The Tulip Touch (Puffin Modern Classics) by Anne Fine

by Anne Fine

Nobody wants to be around Tulip but her outlandish behaviour doesn't matter to Natalie. At first she finds Tulip exciting and she doesn't care that other people are upset by her pranks. But then Natalie realises that Tulip is going too far.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, Horror, School, Friendship, Middle Grade

Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Though readers often find themselves inadvertently laughing aloud as they read Anne Fine's novels, as she herself admits, "a lot of my work, even for fairly young readers, raises serious social issues. Growing up is a long and confusing business. I try to show that the battle through the chaos is worthwhile and can, at times, be seen as very funny." In 1994, this unique combination of humour and realism inspired the hit movie MRS. DOUBTFIRE, based on Anne's novel MADAME DOUBTFIRE and starring the late comedic genius Robin Williams.

Anne is best known in her home country, England, as a writer principally for children, but over the years she has also written eight novels for adult readers. Seven of these she describes as black - or sour - comedies, and the first, THE KILLJOY, simply as "dead black". These novels have proved great favourites with reading groups, causing readers to squirm with mingled horror and delight as she peels away the layers in all too familiar family relationships, exposing the tangled threads and conflicts beneath. (It's perhaps not surprising that Anne has openly expressed astonishment at the fact that murder in the domestic setting is not even more common.)

Anne has written more than sixty books for children and young people. Amongst numerous other awards, she is twice winner of both the Carnegie Medal, Britain's most prestigious children's book award, and the Whitbread Award. Twice chosen as Children's Author of the Year in the British Book Awards, Anne Fine was also the first novelist to be honoured as Children's Laureate in the United Kingdom. In 2003, Anne became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and was awarded an OBE. Her work has been translated into forty five languages.

Anne Fine lives in the north of England and has two grown up daughters.

Reviews

[A.E. Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptionally well-crafted book that presents very frank and uncomfortable truths about the way we all, from children, to schools, to social services, deal with "troubled" (or downright abused) children, and the question of whether or not a child can be inherently evil is expertly framed by certain adults in the novel, and left hanging there, exceptionally sadly.

A book in which the cruelty and sheer cleverness of children is not underestimated by the writer, but by the adults in the book, is a very tough read, and rightly so. This is an important book, for all its nuances, on the face of it, it's about the consequences of friendship, the idea that you can't 'save' everyone, the idea that sometimes we don't all want to be saved, and fact that when everyone gives up, no-one wins.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how this won "Whitbread Children's Book of the year"! This was so freaky, I wouldn't let a child under 12 read it!

There were some very creepy, chilling moments in this!

I read this when I was about 10 or 11, but remembered nothing! I think I mentally blocked out some bits! Or perhaps it is scarier for an adult who understands the psychology and the truth, or even commonality, around this book! Either way, it's a quick, compelling read that I'd recommend to any one!

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only read this book for the first time recently (in an afternoon in fact) as I'd somehow missed this as a child. This is a genuinely sinister book. The characters are exceptionally well drawn. You can easily see why Natalie is drawn to the clever, creative Tulip. At first it seems an innocent if somewhat controlling friendship but as Tulip's games become subtly nastier and more callous Natalie has to fight to break free of Tulip's hold on her. I can't really do this book justice. Everyone should try it. My heart was in my throat as it rushed to its conclusion. The reader is left with a slightly uncomfortable feeling and the question, if you turn a blind eye when you know harm is being done are you as guilty as the perpetrator? Could anyone have helped Tulip in any case? I'd have given this more stars if I could.

[Despair Speaking · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been years since I read this book. I had borrowed it from my mother's friend's daughter and it was one of the first slice-of-life children fiction that I fell in love with. The plot was simple, and it was because of that simplicity that it's complicated. And I loved it.

It starts with two polar opposites becoming friends. Now, in most children's books, the bad one would eventually stop being bad or not be SO bad. But in this book, the bad one didn't change. In most children's books, the good one may have been led astray and will be good again and changes her friend along the way. In this book, the good one has been led astray but she simply breaks away from the bad one and doesn't make up with her. This makes the bad one badder. In most children's books, everything works out in the end. In this book, some things work out and some things don't - just like how the real world works.

Even though the ending broke my heart, it's exactly because it ended that way that I will never forget about it.

[Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote a review of this book around 2019- 2020 (I think), and used the word “fascinating” quite a bit. I’ve revisited this book recently and still find fascinating and interesting. The characters are well written and the story well structured. I’d recommend it to people who like stories about influencing friendships and sometimes over the top insane actions from characters. It’s a light and easy read if you have a few hours to spare in a day or two.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember being so enamored with this book, but truth be told, it's been many, many years since I've read it. Maybe I'll revisit it and see what I think with more of an adult eye.

I do remember doing an English class project on it, and getting a Cinderella sticker for my efforts. That was pretty darn great.

[Olivia Dodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting read and an excellent way as an adult to be aware of how the upbringing of a child can effect their morals and empathy.
Although I found this book to be a real page-turner I feel you would need to be very careful when using this with a class of students and would need to consider their backgrounds.

[Karolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tulip Touch, by Anne Fine, is about a girl called Natalie who starts at a new school after a change in her father’s job causes her family to move. Not knowing anyone, she becomes intrigued by a girl called Tulip, who is an outcast among the rest of the class. They become good friends. Tulip encourages Natalie to take part in silly games and dares. Gradually these become more sinister and Natalie finds she needs to escape this friendship. The story is told from Natalie’s perspective, the first person narrative helps to convey the emotion felt by a character who is both being manipulated and bullied, whilst at the same time feels sad and guilty that she cannot support Tulip, who appears to have difficulties with her home life. The story also deals with the dangers of peer pressure, showing how some small seeming games can develop into more serious pursuits, and how important it is for children to take responsibility for themselves and their friends. This story would be suitable for older key stage 2 children, and would probably be most popular with girls. Curriculum links could be made to PSHE (peer pressure and bullying) and circle time.

[Ben Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I struggled to connect with the story; the characters, their personalities and the plot confused me. But when I sat and read the book properly, I experienced the same thoughts as Natalie. I felt as if Tulip was my friend, but I was not sure why I was friends with her. The best thing about this story is although Tulip was one of the main characters, I still feel as if I know very little about her; why was she always so horrible to Natalie? How was she really treated at home? What was her motive for burning down a home which had treated her so much better than her own? A dark yet interesting read.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would not class this as a children's book!

Gosh I feel so sorry for Tulip. How different her life would be if the adults in her life helped. She was definitely failed by them. So many kids in this world are in the same circumstances, it makes my heart break. I'm glad Natalie got out of the toxic friendship though for her own sake.

[Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

"People aren't locked doors. You can get through to them if you want.

But no one did. No one reached out a hand to Tulip. Nobody tried to touch her. I hear them whispering and they sicken me. 'Bus seats!' grumbles Mrs Bodell. 'Locker doors!' complain the teachers. 'Chicken sheds!' say the farmers. 'Greenhouses! Dustbins!' moan the neighbours. And Mum says, 'A lovely old hotel!'

But what about Tulip?
I shall feel sorry for Tulip all my life.
And guilty, too.
Guilty."

I remember being rather bored in school, having to read Flour Babies but perhaps I should see if I get more out of it as an adult because... wow. I was not expecting such a powerful commentary on the effects of child neglect and adults who stand by and watch it happen, shaking their heads.

I'm always interested in moral ambiguity and difficult questions. Is Tulip truly bad? Could she have been saved? Are criminals/sociopaths/etc born or made? And perhaps trickiest of all... if neglect or abuse leads to bad behavior, who is really responsible? Very very thought provoking. This book should be on the curriculum.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favourite books as a child and, although it's undoubtedly a children's book and nowadays is a very quick read for me, it is nevertheless very powerful, and still has the ability to shock. Anne Fine manages to infuse almost every line with a fantastic sense of tension - even when what's happening seems perfectly normal, you somehow feel unsettled. There are some scenes - for example Natalie's glimpse of Tulip's self-portrait - that are essentially simple yet, even after repeated readings, send shivers down the spine, perhaps more so because of their simplicity. The catastrophic denouement is simultaneously devastating and haunting, and the message of the book and the very serious questions it poses (particularly the question, possibly more relevant today than when the book was written, of whether Tulip could have been 'saved' had someone intervened in her torturous childhood) stay with you long after the ending. A stunning example of good children's literature.

[Isabella Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5⭐️ perchè è tutto molto confuso, non per il livello di inglese ma proprio come trama

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone thinks they can see things when they look back. It's nonsense, really, I expect.

This award-winning teenage novel -- it was the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year in 1996 -- is a hard-hitting psychological portrayal of an abusive friendship which poses the eternal question, are people ever born evil? It also asks whether it is enough for people to shake their heads and pass judgement while assuming it's somebody else's responsibility to deal with the root causes of antisocial behaviour.

But it wouldn't be enough for a work of fiction to be preachy, it has to engage the reader in personal stories and relationships, and to put that reader in the position of thinking, would I behave like this or act like that, especially if they were an impressionable youngster like the narrator.

And adult readers may also pause to consider how even grown-ups can be powerless to change situations, either because of their own inadequacies or because systems aren't in place to allow justice to be done. Through moral ambiguities, challenges and personal courage we are led along the narrative path this novel hastens to take us.

At first sight this has many aspects of fairy tales -- a princess in a palatial dwelling, a changeling-like child whom she befriends, a child-beating ogre figure, mind-reading, and so on -- but don't search for a happy ending, or indeed any ending that is as neatly resolved as fairytales are: this is a story which has much that the reader can believe as being all too realistic, despite some magical trappings.

Narrator Natalie's parents manage hotels, and while she is still at primary school, with a younger brother at the screaming stage, the family take charge of a hundred-room residence called The Palace and its grounds. Despite much repair work needing to be done the hotel is a warren for her to explore and lose herself in. Soon afterwards she and her father come across a solitary waif standing in a nearby field and take her under their wing, but it is soon clear that Tulip is a very strange, even a dangerous individual.

The 'Tulip touch' of the title is hard to define exactly: at one level it's the baleful influence that Tulip Pierce has over Natalie Barnes, at another it's the behavioural tics that Natalie tries out on other people -- cunning words, feigned ignorance, disconcerting actions, disdain -- following the lessons she had learned from her young tutor. At its base, the Tulip touch is exerting control over victims, often in the most cruel way possible, and it takes the form of games with names like Fat in the Fire, Days of Dumbness, Rats in a Firestorm and Stinking Mackerel. Through primary education and on through high school Natalie remains under the dominance of Tulip until her conscience eventually starts to get the better of her.

The first sight of the Palace Natalie has with the whole family is on a day when "the whole sky was ablaze. And the lawns on either side of her, the peacocks spread their glimmering fans." Mr Barnes believes it's a good omen, but Natalie feels differently:

I stumbled out of the car, and suddenly the sky seemed too high above me, the grass too green. And then one of the peacocks let out the most unholy cry, and I was filled with such unease.

That vision of a sky on fire is one that will come back to haunt her when one of Tulip's games involve pyromania, with no thought of who may be physically affected, and this will prove a turning point in their relationship.

This is a powerful piece. Anne Fine paces her story well, with many short chapters leading the reader on to the next chapter, and then the next, all in a bid to discover how this abusive friendship will resolve, and how many unfortunate bystanders it may affect. The mix is masterful, with psychology and suspense, distinctly drawn characters and years passing broken up by incidents coming briefly into sharp focus: and Natalie, with her weak will and strong sense of guilt, is an entirely believable narrator for not being perfect.

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was by no means mind blowing, but it makes you think a bit which is good I guess. It's a very quick read and it's mostly based on character rather than plot. Of course things do happen, but this book focuses more on the characters of Tulip an Natalie and their parents as well. It brings up the question (which we discussed in class) on whether Tulips bad behaviour or "evilness" is her parent's fault. Or whether it's solely her fault, because after all she is a human being who should be responsible of her own actions, some would argue. I personally believe that of course her parents should be to blame,at least partly. The way she was raised and her enviroment has obviously affected her, and not in a good way. Regardless of whether or not she knows what is right or wrong, does she really care? Pain and worthlesness are all she has known in her life, so why shouldn't others be treated the same. If she really is worthless, then it doesn't matter if she follows any rules. And perhaps she believes others deserve to feel the pain she does. She perhaps feels the need to exert power over people in the same way her dad does. I'm sure she gets a kick out of being rebellous. Maybe then someone will notice her? I don' think her behaviour is right, yet I understand why she is the way she is,a nd I do believe her upbringing has caused her to be so emotionally damaged and destructive and in turn has caused her to behave the way she does.


But Natalie also, is neglected by her parents. yes, it might not seems as obvious and perhaps is not as bad, but her parents do neglect to give her attention. If they had given her the attention she needed and taken a proper interest in her life then maybe they would see the bad influence Tulip had become, maybe they would notice how unhappy their daughter was. So yes, this book makes a point about the adults. It asks if the adults or the children should have helped or prevented the situations.

I thought this book was quite interesting. I could really see certain people I knew in the characters and how they acted. I could even see myself in how some of the people acted and dealt witht their emotions and problems. In the end, this book doesn't give a lot of answers, but it points out a lot of problems. Natalie's character does develop a bit and we get to see Tulip and read about her abusive home and the things she does and says and it's really sad to think that there are probably people out there just like that, and it's even sadder to think that these people, just like tulip, aren't being helped by the adults of our society. It also shows how greatly affected Natalie is by Tulip and because of the adult's ignorance and messed up priorities Natalie has to suffer this unhealthy relationship with tulip and deal with it all alone.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typo alert for those of you who mark a book down for typos/editing (I am definitely NOT included in this, I couldn't give a hoot as long as it's readable): there is a fragment of a sentence lurking somewhere in my edition, which I think was supposed to be deleted.
On with the actual review:

I have extremely mixed feelings about this book.
Anne Fine does a superb job at describing a sexually/emotionally/ physically abused child in Tulip and an equally good job at describing the fascinated yet increasingly more repelled but trapped friend in Natalie.
She doesn't fall into literary clichés with Tulip and has obviously done her research into how (sexually)abused/neglected children will often act (different from common expectation). She also nails Natalie's rabbit-caught-in-headlights car crash helplessness.
So here is the BUT: it's all just alluded to, a dark hint here, a dark hint there and that's it.
Ultimately the book lacks a confrontation between the protagonists and the balls as a serious piece of (children's) writing. It could have been important but it chickened out.
And that annoys the hell out of me.

[Becca Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I don't think I've ever read a book so fast!

I had heard of the book, and had assumed the story would have been told from the perspective of 'Tulip' (probably because of the title) so I was surprised to find that the story was told from Natalie's perspective - a whole new character I hadn't been expecting to meet!

The story contains some dark and complex elements, and the characters have been so well written with so much detail attached, that it is easy for the reader to learn about the characters and their personalities as the story progresses.

[Guilherme Semionato · Rating 5 out of 5]

A searing masterpiece.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was alright... the ending was a bit unsatisfactory but I have a feeling that was intentional... 3.5 stars

[Issy Pooley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had read The Tulip Touch as a child. I was surprised by how sad this seemingly simple little book is.

It powerfully illustrates how bullying can stem from a child’s home life, leading to both isolation and harmful behaviors. The story evokes empathy for both Tulip and Natalie. Tulip, struggling with a difficult upbringing, struggles to regulate her emotions, often crying out for help in ways that push others away. Meanwhile, Natalie finds herself inadvertently responsible for Tulip, caught between the desire to be a good friend and the fear of being seen as complicit in Tulip's actions, especially without the justification of a troubled childhood.

This book transcends its classification as a children's story and deserves to be read and discussed more.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains many themes and sadly ones that are prevalent today. Would be good for children to read to relate to and perhaps understand the behaviours of other children who live these sad lies. Can promote discussion about what can be done to help children that we know in similar situations. Overall a sad book but an interesting read

[Harbir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't had much hope but....

I jadnt had much hope for a book like this. I read the synopsis and thought I'd give it a go.

It started off amazing and continued to surprise me throughout

I was worried I wouldn't understand or be able to relate, but it turns out I could relate to tulip.

I can't ruin the story as its such a short one, but it was absolutely wonderful and should be made into a motion picture.

[izzy h · Rating 4 out of 5]

i would have loved this as an older child… perfectly depicts a unique form of bullying, as well as the frustration and exhaustion that comes from feeling responsible for a friend as a child, with adults and services around you doing nothing to help

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkly excellent!

[Adelina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read this for school. Children are horrible.

[mia ♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was and still am so confused.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book about a girl, deprived of parental guidance, who lies in order to gain attention, and is also mean and unkind to others, also as a way of gaining attention. She likes to be in control and is unable to control herself, which makes people not want to be around her.

[tas · Rating 3 out of 5]

social services have left the chat

[Hazel Manuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up second hand not knowing it was YA. It was ok. I really don't know why it won awards as in my view neither the plot nor the writing were exceptional, but then I'm not used to reading YA.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

No one is born evil

This book was released in 1996, during my transition from primary to high school and it was probably a book that was in the high school library, as the cover feels very familiar. But I don't remember reading it, at least the story did not feel familiar, as I certainly would not have kept reading.

This is essentially a book about bullying or a very toxic friendship. The toxicity of Tulip's words and attitude most of the time astounded me and the way she manipulated Natalie to do her bidding. But who was at fault really? I couldn't decide by the end. It did seem that Natalie allowed herself to be caught up in Tulip's world, and all the nastiness that came with it. (From their silly little games, to being nasty to the adults, to asking a mother if her dead daughter can come out to play.) But she also managed to cut Tulip out of her life after one particularly nasty incident. But not before what feels like a couple of years have gone by.

I don't know how I would have felt reading this book at the intended age, rather than as an adult. When I was around about Tulip's/Natalie's age, I was already caught up in being bullied at high school, and I think this book would have made me feel a lot worse. But having come out the other side, and reading this through the eyes of an adult, I'm shocked that more wasn't done for Tulip. Now, she would have possibly been on the spectrum somewhere, rather than being brushed off as a problem child, or social services would have got involved. But the way Anne Fine writes (she also wrote Madame Doubtfire), it seems like the adults are powerless to do anything. Certainly, it's implied that Natalie's parents think about trying to cut the hold that Tulip has on their daughter, but they certainly don't try too hard. Or they would rather she make her own mistakes/choices.

I was close to finishing this book and took a quick look at the other reviews, to see if there were similar reviews to how I felt reading this, but they're mostly good reviews. Perhaps I have just read this at the wrong age or perhaps I just read a completely different book to everyone else. I do feel like there is a lesson at the end of it, with Natalie mentioning that she has no regrets about her "friendship" with Tulip.

But it also just ends. There doesn't really feel like there's much closure to the story, and it's almost like the author was unsure how to end it. I know that Natalie was good progress in school, but it does just stop, rather frustratingly so. There's no real feeling of comeuppance for Tulip, or what will happen to her from here. I also got the impression at the beginning of the book that it was Natalie looking back on her life, perhaps a few years older (and wiser). As she says at the beginning "You shouldn't tell a story till it's over, and I'm not sure this one is." Perhaps that's the reason for the abrupt finish. There's also no sequel/follow up, which I was expecting to see - not that I would have read it!

I really wouldn't recommend this book, and it's definitely not one I will be keeping in my collection. I would be reluctant to let children read this also, perhaps without reading it first, particularly for younger children, as some of the themes are quite dark.