Turf

by John Lucas

Jay is fifteen years old and a member of the Blake Street Boyz gang. With a knife in his pocket and his best friend Milk by his side, he spends his time fiercely defending their turf. He takes his lessons from the streets and thinks he knows everything about choices.

Choose the right gang, and they will protect you. Choose the right clothes, the right chat, the right snacks and you will be respected. But now he's coming of age and he's being given the chance to step up. He must stab and kill a member of a rival gang... and there are no choices left.

This is a story set against the backdrop of London's inner-city tower blocks, where killing can be easier than choosing a chocolate bar; where gang violence rules, and where loyalty can cost you your soul.

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 2, 2012

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on my blog on the 23rd August, here

It all starts somewhere
I feel it imperative to start of this review by saying something about the inspiration not only behind the book but behind my reasoning in picking it up. Unfortunately there is a lot of violence and crime on the streets, especially in London amongst the youths. I don’t personally live in London myself but I do leave near to the city and the events of last summer truly shocked me. I was horrified and petrified as I knew people who lived in the areas that were attacked. I was devastated for the business owners who were targeted and just worried that the police would struggle to handle it all. Fortunately, it all blew over but this problem still exists within London today. An awareness of this is needed but an awareness of why is more important and I really feel that books like Turf are a great start.

it builds up
For me, Turf is an exceptional book that I really enjoyed reading. I found myself emotional invested in the story and hoping that things would turn around. It has a dark and deep undertone throughout the book that leaves you with a lot to think about. It may be a fictional story and the events within the book may not be true to life completely, but it allows the reader to reflect on the world today and how the youth manage, or don’t manage, to cope with the life they lead. It is an eye-opening and just truly inspired novel that really managed to keep me interested. I just wanted to read on, I needed to know what Jay was going to do next while I bit my lip and hoped that things would turn around for him soon.

The plot in the book is not entirely fast-paced and in reality, it seems like not a lot actually happens but at the same time, a lot does go on. It seems that in a blink of an eye, so many different factors and worries have occurred that the reader is left feeling breathless. It really kept you needing to turn the next page to know what was going to happen next. You could see how things were going to turn out and yet found yourself wishing that they didn’t have to. John Lucas has truly managed to capture the way that youths, and adults alike, have so many hard decisions to make in life and sometimes just one decision can ruin your entire life before you even realise that it has been made.

until it reaches
If there was ever anything good to be said about this book, I hope that people pick up on how brilliant the characters are. Jaylon was a magnificent character and I could really sympathise with him and everything that he had on his shoulders. He just wanted to be a good friend, a great boyfriend, the best brother and a good son but with so many decisions weighing him down, he knew he would always end up letting someone down. He had a lot to go through, pressure coming down on him from too many places and all he really wanted to do was live, to enjoy his life without dealing with the pressures of everyday life. Why was it such a problem to have a milky way bar? He was such a realistic character and I just wanted to be able to give him a helping hand along the way. I felt for him and it was just such a perfect portrayal of the way things can be.

The gang was intense and believable. It was the perfect way to show how violent and overbearing gangs can be, in fiction and in real life and it was just showcased in such a great way. The leader was truly remarkable; if you had someone like that on your back, it would definitely make it harder to be who you wanted to be. The split was nice to see as well. The Youngers and the Olders really showing how young people are roped into being a gang member and being shown the way of violence and crime. It was incredible to read about and I really felt that it helped to give the novel that little bit extra.

the breaking point
The only issue I had with this novel was the images surrounding religion. While I have nothing against it, I just found it difficult to get my head around at times. But, fortunately, I totally understand why it was there. It made the story that much better. It showed that Jay really didn’t know which way to turn, that it seemed the world was turning its back on him. It took a while to get used to, but once the significance of its placement was made known, I found it to be a perfect companion to the book and one that I wouldn’t want to remove. I just wish that the reason for its existence came to light a little bit earlier.

and disappears again
The ending of this novel truly moved me. I was at a loss when the book ended, knowing that I had just finished a truly great novel and one that should be read by many people. It was inspiring, eye-opening and powerful. A novel that should not be dismissed. I truly enjoyed the story and the journey that it took me on and just how much it made me think afterward. My heart ached, my brain ached and all I wanted to do was pick up the book again so that I could read it all over again. This is a novel that packs a punch, it is emotional and moving and is one novel that will stay in my mind for a long time to come. I would recommend it to so many people and I really hope that if you pick this one up, you feel as strongly about it as I do.

[Asaviel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Die Boys beherrschten die Siedlung, und ich fand bald heraus, dass du ein Niemand bist, wenn du nicht zur Gang gehörst." (Seite 22)

Das Leben in einer Stadt oder einem Viertel, das von einer Gang beherrscht wird,kann man sich als Außenstehender vermutlich gar nicht vorstellen. Jay wird nicht in diese Welt hineingeboren, aber findet schnell heraus, wie der Hase läuft und passt sich an. Das muss er tun. Dieses Gang-Dasein bringt Rechte und Sicherheit für den Jungen mit sich, aber auch viele Regeln und Pflichten, an die man sich halten muss und über die man gleichzeitig schlecht den Überblick bewahren kann. Hier ist Jay sehr reflektiert und so gelingt dem Protagonisten den Leser mit einer Mischung aus Nachdenklichkeit und leicht ironischem Witz an sich zu binden.

"Der Gangster Moses und seine zehn Gebote. Aber es sind mehr als zehn. Es sind so viele, dass ich sie nicht mehr zählen kann." (Seite 96)

Dabei wirkt die Geschichte sehr authentisch. Jay will aufsteigen und muss sich diesen Aufstieg verdienen. Sein Wunsch eigene Wege zu gehen, kollidiert unweigerlich mit den Verpflichtungen, die er eingegangen ist.
Er soll jemanden töten. Es geht um Gewalt, Brutalität und Mord. Wie soll ein fünfzehnjähriger Junge, der sich zwar erwachsen fühlt, es aber längst nicht ist, mit alldem fertig werden, zur Schule gehen, sich verlieben und nun tatsächlich erwachsen werden?
Gleichzeitig ist dieser Jugendroman durchaus auch sprachlich sehr empfehlenswert. Symbolik und Metaphern nehmen implizit einen hohen Stellenwert ein, sodass man hier lernt sich mit sprachlichen Bildern auseinander zu setzen, ohne dass man sich analytisch damit beschäftigen muss.
Es geht aber auch nicht nur um die Gang, es geht um das Erwachsenwerden an sich. Die Abgrenzung zu anderen, aber auch vor allem zu den Eltern. Es geht um Sexualität und den Umgang damit, sehr reflektiert ohne den nervigen erhobenen Zeigefinger.
Obwohl die einzelnen Charaktere immer wieder unfreiwillig komisch wirken, sind sie mit Sorgfalt gezeichnet und dargestellt. Sie lassen den Leser lediglich schmunzeln oder den Kopf schütteln, da man das Verhalten kaum verstehen kann. Doch die hohe Reflektionsfähigkeit des Protagonisten fängt diese Verwirrung und dieses Unverständnis immer wieder gekonnt auf.
Einen Kritikpunkt kann man kaum richtig in Worte fassen. Das Buch reißt den Leser nicht komplett mit und es bleibt wenig in Erinnerung. Ja, es lässt sich gut und schnell lesen, es macht Spaß, aber es wird schnell von anderen Büchern, eigenen Erlebnissen überlagert und so verschwindet dieses Buch schnell aus dem Kopf. Das ist sehr schade.

"Das ist das Problem, wenn du fünfzehn bist. Du fühlst dich zwar nicht wie ein Kind, aber alle behandeln dich so." (Seite 38)

Fazit: Ein gut zu lesendes Buch über das Gang-Dasein und das Erwachsenwerden mit markanten Charkateren und einem reflektierenden Protagonisten. Leider bleibt das Buch nicht hängen, kann nicht komplett mitreißen, aber trotzdem für jeden jugendlichen Leser zu empfehlen.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turf is a gritty and raw debut from British author John Lucas that offers a no holds barred insight into today's youth gang culture. Set on an estate of run down council tower blocks in London it is easy to imagine teens today who are caught in the same trap as fifteen year old Jaylon.

Jay never really made the choice to join the Blake Street Boyz, it was just something that all the kids on his estate aspired to. Those who aren't in the gang desperately want to be but those who are in soon find that there is no backing out. Every decision you make is monitored by the gang and if you make the slightest mistake then you risk losing your spot in the pecking order. Lines are drawn between the territory owned by the Boyz and the territory belonging to the Yoot (a gang from the neighbouring estate). Everything from where you buy your food, to which benches you can sit on and even the desks you choose at school comes down to which gang you are a member of. Kids who have known each other their entire school lives are enemies just because of the estate they live on.

Now Jay is about to turn 16 it is time for him to face his initiation to move from the Youngers to become a fully fledged member of the Older Boyz. In order to pass the test he must kill a member of the Yoot, a boy from his class at school whose main crime is to live in the wrong area. Jay doesn't want to become a murderer but he doesn't really have much of an option. He lives in a world where it is kill or be killed, even his fellow gang members won't hesitate to take him out if he fails and when they threaten the lives of his family and girlfriend his decision becomes even harder.

You have to give John Lucas credit for not being afraid to tell it like it is, he doesn't hesitate to show the downside of gang life, the way the gang leader motivates the members with fear, the nasty side of fighting both within the gang and outside it along with the drug taking and dealing that goes along with it. This isn't a story for the faint of heart but it does show just how hard it is to escape from the gang life once you've been caught up in it. I have to admit that I wasn't so keen on the heavy religious tone that flows through the story although I can see what the author was trying to achieve with it. There were also parts of the story that were quite surreal, I think it was mainly down to the drugs that narrator Jay was using but it did leave me feeling confused in places.

Overall I have to say that Turf is an impressive debut, one that is hard hitting and that will appeal to fans of books like Keren David's When I Was Joe. It will be very interesting to see what John Lucas comes up with next.

[Rosy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turf was an incredibly strong and powerful book that completely blew me away. Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that this isn’t my typical fare of book, but the premise was so intriguing, and the lovely people at Random House were so passionate when talking about this book that I had to give it a go.

The novel is fraught with tension, and Jay’s sense of entrapment is made very real for the reader – there’s almost a sense of claustrophobia the further into the book you get. Lucas creates a fascinating character in Jay. He’s become embroiled in this way of life because of where he lives and who he’s friends with – something that he never really realized he was choosing or the impact and implication of those choices, when he was a young boy. “Once you’re in there’s no way out.” The gang life dictates everything about his life, right down to which chocolate bar he can eat. But Jay is more than the sum of his part in the gang. He starts to question the rules that dictate his life, and as the layers peel back you discover a boy who really isn’t a hardened criminal or a killer. He’s just been dictated to by his status in the world, and become trapped in a desperate struggle between doing what’s right and what he’s been told, with people he cares about who would get dragged in and hurt if he makes the wrong choice.

There’s a religious and mythical tint to the story as Jay delves deeper and questions more about his life and his choices. It adds a subtle surreal glow to the events, so that some parts take on a more dream like quality.

It’s a harrowing read, and not at all easy. Lucas doesn’t shy away from some of the truly horrific people and acts committed and really paints a realistic picture of life in a London gang. There’s no pretention or stereotypes, it’s hard and gritty and painfully real.

[ReadingToTheStarsAndBack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at: ReadingToTheStarsAndBack

[Just a mini-review today! Less than 200 words!]

From the first page I connected with the main character, Jaylon. He was a very likeable character, even funny at times. I just wanted to jump in between the pages, give him a hug and tell him it’ll be alright. I strongly believe that inside…he was good. Even though he did bad things, he was a good person.

Jaylon is in gang, and the gang leader has told Jaylon that he has to kill a boy from their rivals. Jaylon see’s the boy every day, seeing as they go to the same school. Most of the book is Jaylon trying to figure a way to get out of killing this boy.

Still have no idea who, or what, Leo was. He was the pastor guy, he was dead right?

I liked how the author wrote Jaylons dialect. Init, bruv, ect. I know that some readers get irritated by this but I think it adds more to the character. You can’t really have a gang member say stuff like, “Oh bother…this dear fellow is greatly vexing me. I wish him to begone.” Hmm.

Overall, I thought this book was really moving but probably wouldn’t read it again. Unless I borrowed it from a library.

Charlie xx

[Katy Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more and give it 5 stars. It nearly happened.
For most of its length, Turf was a tense London gang story, with murders and initiations and a narrator who you can empathise with, he's just not strong enough to stay away from it.

The descriptions of the two rival gangs, their turf wars and language were all convincing and scary. Jaylon's relationships with his aunt (whom he lives with), absent gambler father and couch potato mother sad and honest.

It was the supernatural element the author brought in part way through that didn't ring true or seem to me to fit the story. Turf could have worked well without it. I also wasn't convinced by Jaylon's sudden maturity in a pivotal scene near the end - his language and sentiments just not convincing on a fifteen-year-old. Jaydon's girlfriend Hannah is also underused, I wanted to see her more in Jaydon's story, influencing him and maybe interacting with his friends in the gang.

It is a good book and may other readers will gloss over or even like the elements that bugged me.

I would have liked to have given this a full 5 stars but just couldn't. Still, a very good debut and authentic (to my ears) gang voices.

[Charli · Rating 2 out of 5]

While reading TURF, the only thing I could think was that this would be the type of thing 13 boys would love to be reading, if they could be bothered to find their own reading material. In my experience, 13 year old boys would rather be watching 15 and 18 rated films and/ or playing games, and the very people to thrust a book into their hands would recoil at the thought of giving them a book which contains all the swearing, casual violence and glorified drug taking that this book contains. While the basic idea behind this book could have been a hit, the execution was just a book that didn't quite hit the spot for me.

[Daz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a real page turner and established the fact that I love to read in that genre cause it's the genre I also write in.
It's called Youth gangs in the library but I prefer to choose the theme "Social Literature" Sounds more posh, doesn't it! LOL.

Anyway, I love the raw style it's written in with a lot thoughts and inner turmoil of the Protagonist and really intriguing to see how he's gonna get out of this mess. I first was a little disappointed about the climax but then I thought it's the 'soft touch' to a dilemma he ultimately faced cause after all it's rated 14+ DUH.

I will definitely buy this book to read and enjoy again! It's got a 5 + rating for me!

[Bungle Boo Reads]

I can't give this book a rating because I did not finish it and not because I thought the writing was bad it's because I couldn't get past the way the characters spoke. I know this might make me sound snobbish, & I'm in no way posh or speak the Queens English but I really hate thing like 'innit' I just can't stand it! I know it's in keeping with this story but I just couldn't bring myself to read past 100 pages.

I do like the authors writing though and I'd be more than happy to read something else by him.

[Marnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book started off so well with so much potential but as I got further and further into it, it took a turn for the worse. The religious twist at the end made no sense at all and to be completely honest seemed like a quick escape from a book that could have continued to be really rather good. If you want to read it, just stick to the first half or you'll ruin a good book for yourself

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book set in hackney. Could have been unrelentingly grim but the addition of fantastical references lend it a "size" and weight which belie it's YA tag. They lift it out of one genre into the general canon of literature for all.

[Isabella Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing!

The characters and the world is incredibly colourful yet gritty. I love the main character and his descent into madness over what he's done. Amazing world building and the ending is absolutely heartbreaking I genuinely cried. Can't recommend this book enough!

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. too much gang related violence for the sake of it as though the author had something to prove! Not for me...lacked a genuine voice

[Phillip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please tell me there is a sequel