summon the rest of the Five to try to catch him.
What if someone caught him? I wondered, as I drifted off to sleep. What if the murders were to stop? And we could stay? Then I would never have to leave Sharon and we could be best friends always."
It's late 1979 in the town of Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire. Focusing on the life of 11 year old Miv and her best friend Sharon, Aunty Jean, haulage manager Dad, unwell Mum and neighbours, widow Mr Bashir and son Ishtiaq, Arthur and many more. All the adults talk about is the Yorkshire Ripper, who is yet to be caught, so Miv decides she and Sharon will investigate, creating her List Of Suspicious Things.
Reminding me of The Trouble With Goats and Sheep and A Terrible Kindness, this is a nostalgic and heartwarming, coming of age tale. I adored Miv, finding her way, noticing suspicious men in her life (of which there were many!) and going to school whilst worrying about bullies, lipgloss, boys and her mum's quiet retreat from family life. Full of observant writing about human behaviour, with atmospheric dialect and affectionate humour: "gossip...filtered through Aunty Jean via washing line conversations - a route far more effective than the telephone..."and "Tupperware went up and down the streets of our town faster than the traffic." It has emotional depth and includes astute social and political commentary about how working class people lived, worked and behaved at this time, including the climate of fear that existed, especially in Yorkshire. Plenty of challenging topics are covered, including domestic violence, racism, grief, mental illness, suicide, death and of course the predatory murders of women, all seen through the eyes of Miv, her friends, family and neighbours. I adored reading this debut fiction and was sad it had to finish!
What if someone caught him? I wondered, as I drifted off to sleep. What if the murders were to stop? And we could stay? Then I would never have to leave Sharon and we could be best friends always."
It's late 1979 in the town of Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire. Focusing on the life of 11 year old Miv and her best friend Sharon, Aunty Jean, haulage manager Dad, unwell Mum and neighbours, widow Mr Bashir and son Ishtiaq, Arthur and many more. All the adults talk about is the Yorkshire Ripper, who is yet to be caught, so Miv decides she and Sharon will investigate, creating her List Of Suspicious Things.
Reminding me of The Trouble With Goats and Sheep and A Terrible Kindness, this is a nostalgic and heartwarming, coming of age tale. I adored Miv, finding her way, noticing suspicious men in her life (of which there were many!) and going to school whilst worrying about bullies, lipgloss, boys and her mum's quiet retreat from family life. Full of observant writing about human behaviour, with atmospheric dialect and affectionate humour: "gossip...filtered through Aunty Jean via washing line conversations - a route far more effective than the telephone..."and "Tupperware went up and down the streets of our town faster than the traffic." It has emotional depth and includes astute social and political commentary about how working class people lived, worked and behaved at this time, including the climate of fear that existed, especially in Yorkshire. Plenty of challenging topics are covered, including domestic violence, racism, grief, mental illness, suicide, death and of course the predatory murders of women, all seen through the eyes of Miv, her friends, family and neighbours. I adored reading this debut fiction and was sad it had to finish!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Murder, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Violence, Ableism, Toxic relationship, and Suicide
Minor: Child abuse and Stalking
rosecott's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Such a clever story. I loved the characters, they all felt completely believable and real to me. Miv was so relatable, throwing me way back to what it was like to be 12 albeit in a much earlier decade! I also utterly adored Sharon and her beliefs in what was right.
This book made me laugh, and also broke my heart.
If you’re into true crime, then this was a fascinating look at the Yorkshire Ripper case from a completely different angle but also done in a sensitive way I feel.
Lots of dark themes explored but also somehow lighthearted and through the innocent lens of a child’s eyes.
Absolutely sobbing as I got to towards the end though.
I didn’t expect the turn of events at all.
This book made me laugh, and also broke my heart.
If you’re into true crime, then this was a fascinating look at the Yorkshire Ripper case from a completely different angle but also done in a sensitive way I feel.
Lots of dark themes explored but also somehow lighthearted and through the innocent lens of a child’s eyes.
Absolutely sobbing as I got to towards the end though.
I didn’t expect the turn of events at all.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Alcoholism, Racism, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Sexism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Pedophilia, Islamophobia, Bullying, and Child death
sam_uel_c's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Child death, Child abuse, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Racism
Minor: Rape and Suicide
janeyjacks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book was a lesson to me in a) don't go for a title simply based on reviews and b) don't go for a book just Coz you like the narrator (although that's usually a sure bet for me, and Joanne Frogatt is generally ace).
I found this book meandering and overlong, several hours in l came back and checked the blurb in case I'd mistakenly purchased a memoir rather than a novel, so light it was on plot.
Whilst l could warm to a few of the characters (Mr Bashir, Ishtiak, Helen Andrews and the old Rag and Bone man), I found Miv herself to be pretty unsympathetic. | know kids are childish and self obsessed by their very nature, but she seems especially so, and heedless of the damage her actions might cause to others.
And most of her plans are just plain stupid. She's supposed to be a bright kid yet thinks it's a good idea to go and lurk about Chapeltown putting herself in the path of mass murderer that the police can't catch...? Daft though kids are,I don't remember having any Comparable ideas at that age!
I guess there is a kind of tying up of ends in the last few chapters, but by then, I barely cared about them and just wanted the book to be over However, I realise everyone else loved this one so chacon à son goût!
TLDR: not for me!!!
I found this book meandering and overlong, several hours in l came back and checked the blurb in case I'd mistakenly purchased a memoir rather than a novel, so light it was on plot.
Whilst l could warm to a few of the characters (Mr Bashir, Ishtiak, Helen Andrews and the old Rag and Bone man), I found Miv herself to be pretty unsympathetic. | know kids are childish and self obsessed by their very nature, but she seems especially so, and heedless of the damage her actions might cause to others.
And most of her plans are just plain stupid. She's supposed to be a bright kid yet thinks it's a good idea to go and lurk about Chapeltown putting herself in the path of mass murderer that the police can't catch...? Daft though kids are,I don't remember having any Comparable ideas at that age!
I guess there is a kind of tying up of ends in the last few chapters, but by then, I barely cared about them and just wanted the book to be over However, I realise everyone else loved this one so chacon à son goût!
TLDR: not for me!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Pedophilia, Suicide, and Murder
aileensbookshelf's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Murder, Mental illness, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Racism, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, and Death
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcoholism
line_magnus's review against another edition
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Mental illness, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Pedophilia, Murder, and Sexual assault
Minor: Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide
rosecahill's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Islamophobia, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Racism, Mental illness, Xenophobia, and Death
Moderate: Murder, Suicide, Rape, and Suicide attempt
gemloukay's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Having grown up in Yorkshire in the early 1980s, this book encapsulates the era and the area perfectly. I particularly enjoyed the “Thatcher milk snatcher” comments that still get bandied about today, and the references to a couple of real landmarks in Dewsbury.
The story mainly follows Miv, a 11 year old girl (at the start) who decides that she’s going to note down anyone that she thinks is suspicious and therefore could be the Yorkshire Ripper who is in the loose and she believes might lead to her family moving away to escape the danger. What Miv actually achieves is to give us a naive insight into the lives of everyone around her and their everyday struggles. Because we can understand what she does not, it softens the blow of all the tragedy and pain that everyone is going through.
The way that school is for Miv and how the teachers talk to her and her friends, the casual (at best) racism that is everywhere and the attitude of looking the other way when people are struggling that are still apparent in some ways even today. But also the strong sense of community and how they all pull together when someone is actually asking for help. It really does showcase the worst and best aspects perfectly.
It’s a cleverly written coming of age story told mainly from Miv’s POV but occasionally interspersed by a chapter from Mr Bashir the shopkeeper, Helen the Librarian, Arthur the rag and bone man and Miv’s dad Austin. Everyone feels well fleshed out and with their own personality and take on things. And unlike the book that Miv’s friend, Paul, is reading part way through (a Kestrel for A Knave), it has an enduring feeling of hope against all odds.
