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One Step
Hilariously funny yet painfully poignant, this is a powerful and insightful story from a well-loved Australian writer. Dylan is struggling. He’s struggling with the acne that has declared war on his face, struggling with his pushy younger sister, with his nagging mum and his dad who never has time for him anymore, struggling with his old phone-me-down and struggling with his constant preoccupation with girls, and what might happen if he manages to snag one?
Struggling, but surviving. But when Dylan’s creative-writing piece is read out in class, it sets off a chain of events that sends him on a frantic roller-coaster of emotions culminating in a revelation that could make or break his survival.
Struggling, but surviving. But when Dylan’s creative-writing piece is read out in class, it sets off a chain of events that sends him on a frantic roller-coaster of emotions culminating in a revelation that could make or break his survival.
Audible Audio
First published June 27, 2016
5 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Daddo
48 books11 followersBorn Andrew Dugald Daddo with twin James Beilby. School included "broken arms and fingers, scrapes and scratches, girlfriends, hot chips and a football team that refused to win a premiership." Careers included radio, TV - DVDs for GlobeTrekker. "He has written books for all ages – picture books, chapter books, short story collections, young adult novels and adult non-fiction." He "lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with" .. seven others "if you include our chicken Spite and thirteen if you include those pesky Indian Miner Birds who sneak in the crack in the window to eat what Spud the Dog, Felix, Bibi or Jasper (our kids) or Jacquie (my wife) leave lying around." https://www.facebook.com/andrew.daddo.16
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
September 13, 2019
Andrew Daddo has created a brutal and authentic rendering of bullying and its consequences. This novel is equal parts gritty and poignant.
It was painful listening to Dylan's struggles with no support forthcoming. For a lad with so much heart - what happened to him was heartbreaking. Damn you, Daddo and your gut punching honesty, you broke me.
It was painful listening to Dylan's struggles with no support forthcoming. For a lad with so much heart - what happened to him was heartbreaking. Damn you, Daddo and your gut punching honesty, you broke me.
October 19, 2016
If you take anything away from this review please let it be this. If you're in the school system or if you know of young boys who are dealing with bullying or anything of the sort, please recommend this book to them. Sometimes all you need is to know you're not alone.
More of my reviews can be found at Le Book Chronicles
I saw this book in BIG W the other day, and after reading the blurb I felt like it was something I could really relate to. And it was on so many levels. Basically, this story is a classic case of high school bullying. Except for once, it’s a boy being bullied. I feel like this is important because often you read books about girls being bullied, but rarely do you see from the boy’s perspective. Being from the boy’s perspective, you also get to see a different side to bullying. This may be stereotypical of me to say, but boys often don’t let their feelings out, or more likely they aren’t given the opportunity to do so. This is shown all throughout the book and it really made me feel for Dylan. So many times he wanted to talk about what was happening to him at school, or at home, and every time he was either told he had to be tough as he was a man, or he felt like his problems weren’t valid.
I really connected to Dylan in this story. Many of the issues he faced were things I had personally experienced in high school, so for me this was very relatable. I do feel like this book is geared more towards boys than girls as it definitely goes into detail about “boy things”. Having said that, I think it is very eye opening and therefore, girls would benefit from reading this book too.
Now, yes I do think this book is important, and yes I think many young people should read it. However, I did feel like the plot was quite flat. Nothing really exciting happened to keep me completely interested in the story, and I can’t really see many boys being interested in reading it because of that. I feel like that is probably sexist, but it’s true. There was no big plot twist, it was just a plain story about a 15 year old kid.
There’s not much else I can add without repeating myself or giving away plot points. This book deals with some sensitive issues, that aren’t commonly spoken about. I think this would be a good book for high school health class in year 9 or 10, particularly for boys as this book addresses all of the issues that they would be facing in that time of their lives. So overall, I do recommend this. I probably would recommend this to more boys than girls, but since the majority of my readers are girls between the ages of 18-24 I am not sure this book would be what you’re looking for. But if you know a young boy who might be dealing with bullying, or have any issues I highly suggest you recommend them this book.
Rating: 3.5/5
More of my reviews can be found at Le Book Chronicles
I saw this book in BIG W the other day, and after reading the blurb I felt like it was something I could really relate to. And it was on so many levels. Basically, this story is a classic case of high school bullying. Except for once, it’s a boy being bullied. I feel like this is important because often you read books about girls being bullied, but rarely do you see from the boy’s perspective. Being from the boy’s perspective, you also get to see a different side to bullying. This may be stereotypical of me to say, but boys often don’t let their feelings out, or more likely they aren’t given the opportunity to do so. This is shown all throughout the book and it really made me feel for Dylan. So many times he wanted to talk about what was happening to him at school, or at home, and every time he was either told he had to be tough as he was a man, or he felt like his problems weren’t valid.
I really connected to Dylan in this story. Many of the issues he faced were things I had personally experienced in high school, so for me this was very relatable. I do feel like this book is geared more towards boys than girls as it definitely goes into detail about “boy things”. Having said that, I think it is very eye opening and therefore, girls would benefit from reading this book too.
Now, yes I do think this book is important, and yes I think many young people should read it. However, I did feel like the plot was quite flat. Nothing really exciting happened to keep me completely interested in the story, and I can’t really see many boys being interested in reading it because of that. I feel like that is probably sexist, but it’s true. There was no big plot twist, it was just a plain story about a 15 year old kid.
There’s not much else I can add without repeating myself or giving away plot points. This book deals with some sensitive issues, that aren’t commonly spoken about. I think this would be a good book for high school health class in year 9 or 10, particularly for boys as this book addresses all of the issues that they would be facing in that time of their lives. So overall, I do recommend this. I probably would recommend this to more boys than girls, but since the majority of my readers are girls between the ages of 18-24 I am not sure this book would be what you’re looking for. But if you know a young boy who might be dealing with bullying, or have any issues I highly suggest you recommend them this book.
Rating: 3.5/5
August 18, 2016
i was pleasantly surprised by this book because at first i didn't like the main character or any of the other characters but as i was reading the story it grew on me and i ended up enjoying the story towards the end.
we read from dylans point of view and we begin with him making the decision wether or not to jump and ultimately kill himself. so we are taken back to before it happened and we get an insight to why and what lead dylan to do what he did. I think there were many factors into why he got up there and almost did what he did but i'm glad in the end that he chose not to do it.
The book was a little slow to begin with but as i said it got better and i ended up enjoying the book which was a surprise to me
we read from dylans point of view and we begin with him making the decision wether or not to jump and ultimately kill himself. so we are taken back to before it happened and we get an insight to why and what lead dylan to do what he did. I think there were many factors into why he got up there and almost did what he did but i'm glad in the end that he chose not to do it.
The book was a little slow to begin with but as i said it got better and i ended up enjoying the book which was a surprise to me
September 14, 2016
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Dylan’s life so far has been pretty uninteresting. He likes girls, he does swim diving and he has a sort of best friend. When his writing is read out in class, and the bully takes it out on him, Dylan’s life could take a turn for the better or the worse.
This novel was particularly pertinent to me when I read it, as I had just shown a group of year 9 students around my university. It’s so easy to be mean to other people without even thinking about it.
There’s so much I want to say about this novel, yet at the same time I don’t want the reader to go into this with any expectations for what the novel ‘should’ explore. Just let me say it should be considered as essential on high school reading lists.
The ending! The ending killed me. It happened so suddenly without warning. Looking back over the storyline, I don’t think I saw it coming – and I think that is what Daddo is trying to convey. HIgh school is hard, and bullying is bad, and sometimes things just don’t turn out how you expect.
4 stars from me. Students should be reading this in early high school and start thinking about how their actions offend others.
Dylan’s life so far has been pretty uninteresting. He likes girls, he does swim diving and he has a sort of best friend. When his writing is read out in class, and the bully takes it out on him, Dylan’s life could take a turn for the better or the worse.
This novel was particularly pertinent to me when I read it, as I had just shown a group of year 9 students around my university. It’s so easy to be mean to other people without even thinking about it.
There’s so much I want to say about this novel, yet at the same time I don’t want the reader to go into this with any expectations for what the novel ‘should’ explore. Just let me say it should be considered as essential on high school reading lists.
The ending! The ending killed me. It happened so suddenly without warning. Looking back over the storyline, I don’t think I saw it coming – and I think that is what Daddo is trying to convey. HIgh school is hard, and bullying is bad, and sometimes things just don’t turn out how you expect.
4 stars from me. Students should be reading this in early high school and start thinking about how their actions offend others.
August 4, 2016
This book surprised me because I think it got under my skin a bit. It opens with the main character Dylan, considering if he should take the One Step required to end his life and then goes back to the events that led up to that moment.
It's a sad book, Dylan's emotions are so well written and believable. I think any person who is or has been a teenager could relate to some of his thoughts - especially that feeling of looking into a mirror and just hating what you see. It took me back to some of those awkward and miserable experiences of being a teenager that I had forgotten about (thanks for that Daddo ...!!).
Dylan ends up in quite a few unfortunate situations, that could be funny, but are not because of how Dylan reacts and internalises everything. I felt Dylan's frustrations with his mother, even though she was trying. I think it could be a good book for mothers of teenage boys to read because you actually get into the head of a 15 year old (albeit a depressed one).
I'd be careful recommending this one to students, mostly due to suicide themes and . I would say mature Year 9 + - would be good for older developing readers as it is short and engaging.
It's a sad book, Dylan's emotions are so well written and believable. I think any person who is or has been a teenager could relate to some of his thoughts - especially that feeling of looking into a mirror and just hating what you see. It took me back to some of those awkward and miserable experiences of being a teenager that I had forgotten about (thanks for that Daddo ...!!).
Dylan ends up in quite a few unfortunate situations, that could be funny, but are not because of how Dylan reacts and internalises everything. I felt Dylan's frustrations with his mother, even though she was trying. I think it could be a good book for mothers of teenage boys to read because you actually get into the head of a 15 year old (albeit a depressed one).
I'd be careful recommending this one to students, mostly due to suicide themes and . I would say mature Year 9 + - would be good for older developing readers as it is short and engaging.
November 14, 2017
My beautiful writerly daughter passes on to me the best of her reading of YA. She knows what I enjoy, so she rarely lets me down regarding that. A ten day cruise to the South Pacific was the ideal time to enjoyably plough through several of her recommendations – Andrew Daddo's 'One Step' and JC Burke's 'The Things We Promise'. I knew, from the experience of my first time on an ocean liner, deliberately eschewing social media for the duration and finding a quiet sunny spot on board, that being there with a book in hand is bliss. Last time I ran out before the cruise ended and had to stock up on a shore excursion. This time I ensured I had enough along, but it was a close run thing.
The Daddo family have been big names in the popular culture of our country and as it seems almost obligatory for celebrities to try their hand at this writing caper, why should a Daddo be any exception? Most go for the biography or memoir, often ghost written – but a few have had a go at writing for kids, many – you can probably name them, as could I – have made a fair fist of it. Andrew Daddo is no exception – he has obviously found another calling to add to his talents. Name recognition possibly gives him a head start, but he needs the talent to back it up. Daddo has it on the evidence of 'One Step'. The mood of dread he created as his tale headed towards its conclusion convinced me.
A constant theme in YA is the scourge of schoolyard bullying, a fact the main protagonist of this tome, Dylan, knows only too well. Just when he thinks he's making progress in the girlfriend department (he's finally been noticed by Gracie), despite his constant battles with an acne-ravaged face, along comes his arch-nemesis, Hamish Banning, to make his life hell. The situation is not helped by his best buddy going all weird on him. Dylan thinks, though, an invitation to a party will see him finally become part of the cool set and he'll be able to hang out with the object of his desire. But all is not as it seems, with disastrous results. With his self opinion plunging, not assisted by his worrisome parents and the embarrassment of actually being good at something (creative writing) preying on his mind, where can a lad seek refuge. The answer doesn't make for pleasant reading.
Some reviewers have stated the necessity for parents of teenagers to engage with the books of 'One Step's' ilk being currently written for that age group. This is to better understand what's going on in the lives of young people at such a critical age. It is perhaps a forlorn hope, even if they are as immensely enjoyable as anything written for older age brackets. So if it's Daddo for the lads, then a worthy recommendation for the lasses would be JC Burke, even if the title under discussion here is set back in the Nineties.
Ms Burke has been around for a while now, perfecting her wordsmithery. 'The Things We Promise' takes us back to a time when the Grim Reaper was instilling fear into communities all around Oz. It was a period when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was getting into full gear. Gemma gets swept up in it all because her brother, Billy, is gay and at the epicentre of events in NYC, plying his trade as a make-up artist. He has promised to return home to work his wonders on his sister's face for her leavers' dinner.
We forget the impact the then deadly outcomes of this invidious disease had on the world. When this author discovered that her own offspring had little idea about it all, now we're into the second decade of a new century, she decided a novel was the best way of informing today's teens. Into it she has woven the confusions afflicting tender souls in those years when one comes of age – the same issues largely as the present, minus the impact of hand held digital devices. With the recent plebiscite, homophobia has again crawled out form the gutters, so 'The Things We Promise' is a timely tome. And it is also a reminder of how far we have come, in the positive sense. But ignorance still abounds, just as it did back in Gemma's day. She's a spirited lead character and as the waves rolled by, with the sun soaking this body that was fresh from the icebox that had been Hobart this winter on that sunny cruise, I immensely enjoyed this young lady's journey. So I took two good 'uns on the cruise with me. Ta muchly darling daughter.
The Daddo family have been big names in the popular culture of our country and as it seems almost obligatory for celebrities to try their hand at this writing caper, why should a Daddo be any exception? Most go for the biography or memoir, often ghost written – but a few have had a go at writing for kids, many – you can probably name them, as could I – have made a fair fist of it. Andrew Daddo is no exception – he has obviously found another calling to add to his talents. Name recognition possibly gives him a head start, but he needs the talent to back it up. Daddo has it on the evidence of 'One Step'. The mood of dread he created as his tale headed towards its conclusion convinced me.
A constant theme in YA is the scourge of schoolyard bullying, a fact the main protagonist of this tome, Dylan, knows only too well. Just when he thinks he's making progress in the girlfriend department (he's finally been noticed by Gracie), despite his constant battles with an acne-ravaged face, along comes his arch-nemesis, Hamish Banning, to make his life hell. The situation is not helped by his best buddy going all weird on him. Dylan thinks, though, an invitation to a party will see him finally become part of the cool set and he'll be able to hang out with the object of his desire. But all is not as it seems, with disastrous results. With his self opinion plunging, not assisted by his worrisome parents and the embarrassment of actually being good at something (creative writing) preying on his mind, where can a lad seek refuge. The answer doesn't make for pleasant reading.
Some reviewers have stated the necessity for parents of teenagers to engage with the books of 'One Step's' ilk being currently written for that age group. This is to better understand what's going on in the lives of young people at such a critical age. It is perhaps a forlorn hope, even if they are as immensely enjoyable as anything written for older age brackets. So if it's Daddo for the lads, then a worthy recommendation for the lasses would be JC Burke, even if the title under discussion here is set back in the Nineties.
Ms Burke has been around for a while now, perfecting her wordsmithery. 'The Things We Promise' takes us back to a time when the Grim Reaper was instilling fear into communities all around Oz. It was a period when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was getting into full gear. Gemma gets swept up in it all because her brother, Billy, is gay and at the epicentre of events in NYC, plying his trade as a make-up artist. He has promised to return home to work his wonders on his sister's face for her leavers' dinner.
We forget the impact the then deadly outcomes of this invidious disease had on the world. When this author discovered that her own offspring had little idea about it all, now we're into the second decade of a new century, she decided a novel was the best way of informing today's teens. Into it she has woven the confusions afflicting tender souls in those years when one comes of age – the same issues largely as the present, minus the impact of hand held digital devices. With the recent plebiscite, homophobia has again crawled out form the gutters, so 'The Things We Promise' is a timely tome. And it is also a reminder of how far we have come, in the positive sense. But ignorance still abounds, just as it did back in Gemma's day. She's a spirited lead character and as the waves rolled by, with the sun soaking this body that was fresh from the icebox that had been Hobart this winter on that sunny cruise, I immensely enjoyed this young lady's journey. So I took two good 'uns on the cruise with me. Ta muchly darling daughter.
January 27, 2019
I think Daddo had a really interesting idea with this book but I’m not sure it was successful. Certainly, for me, the crucial element of any book is to make me care. And it was important for the reader to care about Dylan. Otherwise his experiences of bullying were never going to elicit sympathy. The blurb promised a roller coaster of emotions but the book actually delivered a relentless sequence of implausible events and, most infuriatingly, parents who are more than just clueless, they are, in fact, cruel in their persistent poor treatment of their son, which muddied the peer pressure bullying aspect of the narrative - perhaps Daddo was aiming for nastiness from every direction but it was too much in my opinion. Overall, this is a nasty book about nasty people with no sense of a resolution or of any hope. I think Daddo had good intentions, but this one didn’t work for me and I couldn’t/wouldn’t recommend it to students.
May 28, 2017
This book made me feel angry and sick. The main character is being bullied and is so naive he doesn't always realise it. He tried to convince himself that it's all a joke but gradually the realisation of the cruelty sets in. It is a reminder of how badly teenagers can behave when some in a group are too powerful. By the end of this book the boy considers suicide. Sadly I think this book reflects the experiences of some of our young people. The parents contribute to the situation because they are in the midst of a breakup- the Dad is dishonest and gives no support to his son. Mum is trying to come to terms with her husband's betrayal. They miss the signs that all is not well in their son's life.
December 10, 2018
An outstanding and beautiful book that hits the mark with the angst and confused voice of a adolescent male.
Highly recommended for 13+.
As an audio book the author Andrew Daddo was the perfect narrator.
Brilliant. Seriously.
Highly recommended for 13+.
As an audio book the author Andrew Daddo was the perfect narrator.
Brilliant. Seriously.
March 1, 2018
This book was riveting and very realistic. I felt for Dylan and at time was sobbing. I would recommend this book to anyone, but I suggest having a box of tissues handy.
October 29, 2020
Listened to the audio version narrated by the author himself. Good job Daddo!
Aussie author and media personality Andrew Daddo presents his readers with a young adult novel about a teenager struggling with acne, bullying and a few other sensitive issues.
Dylan’s relationship with his parents was virtually nil, his mum tried but mostly in an embarrassing way.
The one minor niggle I had while reading this book was that 15 year old Dylan was constantly told by his parents that it’s his job to look out for his sister. Umm, nope, it really isn’t, it’s the parents responsibility.
Not an easy read but an important one for teenagers and their parents.
Aussie author and media personality Andrew Daddo presents his readers with a young adult novel about a teenager struggling with acne, bullying and a few other sensitive issues.
Dylan’s relationship with his parents was virtually nil, his mum tried but mostly in an embarrassing way.
The one minor niggle I had while reading this book was that 15 year old Dylan was constantly told by his parents that it’s his job to look out for his sister. Umm, nope, it really isn’t, it’s the parents responsibility.
Not an easy read but an important one for teenagers and their parents.
December 29, 2020
Took me awhile to finish this book and its only 238 pages. Don't get me wrong it was good but I didn't really like the main character, I guess I just can't get into a mind of a 15 year old if that was even if I thought about that stuff back then.
There were boring bits in it that I skimmed over. The book was about how he has trouble with his acne but you see he only worries about it in the first few chapters before you don't hear about it again.
The ending was good but I kinda wanted to know what happened after. Like does Ryan try to fix things? How'd he explain himself? Does he leave school? I feel his parents wouldn't let him. It was a good ending but I would've liked to see how everything went after that.
There were boring bits in it that I skimmed over. The book was about how he has trouble with his acne but you see he only worries about it in the first few chapters before you don't hear about it again.
The ending was good but I kinda wanted to know what happened after. Like does Ryan try to fix things? How'd he explain himself? Does he leave school? I feel his parents wouldn't let him. It was a good ending but I would've liked to see how everything went after that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2017
*3.5/5
I actually didn't really like the main character that much, (but I might have a thing about reading contemporaries with male teenagers as the main character) but the main point of the story is definitely very important.
If you take anything away from this book make sure it's this: What might be joking around to you and/or your friends could actually be something that is completely damaging and hurtful to others.
I actually didn't really like the main character that much, (but I might have a thing about reading contemporaries with male teenagers as the main character) but the main point of the story is definitely very important.
If you take anything away from this book make sure it's this: What might be joking around to you and/or your friends could actually be something that is completely damaging and hurtful to others.
January 30, 2025
A very well written story reminding us of the impact we have on others. Bullying does not always come in one form. It also reminds us of the importance of your role as a parent and the emotional connection with each individual child. Being a teenager in this time of social media is especially challenging.
April 15, 2021
A shock ending that gives totally new meaning to the title but the whole time reading I couldn’t stop thinking that the main character is not really a teenager, he’s what a middle aged man thinks a teenager is.
March 26, 2019
raw, hard to read at times, heartbreaking
Read
April 3, 2020traumatising
November 23, 2016
Having faced bullying as a teenager I’ve always been attracted to novels that tackle the topic. The feeling of dreading going to school and worrying how to fit in can be all consuming, heck, being a teenager is all consuming, which is why I think that novels like One Step are so important for young adults to read as the situations in it are all too real for so many.
Dylan is your typical teenage boy. He worries about his looks, thinks about the opposite sex constantly and finds his parents unbearable at times, (who are also on the brink of separating, thanks to his hopeless dad having an affair) while in other moments wishing they would show him some affection. And, like so many teenagers, Dylan is bullied at school. It only takes one person to make your life a living hell and Hamish Banning is Dylan’s one person. While life with Hamish wasn’t always bad, a comment here, a trip there, it all comes to a head when Dylan, unintentionally, causes humiliation to Hamish in English class, and Dylan must pay.
In a brutal locker room scenario, Dylan is seriously injured by being strung up by his daks and suffers bleeding and severe bruising in his rear. Whilst trying to study his rear injury by taking a photo, his so called friend, Ryan catches him taking a photo of his arse...and Ryan eventually uses this piece of information against him and spreads it to the bully and popular girls.
While all this is going on, Dylan’s crush, the very popular Gracie, is starting to pay Dylan some attention, his best friend, Ryan begins acting weird and issues at home between his parents escalate. Dylan’s world starts to spin out of control and he isn’t really sure how to cope with it. Events culminate with him being invited to the girl's party; however, when he arrives, she pretends that there never was a party. Devastated, he walks away, but he can hear sounds... so he goes back down the side boundary of her house and listens...listening to them ridiculing him and Ryan ratting on him. It all proves too much and by the end of the story he has jumped off a cliff (he was a terrific diver) and we are led to believe that he survives, even though his legs are numb...
Dylan is an endearing character; funny, sweet and frustrating, exactly what so many teenagers are. The treatment he faces will, unfortunately, resonate with many readers, however it is so important that these stories are read so that victims of bullying can know that they are not alone, that it is not their fault and that bullies can see what impact their actions can have on a person.
Dylan is your typical teenage boy. He worries about his looks, thinks about the opposite sex constantly and finds his parents unbearable at times, (who are also on the brink of separating, thanks to his hopeless dad having an affair) while in other moments wishing they would show him some affection. And, like so many teenagers, Dylan is bullied at school. It only takes one person to make your life a living hell and Hamish Banning is Dylan’s one person. While life with Hamish wasn’t always bad, a comment here, a trip there, it all comes to a head when Dylan, unintentionally, causes humiliation to Hamish in English class, and Dylan must pay.
In a brutal locker room scenario, Dylan is seriously injured by being strung up by his daks and suffers bleeding and severe bruising in his rear. Whilst trying to study his rear injury by taking a photo, his so called friend, Ryan catches him taking a photo of his arse...and Ryan eventually uses this piece of information against him and spreads it to the bully and popular girls.
While all this is going on, Dylan’s crush, the very popular Gracie, is starting to pay Dylan some attention, his best friend, Ryan begins acting weird and issues at home between his parents escalate. Dylan’s world starts to spin out of control and he isn’t really sure how to cope with it. Events culminate with him being invited to the girl's party; however, when he arrives, she pretends that there never was a party. Devastated, he walks away, but he can hear sounds... so he goes back down the side boundary of her house and listens...listening to them ridiculing him and Ryan ratting on him. It all proves too much and by the end of the story he has jumped off a cliff (he was a terrific diver) and we are led to believe that he survives, even though his legs are numb...
Dylan is an endearing character; funny, sweet and frustrating, exactly what so many teenagers are. The treatment he faces will, unfortunately, resonate with many readers, however it is so important that these stories are read so that victims of bullying can know that they are not alone, that it is not their fault and that bullies can see what impact their actions can have on a person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2017
I don't usually read this particular book about male teenagers so I was really surprised that I enjoyed it. I felt so many different emotions for this character. Sympathy, exasperation, frustration, pity and encouraging. It was humorous in parts and deeply tragic in others. I know have an understanding of what may be going through a teenage boy's mind. Would recommend to parents of teenage boys and girls. Also for teen readers to understand what others may be going through in high school.
February 22, 2024
Representation: N/A
Trigger warnings: Bullying
Score: Five points out of ten.
One Step by Andrew Daddo is not that great of a novel due to it getting quite disheartening towards the end and even before that I felt like I was wasting my time with this book. The antagonists were cartoonish and over the top, they just bulled the protagonist, Dylan, just because they were bullies. That's it. No other motives other than that, this is not a real motive; they go deeper than that. They were also quite vulgar as well since they had a Facebook group just for showing off their perversion, they used slurs, and Dylan was perverted as well, is this what school teenage Australian culture is like? Because it would be such a shame if this was real... Dylan was too much of a coward to do anything against the bullies since he let them beat him up without using self defense or telling a teacher which was disappointing to see. In the end he nearly decided to kill himself out of all the pain which was understandable but at the last second he didn't want to and fell off the cliff into the lake anyways and I'm not sure whether he died or not. I recommend any other book but this one, if you liked this one, good for you but unfortunately I didn't like it.
Trigger warnings: Bullying
Score: Five points out of ten.
One Step by Andrew Daddo is not that great of a novel due to it getting quite disheartening towards the end and even before that I felt like I was wasting my time with this book. The antagonists were cartoonish and over the top, they just bulled the protagonist, Dylan, just because they were bullies. That's it. No other motives other than that, this is not a real motive; they go deeper than that. They were also quite vulgar as well since they had a Facebook group just for showing off their perversion, they used slurs, and Dylan was perverted as well, is this what school teenage Australian culture is like? Because it would be such a shame if this was real... Dylan was too much of a coward to do anything against the bullies since he let them beat him up without using self defense or telling a teacher which was disappointing to see. In the end he nearly decided to kill himself out of all the pain which was understandable but at the last second he didn't want to and fell off the cliff into the lake anyways and I'm not sure whether he died or not. I recommend any other book but this one, if you liked this one, good for you but unfortunately I didn't like it.
June 25, 2016
when I began this book, it seemed a bit unrelatable and uninteresting to me. i definitely didn't expect to care about the main character, cry several times throughout the book, and not be able to put the book down. andrew daddo's writing grew on me throughout the book, and in the end was something so easy to understand, but also very complex in the way it portrayed mental illness. this book was short, but didn't skip out on important details. i felt like i was living the life of the main character, despite him being the opposite gender and having a very different life to me. overall, i definitely enjoyed this book much more than i thought i would!
October 14, 2016
3.5 ★ This is the first Andrew Daddo book I've read, I was expecting great things. Daddo delivered on great things in the way that he brought so much realness to this book. I haven't been in Dylan's position but I've felt so many things that he has and it made being in the mind of this teenage boy foreign but also relatable on so many levels. I laughed, cringed, felt so hopeful and very nearly cried. I appreciated the way in which Dylan's story was told because it was without pretence, however my empathy for Dylan also made me string out how long it took me to finish reading this book as well. Whether you're still in high school or not, a teenage boy or not, I recommend reading this story.
November 2, 2016
Andrew shows a real insight into the mind of a teenage boy. Dylan is your typical 15 year old struggling with acne his crazy family and the minefield that his high school. Dealing with the school bully, trying to talk to girls and his weird friends leave Dylan struggling to deal with it all.
I would recommend this book for 15 + teenagers as it does cover some more mature ideas but it was well written and only took me a couple of hours to read.
We have purchased it for our High School Library.
I would recommend this book for 15 + teenagers as it does cover some more mature ideas but it was well written and only took me a couple of hours to read.
We have purchased it for our High School Library.
September 7, 2016
Definitely an emotional roller coaster. This is a raw, very warts and all story about Dylan, a teenager finding it hard to make his way through a clouded mix of school, home, friends and life. He is lonely, uncertain, bullied, humiliated and trying to deal with issues around his parents tenuous hold on their marriage. I think this is a great book for teenage boys to read, the language is very vivid and real, but the deeper aspects of Dylan's emotional turmoil are fleshed out into the open.
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October 27, 2016Dylan is struggling.
He's struggling with the acne that has declared war on his face, struggling with his pushy younger sister, with his nagging mum and his dad who never has time for him anymore, struggling with his old phone-me-down, and struggling with his constant preoccupation with girls, and what might happen if he manages to snag one.
Struggling, but surviving. But when Dylan's creative writing piece is read out in class, it sets off a chain of events that sends him on a frantic roller coaster of emotions culminating in a revelation that could make or break his survival.
He's struggling with the acne that has declared war on his face, struggling with his pushy younger sister, with his nagging mum and his dad who never has time for him anymore, struggling with his old phone-me-down, and struggling with his constant preoccupation with girls, and what might happen if he manages to snag one.
Struggling, but surviving. But when Dylan's creative writing piece is read out in class, it sets off a chain of events that sends him on a frantic roller coaster of emotions culminating in a revelation that could make or break his survival.
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