A big thank you goes out to Orca Books and author Brent Sherrard for sending this book along to me!
TITLE: Wasted
AUTHOR: Brent Sherrard
GENRE: YA
RATING: 4 Stars
I am a huge fan of Canadian YA - Canadian authors have produced some excellent YA novels over the course of the last years and I am thrilled to include Brent Sherrard in this category.
Wasted is not a thick book - but it packs a punch. Exploring one of the most topical subjects today - alcoholism and the absolute ripple effect that it can cause to the family and everyone involved.
This book opens with a disturbing scene - a dad and a son - both drinking, both trying to forget - but the son is trying to forget that his dad is an alcoholic and that he seems destined to follow the path - the father - well, the father is a lost cause at this point.
Almost immediately, we get a feeling for the family dynamics. A frustrated, scared and put upon mother and wife, a son who hates his dad and loves him at the same time and lives in fear that he will become his father and a younger sister who hides away in books in order to escape - until tragedy strikes. This, to me, is where the novel really picks up - as we get to uncover the various layers to each personality and to realize that we should not be judging what we don't know - because, really, appearances ARE deceiving.
This novel is perfect for any YA - it is not preachy, but at the same time manages to deliver its message and does it well.
1 comment:
I can't believe I don't know this one! I've been reading a ton of Canadian YA this year and have found some real gems.
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