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Campbell Road Saga #2
The Family
In this dank corner of town, you have to keep your friends close and your enemies closer – even if those enemies are your family.
Jimmy Wild saunters around the streets of Campbell Road, and among the people he used to terrorise. Even though the years have passed, he’s still a tyrant. The sight of his lanky frame is enough to terrify the inhabitants of this close-knit community, who reside in this villainous corner of London.
Jimmy’s beautiful step-daughter Faye and his downtrodden wife Edie eek out a meagre existence for their family, having left behind their lives in Kent. What devastating act was so bad that it drove them away from the place they called home to this hovel of a house in Campbell Road?
Robert and Steven Wild thought they’d moved on. It was hard enough coming to terms with the death of their mother – and now their abusive father, presumed dead, has returned.
One thing you can bet on, Jimmy Wild’s not returned to start playing happy families…
How can young Faye make a life for herself and carve a future for young siblings? Who is this aged woman that Jimmy Wild has come back to see? And can a romance between Faye and Rob blossom amidst a family at War?
Jimmy Wild saunters around the streets of Campbell Road, and among the people he used to terrorise. Even though the years have passed, he’s still a tyrant. The sight of his lanky frame is enough to terrify the inhabitants of this close-knit community, who reside in this villainous corner of London.
Jimmy’s beautiful step-daughter Faye and his downtrodden wife Edie eek out a meagre existence for their family, having left behind their lives in Kent. What devastating act was so bad that it drove them away from the place they called home to this hovel of a house in Campbell Road?
Robert and Steven Wild thought they’d moved on. It was hard enough coming to terms with the death of their mother – and now their abusive father, presumed dead, has returned.
One thing you can bet on, Jimmy Wild’s not returned to start playing happy families…
How can young Faye make a life for herself and carve a future for young siblings? Who is this aged woman that Jimmy Wild has come back to see? And can a romance between Faye and Rob blossom amidst a family at War?
- GenresHistorical Fiction
384 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 22, 2013
Another fantastic read from Kay Brellend. I thought that this book would be a continuation of the Keiver family from The Street and it was in a way but the bulk of the story was about Jimmy Wild, a character the Keiver's believed to be dead and the family he brought with him from Kent. Edie and her daughter and two sons. Also featured are Rob and Steven Wild who are Jimmy's son and were also in the first book.
In this book Tilly, who was the matriarch in the first book also makes a few appearances as do her family members. Annoyingly though the author keeps on switching between Tilly and Matilda as the character's name. It's not confusing as you know who she's talking about but I just wish she would've settled on one name. I was a bit apprehensive at first having enjoyed reading about the characters in The Street but after just a few pages I was hooked on the story of Jimmy Wild and the new characters that Brellend introduced. Note however that I would reccommend reading book one before this. This could be read as a standalone as it gives a bit of background to the characters' stories however the first book was fantastic and shouldn't be missed.
Jimmy Wild was an absolute scumbag. In the first book he was bad but in this one he was just despicable. My blood was boiling reading about him, and even though it is fiction, the first book was based on Brellend's families recollection of Campbell Road, the worst street in North London, and characters like this must have existed back then.
I really liked the character of Faye and was really rooting for her to escape from 'The Bunk' and make a better life for herself and her family. There was a heartbreaking scene near the end of the book which further cemented my hate for Jimmy Wild. I have read about many characters in the past who have been awful but Jimmy has to be one of the worst. He has no feelings for anybody but himself and doesn't have a single redeeming feature.
Overall another fantastic book. Again I am a bit apprehensive about the next book as it moves on again to another set of characters, still related to the ones from these two books but hopefully it will prove to be as good as these two books have been. Kay Brellend doesn't hold back and paints a very vivid picture of what life was like for people living on Campbell Road. So these books can be horrible to read in parts but they also contain wonderful friendships and relationships of people trying to make the most of what they've got rather than feeling sorry for themselves and simply accepting their lot.
In this book Tilly, who was the matriarch in the first book also makes a few appearances as do her family members. Annoyingly though the author keeps on switching between Tilly and Matilda as the character's name. It's not confusing as you know who she's talking about but I just wish she would've settled on one name. I was a bit apprehensive at first having enjoyed reading about the characters in The Street but after just a few pages I was hooked on the story of Jimmy Wild and the new characters that Brellend introduced. Note however that I would reccommend reading book one before this. This could be read as a standalone as it gives a bit of background to the characters' stories however the first book was fantastic and shouldn't be missed.
Jimmy Wild was an absolute scumbag. In the first book he was bad but in this one he was just despicable. My blood was boiling reading about him, and even though it is fiction, the first book was based on Brellend's families recollection of Campbell Road, the worst street in North London, and characters like this must have existed back then.
I really liked the character of Faye and was really rooting for her to escape from 'The Bunk' and make a better life for herself and her family. There was a heartbreaking scene near the end of the book which further cemented my hate for Jimmy Wild. I have read about many characters in the past who have been awful but Jimmy has to be one of the worst. He has no feelings for anybody but himself and doesn't have a single redeeming feature.
Overall another fantastic book. Again I am a bit apprehensive about the next book as it moves on again to another set of characters, still related to the ones from these two books but hopefully it will prove to be as good as these two books have been. Kay Brellend doesn't hold back and paints a very vivid picture of what life was like for people living on Campbell Road. So these books can be horrible to read in parts but they also contain wonderful friendships and relationships of people trying to make the most of what they've got rather than feeling sorry for themselves and simply accepting their lot.
October 22, 2016
this was a great read even though I read it out of sequence I am so glad that I realized I missed it out. This is the second book in the Campbell Road series and it just seems to get better I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical fiction and family sagas
August 7, 2018
Really enjoyed this book
July 29, 2016
Time taken to read - 4 days
Publisher - Harper
Pages - 370
Blurb from Goodreads
Jimmy Wild saunters around the streets of Campbell Road, and among the people he used to terrorise. Even though the years have passed, he’s still a tyrant. The sight of his lanky frame is enough to terrify the inhabitants of this close-knit community, who reside in this villainous corner of London.
Jimmy’s beautiful step-daughter Faye and his downtrodden wife Edie eek out a meagre existence for their family, having left behind their lives in Kent. What devastating act was so bad that it drove them away from the place they called home to this hovel of a house in Campbell Road?
Robert and Steven Wild thought they’d moved on. It was hard enough coming to terms with the death of their mother – and now their abusive father, presumed dead, has returned.
One thing you can bet on, Jimmy Wild’s not returned to start playing happy families…
How can young Faye make a life for herself and carve a future for young siblings? Who is this aged woman that Jimmy Wild has come back to see? And can a romance between Faye and Rob blossom amidst a family at War?
My Review
Starting in 1919 we meet The Family, living in the streets of London, Jimmy Wild father to two boys Robert and Steven is a no hoper. Returning in 1927, the story really kicks in, Jimmy has came crawling back bringing with him his new family, step daughter Faye, his new wife and their two sons. Jimmy is not welcomed back, believed and wished to be dead by some, Jimmy needs to wheedle his way back into his sons good books, after all, they seem to have a few bucks and nothing draws Jimmy more. However, Jimmy disappeared for a reason and things have a way of catching up with you, will Jimmy's past finally catch up with him?
Whilst Jimmy is a big character, the book takes focus around Faye, young beautiful and desperate to escape the life of poverty, crime and make something of herself. Jimmy's eldest Stephen soon notices Faye but wants nothing to do with his father. Attraction and resentment grows, Jimmy is causing bother and Faye just wants an out, to take her brother and escape before they fall into the life cycle around them.
The book has an authentic feel of the times and trials of London in that time frame. The desperation of trying to make ends meet particularly in a street rife with villans, poverty and crime. A budding relationship, family secrets, abuse, violence, greed, sex and love are only some of the topics touched on. This is my first time reading this author, apparently this is book two of a series although I didn't feel I missed out on anything by starting with this one. 3/5 for me this time, I would certainly read this author again.
Publisher - Harper
Pages - 370
Blurb from Goodreads
Jimmy Wild saunters around the streets of Campbell Road, and among the people he used to terrorise. Even though the years have passed, he’s still a tyrant. The sight of his lanky frame is enough to terrify the inhabitants of this close-knit community, who reside in this villainous corner of London.
Jimmy’s beautiful step-daughter Faye and his downtrodden wife Edie eek out a meagre existence for their family, having left behind their lives in Kent. What devastating act was so bad that it drove them away from the place they called home to this hovel of a house in Campbell Road?
Robert and Steven Wild thought they’d moved on. It was hard enough coming to terms with the death of their mother – and now their abusive father, presumed dead, has returned.
One thing you can bet on, Jimmy Wild’s not returned to start playing happy families…
How can young Faye make a life for herself and carve a future for young siblings? Who is this aged woman that Jimmy Wild has come back to see? And can a romance between Faye and Rob blossom amidst a family at War?
My Review
Starting in 1919 we meet The Family, living in the streets of London, Jimmy Wild father to two boys Robert and Steven is a no hoper. Returning in 1927, the story really kicks in, Jimmy has came crawling back bringing with him his new family, step daughter Faye, his new wife and their two sons. Jimmy is not welcomed back, believed and wished to be dead by some, Jimmy needs to wheedle his way back into his sons good books, after all, they seem to have a few bucks and nothing draws Jimmy more. However, Jimmy disappeared for a reason and things have a way of catching up with you, will Jimmy's past finally catch up with him?
Whilst Jimmy is a big character, the book takes focus around Faye, young beautiful and desperate to escape the life of poverty, crime and make something of herself. Jimmy's eldest Stephen soon notices Faye but wants nothing to do with his father. Attraction and resentment grows, Jimmy is causing bother and Faye just wants an out, to take her brother and escape before they fall into the life cycle around them.
The book has an authentic feel of the times and trials of London in that time frame. The desperation of trying to make ends meet particularly in a street rife with villans, poverty and crime. A budding relationship, family secrets, abuse, violence, greed, sex and love are only some of the topics touched on. This is my first time reading this author, apparently this is book two of a series although I didn't feel I missed out on anything by starting with this one. 3/5 for me this time, I would certainly read this author again.
December 7, 2017
Excellent
July 29, 2020
This is book number 2 in the Campbell Road series, this is the one I read first then I got the 1st book.
Great set of books. great writing by Kay once again. Gritty and Raw.
Great set of books. great writing by Kay once again. Gritty and Raw.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews