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Cuckoo
He's a household name . . . without a home
Jake is an actor, a household name thanks to his role on the UK's most popular soap. But his character went upstairs to his bedroom six months ago and never came down again, and now Jake is facing an uncertain future. Add to that his dad's anger issues, the family's precarious finances and the demands of a severely autistic brother; Jake's home feels like a powder keg waiting to explode. It's easier to spend nights on friends' sofas and futons, but what happens when you feel like a cuckoo in every nest?
Cuckoo is a novel about the roles we play when we don't fit in anywhere, and finding unlikely solace when home is the least welcoming place of al
Jake is an actor, a household name thanks to his role on the UK's most popular soap. But his character went upstairs to his bedroom six months ago and never came down again, and now Jake is facing an uncertain future. Add to that his dad's anger issues, the family's precarious finances and the demands of a severely autistic brother; Jake's home feels like a powder keg waiting to explode. It's easier to spend nights on friends' sofas and futons, but what happens when you feel like a cuckoo in every nest?
Cuckoo is a novel about the roles we play when we don't fit in anywhere, and finding unlikely solace when home is the least welcoming place of al
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 26, 2016
2.5 stars
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley.)
This was a story written in the form of a script, about a cancelled TV show.
Jake was an okay character, and I did feel sorry for him when he couldn’t get a job and his parents had taken all his money.
This book just didn’t do it for me; we had a script-like writing style, and basically the story was about Jake’s life leading up the TV show being cancelled, and I didn’t find it interesting. There was a bit about Jake being homeless, and information on how to help the homeless, but I was a little put-off by the fact that Jake chose to be homeless because he didn’t want to deal with his parents anymore, which seemed a little immature.
The ending to this was okay, but I struggled to get through this one.
5 out of 10
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley.)
This was a story written in the form of a script, about a cancelled TV show.
Jake was an okay character, and I did feel sorry for him when he couldn’t get a job and his parents had taken all his money.
This book just didn’t do it for me; we had a script-like writing style, and basically the story was about Jake’s life leading up the TV show being cancelled, and I didn’t find it interesting. There was a bit about Jake being homeless, and information on how to help the homeless, but I was a little put-off by the fact that Jake chose to be homeless because he didn’t want to deal with his parents anymore, which seemed a little immature.
The ending to this was okay, but I struggled to get through this one.
5 out of 10
December 6, 2016
“The capacity for friendship is God's way of apologizing for our families.”
----Jay McInerney
Keren David, a British writer, has penned a heart touching and an eye opening YA contemporary book, Cuckoo that narrates the story of a sixteen year old teenager, a talented actor and a household name for his recently cancelled TV series, who found out that his own parents are stealing his hard earned money and is constantly pressurizing him to bag a role in some new show or a movie, eventually making his life a living hell in his own home, thereby forcing him to take shelter in his friends' houses instead of living with his own family.
Synopsis:
He's a household name . . . without a home
Jake is an actor, a household name thanks to his role on the UK's most popular soap. But his character went upstairs to his bedroom six months ago and never came down again, and now Jake is facing an uncertain future. Add to that his dad's anger issues, the family's precarious finances and the demands of a severely autistic brother; Jake's home feels like a powder keg waiting to explode. It's easier to spend nights on friends' sofas and futons, but what happens when you feel like a cuckoo in every nest?
Cuckoo is a novel about the roles we play when we don't fit in anywhere, and finding unlikely solace when home is the least welcoming place of all.
Jake has found himself in the middle of a very huge battle when he lost his acting job from a very popular TV series, Market Square where he played the lead role. Jake along with few of his friends decides to host a YouTube series to tell the fans of the Market Square what really happened and what was the main reason behind the cancellation of the show. All the while going through a difficult and challenging phase of life, Jake found out that his own parents are stealing from his own account because of the failing family financial conditions that ultimately forces the whole family to sell their house and move to a small apartment, where Jake needed to share a bedroom with his eighteen year old Autistic brother, Adam. Not only that, Jake's father's anger issues and his tantrums over Jake finding a new acting role, forces Jake out of his own house thereby he takes shelter in his friends' guestrooms or living rooms. Soon things go downhill, as the friends' parents has enough of Jake drama, that finally lands Jake on to the streets, can Jake ever get back to his own home or find a way to homelessness problem?
The whole story is narrated in a format of a YouTube video series script, first explaining the positions of the characters, then the dialogues, and ending with the comments, both positive and negative, so mostly it feels like visualizing a YouTube video through the author's words. The whole idea is quite unique, but that left a gaping hole in the characterization as the readers will get a brief sketch about the characters through their short dialogues.
The author's writing style is articulate as the readers will find it easy to comprehend with the story line. The author has laced her story telling with evocative pain that is strikingly featured into the story line, so that readers will encounter with the sharp metallic taste of real pain while reading this story. The narrative of this book is highly absorbing yet somewhere they lacked depth, which will be difficult for the readers to easily connect with the dialogues and the conversations among the characters. The pacing of the book is really fast, as there are not much layers through which the story unravels, moreover, the story moves smoothly from the beginning to the very end, like any contemporary TV series.
The author here address and arise questions on so many modern day issues that a teenager faces in his life, especially a starlet teenager faces after the fame dies out. The author has handled each and every issue from Autism to Dementia to anger problems to homelessness problems quite sensitively that the readers will find it meaningful and depth to justify those issues instead of feeling offended. The author even depicts the solutions to each such problem with enough realism and logic so that a real life teenager can find it helpful enough to sort those troubles bravely just like the protagonist, Jake.
The characters are quite realistic and well-crafted. The main character, Jake, is a mature young boy despite of his tender age, and as the author throws Jake on the path to big challenges and hurdles, the readers will find themselves rooting for this poor yet brave boy till the very end, but he lacked depth and so the rest of the characters, hence the readers will find at times bit dull to read about Jake's troubles especially the times when he act selfishly. The rest of the cast is okay, not that interesting enough to draw in readers' attention towards them.
In a nutshell, this is a deeply moving and enlightening tale that projects the harsh reality quite strikingly with the heart felt emotions, that it will sympathize the readers' heart and will finally make them see some ugly truth behind the glamorous world of television soap casting and production.
Verdict: Poignant to the very core, a promising story.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Jay McInerney
Keren David, a British writer, has penned a heart touching and an eye opening YA contemporary book, Cuckoo that narrates the story of a sixteen year old teenager, a talented actor and a household name for his recently cancelled TV series, who found out that his own parents are stealing his hard earned money and is constantly pressurizing him to bag a role in some new show or a movie, eventually making his life a living hell in his own home, thereby forcing him to take shelter in his friends' houses instead of living with his own family.
Synopsis:
He's a household name . . . without a home
Jake is an actor, a household name thanks to his role on the UK's most popular soap. But his character went upstairs to his bedroom six months ago and never came down again, and now Jake is facing an uncertain future. Add to that his dad's anger issues, the family's precarious finances and the demands of a severely autistic brother; Jake's home feels like a powder keg waiting to explode. It's easier to spend nights on friends' sofas and futons, but what happens when you feel like a cuckoo in every nest?
Cuckoo is a novel about the roles we play when we don't fit in anywhere, and finding unlikely solace when home is the least welcoming place of all.
Jake has found himself in the middle of a very huge battle when he lost his acting job from a very popular TV series, Market Square where he played the lead role. Jake along with few of his friends decides to host a YouTube series to tell the fans of the Market Square what really happened and what was the main reason behind the cancellation of the show. All the while going through a difficult and challenging phase of life, Jake found out that his own parents are stealing from his own account because of the failing family financial conditions that ultimately forces the whole family to sell their house and move to a small apartment, where Jake needed to share a bedroom with his eighteen year old Autistic brother, Adam. Not only that, Jake's father's anger issues and his tantrums over Jake finding a new acting role, forces Jake out of his own house thereby he takes shelter in his friends' guestrooms or living rooms. Soon things go downhill, as the friends' parents has enough of Jake drama, that finally lands Jake on to the streets, can Jake ever get back to his own home or find a way to homelessness problem?
The whole story is narrated in a format of a YouTube video series script, first explaining the positions of the characters, then the dialogues, and ending with the comments, both positive and negative, so mostly it feels like visualizing a YouTube video through the author's words. The whole idea is quite unique, but that left a gaping hole in the characterization as the readers will get a brief sketch about the characters through their short dialogues.
The author's writing style is articulate as the readers will find it easy to comprehend with the story line. The author has laced her story telling with evocative pain that is strikingly featured into the story line, so that readers will encounter with the sharp metallic taste of real pain while reading this story. The narrative of this book is highly absorbing yet somewhere they lacked depth, which will be difficult for the readers to easily connect with the dialogues and the conversations among the characters. The pacing of the book is really fast, as there are not much layers through which the story unravels, moreover, the story moves smoothly from the beginning to the very end, like any contemporary TV series.
The author here address and arise questions on so many modern day issues that a teenager faces in his life, especially a starlet teenager faces after the fame dies out. The author has handled each and every issue from Autism to Dementia to anger problems to homelessness problems quite sensitively that the readers will find it meaningful and depth to justify those issues instead of feeling offended. The author even depicts the solutions to each such problem with enough realism and logic so that a real life teenager can find it helpful enough to sort those troubles bravely just like the protagonist, Jake.
The characters are quite realistic and well-crafted. The main character, Jake, is a mature young boy despite of his tender age, and as the author throws Jake on the path to big challenges and hurdles, the readers will find themselves rooting for this poor yet brave boy till the very end, but he lacked depth and so the rest of the characters, hence the readers will find at times bit dull to read about Jake's troubles especially the times when he act selfishly. The rest of the cast is okay, not that interesting enough to draw in readers' attention towards them.
In a nutshell, this is a deeply moving and enlightening tale that projects the harsh reality quite strikingly with the heart felt emotions, that it will sympathize the readers' heart and will finally make them see some ugly truth behind the glamorous world of television soap casting and production.
Verdict: Poignant to the very core, a promising story.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
August 5, 2016
5 Words: Fame, family, friendship, homeless, dementia.
Keren David is one of those authors who isn't afraid to tackle challenging and controversial subjects, and this book is no different. I feel like this was a very relevant story, and despite being quite short it touched upon so many things.
This story is written in a style that readers will either love and embrace or just not gel with. I can see both sides of the coin but personally I loved it. I loved how little was actually given away, how very little description there was. I loved how I could never actually trust Jake, how I never knew how much of the story was fabricated.
Jake's story is definitely an interesting one - here he is in a world where he feels he belongs, where he needs to be, where he can do what he *has* to do. And then he's betrayed and everything is turned upside down and that's when the story starts. It's a pretty harsh commentary on fame, but at the same time a sympathetic glance into dementia and homelessness.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
Keren David is one of those authors who isn't afraid to tackle challenging and controversial subjects, and this book is no different. I feel like this was a very relevant story, and despite being quite short it touched upon so many things.
This story is written in a style that readers will either love and embrace or just not gel with. I can see both sides of the coin but personally I loved it. I loved how little was actually given away, how very little description there was. I loved how I could never actually trust Jake, how I never knew how much of the story was fabricated.
Jake's story is definitely an interesting one - here he is in a world where he feels he belongs, where he needs to be, where he can do what he *has* to do. And then he's betrayed and everything is turned upside down and that's when the story starts. It's a pretty harsh commentary on fame, but at the same time a sympathetic glance into dementia and homelessness.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
Read
February 12, 2019[Gifted]
This is absolutely unique and original and I'm in awe of it. It's told in the format of transcripts of a youtube account, which posts dramatised autobiographical accounts of something which happened in the protagonist Jake's past (but we aren't told what happened - just that the Eastenders-style sitcom he acted on was shut down because of something he did.)
It's told from his point of view, giving 'his side of the story' - so from the start, it's obvious he's an biased and unreliable narrator. To make it even more complicated, each transcript is followed by comments left on the videos by fans - and by the people portrayed in the episodes, defending themselves and giving their side of things.
It's incredibly fun trying to keep track of Jake's version of events (which might not be true) and the commenters' versions of events (which might not be true too!). I felt like a detective -and at a few points I TOOK NOTES! I got really into it.
I'm not going to give anything else away about the plot - but if you're looking for a fast read (I read it in about an hour) that will definitely challenge your brain, give this a go.
This is absolutely unique and original and I'm in awe of it. It's told in the format of transcripts of a youtube account, which posts dramatised autobiographical accounts of something which happened in the protagonist Jake's past (but we aren't told what happened - just that the Eastenders-style sitcom he acted on was shut down because of something he did.)
It's told from his point of view, giving 'his side of the story' - so from the start, it's obvious he's an biased and unreliable narrator. To make it even more complicated, each transcript is followed by comments left on the videos by fans - and by the people portrayed in the episodes, defending themselves and giving their side of things.
It's incredibly fun trying to keep track of Jake's version of events (which might not be true) and the commenters' versions of events (which might not be true too!). I felt like a detective -and at a few points I TOOK NOTES! I got really into it.
I'm not going to give anything else away about the plot - but if you're looking for a fast read (I read it in about an hour) that will definitely challenge your brain, give this a go.
August 7, 2016
I think the way this is told is either going to be something you love or hate. Unfortunately it didn't work for me.
Much of the story is told via video diary which is filmed after the events with characters played by other characters. I found it really hard to get my head around it and it meant the retelling was incredibly unreliable which again I couldn't get my head around.
Much of the story is told via video diary which is filmed after the events with characters played by other characters. I found it really hard to get my head around it and it meant the retelling was incredibly unreliable which again I couldn't get my head around.
July 26, 2016
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
Actual rating - 2.5
This wasn't one I enjoyed unfortunately. It bored me quite quickly, and it got worse for me as it progressed. It just couldn't get me interested at all, so the whole thing dragged badly for me.
Overall, Not an enjoyable read.
Actual rating - 2.5
This wasn't one I enjoyed unfortunately. It bored me quite quickly, and it got worse for me as it progressed. It just couldn't get me interested at all, so the whole thing dragged badly for me.
Overall, Not an enjoyable read.
March 13, 2017
2.5*
hmm I'm very confused
hmm I'm very confused
August 17, 2016
I came across this book at YALC, and after seeing a panel that Keren was on, I was really interested in the narrative of this story. Although, I got the main plotline completely wrong.
I thought it was going to be about an actor with anxiety who was confined to his own bedroom and he had to be coaxed out slowly by those who cared about him. But it's about a boy whose character is 'sent' to his bedroom and effectively his acting job/career is in the balance, and all the events that transpire as a result of the show runner's decision to halt his character.
And I don't mind that I misunderstood the point of the story, because it works so well, it's in depth and thoughtful but doesn't hand hold. The format might be a little off-putting to some - it's done like youtube videos and mainly in speech narrative, with occasional gestures for emphasis - but I thought it complimented the point of the story, the bitesize chunks of life that soap operas give and the way people interact with 'celebrity'. It was still so easy to visualise the scenes. The 'comments' at the end of the chapters served the purpose of being true-to-life, gave great in-story references to help with youth homelessness and anxiety/depression/autism, and also gave a sense of foreshadowing what will come in the narrative.
It's a hard story to pull off, but I think that Keren did a great job. Loved this book :)
I thought it was going to be about an actor with anxiety who was confined to his own bedroom and he had to be coaxed out slowly by those who cared about him. But it's about a boy whose character is 'sent' to his bedroom and effectively his acting job/career is in the balance, and all the events that transpire as a result of the show runner's decision to halt his character.
And I don't mind that I misunderstood the point of the story, because it works so well, it's in depth and thoughtful but doesn't hand hold. The format might be a little off-putting to some - it's done like youtube videos and mainly in speech narrative, with occasional gestures for emphasis - but I thought it complimented the point of the story, the bitesize chunks of life that soap operas give and the way people interact with 'celebrity'. It was still so easy to visualise the scenes. The 'comments' at the end of the chapters served the purpose of being true-to-life, gave great in-story references to help with youth homelessness and anxiety/depression/autism, and also gave a sense of foreshadowing what will come in the narrative.
It's a hard story to pull off, but I think that Keren did a great job. Loved this book :)
August 16, 2016
I would like to just say that my true rating is 4 and a half stars, and that Goodreads truly is annoying about half stars. That'll be all!
May 24, 2017
I found this on a best-of YA list, and it was just okay. Written as a series of web videos, Jake explains to his fans what happened after his British soap opera character was basically written out of the show. What follows for Jake is homelessness, clashes with friends and family, and a rude awakening about the acting world.
The story is cute and Jake is definitely likable, and the online comments on each episode are annoying, rude, ridiculous and--sadly--accurate. It's also a fairly quick read--it just didn't blow me away or anything.
The story is cute and Jake is definitely likable, and the online comments on each episode are annoying, rude, ridiculous and--sadly--accurate. It's also a fairly quick read--it just didn't blow me away or anything.
shelved
October 23, 2016DNF at page 95.
February 20, 2017
This is unusual, but it really works. Jake is a young actor, a household name due to his part in a soap opera, but then his life derails...
April 4, 2017
The premise of this book really intrigued me; soaps are such a big part of the UK and millions of people watch them every day. Personally, I've never been able to keep up with how often they're on. Cuckoo really gave me a deeper insight into the world of soaps, and just how cut-throat the business can be. The whole soap drama, with Jake being written off the show for so long was what I liked about the book. What I didn't like was the video diaries and the reenactments - and I disliked them so much I could only give this 3/5 sadly.
August 9, 2016
Wow! This is a complex story nimbly and originally told. I've never read anything quite like it. The conceit of the web series format (the whole book is in YouTube transcript form) is anchored by the emotional depth of Keren David's writing. The spotlight on youth homelessness is a welcome one - it's vital that YA discusses issues that affect young adults, after all. I also love all the Hamlet.
Read
October 16, 2025[Gifted]
This is absolutely unique and original and I'm in awe of it. It's told in the format of transcripts of a youtube account, which posts dramatised autobiographical accounts of something which happened in the protagonist Jake's past (but we aren't told what happened - just that the Eastenders-style sitcom he acted on was shut down because of something he did.)
It's told from his point of view, giving 'his side of the story' - so from the start, it's obvious he's an biased and unreliable narrator. To make it even more complicated, each transcript is followed by comments left on the videos by fans - and by the people portrayed in the episodes, defending themselves and giving their side of things.
It's incredibly fun trying to keep track of Jake's version of events (which might not be true) and the commenters' versions of events (which might not be true too!). I felt like a detective -and at a few points I TOOK NOTES! I got really into it.
I'm not going to give anything else away about the plot - but if you're looking for a fast read (I read it in about an hour) that will definitely challenge your brain, give this a go.
This is absolutely unique and original and I'm in awe of it. It's told in the format of transcripts of a youtube account, which posts dramatised autobiographical accounts of something which happened in the protagonist Jake's past (but we aren't told what happened - just that the Eastenders-style sitcom he acted on was shut down because of something he did.)
It's told from his point of view, giving 'his side of the story' - so from the start, it's obvious he's an biased and unreliable narrator. To make it even more complicated, each transcript is followed by comments left on the videos by fans - and by the people portrayed in the episodes, defending themselves and giving their side of things.
It's incredibly fun trying to keep track of Jake's version of events (which might not be true) and the commenters' versions of events (which might not be true too!). I felt like a detective -and at a few points I TOOK NOTES! I got really into it.
I'm not going to give anything else away about the plot - but if you're looking for a fast read (I read it in about an hour) that will definitely challenge your brain, give this a go.
March 25, 2018
Sorry I haven't been writing any reviews for a while. Life's a little all over the place right now.
This was one of the books I picked up from the library without knowing anything about it, so I was pretty excited to read it. It was definitely different to what I expected; it's written in "episodes" but not quite like a script. It's more detailed and less firmly structured, but is from the point of view of the audience of the episodes (not any of the characters in the actual scene). The episodes are also acted by different people, who aren't necessarily the actual characters. This was really interesting; it made it more like a 'show' that Jake was putting on, but did get a bit confusing.
It was definitely a good book. I enjoyed reading it and was interested to discover what happened next. I quite liked Jake as a character, although he did come across as a little overdramatic. (Maybe I'm being harsh by saying this, but did he really need to run away from home and cause such a fuss?) I understand how the author is perhaps trying to convey the message that even actors and "successful" people have problems, but I just wasn't feeling it. I don't know. Maybe a different issue should have been explored.
The story is basically Jake's web-series after the soap "Market Square" is cancelled. After losing his job and income, his family is forced to move into a small flat. Jake can't cope, especially with his disabled brother and his father who's going through a bit of a mental breakdown, and so hops from one friends' house to another. Somehow this leads to his best friend hating him, and he continues to be bitter through the comments of the web-series.
Quick side note: The comments are a good touch, but felt really fake. I liked having the 'real-time' dialogue, but the messages didn't sound genuine/authentic at all to me.
Anyway, Jake ends up in some old woman's house, who turns out to have been a director. He helps bring her out of her extreme dementia, and in return she allows him to live with her.
It all seemed a bit too much, too extreme, for what it was. Jake ends up homeless at one point, and his friend is still being all grumpy at him and it just seemed a bit off to me. But I don't know, I might just be being way too harsh. Despite that, I did enjoy reading it. 3.5 stars.
This was one of the books I picked up from the library without knowing anything about it, so I was pretty excited to read it. It was definitely different to what I expected; it's written in "episodes" but not quite like a script. It's more detailed and less firmly structured, but is from the point of view of the audience of the episodes (not any of the characters in the actual scene). The episodes are also acted by different people, who aren't necessarily the actual characters. This was really interesting; it made it more like a 'show' that Jake was putting on, but did get a bit confusing.
It was definitely a good book. I enjoyed reading it and was interested to discover what happened next. I quite liked Jake as a character, although he did come across as a little overdramatic. (Maybe I'm being harsh by saying this, but did he really need to run away from home and cause such a fuss?) I understand how the author is perhaps trying to convey the message that even actors and "successful" people have problems, but I just wasn't feeling it. I don't know. Maybe a different issue should have been explored.
The story is basically Jake's web-series after the soap "Market Square" is cancelled. After losing his job and income, his family is forced to move into a small flat. Jake can't cope, especially with his disabled brother and his father who's going through a bit of a mental breakdown, and so hops from one friends' house to another. Somehow this leads to his best friend hating him, and he continues to be bitter through the comments of the web-series.
Quick side note: The comments are a good touch, but felt really fake. I liked having the 'real-time' dialogue, but the messages didn't sound genuine/authentic at all to me.
Anyway, Jake ends up in some old woman's house, who turns out to have been a director. He helps bring her out of her extreme dementia, and in return she allows him to live with her.
It all seemed a bit too much, too extreme, for what it was. Jake ends up homeless at one point, and his friend is still being all grumpy at him and it just seemed a bit off to me. But I don't know, I might just be being way too harsh. Despite that, I did enjoy reading it. 3.5 stars.
November 4, 2017
Quite enjoyed the script style story although sometimes I had to read back to work out who was speaking. Jake is clearly the protaganist in this book but there is suddenly a random chapter from Marguerite's viewpoint which was confusing. It was also difficult to like Jake who seems selfish, self-obsessed and totally unable to empathise with his parents who were suffering so many difficulties with job loss, financial difficulties, and an autistic son. If Jake had been a more likeable character I would have rated this book more highly as the premise was good and I enjoyed the exploration of homelessness, dementia and family crises.
July 20, 2017
DNF. Shame, because I have enjoyed this author's other novels, but the way Cuckoo was written - in scripts, and comments - just didn't engage or gel with me. I found it tough to get any feeling for the characters and rather confusing as to what was going on and who was speaking,
Love the front cover, though!
Love the front cover, though!
April 17, 2025
I didn't really 'get' this to begin with but once the story gets going and you see how Jake is trying to change his life for the better through the web series it becomes more intriguing. Definitely a unique read.
July 5, 2017
Brilliant, thoughtful story- just don't think I was too keen on the writing style or the dialogue, it seemed fake...
July 29, 2017
Loved how it was written and how different it was - thought it got better and better as you got through it
January 25, 2018
A salutary lesson in how easily a great lifestyle can be snatched away. A pacy book which makes us think.
August 26, 2019
Enjoyed the plot but found it hard to get into the story. Didn't like the TV script style and the "comment section" style of characters giving their opinions
March 11, 2017
Check out my review in my blog You Know You Wanna Read It: http://willteenbooks.blogspot.com/201...
August 4, 2016
From the acclaimed author of When I Was Joe and This Is Not a Love Story, Cuckoo is a novel about what happens when teenagers fall through the cracks, and finding unlikely solace when home is the least welcoming place of all. I loved Keren David’s Salvage – the warm, engaging, dramatic tale of Aidan and Cass, a brother and sister separated by adoption and facing their own struggles at a time when their lives come twining back together – so of course I had high expectations for her latest novel. Her books are all about being lost and being found in some way, and in that sense Cuckoo is no different – though it is, simultaneously, very different. While she retains a trademark incisive approach to tough themes and hefty storylines, this book’s format is her most unusual yet.
Smart and unflinching, Cuckoo is written as transcripts from a web series, with chapters as episodes complete with comments and only minimal scene description. It may be a divisive technique, but if you stick with it there’s plenty to get your teeth into, from acting insights to social issues to the appearance of unexpected allies. Keren David sets herself quite the challenge in conjuring Jake’s story without the tools usually at an author’s disposal. Plot and character details have to be slipped into a narrative where almost all of the story is told to camera. It reads quickly and holds the reader’s attention. It presents the audience with a wide range of issues and challenges the audience to keep up with dialogue devoid of tags. It manages to create a distinct voice for at least some of its many characters and there’s frankly brilliant use of Shakespeare.
Lack of description and the general implausibility of the storyline (for example that people would agree to star in some twisted recreation of recent events in the protagonist’s life), however, make for a read which is both difficult to visualise and to invest in. Keren David attempts to ground the book with gritty realities, such as homelessness and the unreliability of work as an actor, but a bizarre mix of Jake’s unwillingness to actually explain what’s happening to him to anyone he knows and the unrealistic reactions of people around him leave the reader unsure whether this book is surreal or too real.
Read the full review here: https://thepaperalchemist.wordpress.c...
Smart and unflinching, Cuckoo is written as transcripts from a web series, with chapters as episodes complete with comments and only minimal scene description. It may be a divisive technique, but if you stick with it there’s plenty to get your teeth into, from acting insights to social issues to the appearance of unexpected allies. Keren David sets herself quite the challenge in conjuring Jake’s story without the tools usually at an author’s disposal. Plot and character details have to be slipped into a narrative where almost all of the story is told to camera. It reads quickly and holds the reader’s attention. It presents the audience with a wide range of issues and challenges the audience to keep up with dialogue devoid of tags. It manages to create a distinct voice for at least some of its many characters and there’s frankly brilliant use of Shakespeare.
Lack of description and the general implausibility of the storyline (for example that people would agree to star in some twisted recreation of recent events in the protagonist’s life), however, make for a read which is both difficult to visualise and to invest in. Keren David attempts to ground the book with gritty realities, such as homelessness and the unreliability of work as an actor, but a bizarre mix of Jake’s unwillingness to actually explain what’s happening to him to anyone he knows and the unrealistic reactions of people around him leave the reader unsure whether this book is surreal or too real.
Read the full review here: https://thepaperalchemist.wordpress.c...
February 18, 2017
So, I randomly picked up this book to read on holiday and it turns out it's about a young person who temporarily experiences homelessness. Working for a youth homelessness charity, I was interested to see how this subject would be portrayed. Some elements of his story are of course particular to the overall plot but it gave a great insight into family breakdown and how young people can become homeless. The prose was quite simplistic (it is young adult fiction after all) but it challenges some of the beliefs of homelessness and for this reason, is definitely worth a read by anyone of any age.
February 23, 2017
Brilliant, wonderfully-written book, told in a very interesting style (all-dialogue).
October 30, 2016
I am a big fan of Keren so, I was really happy when I got sent a proof of Cuckoo. I had to pick it up straight away as the story line had me intrigued and the cover is so striking that I had to read it as soon as I got it. This story is told a lot defiantly from other books and you'll either love it or hate and I loved it. It was so different from any other book that I have read before and it was really interesting.
Jake is a household name. He is a famous teen actor on Market Square but, he is going through a rough time after he gets fired from the show. He and his friends decide to act out what happened to the shows cancellation and this is how it is told. It has people acting out certain people who where in that situation at the time and it will have the comments shown after the 'episode' had ended, which I found interesting to read peoples thoughts and the people who where in the scene but where getting played by someone else. But, Jake is going through more than this-his parents have been stealing from his account, and they have to move to a small apartment where Jake shares a room with 18 year Autistic brother. His father is obsessed with Jake finding a new acting role and this doesn't help with his anger problems.
Jake moves around different friends flats to sleep for the night but because of all the drama surrounding Jake he finds himself out on the streets.
This was just a wonderful story and Keren really tackled some topics in this book. You read it not knowing what could be true and what's not and that is what got me really intrigued in this book.
It was so well written and Keren and written another brilliant book that I devoured in a few hours. If you are looking for a story filled with drama, friendship, family relationships, youth, homelessness and much more then defiantly pick this book up!
Jake is a household name. He is a famous teen actor on Market Square but, he is going through a rough time after he gets fired from the show. He and his friends decide to act out what happened to the shows cancellation and this is how it is told. It has people acting out certain people who where in that situation at the time and it will have the comments shown after the 'episode' had ended, which I found interesting to read peoples thoughts and the people who where in the scene but where getting played by someone else. But, Jake is going through more than this-his parents have been stealing from his account, and they have to move to a small apartment where Jake shares a room with 18 year Autistic brother. His father is obsessed with Jake finding a new acting role and this doesn't help with his anger problems.
Jake moves around different friends flats to sleep for the night but because of all the drama surrounding Jake he finds himself out on the streets.
This was just a wonderful story and Keren really tackled some topics in this book. You read it not knowing what could be true and what's not and that is what got me really intrigued in this book.
It was so well written and Keren and written another brilliant book that I devoured in a few hours. If you are looking for a story filled with drama, friendship, family relationships, youth, homelessness and much more then defiantly pick this book up!
August 20, 2018
I read this entire book in the time it took between boarding my plane in Dublin and landing in Birmingham: it was a short, easy read with virtually no description. The entire novel is told through transcripts of YouTube videos and the comments on each one, which wasn't what I was expecting based on the blurb, so it was a bit of a surprise but after a bit of confusion, it became easy to distinguish what was going on.
I have to give credit where credit's due as despite this essentially being a dialogue novel, I had pretty clear images of every setting and what was going on at all times, from a few words or the occasional scene-setting sentence at the start of a chapter. However, that's where my praise for this book ends.
The story follows Jake, a teen actor who was cut from the show he was on (in the likes of Eastenders / Corrie / Emmerdale). After finding himself homeless and jobless, he starts making videos with his friends to tell the story of what happened - why he had to leave the show and how he ended up on the streets.
I felt as though I was supposed to sympathise with Jake, but I just couldn't. He came off as a rude, senseless, arrogant brat. He left a perfectly decent living situation with his parents and brother in order to couch surf and live homelessly instead, refusing to see them and abandoning his severely autistic brother. He was a jerk of a character and there was no redemption.
The entire book felt like some sort of celebrity apology that manages to do everything but apologise. Based on the comments on the videos from Jake's family and former friends, he's a lying arsehole, so I didn't care for his situation or his story, and he gave me no reason to.
I have to give credit where credit's due as despite this essentially being a dialogue novel, I had pretty clear images of every setting and what was going on at all times, from a few words or the occasional scene-setting sentence at the start of a chapter. However, that's where my praise for this book ends.
The story follows Jake, a teen actor who was cut from the show he was on (in the likes of Eastenders / Corrie / Emmerdale). After finding himself homeless and jobless, he starts making videos with his friends to tell the story of what happened - why he had to leave the show and how he ended up on the streets.
I felt as though I was supposed to sympathise with Jake, but I just couldn't. He came off as a rude, senseless, arrogant brat. He left a perfectly decent living situation with his parents and brother in order to couch surf and live homelessly instead, refusing to see them and abandoning his severely autistic brother. He was a jerk of a character and there was no redemption.
The entire book felt like some sort of celebrity apology that manages to do everything but apologise. Based on the comments on the videos from Jake's family and former friends, he's a lying arsehole, so I didn't care for his situation or his story, and he gave me no reason to.
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