A review by readbydusk
In The Scrape by James Newman, Mark Steensland
4.0
This is an engrossing, heartbreaking novella about two brothers who yearn to escape their abusive father. I love the relationship between Jake and Matthew. Their love and care for each other shines in every page. Jake, as the older brother, tries his hardest to protect Matthew from their father and the local bully, Caleb. But odds are against them, and I found myself rooting for them to get away from their terrible situation. When their father takes them to a hunting trip and all hell breaks loose, it made for a frightful and shocking climax to the story.
I couldn't tell that two writers had a hand in this because of the seamless and concise writing. The chapters are brief and the story takes place over one week so it moves fast. If there's one thing I could pick on is that I wish the story doesn't allude to the fate of the characters early on. I think it would have made for a more suspenseful read if we have no idea what happens to them until the end. But I really enjoyed this great coming-of-age story about the horror of abuse and the strength in the brothers' relationship.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
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I couldn't tell that two writers had a hand in this because of the seamless and concise writing. The chapters are brief and the story takes place over one week so it moves fast. If there's one thing I could pick on is that I wish the story doesn't allude to the fate of the characters early on. I think it would have made for a more suspenseful read if we have no idea what happens to them until the end. But I really enjoyed this great coming-of-age story about the horror of abuse and the strength in the brothers' relationship.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram