As I’ve mentioned before I want to get into reading more Young Adult books and this one really attracted me with the synopsis. Lara’s perspective was really interesting hearing her thoughts in both justifying the relationship and how deeply she fell for Mr Jagger. It’s a situation that isn’t right or allowed, so can you empathise with the characters and understand how such a situation can come about? I would say yes, while obviously Mr Jagger and Lara’s relationship is obviously wrong, I would be lying if I said I didn’t empathise with them, wishing it was a different situation. The way the relationship was written made it so that, if you didn’t know they were teacher and student, you would be rooting for them.
The relationship doesn’t start properly till quite a way through the book; the lead up is learning what leads up to Lara and Mr J getting closer. Lara doesn’t seem like the sort of girl who would intentionally go after a teacher. Yes, she fancied him, but didn’t seem to actively try to make herself sexier or more attractive/interesting. She only got closer to him after seeking refuge from the other major plot in the book, the bullying she endures.
The bullying she goes through is terrible, not helped by losing her best friend to the ringleader of the bullies. She also loses her favourite items that help her escape from the bullying either mentally or physically. It was truly horrid the things she went through! Add to this, her family’s troubles where she is relied on to look after her younger brother while her mum works and her dad seems to just be depressed. She is going through a lot and I really felt for her.
This books ending was quite short, but it tied everything up, and actually I really enjoyed it. It was incredibly honest, I imagine that would be exactly what Lara would feel like if she wasn’t a fictional character. This book has it’s characters written very well, you really feel you understand them, and that is the beauty of this book.
Published by: Electric Monkey
Gratefully received from the Publisher for review.
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