The story mainly follows Miv, a 11 year old girl (at the start) who decides that she’s going to note down anyone that she thinks is suspicious and therefore could be the Yorkshire Ripper who is in the loose and she believes might lead to her family moving away to escape the danger. What Miv actually achieves is to give us a naive insight into the lives of everyone around her and their everyday struggles. Because we can understand what she does not, it softens the blow of all the tragedy and pain that everyone is going through.
The way that school is for Miv and how the teachers talk to her and her friends, the casual (at best) racism that is everywhere and the attitude of looking the other way when people are struggling that are still apparent in some ways even today. But also the strong sense of community and how they all pull together when someone is actually asking for help. It really does showcase the worst and best aspects perfectly.
It’s a cleverly written coming of age story told mainly from Miv’s POV but occasionally interspersed by a chapter from Mr Bashir the shopkeeper, Helen the Librarian, Arthur the rag and bone man and Miv’s dad Austin. Everyone feels well fleshed out and with their own personality and take on things. And unlike the book that Miv’s friend, Paul, is reading part way through (a Kestrel for A Knave), it has an enduring feeling of hope against all odds.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Racism, Bullying, and Suicide
Minor: Hate crime, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Islamophobia, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Misogyny
rokojo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
4.5
Wow so this book really blew me away. It's written from the perspective of Miv, an 11 year old girl who decides to solve the mystery of the yorkshire ripper as a distraction from her troubled home life.
This is a brilliant coming of age story, which uses Miv's hunt for the ripper as a lens to explore the time and place she's growing up in. Through her eyes we see who is protected in this community and who experiences neglect and violence. It looks clearly at the different experiences of race, gender, class, and disability without feeling forced or overly exploitative.
Throughout there is also a really interesting exploration of the double edged sword that is a close-knit community where everyone knows each other's business.
The book occasionally took turns with different narrators to show perspectives outside of Miv's which I think accomplished sharing a more adult perspective on the situation, although I will say I enjoyed some more than others, especially Helen and Omar's.
I also think it could have been a bit more restrained as Miv uncovers a darker side of her community through her investigations, there were some bits in the middle with members of the church community that didn't feel like they added much beyond just piling on to the hidden dark side to the community.
Overall though I think it worked really well and I enjoyed it a lot. Would definetly recommend picking this one up.
This is a brilliant coming of age story, which uses Miv's hunt for the ripper as a lens to explore the time and place she's growing up in. Through her eyes we see who is protected in this community and who experiences neglect and violence. It looks clearly at the different experiences of race, gender, class, and disability without feeling forced or overly exploitative.
Throughout there is also a really interesting exploration of the double edged sword that is a close-knit community where everyone knows each other's business.
The book occasionally took turns with different narrators to show perspectives outside of Miv's which I think accomplished sharing a more adult perspective on the situation, although I will say I enjoyed some more than others, especially Helen and Omar's.
I also think it could have been a bit more restrained as Miv uncovers a darker side of her community through her investigations, there were some bits in the middle with members of the church community that didn't feel like they added much beyond just piling on to the hidden dark side to the community.
Overall though I think it worked really well and I enjoyed it a lot. Would definetly recommend picking this one up.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Violence
Minor: Child death, Hate crime, Infidelity, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Islamophobia, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Mental illness, Sexism, and Alcoholism
mausi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This book made me realise how rare it is to encounter stories of working class people, which is why this story was extremely educational for me from a cultural and historical perspective (as someone who did not grow up in the UK). What is a coming of age story on the surface, the book intertwines informative moments exploring topics like social class, racism, sexism, abuse and grief, making it notably original. The story felt so simple and real in the way it explores raw emotions and relationships within this small community in Yorkshire. It broke my heart but it also healed it in its special way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Child abuse, Suicide, Physical abuse, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Mental illness, Abandonment, Violence, Domestic abuse, Racism, Hate crime, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
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