Immediately, I knew this novel would be worth a few hours because Russ is a very talented writer himself, and seems to have an uncanny grasp on what readers like/need to hear. Secondly, the title played snap with some Wiki pages I'd been reading on the fruition then failure of the concept of 'Panopticon's as the format all institutional building's would follow. This idea was based on plans made by Jeremy Bentham, an English philosopher and social theorist in the late 1780's.
So, with that as my background information and a gap in my reading list, I swiftly ordered my copy and quite simply it was the best 10 minutes use that my PC at work has ever had.
The story of a 15 year old tiny, but amazing, lost yet completely determined wee lassie couldn't have been told in a more brutal and delicate, yet brilliantly evocative fashion.
Jenni Fagan taps into that bold honesty that so many of us wish we have the conviction to employ. She has created a character whose struggles are so real, I felt like I was either reliving my past when reading, or hearing my fictional little sister recount her ordeal for me. I found parallel's in her nonsensical ideas and ideals that matched my own when I was at that immensely changeable and baffling age.
Anais, our little protagonist has more firmly routed morals, more solid emotional foundations than most adults I encounter both in and out of work. We follow her through her journey into the worst events of her entire life, and that's a bold claim when we take into account her upbringing 'in-care', her Class-A drug-taking, her very active and experimental sex life and her lack of a family or true friend.
To say that I couldn't put this fantastic gem down is a cliche and absolutely true. Each and every character was so uniquely crafted, yet eerily similar to kids I met, growing up that they added depth to this brazen and raw reality like I have never read before. Rarely am I so deeply immersed in another's life and pain and love that I care desperately about their success and happiness. This novel gave me all of that.
Jenni Fagan's brutal, perfectly written honesty sets her apart from what seems to be gobbled up by audiences, these days. Her style is jagged, not flowery. If you're looking for an apologetic love-story starring a naive belle and her beau, then saunter on down the shelves to something with a sticker on it telling you to buy it. If you're looking for a story that will alter your perspective on your won childhood, remind you what it is to really hurt, and truly love and make you smile in-between - get yourself onto an internet book shop and get this bad girl in your shopping cart.
