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Fuse
Kendall Mullins hates high school, almost as much as he hates the situation at home, but that all changes when Craig Baumgarten joins his class. Craig makes life at Percy Fitzpatrick High almost bearable, until the bullies set their sights on the new best friends and Craig hatches a plan to fight back with devastating consequences.
As Kendall is drawn in deeper he finds himself in a situation he can't escape and its up to his brother Justin to protect him. The Mullins brothers flee the suburbs as they attempt to outrun the law and the wrath of their parents, but on the streets of Cape Town they find that life just got very real.
SA Partridge's explosive new novel follows the success of The Goblet Club which won the I am a Writer Competition in 2007 and the MER prize for best youth novel in 2008.
As Kendall is drawn in deeper he finds himself in a situation he can't escape and its up to his brother Justin to protect him. The Mullins brothers flee the suburbs as they attempt to outrun the law and the wrath of their parents, but on the streets of Cape Town they find that life just got very real.
SA Partridge's explosive new novel follows the success of The Goblet Club which won the I am a Writer Competition in 2007 and the MER prize for best youth novel in 2008.
- GenresYoung Adult
150 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 6, 2009
The Irony-Clad Truth
Dear Sally,
Let me start by confessing that I began reviewing the books of fellow authors to sate my own hunger for reviews and success. Nothing startling or unusual about that, except that I have chosen to admit it openly. In fact, I’m even prepared to take this one step further by admitting that, as a keen observer of human nature, I not only know exactly what people want to hear, but also how to present it in such a way that it has a semblance of veracity – the irony-clad truth, as it were.
This irony-clad truth is forged at the edge of a fiery abyss that embodies my desire to explore human nature by exploring myself, warts and all. Your book (and my promise to review it) has reminded me that I initially pledged to follow the bleak track of truth that spirals ever deeper into the abyss. I also realised that I may have wasted time dawdling along the rutted edge of the chasm. And so, without further ado, I must now plunge headlong down the path, although I do not know the way and cannot promise that I will not stray.
All of which brings me to your book and a further confession: I had to consult Wikipedia to confirm what ‘young adult fiction’ is. To my surprise, I am not wholly unfamiliar with the genre, because the oracle lists Catcher in the Rye as a ‘young adult classic’. This got me thinking about genres and classification – again! – and why it annoys me when books pander to the supposed tastes, interests and intellectual capacity of a specific group of readers. While Salinger’s Catcher is certainly not one of my favourites, I’m pretty sure he didn’t write his book with young adults in mind. This probably explains why his work has such universal appeal. It’s classification as a ‘young adult classic’ simply confirms that authors usually don’t have a hand in choosing which section or shelf their book is displayed in/on.
Having read your book, however, I’m pretty sure you moulded the story and style to appeal to readers of a certain age. The stepbrothers Justin and Kendall are both rather stereotypical – the popular Prince Charming and the shy, somewhat grotesque Frog Boy – but they are painstakingly sketched. This in contrast to the other characters in the book, who seem to be little more than two-dimensional whoopee cushions for the boys to bounce off. Consequently, I never gained any real insight into what drives these people. And so the ‘bad guys’ (Daddy Mullins, The Headmaster, Bomber Craig and Cousin Gavin) are little more than caricatures neatly matching the supposed perceptions of ‘young adults’ and confirming the notion that they are understandably locked into an Everyone- Is-Against-Me-So-Fuck-Them state of mind. In short, no prizes for guessing who adolescent readers are expected to identify with.
This is not necessarily a problem, of course. Readers invariably identify with one or more characters in a book. However, I felt you could have done so much more with the plot and secondary characters. Your writing has great pace, clarity and balance, which leads me to conclude that you really have what it takes to add further depth to the story and offer readers insight into the actions, desires and intentions of secondary characters. I’m not sure whether you write bios for all your characters. If you do, this usually prevents them from becoming cardboard cut-outs. And by giving the extras more body, it becomes easier to flesh out your main characters, thus making them less stereotypical and adding novel dimensions to the interaction between them.
Having re-read the above, after letting it rest for several weeks, I’m acutely aware that some of my remarks are based on assumptions that may be wide of the mark. In a way, the above is more about me and my preferences than it is about your book. But I suppose this applies to all reviews. Whatever the case may be, I sincerely hope you stand to gain more from a slap in the face than from an irony-clad pat on the back. Feel free to slap back. I probably deserve it.
Dear Sally,
Let me start by confessing that I began reviewing the books of fellow authors to sate my own hunger for reviews and success. Nothing startling or unusual about that, except that I have chosen to admit it openly. In fact, I’m even prepared to take this one step further by admitting that, as a keen observer of human nature, I not only know exactly what people want to hear, but also how to present it in such a way that it has a semblance of veracity – the irony-clad truth, as it were.
This irony-clad truth is forged at the edge of a fiery abyss that embodies my desire to explore human nature by exploring myself, warts and all. Your book (and my promise to review it) has reminded me that I initially pledged to follow the bleak track of truth that spirals ever deeper into the abyss. I also realised that I may have wasted time dawdling along the rutted edge of the chasm. And so, without further ado, I must now plunge headlong down the path, although I do not know the way and cannot promise that I will not stray.
All of which brings me to your book and a further confession: I had to consult Wikipedia to confirm what ‘young adult fiction’ is. To my surprise, I am not wholly unfamiliar with the genre, because the oracle lists Catcher in the Rye as a ‘young adult classic’. This got me thinking about genres and classification – again! – and why it annoys me when books pander to the supposed tastes, interests and intellectual capacity of a specific group of readers. While Salinger’s Catcher is certainly not one of my favourites, I’m pretty sure he didn’t write his book with young adults in mind. This probably explains why his work has such universal appeal. It’s classification as a ‘young adult classic’ simply confirms that authors usually don’t have a hand in choosing which section or shelf their book is displayed in/on.
Having read your book, however, I’m pretty sure you moulded the story and style to appeal to readers of a certain age. The stepbrothers Justin and Kendall are both rather stereotypical – the popular Prince Charming and the shy, somewhat grotesque Frog Boy – but they are painstakingly sketched. This in contrast to the other characters in the book, who seem to be little more than two-dimensional whoopee cushions for the boys to bounce off. Consequently, I never gained any real insight into what drives these people. And so the ‘bad guys’ (Daddy Mullins, The Headmaster, Bomber Craig and Cousin Gavin) are little more than caricatures neatly matching the supposed perceptions of ‘young adults’ and confirming the notion that they are understandably locked into an Everyone- Is-Against-Me-So-Fuck-Them state of mind. In short, no prizes for guessing who adolescent readers are expected to identify with.
This is not necessarily a problem, of course. Readers invariably identify with one or more characters in a book. However, I felt you could have done so much more with the plot and secondary characters. Your writing has great pace, clarity and balance, which leads me to conclude that you really have what it takes to add further depth to the story and offer readers insight into the actions, desires and intentions of secondary characters. I’m not sure whether you write bios for all your characters. If you do, this usually prevents them from becoming cardboard cut-outs. And by giving the extras more body, it becomes easier to flesh out your main characters, thus making them less stereotypical and adding novel dimensions to the interaction between them.
Having re-read the above, after letting it rest for several weeks, I’m acutely aware that some of my remarks are based on assumptions that may be wide of the mark. In a way, the above is more about me and my preferences than it is about your book. But I suppose this applies to all reviews. Whatever the case may be, I sincerely hope you stand to gain more from a slap in the face than from an irony-clad pat on the back. Feel free to slap back. I probably deserve it.
April 7, 2021
[⭐⭐.5]
⚠️ Trigger Warning for; School Shooters/School Shooting, and Physical/Verbal Abuse, and Bullying. If you're interested in reading this book please take note⚠️
Now I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing about the plot or themes of the book. I went into it completely blind. All I knew before beginning was that it was a Sally Partridge book, and I really loved her most recent book, so I wanted to read some of her blacklist. That in my opinion actually happened to affected how I felt about the book in the end.
I actually wasn't expecting some things that happened in the book to happen. That doesn't make the book bad by any means it just sorta surprised me, because I read Sea Star Summer last year, and this book in contrast to that book is so different.
PROS:
I liked this books portrayal of a healthy brotherly relationship. Justin & Kendall were not only brothers to each other but saw each other as friends. Justin stood up for he's brother, Kendall, no matter what. Overall I just loved seeing their interactions with each other. Seeing them just be there for each other in solace and showing their emotions towards each other definitely was some of the better parts of the book.
I love hating characters. So definitely loved being introduced to Craig's character. I loved hating him😃
CONS:
The message of anti-bullying in this book felt abit heavy handed in my opinion, yes, I know it's a YA book, but I felt like it could have been dealt with better.
Now, yes, I understand that this was book first published back in 2009. And I know from reading Sally Partridge's most recent novel that her writing style has evolved and changed alot since then. But, I'm still going to mention this regardless. I was not a fan of this books' writing style at all. It felt difficult to read.
I liked this book a good bit not going to lie. The ending definitely felt rushed, but it wasn't a major problem in my opinion.
Would definitely recommend it to anyone interested.👍
⚠️ Trigger Warning for; School Shooters/School Shooting, and Physical/Verbal Abuse, and Bullying. If you're interested in reading this book please take note⚠️
Now I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing about the plot or themes of the book. I went into it completely blind. All I knew before beginning was that it was a Sally Partridge book, and I really loved her most recent book, so I wanted to read some of her blacklist. That in my opinion actually happened to affected how I felt about the book in the end.
I actually wasn't expecting some things that happened in the book to happen. That doesn't make the book bad by any means it just sorta surprised me, because I read Sea Star Summer last year, and this book in contrast to that book is so different.
PROS:
I liked this books portrayal of a healthy brotherly relationship. Justin & Kendall were not only brothers to each other but saw each other as friends. Justin stood up for he's brother, Kendall, no matter what. Overall I just loved seeing their interactions with each other. Seeing them just be there for each other in solace and showing their emotions towards each other definitely was some of the better parts of the book.
I love hating characters. So definitely loved being introduced to Craig's character. I loved hating him😃
CONS:
The message of anti-bullying in this book felt abit heavy handed in my opinion, yes, I know it's a YA book, but I felt like it could have been dealt with better.
Now, yes, I understand that this was book first published back in 2009. And I know from reading Sally Partridge's most recent novel that her writing style has evolved and changed alot since then. But, I'm still going to mention this regardless. I was not a fan of this books' writing style at all. It felt difficult to read.
I liked this book a good bit not going to lie. The ending definitely felt rushed, but it wasn't a major problem in my opinion.
Would definitely recommend it to anyone interested.👍
January 29, 2025
Enjoyed this one slightly more than The Goblet Club 🤌🏻
September 12, 2021
3.5 Stars!
Many thanks to the author for sending me a lovely package with this book included.
Trigger Warning for; School Shooters/School Shooting, and Physical/Verbal Abuse, and Bullying.
Let me start by saying that Fuse is something completely different from Sea Star Summer, which was my Sally Partridge debut - it's raw, it's gritty and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Set in my hometown of Cape Town, Fuse takes the reader on a coming-of-age adventure that will hopefully make you question if you "judge a book by its cover" or not, think about how much of your opinion is based on someone else's opinion or if it's entirely your own ...
Brotherly love, rising above adversity, surviving a broken family, testing the limits of friendship and loyalty, and a happy ending all await you in Fuse; go get it now.
Many thanks to the author for sending me a lovely package with this book included.
Trigger Warning for; School Shooters/School Shooting, and Physical/Verbal Abuse, and Bullying.
Let me start by saying that Fuse is something completely different from Sea Star Summer, which was my Sally Partridge debut - it's raw, it's gritty and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Set in my hometown of Cape Town, Fuse takes the reader on a coming-of-age adventure that will hopefully make you question if you "judge a book by its cover" or not, think about how much of your opinion is based on someone else's opinion or if it's entirely your own ...
Brotherly love, rising above adversity, surviving a broken family, testing the limits of friendship and loyalty, and a happy ending all await you in Fuse; go get it now.
October 24, 2020
Just know I loved it and it's a great book for kids who are about to start high school
April 5, 2023
A very wonkie storyline
June 17, 2024
Just finished Fuse by S.A Partridge. What an interesting read! Loved the dynamic with the brothers and found the strained family dynamic very intriguing. And it's homegrown! Quite enjoyed this one.
July 26, 2010
After the success of her debut youth novel, The Goblet Club, the young South African writer S.A. Partridge returns with Fuse, another exciting exponent of the genre. It tells the story of Justin Mullins and his adoptive brother, Kendall. While Justin is popular at school, knows how to stand up for himself, and has much going for him, Kendall is shy, introverted, and simply ‘different’. Worst of all, Kendall is cruelly bullied by his peers who do not tolerate too much individuality. He stands out because of his long hair, dark clothes, piercings, and preference for heavy-metal music. We know the type – we all knew somebody like him at school and I am sure, sadly, most of us would not have been kinder. Justin likes his brother and tries to help, but he is more preoccupied with his own nemesis, the boys’ abusive father. While their mother haplessly watches on, the two brothers have to find ways of coping with their father’s frustration and relentless anger.
Kendall’s world briefly – and unfortunately, literally – lights up when he meets the newcomer at his school, Craig Baumgartner. The two seem to have a lot in common and become friends. Together, as the only outsiders, they face the bullying of the others until one day Craig hatches a dangerous plan, with the intention of getting even with the kids who taunted them, no matter what. Eventually, Kendall has to make a tough choice between the loyalty to his new-found friend and his conscience.
When Craig’s plans go haywire and he is arrested, assigning blame for his wrongdoings to Kendall, Justin comes to his brother’s rescue and the two youngsters escape the relative safety of their home to face the hazards of living on the run. With their parents and the police in pursuit, the boys find themselves in some daunting situations. What keeps them going is their trust in each other: Justin’s in Kendall’s innocence which he will go to any extremes to protect, and Kendall’s trust in his brother’s ingenuity which helps them survive the worst ordeals.
Set in Cape Town and Pretoria, the novel craftily captures the atmosphere of living in the streets of the two cities. It is a gritty reality and Partridge does not spare her two characters. Homeless and hungry most of the time, they encounter the rough underbelly of society and have to get their hands dirty in order to make it through each and every day.
- Itch Magazine
Kendall’s world briefly – and unfortunately, literally – lights up when he meets the newcomer at his school, Craig Baumgartner. The two seem to have a lot in common and become friends. Together, as the only outsiders, they face the bullying of the others until one day Craig hatches a dangerous plan, with the intention of getting even with the kids who taunted them, no matter what. Eventually, Kendall has to make a tough choice between the loyalty to his new-found friend and his conscience.
When Craig’s plans go haywire and he is arrested, assigning blame for his wrongdoings to Kendall, Justin comes to his brother’s rescue and the two youngsters escape the relative safety of their home to face the hazards of living on the run. With their parents and the police in pursuit, the boys find themselves in some daunting situations. What keeps them going is their trust in each other: Justin’s in Kendall’s innocence which he will go to any extremes to protect, and Kendall’s trust in his brother’s ingenuity which helps them survive the worst ordeals.
Set in Cape Town and Pretoria, the novel craftily captures the atmosphere of living in the streets of the two cities. It is a gritty reality and Partridge does not spare her two characters. Homeless and hungry most of the time, they encounter the rough underbelly of society and have to get their hands dirty in order to make it through each and every day.
- Itch Magazine
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2015
You don't fit it. You have no friends. You get picked on or bullied. Then one day, there's a new kid at school, one who's like you, but not completely. For the first time, you have a friend, and this means so much to you that when your new buddy starts planning something seriously unspeakable, you quiet your conscience out of loyalty and gratitude, and for fear of losing the friendship. You convince yourself that it's just talk, everything is under control, nothing's going to happen.
This is Kendall when Craig enters his life, and of course things aren't under control, and something bad does happen.
Kendall has one good thing going for him: his older brother Justin, the biological son of Kendall's adoptive parents. Justin is tough, cool and, if he's sometimes irritated and embarrassed by Kendall's inability to stand up for himself, he comes through for Kendall when it counts.
In Part Two especially, when the brothers take to the streets, you read with a sense of impending disaster as they flee from one grim situation to the next. Their vulnerability is acutely observed.
Inevitably, the outsiders theme is a recurring one in YA fiction, and yes, this novel is in the tradition of the S.E. Hinton classic The Outsiders. Kendall and Craig are emphatically outsiders. Justin becomes one.
Having read S.A. Partridge's inventive debut novel The Goblet Club and her most recent, the much more sophisticated and ambitious Sharp Edges, I found it fascinating to encounter this particular milestone in her development as a YA writer.
This is Kendall when Craig enters his life, and of course things aren't under control, and something bad does happen.
Kendall has one good thing going for him: his older brother Justin, the biological son of Kendall's adoptive parents. Justin is tough, cool and, if he's sometimes irritated and embarrassed by Kendall's inability to stand up for himself, he comes through for Kendall when it counts.
In Part Two especially, when the brothers take to the streets, you read with a sense of impending disaster as they flee from one grim situation to the next. Their vulnerability is acutely observed.
Inevitably, the outsiders theme is a recurring one in YA fiction, and yes, this novel is in the tradition of the S.E. Hinton classic The Outsiders. Kendall and Craig are emphatically outsiders. Justin becomes one.
Having read S.A. Partridge's inventive debut novel The Goblet Club and her most recent, the much more sophisticated and ambitious Sharp Edges, I found it fascinating to encounter this particular milestone in her development as a YA writer.
August 5, 2016
Kendall is adopted by the Mullins. Justin and Kendall grow up and the story really starts with Justin in Grade 12 and Kendall in Grade 11. At school Justin and Kendall aren't really friends and they pretend that they do not know each other. Kendall is bullied relentlessly, even accused of Satanism and called a freak on a daily basis. Justin is popular, in the A-group and has a new girlfriend every week.
A new boy starts at the same school as the Mullin brothers and befriends Kendall. Craig however is also bullied and wants to take revenge against those who treat him unfairly. He plans to blow up the school by building a pipe bomb, because it is easier than buying a gun.
To protect Kendall from their father when Kendall is accused of being the mastermind behind the planned bombing of the school, Justin and Kendall run away from home and thus starts their lives on the streets of Cape Town.
I could not put this book down and the heartfelt emotions portrait by the author made me empathize with the two boys, whilst living on the streets in haggard circumstances.
This story depicts clearly the dire consequences of bullying and it is an amazing read.
A new boy starts at the same school as the Mullin brothers and befriends Kendall. Craig however is also bullied and wants to take revenge against those who treat him unfairly. He plans to blow up the school by building a pipe bomb, because it is easier than buying a gun.
To protect Kendall from their father when Kendall is accused of being the mastermind behind the planned bombing of the school, Justin and Kendall run away from home and thus starts their lives on the streets of Cape Town.
I could not put this book down and the heartfelt emotions portrait by the author made me empathize with the two boys, whilst living on the streets in haggard circumstances.
This story depicts clearly the dire consequences of bullying and it is an amazing read.
February 19, 2015
This is much better than the author's first book and I enjoyed it much more, but the characters were a little flat and stereotyped - even the two central characters, Justin and Kendall. I think a different technique would solve this issue - writing in the first person, or multi-focalisation - and this is exactly what she does in her next two books.Despite this minor criticism, the book is one of the very few that deal with bullying and with disturbed teenagers consumed by hate. It's a brave topic, and I see this author as a pioneering voice in SA young adult literature.
December 6, 2011
Fuse is an easy read with a relatively relatable plot. I'm not much of a YA fan so I'm not always sure how to rate YA fiction. I imagine that the book would work for a younger reader but I do think that a little more emotional emphasis could have been put on the relationship between the two brothers and I would have liked to feel a little more when it came to the bully/victim dynamic.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews