A review by phdoingmydamnbest
Nous, les Déviants by C.J. Skuse
5.0
So when Harper Collins approached me with the synopsis of this book I am not ashamed to say I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE to read an ARC of it. I had never read anything by CJ Skuse before but had heard good things on the YA circuit, but I have always been a massive fan of Enid Blyton- particularly The Secret Seven and The Famous Five.
This book is like a fantastic gritty, authentic, YA version of The Famous Five. It's really very cleverly done so that even the chapter headings sound like something from a Blyton novel. It adds a real sinister and dark element to the writing having these reminders of fluffy, light, children's books open the chapters that can sometimes contain some pretty harrowing things. The Deviants reads like an adventure-mystery story of days gone by, but with a grit and urgency untouched by Blyton in her books where you knew everything was bound to come right in the end. If CJ Skuse wasn't busy writing fab YA fiction I'd bet money she'd be a dab hand at crime thrillers; she can create a small cast of vividly coloured, intricately connected characters, a serious plot, well paced with well placed clues and red herrings, and a fantastically (though devastatingly) satisfying ending.
SERIOUSLY, I applaud her for the ending, not many writers of any genre have the nerve or the finesse to pull off an ending like that. Skuse is up there with E. Lockart and Sarah Crossan for creating an emotional and authentic ending in YA.
This book also explores some pretty harrowing themes but caught my interest for its unflinching look at childhood and the loss of childhood in becoming a teenager in a largely rural community in England. The setting, like in most Blyton novels, is a character in itself and the novel would be completely different without the (I imagine) Cornwellian setting.
Alcohol, drugs, sex, sexuality, pregnancy, class divides, friendship (old and new), love, and loss- but all done with a light and respectful hand that never comes across as too much (which, lets be honest, is so easy to do when dealing with teenage characters). Skuse walks the fine line between presenting a cliched and unfair representation of teenage life and an idealised, pompous, unbelievable colouring of the same subject. Her writing feels REAL and I really enjoyed it as a result.
-This is quite an emotional book, so fair warning you maybe/probably/definitely will make you cry (or maybe I am just a mega wuss). But yes, definitely a 5 star review from me!
Booklove,
Grace
This book is like a fantastic gritty, authentic, YA version of The Famous Five. It's really very cleverly done so that even the chapter headings sound like something from a Blyton novel. It adds a real sinister and dark element to the writing having these reminders of fluffy, light, children's books open the chapters that can sometimes contain some pretty harrowing things. The Deviants reads like an adventure-mystery story of days gone by, but with a grit and urgency untouched by Blyton in her books where you knew everything was bound to come right in the end. If CJ Skuse wasn't busy writing fab YA fiction I'd bet money she'd be a dab hand at crime thrillers; she can create a small cast of vividly coloured, intricately connected characters, a serious plot, well paced with well placed clues and red herrings, and a fantastically (though devastatingly) satisfying ending.
SERIOUSLY, I applaud her for the ending, not many writers of any genre have the nerve or the finesse to pull off an ending like that. Skuse is up there with E. Lockart and Sarah Crossan for creating an emotional and authentic ending in YA.
This book also explores some pretty harrowing themes but caught my interest for its unflinching look at childhood and the loss of childhood in becoming a teenager in a largely rural community in England. The setting, like in most Blyton novels, is a character in itself and the novel would be completely different without the (I imagine) Cornwellian setting.
Alcohol, drugs, sex, sexuality, pregnancy, class divides, friendship (old and new), love, and loss- but all done with a light and respectful hand that never comes across as too much (which, lets be honest, is so easy to do when dealing with teenage characters). Skuse walks the fine line between presenting a cliched and unfair representation of teenage life and an idealised, pompous, unbelievable colouring of the same subject. Her writing feels REAL and I really enjoyed it as a result.
-This is quite an emotional book, so fair warning you maybe/probably/definitely will make you cry (or maybe I am just a mega wuss). But yes, definitely a 5 star review from me!
Booklove,
Grace