What do you think?
Rate this book
Darkest Night, Brightest Star
What makes a good man? Morgan Pickford isn't sure yet, but he's doing his best to find out, even though it's complicated. A life-affirming YA novel about fractured families, tough talk, masculinity, finding friendship and overturning expectations from an internationally acclaimed, bestselling Australian author.
Two things that are true and one that is a
I think my mother is dead and alive.
I think if I work hard I will be very good at something.
I've tried to please my dad but I don't think I ever will.
Thirteen-year-old Morgan lives with his dad and his older brother, Mitch. He hasn't heard from his mum since she left when he was two. He works hard on his football skills, striving to meet his father's high expectations and 'be a man'.
But what that means isn't always clear-cut. When Morgan makes a friend at school, gets injured in a game, and his long-lost mum turns up, everything changes. Then, when he meets an old woman in need of help, Morgan must decide what kind of man he wants to be.
Shining a timely and much-needed light on different kinds of masculinity, Darkest Night, Brightest Star is a unique and compelling novel from a masterful storyteller.
Two things that are true and one that is a
I think my mother is dead and alive.
I think if I work hard I will be very good at something.
I've tried to please my dad but I don't think I ever will.
Thirteen-year-old Morgan lives with his dad and his older brother, Mitch. He hasn't heard from his mum since she left when he was two. He works hard on his football skills, striving to meet his father's high expectations and 'be a man'.
But what that means isn't always clear-cut. When Morgan makes a friend at school, gets injured in a game, and his long-lost mum turns up, everything changes. Then, when he meets an old woman in need of help, Morgan must decide what kind of man he wants to be.
Shining a timely and much-needed light on different kinds of masculinity, Darkest Night, Brightest Star is a unique and compelling novel from a masterful storyteller.
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2025
About the author
Barry Jonsberg
43 books105 followersBarry Jonsberg is an Australian author and teacher originally from Liverpool, England. He holds degrees in English and Psychology from Liverpool University and moved to Australia in 1999. His debut novel, The Whole Business with Kiffo and the Pitbull, earned acclaim in 2005, and his follow-up, It’s Not All About YOU, Calma, won the 2006 South Australian Festival Award for Children’s Literature. Jonsberg has continued to receive numerous honors, including awards and shortlistings for Dreamrider, My Life as an Alphabet, A Little Spark, and Smoke & Mirrors, affirming his place in contemporary young adult literature.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 2, 2026
✰ 2.25 stars ✰
I was going to be generous, but then I thought life's too short to always be kind, so... To be perfectly fair, this was not all that. 🙎🏻♀️ It didn't develop into something more. It lacked a certain empathy and growth in the characters, esp. the protagonist, 13yo Morgan, that made it difficult for me to care.
Maybe because I didn't quite feel that any of the characters grew in any way. From Morgan's parents, to his own views, to his friendship with Gray - everything felt static, rather than expansive. 😕 Conflicts arose, challenges emerged, but I failed to see it impact Morgan in any real significant way.
“I think Morgan Pickford has a heart as big as a mountain, but he’s never had the opportunity to show it.’
I wish I could've seen it. 😮💨 For even during the slight instances in which it managed to show his more understanding and receptive side. But the writing and tone were so flat that when it tried to convey a heartfelt moment, it failed to have any heart to it.
The characters were also a little one-dimensional and, honestly, quite unlikeable. 😒 Toxic masculinity aside from his father's opinions, even Morgan's mom didn't quite stir any real sympathy from me. There was nothing compelling about them, even during the serious moments that had me feeling considerate towards their reactions.
“There’s nothing wrong with being scared, you know. It’s part of being human.”
And I never got a clear sense of the setting; the gardening business could've been inspirational in portraying Morgan's own personal convictions, but even that didn't come across convincing enough. I just felt such a disinterest and disconnect from his persona that maybe it translated into the writing, too - listless... 😑
I never felt him grow into that bright star out of the dark skies he was a part of. 🤷🏻♀️ I never felt for his emotions, which was oddly -- not frustrating, not even disappointing, just lackluster. I do have another book by the author to check out, so maybe this was a bad one-off, but I won't be too surprised if it ends up being a disappointment, too. 😔
“The darkest night produces the brightest stars.”
I was going to be generous, but then I thought life's too short to always be kind, so... To be perfectly fair, this was not all that. 🙎🏻♀️ It didn't develop into something more. It lacked a certain empathy and growth in the characters, esp. the protagonist, 13yo Morgan, that made it difficult for me to care.
Maybe because I didn't quite feel that any of the characters grew in any way. From Morgan's parents, to his own views, to his friendship with Gray - everything felt static, rather than expansive. 😕 Conflicts arose, challenges emerged, but I failed to see it impact Morgan in any real significant way.
“I think Morgan Pickford has a heart as big as a mountain, but he’s never had the opportunity to show it.’
I wish I could've seen it. 😮💨 For even during the slight instances in which it managed to show his more understanding and receptive side. But the writing and tone were so flat that when it tried to convey a heartfelt moment, it failed to have any heart to it.
The characters were also a little one-dimensional and, honestly, quite unlikeable. 😒 Toxic masculinity aside from his father's opinions, even Morgan's mom didn't quite stir any real sympathy from me. There was nothing compelling about them, even during the serious moments that had me feeling considerate towards their reactions.
“There’s nothing wrong with being scared, you know. It’s part of being human.”
And I never got a clear sense of the setting; the gardening business could've been inspirational in portraying Morgan's own personal convictions, but even that didn't come across convincing enough. I just felt such a disinterest and disconnect from his persona that maybe it translated into the writing, too - listless... 😑
I never felt him grow into that bright star out of the dark skies he was a part of. 🤷🏻♀️ I never felt for his emotions, which was oddly -- not frustrating, not even disappointing, just lackluster. I do have another book by the author to check out, so maybe this was a bad one-off, but I won't be too surprised if it ends up being a disappointment, too. 😔
June 29, 2025
Good story about toxic masculinity and the fallout from the manosphere. Not sure who I would pitch it to ... the people who need it might not find it appealing!
CW: slut shaming, homophobia, toxic masculinity
Y9
CW: slut shaming, homophobia, toxic masculinity
Y9
November 29, 2024
Another topical cracker from this author.
July 17, 2025
"I knew all about the darkest night but I also knew no star was ever going to appear."
I felt like this was simplistic and didactic. And Gray's friendship was utterly unrealistic. No one with self esteem, which Gray had, would put up with what Morgan did to him. Was it meant to contrast with what Morgan accepted from his Dad?
I'll see what my book group thinks next week.
May 14, 2026
1.5
I’m sorry. This had important messages and the right idea, but oh how the execution failed dismally.
CBCA books can be very hit and miss. This is probably one of the worst ones I’ve read. I have not been so angry at a book since I read Throne of Glass, they’re not even at all comparable, but yes, this is how angry I was at it. I wasn very close to DNF’ing it.
The misogyny, homophobia and toxic masculinity were there to make a point, but they took over the story to a disgusting degree and the characters hardly faced any repercussions for their deplorable actions. It was all ‘slut shaming is bad’ and ‘homophobia is bad’ without really explaining the true extent of the hurt it can cause.
And yes, Morgan was in a less than ideal situation, but how was he that ignorant and uneducated at thirteen!? There was no reasoning for this except to give him an excuse to parrot things he heard from his terrible brother and father without thinking at all what these things might do to other people.
The author came from a good place, but I fail to see how this was the best possible way to write about these issues. I don’t see how this could help people. It furthermore completely dismisses different identities. There was a horrible, derogatory line disregarding people who are non-binary that was not even brought up again! It was thrown in there to make a point and then forgotten about. If you are going to write about these issues, they need to be discussed properly. And just to top it all off, near the end of the book Morgan says “Gay people are all around. Who knew?” WHO KNEW!!? That’s it. Nothing about celebrating diversity and everyone for who they are. Nothing about what an absolutely marvellous, beautiful thing that is. That there is a whole entire world that exists outside of your conservative, bigoted and toxic household! It absolutely astounds me.
This book is just too simplistic and dismissive to do much good. So I apologise and I will end this there. For the people that enjoy this and find it worthwhile and meaningful, I respect that. But there are numerous other books out there that handle these topics far better, and I think this was, in short, an over glamorisation of the all-too-real issues of toxic masculinity.
I’m sorry. This had important messages and the right idea, but oh how the execution failed dismally.
CBCA books can be very hit and miss. This is probably one of the worst ones I’ve read. I have not been so angry at a book since I read Throne of Glass, they’re not even at all comparable, but yes, this is how angry I was at it. I wasn very close to DNF’ing it.
The misogyny, homophobia and toxic masculinity were there to make a point, but they took over the story to a disgusting degree and the characters hardly faced any repercussions for their deplorable actions. It was all ‘slut shaming is bad’ and ‘homophobia is bad’ without really explaining the true extent of the hurt it can cause.
And yes, Morgan was in a less than ideal situation, but how was he that ignorant and uneducated at thirteen!? There was no reasoning for this except to give him an excuse to parrot things he heard from his terrible brother and father without thinking at all what these things might do to other people.
The author came from a good place, but I fail to see how this was the best possible way to write about these issues. I don’t see how this could help people. It furthermore completely dismisses different identities. There was a horrible, derogatory line disregarding people who are non-binary that was not even brought up again! It was thrown in there to make a point and then forgotten about. If you are going to write about these issues, they need to be discussed properly. And just to top it all off, near the end of the book Morgan says “Gay people are all around. Who knew?” WHO KNEW!!? That’s it. Nothing about celebrating diversity and everyone for who they are. Nothing about what an absolutely marvellous, beautiful thing that is. That there is a whole entire world that exists outside of your conservative, bigoted and toxic household! It absolutely astounds me.
This book is just too simplistic and dismissive to do much good. So I apologise and I will end this there. For the people that enjoy this and find it worthwhile and meaningful, I respect that. But there are numerous other books out there that handle these topics far better, and I think this was, in short, an over glamorisation of the all-too-real issues of toxic masculinity.
July 17, 2026
I’m not going to sweeten it - this book beguiled and bludgeoned me as a reader.
The opening chapter is so good, I read it aloud to stage three classes. What an introduction to a character and story: two truths and a lie. Short, snappy and engaging.
But when I read on a few chapters later (the Dad chapter), I put this book on ice.
Shortlisted for the Older Readers Award for the 2026 Children’s Book Council, Australia, and the publisher identifying the target audience as 12-18 years old, scenes of coercion, brutal language (‘slut’, ‘homo’), and the bleakness of the protagonist’s situation makes me question the age of the intended audience (+12 years old?).
I do need to trot over and read the CBCA’s judges report to understand their decision.
An intriguing read with an uplifting ending.
The opening chapter is so good, I read it aloud to stage three classes. What an introduction to a character and story: two truths and a lie. Short, snappy and engaging.
But when I read on a few chapters later (the Dad chapter), I put this book on ice.
Shortlisted for the Older Readers Award for the 2026 Children’s Book Council, Australia, and the publisher identifying the target audience as 12-18 years old, scenes of coercion, brutal language (‘slut’, ‘homo’), and the bleakness of the protagonist’s situation makes me question the age of the intended audience (+12 years old?).
I do need to trot over and read the CBCA’s judges report to understand their decision.
An intriguing read with an uplifting ending.
May 5, 2026
This book was pretty. Like most YA it was bit cliched but I did love Morgan’s character development throughout the book and him finding his true identity, not one based off his dad
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2026
bad. implies graffiti is worse than homophobic hate crimes. would've been better if morgan was queer. he had no arc
April 21, 2026
Read this in one sitting. What a charm this book was! I love the messages and the character's interactions. It's a tale about growing up surrounded by toxic role-models of masculinity and the main character, a 13-year-old boy named Morgan, trying to please his dad by going along with his grueling soccer training to become a pro player and find his place in the world.
The swearing, homophobia, casual misogyny and deep-rooted insecurity seen in the father and brother character is something that is unfortunately growing amongst Aussie youths, particulalry in young men. This book characterises these figures tastefully and maintains the message that these ideologies are harmful and negative while also keeping it realistic and telling a meaningful story.
The characters will stick with me long after reading. I treasure Morgan and Gray's friendship. Sometimes a shoulder to lean on is all you need to find your balance again.
The swearing, homophobia, casual misogyny and deep-rooted insecurity seen in the father and brother character is something that is unfortunately growing amongst Aussie youths, particulalry in young men. This book characterises these figures tastefully and maintains the message that these ideologies are harmful and negative while also keeping it realistic and telling a meaningful story.
The characters will stick with me long after reading. I treasure Morgan and Gray's friendship. Sometimes a shoulder to lean on is all you need to find your balance again.
May 31, 2025
Some interesting exploration of the challenges of being a teenage boy, especially when surrounded by nasty expectations of how to treat women and feeling outside of the academic world at school. Morgan’s world isn’t a very nice one and this shows him trying to find ways to navigate it. Jonsberg has written some great books developing interesting and unusual characters, although this one wouldn’t be my favourite.
July 16, 2026
Morgan is a 13 year old kid who lives with his dad and older brother after his Mum left when he was 2. His dad is overbearing and a bully, forcing Morgan to play soccer constantly and to be the kind of man his Dad thinks is right. He is emotionally abusive and this has led to Morgan becoming an anxious boy, with very few friends and little time for anything in his life outside of soccer.
Morgan makes one friend, Gray, who is remarkably mature and persistent for a boy his age - especially given how Morgan treats him and his inability to even hold a conversation. Largely through Gray, Morgan slowly starts to understand who he is and how to stand up for what he wants. Gray sees a kindred spirit in Morgan and wants to help him be comfortable with himself.
Amongst all this, Morgan's Mum comes back into his life. She had been gone since he was 2, with no contact. She was 'dead to them' as Morgan's Dad firmly told him. She explains to Morgan why she left, which was because of the emotional abuse from his Dad. At the end of their discussion, Morgan articulates exactly what I was thinking - "you didn't take us... You could have taken us with you."
The Dad is such an unrelenting character, it seemed over the top at times. While this is set in the current day, he came across like a stereotypical Dad from the 70s. Boys are meant to be tough and not being interested in sport, showing your feelings, being scared or not standing up for yourself automatically makes you 'a fairy'. He doesn't value teachers or education, and is a Stolen Generations denier. We are supposed to dislike him, but I just found his depiction a bit heavy handed.
Overall, an interesting coming of age novel. I read this as I have enjoyed some of Jonsberg's other novels, and I wanted to understand if this was suitable for my primary school library. I enjoyed the read, but think this is best suited for early-mid high school, where it is set.
ps - some feedback for the publisher. My daughter was horrified to see that a typo had made it's way through the proofreading process. Typo's are not unusual - but this one is on the book's spine and is the title of the novel!
Morgan makes one friend, Gray, who is remarkably mature and persistent for a boy his age - especially given how Morgan treats him and his inability to even hold a conversation. Largely through Gray, Morgan slowly starts to understand who he is and how to stand up for what he wants. Gray sees a kindred spirit in Morgan and wants to help him be comfortable with himself.
Amongst all this, Morgan's Mum comes back into his life. She had been gone since he was 2, with no contact. She was 'dead to them' as Morgan's Dad firmly told him. She explains to Morgan why she left, which was because of the emotional abuse from his Dad. At the end of their discussion, Morgan articulates exactly what I was thinking - "you didn't take us... You could have taken us with you."
The Dad is such an unrelenting character, it seemed over the top at times. While this is set in the current day, he came across like a stereotypical Dad from the 70s. Boys are meant to be tough and not being interested in sport, showing your feelings, being scared or not standing up for yourself automatically makes you 'a fairy'. He doesn't value teachers or education, and is a Stolen Generations denier. We are supposed to dislike him, but I just found his depiction a bit heavy handed.
Overall, an interesting coming of age novel. I read this as I have enjoyed some of Jonsberg's other novels, and I wanted to understand if this was suitable for my primary school library. I enjoyed the read, but think this is best suited for early-mid high school, where it is set.
ps - some feedback for the publisher. My daughter was horrified to see that a typo had made it's way through the proofreading process. Typo's are not unusual - but this one is on the book's spine and is the title of the novel!
April 20, 2025
Thirteen-year-old Morgan lives with his dad and his older brother, Mitch. He hasn't heard from his mum since she left when he was two. He works hard on his football skills, striving to meet his father's high expectations and 'be a man'. But what that means isn't always clear-cut.
This was another powerful middle grade from Barry Jonsberg, this time covering the topic of toxic masculinity. I’m sure we’ve all seen glimpses of the scenarios covered here playing in real life.
Morgan was such a sweet, kind-hearted boy/young man, who just wanted to find his place in the world. My heart ached for him as I could see the toxicity eroding his experience with football. He had the talent for it, and it could’ve been something that brought tremendous joy for him but instead it was associated with too much negativity.
I loved following his coming-of-age journey here, especially seeing him building connections with unlikely ‘friends’ who didn’t fit his dad’s definition of being ‘manly’. This book made me feel and evaluate things. Loved it.
(Thanks to Allen & Unwin for a gifted review copy)
See my bookstagram review.
This was another powerful middle grade from Barry Jonsberg, this time covering the topic of toxic masculinity. I’m sure we’ve all seen glimpses of the scenarios covered here playing in real life.
Morgan was such a sweet, kind-hearted boy/young man, who just wanted to find his place in the world. My heart ached for him as I could see the toxicity eroding his experience with football. He had the talent for it, and it could’ve been something that brought tremendous joy for him but instead it was associated with too much negativity.
I loved following his coming-of-age journey here, especially seeing him building connections with unlikely ‘friends’ who didn’t fit his dad’s definition of being ‘manly’. This book made me feel and evaluate things. Loved it.
(Thanks to Allen & Unwin for a gifted review copy)
See my bookstagram review.
August 2, 2026
A sweet story about a boy who doesn't know who he is. His dad has told him he will be a soccer player, and that school doesn't matter, but when this starts to fall apart there is a bit of a turning point which is when most of the story takes place. I am still not sure what to think of the main character. It was interesting hearing the story from his perspective when he clearly wasn't sure what he thought about himself. I would have liked to see some more self discovery on his part, but then that might not have been right for him either. I feel like teens who are feeling a bit lost themselves might start to see themselves in this book and perhaps that's more the point of it. The father as a character felt a bit over the top but also probably more realistic than I would like to think is possible. The story left many things unfinished but was ultimately hopeful.
Themes of identity, including sexual/gender identity, self-discipline, mental health, dementia, soccer/sport, family, love, happiness and education.
Things to be mindful of: family violence (verbal), some swearing.
Themes of identity, including sexual/gender identity, self-discipline, mental health, dementia, soccer/sport, family, love, happiness and education.
Things to be mindful of: family violence (verbal), some swearing.
July 30, 2025
Morgan's dad and older brother Mitch are prime examples of toxic masculinity in action. Morgan knows he doesn't want to work hard enough to be the 'best' footballer, but his dad has other ideas and Morgan isn't able to voice his thoughts. But when Morgan crosses paths with his mother (who he'd believed was dead), makes a friend in Gray, and is on the receiving end of his brother's bad temper, his behaviour changes to the point he begins to question what sort of person he really wants to be. Important themes are delivered well in this short junior YA novel. However I felt Morgan's mother felt more like a means to advance the plot rather than a character in her own right. A good book for school library collections.
April 7, 2026
a very meaningful story about toxic masculinity that had me hooked from the first page.
this book is a bit of an everything burger in that it has the topics of homophobia, violence, slut shaming, absent parents, poor mental health/suicide ideation, dementia and of course toxic masculinity on top of all. theres a lot to take in!!
therefore, this couldve been a very heavy story but barry jonsberg wins by making it more digestible - it was not a super overwhelming book.
my heart did break for morgan as we see his father’s influence break into his life. i also hope he and gray’s friendship continues to grow and flourish.
all in all i loved this story!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
this book is a bit of an everything burger in that it has the topics of homophobia, violence, slut shaming, absent parents, poor mental health/suicide ideation, dementia and of course toxic masculinity on top of all. theres a lot to take in!!
therefore, this couldve been a very heavy story but barry jonsberg wins by making it more digestible - it was not a super overwhelming book.
my heart did break for morgan as we see his father’s influence break into his life. i also hope he and gray’s friendship continues to grow and flourish.
all in all i loved this story!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 17, 2026
I didn’t hate it entirely, but I didn’t enjoy it either. There’s no growth and Morgan basically has zero personality. Nothing he does has any consequence, there’s no comeuppance for anybody, and nobody learns anything. They just become slightly less horrible people through no fault of their own in some cases. If you didn’t actually already thing slut shaming, homophobic and racist remarks are bad, this book doesn’t really persuade you otherwise. It just normalises their use with no consequences. We have one side character screaming out they are bad, and the rest reinforcing that it’s normal. No why it’s bad, or hurtful, or leads to bigger things. It’s a unique one to be sure, but I’m not sure it did what it set out to do.
May 16, 2026
Written for a male audience to explore toxic masculinity. It has other themes of finding your passion, care for elderly and the difficulty of traditional schooling. 13yo Morgan is a resilient teenager who mostly keeps his mouth shut to avoid his Dad's anger. But as Morgan gets older and starts playing soccer, he meets an outsider boy Grey who challenges his ideas. There's a nod to Gardening Australia. The challenging father son relationship is very authentic. A book that hopefully finds the right reader.
June 14, 2026
This book was written so beautifully and the pace was pretty fast as I read it in one sitting. I loved the characters and how Morgan and Gray’s friendship grew throughout the novel. It was very fascinating seeing how the thoughts formed in Morgan’s head and how a household can have so much influence over a growing teen. I really enjoyed reading this novel and it just gave me such a new perspective on how people can look at things:) The ending was so sweeeet and I’m so proud of both Morgan and Gray!!!
April 13, 2026
Morgan has a controlling, chauvinistic and aggressive father - toxic masculinity in droves - and is drilled to become a star soccer player. But his life is complicated and friendless until Gray takes him under his wing.
A compelling story of growing up, seeking your own identify and learning to express your thoughts and feelings. Short easy read with lots of messages.
CBCA 2026 Older Reader Notable title.
CBCA 2025 Older Reader Shortlist title.
A compelling story of growing up, seeking your own identify and learning to express your thoughts and feelings. Short easy read with lots of messages.
CBCA 2026 Older Reader Notable title.
CBCA 2025 Older Reader Shortlist title.
June 23, 2026
Shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers 2026. What a beautiful novel.
Growing up with a VERY controlling dad, Morgan is completely overwhelmed and has never learned to think for himself. A new friend, Gray, opens his eyes to looking at himself with new eyes. A great coming of age story for young teens. Although very sensitively dealt with, having a gay friend may rule this out for use in some Christian schools.
Growing up with a VERY controlling dad, Morgan is completely overwhelmed and has never learned to think for himself. A new friend, Gray, opens his eyes to looking at himself with new eyes. A great coming of age story for young teens. Although very sensitively dealt with, having a gay friend may rule this out for use in some Christian schools.
June 27, 2026
This was definetly a new plot that I have never tried before,I don't think I love it or hate it.
I do know that it wasn't a type of book I would want to read again.
I think it was pretty fast paced and it didn't really take long to finish, so that was a positive.
The plot of going through a ordinary character's (Morgan) life, was especially not great in this book personally for me.
I don't really love this book, mainly because the main character's decisions/choices just don't feel good.
I do know that it wasn't a type of book I would want to read again.
I think it was pretty fast paced and it didn't really take long to finish, so that was a positive.
The plot of going through a ordinary character's (Morgan) life, was especially not great in this book personally for me.
I don't really love this book, mainly because the main character's decisions/choices just don't feel good.
July 24, 2025
A really lovely exploration of a protagonist we don’t get to hear from very often. Morgan was very well-written and I loved the way the author explored his navigation of his own developing values in opposition to his father and brothers’.
I think I have a better understanding of some of my students after reading this book.
There were some threads left untied, but that’s life, I guess!
I think I have a better understanding of some of my students after reading this book.
There were some threads left untied, but that’s life, I guess!
September 10, 2025
A powerful and revelant novel that shines a light on toxic masculinity and misogny.
Morgan must try and find his place in the world amongst the choas when his own beliefs are far from what his family believe and show.
A really important novel for young people to read.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Morgan must try and find his place in the world amongst the choas when his own beliefs are far from what his family believe and show.
A really important novel for young people to read.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 7, 2025
An Australian title diving straight into ugliness of the misogynistic world of a young boy growing up with his father and brother. Struggling with the expectations of that world he has to hit the bottom before he can start working his way to finding himself. Some quite confronting stuff but an important read.
February 11, 2026
4.75 stars
This was so good!! Something about it really called to me, and I could not stop reading once I picked it up. It's a quiet book, but full of so many emotional and poignant moments. I can see this on a required reading list for young teenagers - in fact it should be.
Received as a gift from Allen & Unwin, but all opinions are my own.
This was so good!! Something about it really called to me, and I could not stop reading once I picked it up. It's a quiet book, but full of so many emotional and poignant moments. I can see this on a required reading list for young teenagers - in fact it should be.
Received as a gift from Allen & Unwin, but all opinions are my own.
March 14, 2026
This was an interesting and thoughtful book, with a stunningly inarticulate main character that my heart bled for.
However, it was also overly "issues" based, with subjects like gayness, toxic masculinity, dementia care, absent parents, working class culture all touched upon ... so basically about 3 books in one, which felt like over-egging the pudding somewhat.
However, it was also overly "issues" based, with subjects like gayness, toxic masculinity, dementia care, absent parents, working class culture all touched upon ... so basically about 3 books in one, which felt like over-egging the pudding somewhat.
February 9, 2025
Great YA novel about living in a house brimming with toxic masculinity, yet told with an essence of sensitivity. Beautiful young narrator trying to find his voice and his place amongst it all.
Read by Suzie
Read by Suzie
April 19, 2025
One of my favourite authors and although he has created yet another loveable main character here, I didn't get enough of his usual heartwarming moments. I was really quite depressed and wanted to change so much about what Morgan experienced. Heartbreaking.
June 23, 2025
This story is not altogether an easy read. There is pathos and heart but it takes some time to find. Life is not easy for some kids and Morgan has more than enough o deal with as a 13 year old. I did enjoy it by the end. But definitely more suited to late than early teens I think.
July 22, 2025
Barry Jonsberg is one of my favourite authors. He has a deep understanding of different people - well, in the end, aren't we all different? That is an amazing thing about a living thing. Barry helps readers see that. He shows such empathy and love for all human kinds.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews