Treacle Town

by Brian Conaghan

Shortlisted for the Children's Books Ireland Awards

Con O’Neill is stuck in a world of brutal gang violence, sectarian vendettas and personal tragedy. The lack of opportunities for him and the rest of his gang is all too apparent. No money. No prospects. A social design that entraps inhabitants of Treacle Towns up and down the country.

Connor is desperate to get away, to find another life where he can experience happiness and fulfilment. When he stumbles upon the new world of slam poetry, Con senses a glimmer of hope - a hope that might just lead to his escape from Treacle Town.

But it won’t be easy.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2023

About the author

Brian Conaghan lives and works in the Scottish town of Coatbridge. He has a Master of Letters in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow, and worked as a teacher for many years. His novel When Mr Dog Bites was shortlisted for the 2015 CILIP Carnegie Medal. The Bombs That Brought Us Together won the 2016 Costa Children’s Book Award, The Weight of a Thousand Feathers won the 2018 Irish Book Award for Teen/YA Book of the Year, and We Come Apart, a verse novel co-authored with Carnegie Medal-winner Sarah Crossan, won the 2018 UKLA Book Award. Cardboard Cowboys, Brian’s first middle-grade novel, published in 2021 and is full of his trademark heart, humour and crackling dialogue. Swimming on the Moon is his second middle-grade novel. @ConaghanAuthor

@BrianConaghan

Reviews

[Ainsley Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good read 📚

Treacle Town feels like an authentic look at "ned culture" in Glasgow. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend. Yes, it is quite bleak at times, but I finished the book with a sense of hope.

I was a bit confused by some of the other reviews saying that the language and swearing put them off... I would say that added to the authenticity of the book. The dialogue in the book is so realistic for Glasgow.

Other reviews said that it is too similar to the Young Team, I get the similarities but they are so different. Yes, they are set in roughly the same place and on a similar topic, but the language in Treacle Town is much more user friendly, Treacle town is a YA book so not as gritty as the Young Yeam, and also the Young Team is set in 2008ish....

[Stephen Dilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian Conaghan's 'Treacle Town' is a gritty and unflinching YA novel about the grinding effects of poverty and gang violence but also the (partially) redemptive power of friendship and slam poetry. At the start of the novel, teenage narrator Con O'Neill is mourning his friend Biscuit who has been killed by sectarian violence. He has also lost his mother to dispute and has a fairly dysfunctional relationship with his bodybuilding Dad. Some of Con's friends are keen to seek revenge for Biscuit's death but Con becomes increasingly wary and weary of the endless cycle of violence and instead finds himself drawn to the world of slam poetry.

I have read a huge amount of YA fiction but this is probably the hardest-hitting novel I have read for this age group (with the possible exception of Kevin Brooks's 'The Bunker Diary' or Conaghan's own 'The Weight of a Thousand Feathers.') As well as the aforementioned issues, Conaghan also includes some harrowing scenes of domestic violence as well as drug use and extremely frequent use of the very strongest language, which adds authenticity to Con's voice and the dialogue but is likely to shock some readers. Above all, this is a novel about the 'treacle town' of the title - Coatbridge, near Glasgow - somewhere that seems devoid of hope, opportunities and beauty but for which Con retains some affection. There are glimmers of light and humour in the novel - notably through Con's thawing relationship with his father and his discovery of poetry - but Conaghan avoids sentimentality and swerves away from the ending I had been anticipating to something more sobering.

There was a lot I admired about this novel but I can't honestly say that I enjoyed it or I'm not sure that many of the students I teach would either. But then I am not sure that I or they are really who this book is aimed at, and I can fully recognise the power of this book for those who might recognise something of themselves in Con's story or surroundings. And it gives all readers a glimpse of the challenges facing many young people today. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

[Alasdair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would maybe have enjoyed this more if I hadn't already read Graeme Armstrong's The Young Team.
Similar story set in same area but lacking some of the power and grit of Armstrong's semi autobiographical powerhouse of a read.

[Milp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book is written (not including all of the swearing) and I can't stop thinking about it.

[Natasha Shears · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had a lot of potential but honestly fell short for me. As I'm reading this for a Carnegie shadowing group, I constantly was thinking about how young people will perceive this. My main issue was with all the language, I understand that it's a regional dialect aspect, however I do feel that it slightly limits the potential audience as younger readers may feel uncomfortable reading it. I liked how it addressed issues of toxic masculinity, just felt that some of the language was excessively strong.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow.

As part of the Carnegie Shadowing Club, we all read the shortlisted books, and Treacle Town caught my attention. I was intrigued by the subject matter; gangs, drugs, violence. Admittedly, it did take me a while to get into, partly because I didn’t give it enough of a chance. I managed to read the second half of the book in under an hour.

It was difficult to get into at the start, because of the language. Slang and dialect made the storyline difficult to understand, but once I’d adjusted, the book was fast-paced and easy to read. I did really enjoy this book!

Treacle town dealt with difficult situations, and I found this insightful at times. Of course, the characters were very different to me, which is what makes these books so eye-opening and interesting. I also enjoyed reading more about Slam Poetry, and how this impacted everyone’s lives.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It managed to get me out of a reading slump, and spark a new interest in slam poetry. 5 stars, a very good read.

[Andrew Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this and its the second Conaghan book i've read recently. This man is bang in form at the moment. The story is one of the scottish underclass, gritty, sweary and hard hitting. So authentic and realistic is the feel of the book that i think the real life residents of the book's location could decry it for the depiction of their hometown. It opens at the funeral of a teen gang member who has been murdered by a rival mob, and follows the Main Character Con, through a world of poverty and violence. The book also has quite alot to say about social deprivation. it came to my attention on the Carnegie longlist, and it would probably be a shoo in for the shortlist at least, if it wasn't for the liberal use of the C word throughout. Conanghan is no stranger to using foul language in his books and, as with his other books, its use here never felt gratuitous - just the way some young people sometimes talk to each other, but it could deffo be a barrier to the shortlist and beyond.

[Rachel C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this a four, because I get what this book is doing, and I get the message and I respect a male author writing about male characters. I also understand that the book is designed to shine a light very brightly on deprivation and cycles of violence.

However it was SUCH a slog, and a depressing one at that. The main character is trying to redeem himself and is given a couple of small points of brightness, some small indicators that he might 'make it out', but literally they were given so little air time, and I was waiting for him to engage in these things, but they were a footnote, which is relevant given the horrendous stuff that's going on, but I was crying out for something positive to read, which is probably the point. In some ways it's also a pretty boring story, because not much actually happens, apart from the four big things that do...

I'd say age 16 plus for this. It's depressing, violent and contains constant swearing.

[☆Lena☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, when I read the blurb of this book, I thought it would be super cringe and not at all enjoyable (I'm reading for a carnegie shadowing scheme). However, it did surprise me as the writing was not bad at all, and in certain parts, the rage of the characters really was expressed well in the writing. This being said, it could definitely have been more punchy and emotional at times, and a lot could've been done with this narrative that wasn't really explored as well as it could've. It does, however, bring to the forefront important issues such as gang violence and poverty and really highlights the fact that the only thing separating the wealthy and the poor/ the people living in 'treacle towns' and affluent areas is luck. Overall 3 stars☆☆☆. However, I am glad I read it as reading books by people from all walks of life is imperative, and many crucial topics and interesting opinions were explored here.

[Les McFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness, that was one hell of a hard read.
I want the story to be just that - a story, but I’m sure it’s not. It’s terrifying & truthful, horrifying & humbling. It’s raw & real and doesn’t pull any punches & amongst the, isolation & hopelessness it has hope.
Don’t read this if you don’t like swearing, violence, death, poverty, busted up families … or then again, do.
The relationships feel real & sensitive - & the way they’re written draws you in completely ( I’m sure I read some of those last pages without breathing)
I am so glad I got sent this book. Andersen Press, Rob Farrimond is a feather in your cap.

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Powerful but bleak and frustrating. I'm glad I read it but glad its over now. I feel all the characters have no real warmth towards each other - I just wanted to shake them into expressing themselves better. Probably super realistic though. The ending was shocking yet totally expected. I liked the poetry element, but was expecting more. Even though it was realistic, all of the internal diatribes contrasting with the inaction was frustrating. There was so much pain and grief but it failed to move me to tears. The slang and swearing were educational and amusing

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put this down or stop thinking about it! Powerful look at youth gang violence in Scotland as we follow Connor and his mates after the murder of one of their gang members. Loved that it was first person and so in depth about one thing, rather than trying to cover a timeline of events. The slam poetry narrative was so well-done and enhanced the read, both as an element of the storyline and as another creative form for the reader to enjoy.

[Dan Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conaghan's writing is honest and heartfelt. He draws his characters with affection and with crisp, clean metaphors. This is a world Conaghan knows. He grew up with these kids and taught these kids. Having also taught in West of Scotland schools, I know this world a little, too, but I'm not sure I have Conaghan's resolve. As a teacher and writer, I admired Treacle Town for its sincerity and its empathy.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult review to write. I didn’t enjoy the book because I didn’t understand the dialect. It made it hard for me to find the story in amongst the words. However, it must be fantastic for people who do use this language verbally to see themselves represented on the page. I liked the character of Con and there was strong development there but there were echoes of Long Way Down and On The Come Up that kept making themselves known as I read the book which distracted me.

[Alex Breck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was given this book as a gift and I wasn't sure if I wanted to read what appeared to be a YA book. However, it quickly became clear that this powerful and unflinching account of life on a bleak Central Scotland estate packs more than enough of a punch for any adult.
Raw, realistic and fast-paced, this bruising book will bulldoze its way into your heart.

[Victoria-Melita Zammit · Rating 3 out of 5]

If it wasn't for all the c**ts in this book, it would definitely have been rated higher. But I feel like the language was just too much for me. It is realistic, though, as that is definitely what Neds would speak like.

It's a raw story, an emotional one, and a very real one. But I feel like other books have done it better.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This one was gritty, with an important message, and set against a backdrop all too familiar to us Brits. Perhaps not my usual read, but the slam poetry aspect drew me in and I’m glad it did. I got something out of this book, and really rooted for the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc.

[Tony Macron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the book but the constant change from in verse to credit to tweets was a bit too much for my dyslexic but but over all a brilliant turn around for a boy stuck in gang violence a warning for the amount of times the word count (without the o idk if I can swear on here) is used

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong story of gang violence and how it sucks people in. The powerful struggle Connor took to get out was worth it!

Filled with lots of emotional turmoil but makes it so clear how these gangs build up.

[Skye MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this; the slam elements of the book were quite excellent. I love the premise of Connor finding hope and escape through poetry.
Too much use of the C word though - I understand the necessity given the context, but it gets very overused and quite horrific

[Ulrika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as part of Carnegie Shadowing.

Brian Conaghan's voice is strong in this one, as is his phenomenal talent for poetry. Set in his hometown of Coatbridge, this gritty and realistic portrayal of gang culture is an emotional rollercoaster.

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible writing, broke my heart but for the better.
Hits harder when you’re from Scotland / Glasgow and you know the streets and the stories first hand
Could not recommend it more

[Hannah Green · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many swears

[Donovan Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Could be better, could be worse. Just not my favourite, I wish the whole slam poetry thing was more prevalent then I probably would've rated higher.

[Sam Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic eye opening read. however I do feel that the book having 531 swear words (AVG of 1.8 per page) in a YA book is excessive.

[Hannah Peck · Rating 3 out of 5]

I nearly gave up on this book at the beginning. It did improve. Connor is a realistic character.

[ALM · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important read but meandered in the protagonists thoughts too long, too often which wasn't to my taste

[HERMIONE!! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Connor has lost his best friend to gang violence in Glasgow and is grappling with the desire to take revenge versus the yearning to be living a different life. This is a gritty story about friendship, families, grief, deprivation, despair and hope. Brian Conaghan paints a vivid picture of a city where there seem to be no prospects for young men and the strength needed to grasp an opportunity to escape.

[maeve julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a powerful book, i will never stop thinking about this