Illegal

Hayling Cycle #2

by Miriam Halahmy

'Illegal' is the story of a teenage girl, driven to take desperate measures when all other choices are taken away from her. It is a touching, surprising and painfully honest story.

Genres: Young Adult

268 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2012

About the author

I have been writing since childhood and have published twelve novels, one for adults and eleven for young people. I have been twice nominated for the Carnegie Medal. My work has been performed on stage and I was the first recipient of the prestigious PJ Ourway Author Award, in America. My books have been published in America and translated into eight languages.
My YA novel BEHIND CLOSED DOORS was the Winner of the Manchester Metropolitan University 'great student giveaway.' "The clear and popular winner."
My latest book POMEGRANATES FOR PEACE offers a message of Peace and Hope for the Future in a very divided world.
I am a frequent visitor to schools, book festivals, conferences and universities.
And I love making videos about my work.
So do visit my YouTube channel where you can view book readings, tips and lots more about my books.
https://www.youtube.com/user/miriamha...

Reviews

[TheBookAddictedGirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since baby Jemma died, Lindy's family has fallen apart. Her brothers are in prison and her parents spend all their money on alcohol and gambling.
So when she's offered a job by her cousin, she takes it, desperate to escape. But she's soon in way too deep: her cousin is a drug dealer, and she's caught in the middle. With no way out, she's trapped, caught in a downward spiral…
Until she finds an unexpected ally in the new boy: strange, mute Karl. With his help, can Lindy escape the web she is caught up in?
When you've done what she's done, is being truly free ever an option?
I love emotional contemps, so when Miriam asked me to review this, I couldn't say no! And Illegal did not disappoint! Emotional, powerful and addictive, it had me hooked from page one. It dealt with difficult topics like drug dealing brilliantly, and created a story with amazing and a believable plot. I adored Illegal, and can't wait to get my hands on Hidden and Stuffed (Books One and Three).
Lindy Bellows was a really troubled girl who had too much responsibility, too young. She was tough, putting on a brave face, but she was drowning. And she was all alone. Her vulnerability broke my heart, and made me just love her to pieces. She'd lost so much, so she didn't really want to let people in and was scared and untrusting of the ones she did let in. She was so vulnerable and broken inside that it was impossible for me NOT to love her.
Karl Reece was strong and cute and sweet and caring and darn irresistible! To begin with he never said anything, but he spoke volumes with his eyes, eyebrows and face. I loved him! He'd been through so much, and was so clever and oh-so-cute with his "I-love-facts-voice"!
I loved the relationship between Lindy and Karl: it was so natural, so sweet, so real. I just loved seeing how Lindy's thoughts of Karl changed as she got to know him better, going from thinking of him as a "retard" to feeling terrible for ever thinking that. They were so different but so alike and when they were together, I just felt it. They were perfect.
Garth Bellows, Lindy's 19-year-old brother, was someone I couldn’t figure out to begin with. He was meant to make everything better for Lindy, but he got her the job with Cousin Collin. But he really came through and tried to look out for Lindy, even from prison. He was so caring and reassuring and made me and Lindy feel safe.
Cousin Collin Bellows, drug dealer. He was a shady character, tricking Lindy, lying, wheedling his way into everyone's good books. I agreed with Lindy: he was "totally insane".
Jess... When I first 'met' her, I thought she was a total cow: she was horrid to Lindy, vindictive. But towards the end, I started thinking that she wasn't too bad. I think her character can be expanded on... And guess what! After meeting Miriam, she confirmed Book3, Stuffed, will be about Jess: Squeee! Can't wait!
Lindy's family was really dysfunction and broken. Her dad was addicted to gambling, always down at the bookies. Her mum was empty, broken, never doing anything. Her big brothers were in prison, and her younger one was innocent and young and always hungry. And baby Jemma was dead. Although the family wasn't perfect, they were a family. And I could feel it, especially in the very last chapter. I'll miss the Bellows! I really loved little Sean - he doted on Lindy, worrying if she wasn't in... he was terrified he'd lose her too. He was so clever and so cute and I just loved him!
A huge theme in this book is loss. Both Lindy and Karl lost someone, and it affected them both hugely. Friendship is another, especially in the unlikeliest places, and about being able to let people in and trust them after having loved and lost before. This in particular, I think Miriam did beautifully.
The writing was brilliant: raw, emotional, powerful. Told in third person, it still really let me get into Lindy's head. I felt everything she felt, saw everything she saw. And it was authentically teen. It was simple, yet emotional and powerful. Just the way I like it! And the plot was brilliant and compelling, unlike anything I've read before. I've read ones with drugs in, but not ones like this. Not with characters I fell in love with the moment I met them and had me glued to the page so I could find out how it all ended. Although I had a vague idea about what the plot would be like, I really didn't see the twists coming. I loved every second!
I just adored the setting. Hayling Island sounds beautiful, and I loved getting to see the huge variety of people who live there. All the little facts and places on the Island just made the story feel all the more real to me. I can't wait for my next Hayling fix!
Emotional, powerful and about feeling trapped with no way out, Illegal was a beautiful and touching story, one that pulled me in and didn't let go, even after I put the book down. I just loved this book. Every. Single. Second. I can't wait to read the others in the series!

[Sue Hyams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in Miriam's Hayling Island cycle and it's every bit as powerful as the first. Fast paced, exciting, and so tense that you almost can't bear to read on, yet you have to. Lindy, the protagonist, is a brilliantly drawn character - both complex and naive - and it's a joy to see how she grows. Highly recommended!

[Savita Kalhan]

A great teen read that explores family relationships, identity and mutism. You'll be rooting for Lindy throughout!

[hawwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since baby Jemma died, Lindy’s whole world has fallen apart. Her two older brothers are ‘’away’’ in a Young Offenders’’ Institution, her dad gambles his life away; her mum has lost her job and wanders round the house doing nothing and her younger brother Sean who is only nine years old, relies on her for everything. Even Lindy herself isn’t ‘’normal’’. She is the loner and freak of the school. Bullied and taunted she has taken it upon herself to grow a spear nail for protection and, in secret, she cuts herself.
When Lindy first cut herself I thought I would freak out when I read about it but I didn’t. I just felt painfully sad that for some people, it’s a reality. They don’t just read about self-harm, they harm themselves. Lindy blames herself in a way for her baby sister’s death and thinks there is only one way to deal with it, to cut herself and relieve herself of the pressure and let ‘’all the bad Bellows blood’’ flow out of her body.
Lindy isn’t happy with who she is, she feels like she doesn’t belong and likens herself to Hamlet after her teacher says he was a spiritual refugee after his father’s death, ‘’not fitting in at home anymore’’. I felt desperately sorry for Lindy but at the same time I was proud of her. For being strong, for being calm and for coping so well with the shattered remains of her family lying about her like jagged pieces of glass.
So when her cousin tells her he has a job for her she takes it, glad of a distraction and relieved that she will finally have some money of her own, even if she just spends it on food for her ever-hungry younger brother. But she’s soon dragged into an even worse world of terror and secrets: her cousin is a drug dealer and he has a few things in mind for her to do for him. She’s already in way to deep to escape so what can she do but obey and hope for the best?
Lindy’s impression of mute Karl wasn’t exactly very nice at the beginning of the book but when she meets him properly for the first time she realises that there is actually nothing wrong with him, he just doesn’t speak. Soon, a friendship blossoms between them. Him; the mute freak and her; the messed up loser. They provide each other with some form of ‘normality’ away from their homes but still, Karl never utters a sound. Only when Karl thinks Lindy is in danger does he speak, rushing to get help from someone, anyone, and once he starts, he doesn’t stop, and Lindy finds out why he made that decision in the first place...
After reading about Karl’s story I put the book down and just sat there. Shocked and appalled by what he had revealed. Imagine having your best friend die a terrible death and then not having anyone to talk to about it and pour your emotions out to anyone. His parents literally shut his voice out of their world, they weren’t interested in what had happened and they didn’t want to know. So finding no reason to talk, he stopped. After all, nobody listened to him so why should they realise? Or even care?
From the first word that Jess uttered I disliked her. She was such a bully, and she took pride in how horrible she was, waiting for the right time to be mean to Lindy so that everyone was watching. As the book went on though I my feelings for her started to change and we realise that she has problems in her own life too.
Colin: the slimy, evil drugs dealer, Lindy’s cousin. He found a way to get Lindy to work for him and took it, not caring whether it would hurt her or not. Every time he thought she was wavering he would remind her that “you’re the one that I want,” knowing that that was all Lindy ever longed for, to feel wanted, to be appreciated.
I loved her little brother Sean, he was so small, vulnerable. The only one that really cared fully about where she was and what she was doing. He was always worried about her and constantly hungry – I felt sad that he had to grow up so quickly and not even have a stable house to live in with food in it to quench his appetite!

Illegal explores feelings of loss, loneliness, bravery and the power of friendship. It shows how it can only take one person to change someone’s life for the worst, and only one person to turn someone’s life around for the better. The book handles serious issues with a light touch that make the book even more powerful and emotional and will stay with you for a long time after the last page has been read.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since Jemma died Lindy's family has been falling apart - her mum has lost her job and started drinking, her dad spends his time gambling away the little money they have and her older brothers are both in the young offenders institute. Lindy is trying to hold things together for her younger brother Sean but quickly finds herself in deep trouble. Offered a job by her cousin she sees it as a lifeline but soon ends up caught in an international drugs ring completely unable to see a way out. Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely sources though and when she befriends the school outcast, a mute boy called Karl, she begins to feel hopeful that she might escape.

Illegal is the second book in Miriam Halahmy's series set on Hayling Island but each of these books can be read as a stand alone novel as there is no cross over of story lines. I haven't read the first book Hidden yet but I enjoyed Illegal so much that I'm definitely planning on picking it up soon and I will look forward to reading Stuffed when it is released next year.

Illegal touches on some difficult topics from poverty, neglect and grief through to the drugs trade that brings Lindy into contact with some pretty shady characters. These subjects are tackled with realism and sensitivity though and show just how easy it is for someone to be drawn into something without realising how far reaching the consequences will be. Lindy comes from a problem family and nobody has ever expected much from her, after the death of her baby sister everything gets much worse but Lindy falls through the cracks and doesn't have anyone on her side to help her. She gets pulled into her cousin's world of dodgy deals and drugs because she is trying to earn some money for food for herself and her younger brother Sean. What she really wants is to study hard and train to become a paramedic but her circumstances force her into a different direction. It is so easy to feel sorry for Lindy but you have to admire her too, not for the trouble that she has got herself into but for her determination to find a way out.

I loved the relationship between Lindy and Sean, you can see how much he looks up to his older sister and the way he worries for her is really sweet. She does what she can to protect him even though he annoys her like any younger sibling often does. They are both devastated by the loss of Jemma but also from the loss of their older brothers to the young offenders institute. Garth in particular has always looked out for the pair of them and Lindy feels as if he has abandoned her when she needs him the most. It was hard to have sympathy for Garth as I felt he was old enough to know better than do what he did but he was also struggling with his grief and from the lack of proper parental supervision and he did the best he could in the circumstances. At first I felt like he'd set Lindy up but he comes through for her in the end and you get to see how much he really cares for her. The whole Bellows family are crying out for help and you just end up wishing they'd been given it sooner.

Karl was another great character, he has also suffered the loss of someone who he cares about so he understands what Lindy is going through. Their backgrounds may be very different but there is a connection between them and they each help the other learn how to cope. Karl's way of dealing with things has always been to shut others out, he lost the ability to speak and stopped communicating with anyone at school or home. It takes Lindy's fierce attitude to bring him out of his shell and I enjoyed seeing the changes in both of them as they get to know each other better. Theirs is a sweet relationship and one that gives them both a lot of comfort.

Illegal is at times a heart wrenching read but it is a book I would highly recommend. It may even make you think differently about that annoying family that lives down the road and is always causing trouble - what happened in their lives to make them behave that way? This may be the first book I've read by Miriam Halahmy but it definitely won't be the last and I'm looking forward to continuing this series.

[Serendipity Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in a cycle of three novels set in Hayling Island. I have a bit of a soft spot for this series as Hayling Island isn't that far from where I live, so I find I can totally related to the setting of the books. It feels like I am reading about a neighbouring village. The author clearly shows there is more to a UK coastal village than fairground rides and an ice cream hut. Real life occurs there,just like everywhere else, when the tourists go home, people still have to live there. I love how each book is linked to the other but can be read as a stand alone. There are no cliff hangers waiting to catch you out.
I read Hidden last summer, which I really enjoyed, so I was really pleased to be given the opportunity to read this one. Lindy, the main character in Illegal featured briefly in Hidden last year. Her appearance in the first book, didn't really allow you to warm to her. She came across in the first book as being a bit of a bully. However in this book, you get to see the whole picture and realise that Lindy is only tough when she has to be. Her life has been quite traumatic for someone so young and she has shouldered a lot of the burdens of her family, as her parents crumbled under the death of her little sister and her brothers are banged up in jail. Lindy is a fighter, and she is just fighting to survive. You can see why she is taken in by her cousin, Colin, to begin with, as she is desperate for money just to make sure her little brother eats.
I loved Karl! From the first mention of him, I had a soft spot. He was written so beautifully; so different to Lindy, yet they were so right for each other. They meant so much to each other, they needed each other to grow and survive; like the medication they needed to breathe freely.
This book is bursting with realism; there is no fun and fantasy here, just real life at it's most grittiness. The author really knows how to tackle difficult and often delicate subjects, making them accessible to the YA market. I actually think this book is more dramatic and intense than the first. It was like watching an episode of The Bill - no nonsense, no messing about - the author tells it like it is.
A great, realistic series, that puts a little coastal town back on the map.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guest Review by Beth


Illegal is the second in Miriam Halahmy’s series of books based on Hayling Island and after reviewing Hidden back in October I was really keen to get my teeth into Illegal. It did not disappoint.

Illegal deals with some seriously adult issues, which at times had me wondering if it was indeed a YA book but it deals with them in a mature but readable way which I think is part of its charm and well, genius.
Throughout Illegal our protagonist is Lindy, who featured in the first novel as a sort of bullyish character but once you get going with

Illegal, you soon realise how hard life is for Lindy and her family. From the loss of her brothers to prison, to her baby sister passing away, Lindy has for too much to deal with for a young teenager and this is compounded when she begins to work for her dodgy drug-dealing cousin Colin. Lindy thinks she’s doomed to the Bellows fate of being sent to prison and never getting out and continues her work for Colin as she has no way out.

Through her time spent working for Colin, she gets to know Karl, ‘the boy who doesn’t speak’ from school and she begins by bullying him as she has done everybody else but Karl sticks around. His character is extremely interesting as he begins to open up and both Lindy and we as readers get to know him better. Lindy knows she needs to free herself from Colin and her jailbird future and with Karl’s help; she begins to hatch a plan.

This novel is fantastic, truly enjoyable and Lindy shines as an unlikely protagonist and shows herself to be truly genuine and likeable. I really enjoyed getting to know Lindy and empathised with her difficult and near unmanageable life. Dealing with grief, family issues, social services and darker issues including drug dealing, Illegal is a fantastic tale of how you don’t have to fall into the traps laid out for you and you can make more of your life if you want to.

A brilliant novel which left me anticipating the third in the series.

[Tom Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindy Bellows is fifteen and has a car-wreck of a family. Her two older brothers are at a Young Offenders Institution and since her baby sister, Jemma, died of meningitis five months ago her parents have been no use to anyone. Lindy is plagued by guilt, blaming herself for Jemma's tragic death as she tries to take care of her younger brother, Sean, and hold her dysfunctional family together.

Constantly teased at school by posh girl Jess who calls her 'Benefits Bellows,' Lindy is in turmoil and although she seems hard on the outside, she is hiding more than just emotional scars. When she lands a job working for her cousin, Colin, she soon finds herself caught up in his criminal activities. Lindy is in trouble. She longs for her older brother Garth and ex-boyfriend Liam to rescue her until she encounters Karl, a mute who is labelled a 'retard' at school. Could he be Lindy's unlikely saviour or will she be dragged deeper into Colin's illegal world of crime and drugs?

This second instalment in Halahmy's south coast cycle, cleverly uses the major characters from Hidden in the guise of minor characters in this book, giving Lindy Bellows, the bully from book one, an opportunity to tell her side of the story.

I really loved Hidden and I'm glad to say that Halahmy retains all the atmosphere, realism and conflict of that first instalment in this impressive follow-up.

Illegal is always entertaining, insightful and unflinching.

[D.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this YA novel. It tackles difficult topics in an effective way, and it made me laugh and feel like crying at times. I wanted to wave a magic wand and make everything better for some of the characters.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Coming

[Harriet Walker-Grindey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aaahhhh this book was so good. Dealt with some heavy issues but in the right way. INCREDIBLE