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Cold Skin
First love, sexual awakening, murder, cowardice, vengeance and forgiveness are the powerful ingredients for Steven Herrick's gutsiest novel yet, a psychologically complex murder mystery for teenagers.
267 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
January 13, 2015
Opening Sentence: “…They named me Eddie after Mum’s father who died before I was born…”
Eddie Holding lives with his family on the edge of Burruga in NSW Australia. Burruga is a coal mining town and Eddie yearns to leave school and start work down the in the mine. His father, Albert, has returned from WWII mentally broken – he wants Eddie and his brother Larry to rise above the crowd. Working as a farmhand, Albert is obsessed with his sons staying in school and refuses to let Eddie go down the mine. Larry is happy to stay at school. He sees learning as his ticket out of town but he spends most of his spare time getting drunk and ogling Colleen the town beauty. In fact, most of the male population of Burruga lusts after the beautiful Colleen – so when her body is discovered near the river one Friday night, most of the town’s male population is under suspicion. Sergeant Grainger narrows the suspects down, but Eddie has his own idea who the murderer is and he tries to direct the investigation towards that person.
It took a while for me to get use to way Stephen Herrick presented the story. Looking at the page you would think it is going to be poetry – but it reads like a normal novel.The format distracted me until I got use to it. Each of the main characters takes a turn to tell the story, only a page or so at a time.This technique has both good points and bad, the good is that you learn more about the individual characters and can get a better insight into what makes them tick, the bad is that as the story cuts back and forth it breaks up the flow of the story momentarily. It is this choppiness, despite an engrossing story, that let the whole thing down for me.
Eddie Holding lives with his family on the edge of Burruga in NSW Australia. Burruga is a coal mining town and Eddie yearns to leave school and start work down the in the mine. His father, Albert, has returned from WWII mentally broken – he wants Eddie and his brother Larry to rise above the crowd. Working as a farmhand, Albert is obsessed with his sons staying in school and refuses to let Eddie go down the mine. Larry is happy to stay at school. He sees learning as his ticket out of town but he spends most of his spare time getting drunk and ogling Colleen the town beauty. In fact, most of the male population of Burruga lusts after the beautiful Colleen – so when her body is discovered near the river one Friday night, most of the town’s male population is under suspicion. Sergeant Grainger narrows the suspects down, but Eddie has his own idea who the murderer is and he tries to direct the investigation towards that person.
It took a while for me to get use to way Stephen Herrick presented the story. Looking at the page you would think it is going to be poetry – but it reads like a normal novel.The format distracted me until I got use to it. Each of the main characters takes a turn to tell the story, only a page or so at a time.This technique has both good points and bad, the good is that you learn more about the individual characters and can get a better insight into what makes them tick, the bad is that as the story cuts back and forth it breaks up the flow of the story momentarily. It is this choppiness, despite an engrossing story, that let the whole thing down for me.
November 5, 2018
I give this book a solid 4/5⭐️ I haven’t read a book written in verse before, but I have to admit I quite enjoyed it. I enjoyed the different points of view used throughout the book. It took me a few pages to get all the characters straight, but I did think they each had a unique voice.
Also, I appreciated the structure of the book as well. Instead of jumping straight into the girl’s murder, the story built up to it, laying out the foundation of the setting and characters first. Still, the interactions between characters were enough to keep me entertained until the inciting incident.
The vast differences between the characters were amazing! I found that no two characters were alike. My favorite was Eddie, by far. I loved the friendship turned romance he had with Sarah, and thought it was very well done.
The conclusion of this story was killer. I never thought it would end the way it did, but it was strangely satisfying (which I feel is a terrible thing to say). I’m not promoting anything that happened in the conclusion of the book, but from a writing standpoint, it was well thought out.
Also, I appreciated the structure of the book as well. Instead of jumping straight into the girl’s murder, the story built up to it, laying out the foundation of the setting and characters first. Still, the interactions between characters were enough to keep me entertained until the inciting incident.
The vast differences between the characters were amazing! I found that no two characters were alike. My favorite was Eddie, by far. I loved the friendship turned romance he had with Sarah, and thought it was very well done.
The conclusion of this story was killer. I never thought it would end the way it did, but it was strangely satisfying (which I feel is a terrible thing to say). I’m not promoting anything that happened in the conclusion of the book, but from a writing standpoint, it was well thought out.
July 29, 2016
Australian author Herrick here writes a more than just a murder mystery told in verse. It's also a story of life in a small post-WWII Australian town, and the relationship between a father and his sons. Herrick vividly depicts Burruga, where husbands make the daily route between work, the pub, and home, and wives keep house. I kept wondering if this place had a library or any kind of cultural events. Surely the men could find something else to do besides drink. The mystery part of it kept me guessing, not quite sure if I'd gotten it right, until the end. A bit depressing, but a good story, and recommended.
April 22, 2015
What would you do if you had the choice to either save a killer or let him die? Cold Skin is a novel about a teenage boy named Eddie who lives in a mining town after World War two. I have no idea how long after World War two, was it a month or a year? beats me, it could of been a decade for all I know. I can't tell you anything else about Eddie or any of the other characters because I literally know nothing about them. Anyway, as far as I can tell someone that he used to go to school with ends up dead in a lake, some would say she had cold skin. If it seems like I'm being insensitive about this murder of a young girl it's because I am. The deepest the author went into describing this girl was giving us her name. I got two pages from this chicks perspective, and it was just her dribbling on about her freaking netball team and drinking a milkshake. I don't even know what her relationship to the main character was. I know that Eddie was emotionally invested in her murder, but I don't know why. He wasn't even in school he dropped out to work in the mines. From the thinly veiled remarks of other characters I have come to the conclusion that she was an object of obsession to Eddie. Which I don't get because Eddie was supposedly in a relationship with a girl named Sally. Although I may have just inferred all that because the author never says anything about them being in a relationship it's just "Hey these two characters are holding hands and repeatedly making out in a lake, but are they dating? you decide!" My point is that none of these characters have any sort of depth or personality. A hundred and fifty pages of buildup to the actual murder and I had to go back and confirm that the character who died had actually been introduced to the reader. And the format of this book, oh my god the format. Upon first glance one might think that this is a collection of poems, but it's not. Pretty much every page is written from the perspective of a new character, at least i think that's what the author was going for. You know how some books do that very well? well this isn't one of them. Every single page is written in the same boring bland style but with a different characters name slapped at the top in bold print. No character has its own definitive voice, and only one character gets a physical description. At least I think its a physical description everyone calls him "fatty" so I assumed he was fat. Although it could be some sort of verbal irony and he could be a lanky fella. The only good thing about the format of this book is that 2 pages were the equivalent of 1 page in a book with a normal layout. So I didn't have to suffer for long. I wanted to read this book because I was under the impression that it was going to be a mystery, it wasn't. Also, and I may be wrong because I am trying to repress most of this book, but I'm fairly certain that at one point one man killed another man and the town collectively said "well he may or may not have been responsible for a homicide, so you were well within your means to straight up murder him, plus none of the police wanted to do their job anymore, so good job buddy!" This book will stay with you long after you put it down because it's so bad you'll never be able to cleanse your mind of it. You shouldn't read this book because it could make you want to lobotomize yourself with a rusty blade.
February 14, 2010
Cold Skin is a novel in verse that takes place after World War II in a mining town in Barruga, Australia. The story is told from many different characters points of view who are listed at the beginning of the novel and their name is repeated when they tell their side of the story. Most of the men Barruga have come back from the war, Albert Holden drove a truck but did not fight during the war. Mayor Paley never went to war and Jack O'Connor saw too much fighting. Albert's sons, Eddie and Larry, couldn't be more different. Eddie is ridiculed by his teacher in school and wants to work in the mines. His father refused to go back down in the mines (won't entertain Eddie working in the mines) and now does manual labor on someone else's farm. Larry Holden loves learning, and sees it as a way out of town. Both Father and son, Larry, enjoy drinking too much, as do many of the other men in town on Friday evenings after a tough week. It is on one of these Friday nights, that a young sixteen-year-old girl is missing and later found dead. Every man in Barruga is suspect and the spare verse by Herrick, paints of picture of revenge, cowardice, and twisted justice while also probing the friendship of Eddie and Sallie as it slowly becomes love.
November 6, 2010
Though this story is told from multiple perspectives, the calm voice of Eddie keeps the narrative from disintegrating into shapelessness. Set in an Australian coal mining town after WWII, the steady lives of the townspeople is turned upside down when a young girl is found murdered and all of the men become suspects. As the narrative unfolds, we learn more about the characters and discover that everyone has secrets that should never see the light of day.
May 4, 2012
Weer zo'n prachtig in versvorm geschreven boek van Steven Herrick. Langzaam wordt de spanning opgebouwd als blijkt dat er een meisje is vermoord. Wie heeft het gedaan?
Steven Herrick schrijft vanuit negen verschillende personages, zodat het je als lezer al een beetje een idee geeft wie de moordenaar zou kunnen zijn.
Hoewel ik Aan de rivier nét een ietsje beter vond, geef ik dit boek toch ook vijf sterren.
Steven Herrick schrijft vanuit negen verschillende personages, zodat het je als lezer al een beetje een idee geeft wie de moordenaar zou kunnen zijn.
Hoewel ik Aan de rivier nét een ietsje beter vond, geef ik dit boek toch ook vijf sterren.
August 4, 2012
Wow!
The curves of this story are amazing. The flow is gorgeous and the writing is sincere.
There are rare books that can mold a sad story so beautifully and Cold Skin does just that.
The curves of this story are amazing. The flow is gorgeous and the writing is sincere.
There are rare books that can mold a sad story so beautifully and Cold Skin does just that.
December 21, 2017
This book was just okay. The book had a good story line, but I thought it was poorly developed. To me, the Exposition/Rising Action were just way too short, and the climax, falling action, etc., seemed very rushed. It seemingly took forever to get to the actual murder. It was disappointing to see it solved and resolved so fast. It also would have better to see the character's developed more. I felt like I could only relate to only character, not because we were similar, but because he was the only one with substance, and an inner monologue. A different character contributes to the story every couple of pages, and because Eddie was the only one whose thoughts were interesting, it left me rushing through the book just to read his parts to get any kind of substance. The book is formated like poetry, which is bothersome at first, but easier to read when you get used to the format. I was also just very disappointed with the realization that the mayor was the murderer...chlice and predictable if you asked me..This book had a lot of potential but just didn't stand out. I would say, read this book if you've got some free time on your hands, but don't keep it at the top of your list.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2019
After seeing a class set of Cold Skin make it’s way into my English faculty’s storeroom, I knew it was only a matter of time before I devoured another of Steven Herrick’s free verse novels. (The Simple Gift was one my favourite texts I studied at school!
Though my reading was guided by trying to decide which year group this would best fit, I found myself being, once again, drawn into the vivid characters and serious themes surrounding the death of a local, small-town teenage girl.
The voices of the varied cast made for an incredibly interesting and captivating read. The perspectives of the young and old, male and female, hopeful and jaded, created a story that showed the truth of who we are as people – our dreams, realities and failures included.
This is definitely a must read for anyone who enjoys a mystery surrounding a small-town murder, and for those who are a fan of multiple points of view.
Be wary though – there are some confronting ideas woven throughout the poetry – but please, do not let that stop you from reading this powerful tale.
Though my reading was guided by trying to decide which year group this would best fit, I found myself being, once again, drawn into the vivid characters and serious themes surrounding the death of a local, small-town teenage girl.
The voices of the varied cast made for an incredibly interesting and captivating read. The perspectives of the young and old, male and female, hopeful and jaded, created a story that showed the truth of who we are as people – our dreams, realities and failures included.
This is definitely a must read for anyone who enjoys a mystery surrounding a small-town murder, and for those who are a fan of multiple points of view.
Be wary though – there are some confronting ideas woven throughout the poetry – but please, do not let that stop you from reading this powerful tale.
June 10, 2018
I first came across Stephen Herrick when I was teaching in Australia as I had to teach ‘My Town’. I have to admit I found the verse novel a challenging text type to get used to and it took me a while to get into the book, but when I did I enjoyed it. When I recently came across ‘Cold Skin’ in my school library in Italy, I had to borrow it. I started reading it on Friday night and I was hooked and kept reading until I had half the book read. The verses are easy to read, the layout accessible and the story and language are fantastic and gripping, it's very raw, very Australian and to be entirely honest it made me somewhat homesick. The language used, the terminology, the landscape, it all made me miss Australia.
April 5, 2013
The novel Cold Skin, written by Steven Herrick is unlike any other book I have read. It shows people discovering who they are, relationships being made, murder and forgiveness. Nearly every page is about a different character and reveals their side of what is happening. This is why I would compare this book to Flipped. They both share the view the characters are having on each side .It shares their own opinion of what they think of others and what they tend to say to themselves. For instance, at the beginning of the book it starts off as letting the readers know background on each character. Albert Holding (Eddie’s Father), is describing what he thinks of Mayor Paley. “Fatty charms the ladies with his boarding-school education and his prissy sincere voice. He greased the palms of certain people who backed him as mayor while the rest of us were thousands of miles away. Fatty gets fatter and richer than his old man, and he has a sign above his store, his crummy little general store, that reads Paley’s Emporium, because Fatty’s too proud to own just a shop. (page 28)”. This gives the readers a different perspective on everything that occurs. Not only is the book very good on giving background but also is excellent on giving the characters opinion’s.
With giving each of the character's own opinion of eachother, it lets the readers decide whether they choose to like that character or not. Mr. Butcher (Eddie’s Teacher), states information that just makes the Mayor sound bad. “I raise my hat and keep walking to the corner, past Paley’s Emporium, with the staff already busy sweeping and dusting because Paley doesn’t employ cleaners. He gets the staff to do everything.” From almost every adult, Mayor Paley was always called a coward, and after hearing it from multiple characters, that’s what I had started to think of this character and that is why I am not very fond of Mayor Paley. But, a character that I admire is Eddie Holding, one of the main characters. He shows many traits and develops as a person throughout the novel. “There is nothing more I can say, it’s all twisted and wrenched out of me. Dad will always feel the rope in his hands, cutting through the skin, leaving a red wlt. No matter what he does from now on, the blemish will be there. A mark that no rain can wash off. No soap, no work on the farm, no coal dust smeared across, no cigarette stain will hide. (page 263)”. This shows Eddie excepting that his father had done something wrong, neither him or his dad can fix it. It also shows him realizing that whatever you decide to do, will always be with you for as long as you live, never escaping your mind. Lastly, Eddie shows the acceptance of what he has done was the right thing whether it was a bad choice to come clean and give his dad “up”.
The conflict in the story is expected by the little hints that are given throughout the book. But, the novel leads you to think of a different outcome rather than the one that actually happens. One things that happened in the plot that lead me to think of the conflict was the suspicion Eddie had grown on against Mr.Butcher. “He opens the door, I scamper out from the bushes and jump in the back carriage. I say low in the seat until I hear the whistle, and we move slowly away from Barruga. (page 113)”. This shows that Eddie doesn’t trust Mr.Butcher so he had followed him and it lead to an assumption of what was going to happen. The conflict kept me interested in the plot because it was something that had happened but still had a lot of explaining as to why it occurred. Then of course I wanted to know why. Also, in the conflict there are two major parts that help the reader understand the big picture by showing forgiveness. The author drops this hint in many ways but the thing that stood out to me the most is when it was boldly said. “I remember now. He said, “Forgive me.” His eyes were calm. He knew his fate. (page 245)”. Just by this line here, I had put together that the whole big picture and as to how this fits in with the conflict. Another reason is that Eddie states, “How can I begin to accept all this? (page 266)”. All throughout this novel, it shows the characters dealing with situations they thought they couldn’t handle or let go of but by the end of the book Eddie and others learn to forgive what has happened and move past it. From reading this book, I have learned that you should allow yourself to try and forgive people and also give them a second chance because people do make mistakes. because sometime it might hold you back.
The genre of this novel is mystery. This helped me understand the big picture because I knew that there would be something that would happen that would later on wanted to be taken back. I have only read this genre one other time but I enjoyed it so I am planning on reading more from this genre. The things that I like about this genre is that you never know what will happen. It always leads you to think certain things but it turns out you're wrong. The thing that I don’t like is that I keep wanting to read to find out what happens but sometimes I don’t have the time, so if I read the conflict, I want to figure out right away why that had happened but I don't always have the chance.
I enjoyed how this novel kept me thinking when I was reading the book. I also found myself thinking of what was going to happen next and random times during the day. This book made me want to keep reading and made it very challenging to put it down.Overall, I am rating this book a five. It just happens to be my favorite book that I have read so far in my freshman year.
With giving each of the character's own opinion of eachother, it lets the readers decide whether they choose to like that character or not. Mr. Butcher (Eddie’s Teacher), states information that just makes the Mayor sound bad. “I raise my hat and keep walking to the corner, past Paley’s Emporium, with the staff already busy sweeping and dusting because Paley doesn’t employ cleaners. He gets the staff to do everything.” From almost every adult, Mayor Paley was always called a coward, and after hearing it from multiple characters, that’s what I had started to think of this character and that is why I am not very fond of Mayor Paley. But, a character that I admire is Eddie Holding, one of the main characters. He shows many traits and develops as a person throughout the novel. “There is nothing more I can say, it’s all twisted and wrenched out of me. Dad will always feel the rope in his hands, cutting through the skin, leaving a red wlt. No matter what he does from now on, the blemish will be there. A mark that no rain can wash off. No soap, no work on the farm, no coal dust smeared across, no cigarette stain will hide. (page 263)”. This shows Eddie excepting that his father had done something wrong, neither him or his dad can fix it. It also shows him realizing that whatever you decide to do, will always be with you for as long as you live, never escaping your mind. Lastly, Eddie shows the acceptance of what he has done was the right thing whether it was a bad choice to come clean and give his dad “up”.
The conflict in the story is expected by the little hints that are given throughout the book. But, the novel leads you to think of a different outcome rather than the one that actually happens. One things that happened in the plot that lead me to think of the conflict was the suspicion Eddie had grown on against Mr.Butcher. “He opens the door, I scamper out from the bushes and jump in the back carriage. I say low in the seat until I hear the whistle, and we move slowly away from Barruga. (page 113)”. This shows that Eddie doesn’t trust Mr.Butcher so he had followed him and it lead to an assumption of what was going to happen. The conflict kept me interested in the plot because it was something that had happened but still had a lot of explaining as to why it occurred. Then of course I wanted to know why. Also, in the conflict there are two major parts that help the reader understand the big picture by showing forgiveness. The author drops this hint in many ways but the thing that stood out to me the most is when it was boldly said. “I remember now. He said, “Forgive me.” His eyes were calm. He knew his fate. (page 245)”. Just by this line here, I had put together that the whole big picture and as to how this fits in with the conflict. Another reason is that Eddie states, “How can I begin to accept all this? (page 266)”. All throughout this novel, it shows the characters dealing with situations they thought they couldn’t handle or let go of but by the end of the book Eddie and others learn to forgive what has happened and move past it. From reading this book, I have learned that you should allow yourself to try and forgive people and also give them a second chance because people do make mistakes. because sometime it might hold you back.
The genre of this novel is mystery. This helped me understand the big picture because I knew that there would be something that would happen that would later on wanted to be taken back. I have only read this genre one other time but I enjoyed it so I am planning on reading more from this genre. The things that I like about this genre is that you never know what will happen. It always leads you to think certain things but it turns out you're wrong. The thing that I don’t like is that I keep wanting to read to find out what happens but sometimes I don’t have the time, so if I read the conflict, I want to figure out right away why that had happened but I don't always have the chance.
I enjoyed how this novel kept me thinking when I was reading the book. I also found myself thinking of what was going to happen next and random times during the day. This book made me want to keep reading and made it very challenging to put it down.Overall, I am rating this book a five. It just happens to be my favorite book that I have read so far in my freshman year.
April 15, 2022
This book was not what I was expecting. Herrick took time in the beginning of the novel to introduce us to characters before jumping right into the mystery. It didn't turn out how I expected and I didn't want to put it down. It does start a bit slow because we get to meet all the towns people and learn about their personalities, but the ending comes quickly.
October 12, 2017
I had never even heard of this book, but I picked it up off the shelf at the library and it sounded interesting. Would I recommend this book? Yes. It was a super quick read and I enjoy reading about the character Eddie.
September 29, 2017
4 stars
- Ms. Jenn
- Ms. Jenn
April 12, 2020
This story is written in verse with alternating narrators. I really enjoyed it. The ending was a surprise, and I was attached to the characters. Quick, page-turning read.
May 2, 2022
A quick read. It was an interesting mystery with compelling characters. While it was well-written, it’s not my favorite genre.
May 20, 2022
Young adult verse novel. Really good.
January 13, 2013
After reading Cold Skin by Steven Herrick, I realized that this is a story of betrayal and regrets. The theme of this novel is about how unexpectedly and quickly things can change.
This story takes place in an Australian mining town, slightly after World War II. Most of the characters in this story participated in the war, and almost all of them are working in the mines. There is not a whole lot of action in this town, named Burrga, but when something like this happens, the whole town shuts down and everything will change. This is not only a story about murder, but a story that shows how a community can come together after a tragic event and get through it together.
The protagonist of the story is Eddie Holding, who has dreams of working in the mines after he is finished with school. Eddie’s dad doesn't want him to work in the mine because of the danger of the occupation, but Eddie knows he will earn a good wage and it will pay off in the long run. In a way, Eddie’s dad is a hypocrite. I mean this because he returned home from the war just to do small jobs like chores. Eddie won’t listen to his dad about his future because he doesn't want to end up like him.
The main plot of the story surrounds a girl named Colleen, who is well liked in the town and suddenly disappears. She is found dead by a river a few days later and the whole town is ripped apart. Burrga knows they have a murderer, but they don’t know who it is. There is one police officer in the town, and it is extremely challenging to hunt down a killer with one person. They fear they will never find who the killer is, and the mystery will never be solved. Eventually, the mystery is solved and justice is served. The ending of the book is very traumatic and takes many twists and turns.
There are not many characters in this story, but they all establish their own identity throughout the telling of the story. They all have different personalities and all have their own way of thinking.
Moving away from the plot, there are many unique things about this novel. First of all, it is written in a first person view from the perspective of each character. It was easy to follow because it said their name on the top of the page and wasn't really that confusing. I liked this verse style of writing because it game me an inside look to all of the characters thought and opinions on things when different events happened. This style is similar to poetry, which I’m usually not fond of, but it doesn't use literary elements and figurative language that are hard to understand. With that being said, author Steven Herrick still does a wonderful job describing the setting and the various landforms of the Australian village.
There were many quotes from the author that I thought summed up the story very well. The first one says, “Cowards don't always hide. Sometimes they’re so gutless they need to stand out.” This line deals with the situation after the murder. It is describing the person who murdered Colleen as a coward and saying that they felt so guilty that they needed to show that they committed the crime.
The next quote also summarizes the plot well, and relates to the theme. “My father said to remember your enemies as well as your friends, and don’t trust either of them.” This quote means that the killer of Colleen is an enemy. Because the town is so small, the enemy could be someone that you know. Therefore, don’t trust what anyone says, unless you know that they’re right.
In conclusion, the author shows how things can take a turn for the worst in a blink of an eye and describes it extremely well. I really enjoyed reading this novel and I thought it possessed all of the elements to make it a good read. If you are looking for a good mystery novel to read, this book is for you. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good read. It doesn't take a long time to read because the plot progressed kind of quickly once the action starts happening.
This story takes place in an Australian mining town, slightly after World War II. Most of the characters in this story participated in the war, and almost all of them are working in the mines. There is not a whole lot of action in this town, named Burrga, but when something like this happens, the whole town shuts down and everything will change. This is not only a story about murder, but a story that shows how a community can come together after a tragic event and get through it together.
The protagonist of the story is Eddie Holding, who has dreams of working in the mines after he is finished with school. Eddie’s dad doesn't want him to work in the mine because of the danger of the occupation, but Eddie knows he will earn a good wage and it will pay off in the long run. In a way, Eddie’s dad is a hypocrite. I mean this because he returned home from the war just to do small jobs like chores. Eddie won’t listen to his dad about his future because he doesn't want to end up like him.
The main plot of the story surrounds a girl named Colleen, who is well liked in the town and suddenly disappears. She is found dead by a river a few days later and the whole town is ripped apart. Burrga knows they have a murderer, but they don’t know who it is. There is one police officer in the town, and it is extremely challenging to hunt down a killer with one person. They fear they will never find who the killer is, and the mystery will never be solved. Eventually, the mystery is solved and justice is served. The ending of the book is very traumatic and takes many twists and turns.
There are not many characters in this story, but they all establish their own identity throughout the telling of the story. They all have different personalities and all have their own way of thinking.
Moving away from the plot, there are many unique things about this novel. First of all, it is written in a first person view from the perspective of each character. It was easy to follow because it said their name on the top of the page and wasn't really that confusing. I liked this verse style of writing because it game me an inside look to all of the characters thought and opinions on things when different events happened. This style is similar to poetry, which I’m usually not fond of, but it doesn't use literary elements and figurative language that are hard to understand. With that being said, author Steven Herrick still does a wonderful job describing the setting and the various landforms of the Australian village.
There were many quotes from the author that I thought summed up the story very well. The first one says, “Cowards don't always hide. Sometimes they’re so gutless they need to stand out.” This line deals with the situation after the murder. It is describing the person who murdered Colleen as a coward and saying that they felt so guilty that they needed to show that they committed the crime.
The next quote also summarizes the plot well, and relates to the theme. “My father said to remember your enemies as well as your friends, and don’t trust either of them.” This quote means that the killer of Colleen is an enemy. Because the town is so small, the enemy could be someone that you know. Therefore, don’t trust what anyone says, unless you know that they’re right.
In conclusion, the author shows how things can take a turn for the worst in a blink of an eye and describes it extremely well. I really enjoyed reading this novel and I thought it possessed all of the elements to make it a good read. If you are looking for a good mystery novel to read, this book is for you. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good read. It doesn't take a long time to read because the plot progressed kind of quickly once the action starts happening.
November 6, 2023
Loved the style and mysteriousness of this book, sad but a good read. Kept me guessing till the end. Ended well.
November 23, 2009
Readers are brought back in time to small-town Australia just after the Second World War in this mystery written in verse. Burruga is a working-class mining town, and most of the men were shipped off to fight in Asia during the war. While everyone seems to have no trouble in judging the failings of those around them, it is a tight-knit community where everyone knows everything about everyone else.
The town is shocked when Colleen, a local teen, is found dead at a local makeout location. Everyone starts looking at their neighbors with suspicions and old discrimination returns, whether it is division between rich and poor or those between those who fought on the front lines and those who didn't serve at all or took cozy assignments.
Herrick opted to tell the story from the perspective of nine differnt people in the community. They include:
*Colleen herself
*Eddie - a classmate and friend to Colleen who goes behind the scenes and tries to solve the mystery
*Larry - Eddie's older brother, who falls under suspicion because he was definitely drinking heavily the night Colleen disappeared
*Albert - Eddie and Larry's father who feels guilty that he was only a driver in the war and hopes his children will grow up to be more than just minors
*Mayor Paley - a well-to-do who was able to avoid service during the war. He claims to do everything he can for the town, but almost everyone looks down on him
*Sally - a local teen who has grown close to Eddie. They find their relationship developing to new levels
*Mr. Butcher - a teacher at the local school who works with the teens in town. He has a taste for driving into the city on the weekend to pay for some "young lovin'"
*Mr. Carter - the editor of the local newspaper
*Sgt. Grainger - the sole local police officer who seems overburdened by his new case
All of the characters come across with a high level of realism. Many of them have major faults, and a few of them are likely suspects because of these details. It is not easy for the reader to sort out who the real murderer is.
While the format means that sparse language is used, it does not prevent a complex tale being told as this town us bubbling underneath the surface with all sorts of unpleasantness. The tale really makes the reader question what really makes a person good or successful as it highlights the fact that appearances are often deceiving.
Sally and Eddie's relationship becomes quite complex and their romantic seems interestingly balance with the quick and flat scenes of Mr. Butcher with the prostitutes.
I really think that this story was pretty riveting, and I think that a lot of older teens and adults will be drawn into the story, well.
The town is shocked when Colleen, a local teen, is found dead at a local makeout location. Everyone starts looking at their neighbors with suspicions and old discrimination returns, whether it is division between rich and poor or those between those who fought on the front lines and those who didn't serve at all or took cozy assignments.
Herrick opted to tell the story from the perspective of nine differnt people in the community. They include:
*Colleen herself
*Eddie - a classmate and friend to Colleen who goes behind the scenes and tries to solve the mystery
*Larry - Eddie's older brother, who falls under suspicion because he was definitely drinking heavily the night Colleen disappeared
*Albert - Eddie and Larry's father who feels guilty that he was only a driver in the war and hopes his children will grow up to be more than just minors
*Mayor Paley - a well-to-do who was able to avoid service during the war. He claims to do everything he can for the town, but almost everyone looks down on him
*Sally - a local teen who has grown close to Eddie. They find their relationship developing to new levels
*Mr. Butcher - a teacher at the local school who works with the teens in town. He has a taste for driving into the city on the weekend to pay for some "young lovin'"
*Mr. Carter - the editor of the local newspaper
*Sgt. Grainger - the sole local police officer who seems overburdened by his new case
All of the characters come across with a high level of realism. Many of them have major faults, and a few of them are likely suspects because of these details. It is not easy for the reader to sort out who the real murderer is.
While the format means that sparse language is used, it does not prevent a complex tale being told as this town us bubbling underneath the surface with all sorts of unpleasantness. The tale really makes the reader question what really makes a person good or successful as it highlights the fact that appearances are often deceiving.
Sally and Eddie's relationship becomes quite complex and their romantic seems interestingly balance with the quick and flat scenes of Mr. Butcher with the prostitutes.
I really think that this story was pretty riveting, and I think that a lot of older teens and adults will be drawn into the story, well.
November 13, 2012
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Set in a small Australian town and the area surrounding it, COLD SKIN is the story of brothers Eddie and Larry Holding, their parents, friends, and townspeople. What ties them together besides community connections is the disappearance and murder of a young girl.
Eddie Holding is on the edge of adulthood. He'll be finished with school soon, and his dream is to put his size and strength to good use by working in the mines. It's a dangerous occupation and his father disapproves, but for years Eddie has watched the local young men leave school to work the difficult job and make a decent wage. His father, on the other hand, fought hard in the war and then came home to do a boy's job working at chore-like jobs for a neighboring farmer. Eddie has never understood why his father puts up with ridicule from the locals about his cowardly job.
An observer of people, Eddie watches those around him.
He watches as his older brother Larry drinks himself into a stupor each night at the local bar and then comes home to vomit in the garden and snore in bed until morning. There's the local mayor who never got a chance to fight in the war with the rest of the town's men. He spends his time bragging about his uncontested victory and gathering votes to assure he continues as leader of the town. Mr. Butcher, a high school teacher, leads a mysterious double life. During the week he teaches at the local high school and each weekend heads to the city. Eddie decides to follow his teacher one weekend and discovers he has a fondness for young girls. And speaking of young girls, Eddie experiences his first love with Sally and, at the same time, fantasizes about Colleen, whose disappearance and death tear apart the town.
Author Steven Herrick tells the story of Burruga, Australia, in prose verse. The alternating view points give readers a glimpse into the minds and hearts of all the characters. Young Eddie guides the fast-paced story and provides the connections necessary to understand the people of this tiny town.
Set in a small Australian town and the area surrounding it, COLD SKIN is the story of brothers Eddie and Larry Holding, their parents, friends, and townspeople. What ties them together besides community connections is the disappearance and murder of a young girl.
Eddie Holding is on the edge of adulthood. He'll be finished with school soon, and his dream is to put his size and strength to good use by working in the mines. It's a dangerous occupation and his father disapproves, but for years Eddie has watched the local young men leave school to work the difficult job and make a decent wage. His father, on the other hand, fought hard in the war and then came home to do a boy's job working at chore-like jobs for a neighboring farmer. Eddie has never understood why his father puts up with ridicule from the locals about his cowardly job.
An observer of people, Eddie watches those around him.
He watches as his older brother Larry drinks himself into a stupor each night at the local bar and then comes home to vomit in the garden and snore in bed until morning. There's the local mayor who never got a chance to fight in the war with the rest of the town's men. He spends his time bragging about his uncontested victory and gathering votes to assure he continues as leader of the town. Mr. Butcher, a high school teacher, leads a mysterious double life. During the week he teaches at the local high school and each weekend heads to the city. Eddie decides to follow his teacher one weekend and discovers he has a fondness for young girls. And speaking of young girls, Eddie experiences his first love with Sally and, at the same time, fantasizes about Colleen, whose disappearance and death tear apart the town.
Author Steven Herrick tells the story of Burruga, Australia, in prose verse. The alternating view points give readers a glimpse into the minds and hearts of all the characters. Young Eddie guides the fast-paced story and provides the connections necessary to understand the people of this tiny town.
August 24, 2012
"I lie in the cool grass under the rosewood tree
and look up at the looming cliff.
It has the face of an old man
with one eye closed
and a scar on his chin,
a coal-seam scar
too high to mine.
I close my eyes,
listening to the rustle of the leaves
and the distant siren from the mine.
The afternoon shift finishing at midnight.
I sleep beside the Coal Man
battered into the cliff,
miles above my town."
(p. 82-3)
"Men walk through tragedy, quietly,
calm and precise on the ouside,
tearing themselves to shreds inside."
(p. 154)
"Sally's words dance, uninvited,
inside my head.
I move the umbrella closer to Sallhy,
so I can feel the drops of rain
on my face,
cooling my skin
and rolling down my cheeks.
I feel too much.
Let the rain wash it away."
(p. 173)
“He was guilty as sin.”
(p. 244)
“I drop under the overhand of Coal Scar Man,
Keeping my eyes closed,
Trying to shut out what Dad has done.
Let me stay here forever.
I wrap my arms tight around my body
To ease the sobbing,
Praying for rain to start
And never stop
Until the valley is awash
And the river overflows
And covers our house,
The street of my town,
And cleans away all that blood
From the sand where Colleen died
And floods the bridge where Mr. Paley…”
(p. 245)
“Dad will always feel the rope in his hands,
Cutting through the skin,
Leaving a red welt.
No matter what he does from no on,
The blemish will be there.
A mark that no rain can wash off.
No soap,
No work on the farm,
No coal dust smeared across,
No cigarette stain will hide.”
(p. 263)
October 25, 2009
I'm all for murder mysteries. And I'm not adverse to poetry. The reason I only give this book *** is twofold. Firstly, the author jumps heads almost every other page. Which is fine, in and of itself, but because this is a murder mystery, that means that you are going to be inside the killer's head from time to time. In order to make the book suspenseful, the author leave thoughts out of the killer's head, so you don't know right away who it is. I dislike books, like this, where the author plays "hide the ball" with facts. I feel like there must be some more convincing way to deal with the mystery than simply not telling the reader something when inside the killer's (who you don't yet know is the killer) head. This may not bother some people, but it did me. Secondly, the book is written in "prose verse," which is basically just like writing any prose story, just chopping up the sentences and putting parts of them on different lines, sort of like this:
The lines didn't seem to correspond
to any specific meter or rhyme,
so I couldn't figure out why
the author
split sentences where he did.
Again, this may not bother some people, but it seemed odd to me. Otherwise, the author has a decently interesting story, and his writing is fairly easy to read. Given the subject matter and some "thematic elements," this should probably be for high school and up.
The lines didn't seem to correspond
to any specific meter or rhyme,
so I couldn't figure out why
the author
split sentences where he did.
Again, this may not bother some people, but it seemed odd to me. Otherwise, the author has a decently interesting story, and his writing is fairly easy to read. Given the subject matter and some "thematic elements," this should probably be for high school and up.
September 8, 2015
Eddie, eighteen, hulking and trapped in school, lives in the backwater town of Burrugo. Nothing ever happens there, ever; the most you can hope for is a chance to get a job working in the local coal mine - and even that, his father won't allow. Life in the small town is thrown upside down, however, when Colleen, a local teen beauty, is found dead by the river. Suddenly every one - everyone - is a suspect.
Problem is, despite the size of the town, no one really seems to know their neighbours terribly well, or, in same cases, they know them a little too well. Every suspect is clouded by years of prejudice and ill-opinion. Is Mr. Butcher, the slimy high-school teacher, the perpetrator? Perhaps Les Johnston, the handsome young miner? The suck-up Mayor? Albert Holding, the local war-time 'coward'? Or maybe his son, Larry, known to have a crush on Colleen?
Told entirely in first person verse, each 'poem' continues the story and adds yet another perspective to the mix. Certainly an interesting read.
Problem is, despite the size of the town, no one really seems to know their neighbours terribly well, or, in same cases, they know them a little too well. Every suspect is clouded by years of prejudice and ill-opinion. Is Mr. Butcher, the slimy high-school teacher, the perpetrator? Perhaps Les Johnston, the handsome young miner? The suck-up Mayor? Albert Holding, the local war-time 'coward'? Or maybe his son, Larry, known to have a crush on Colleen?
Told entirely in first person verse, each 'poem' continues the story and adds yet another perspective to the mix. Certainly an interesting read.
October 3, 2009
Burruga, Australia is a small town and everyone knows everyone else’s business…or do they? Several of the townspeople’s stories are told in a series of prose poems alternating among the characters. The main characters are the Holding family: father Albert and sons Eddie and Larry. Albert Holding came back from WWII a changed man, not because he had seen action, but because he hadn’t. He refused to work in the mines and forbade his sons from doing so as well. Eddie was not much interested in school and he thought someone should work in the mines to earn a decent wage, which his father’s job as a farmhand did not provide. A girl in town is murdered and as the poems progress through several citizens of the town and possible suspects including the mayor, who did not fight in the war, the police chief, the town teacher, and others, their deepest secrets are revealed. Some tension builds through the book but several plot threads seem out of place and are never tied up. Reluctant readers who are fans of Ellen Hopkins and prose poetry books will like this quick read.
January 2, 2024
In country Burruga, nothing ever happens, but everyone's eyes are on you anyway. Then the body of a local girl is found, and everyone is under suspicion for murder. Page by page the tension and climax build.
‘Cold Skin’ by Steven Herrick is another outstanding verse novel for young adults from this Australian author. Each page gives you the inner-most thoughts of one of the novel’s characters – from Albert, Eddie and Larry Holding, to the contemptuous teacher, Mr. Butcher, well-meaning policeman, Sergeant Grainger, Mayor Paley and Sally Holmes and Colleen O’Conner who go to school with Eddie and Larry. The economy of each carefully-chosen word makes the reading effortless, while the plot sinuously winds its way into your head and heart. If you’ve never read a verse novel before, try the rest of Herrick’s work and also novels by authors such as Karen Hesse, Margaret Wild, and Sharon Creech.
‘Cold Skin’ by Steven Herrick is another outstanding verse novel for young adults from this Australian author. Each page gives you the inner-most thoughts of one of the novel’s characters – from Albert, Eddie and Larry Holding, to the contemptuous teacher, Mr. Butcher, well-meaning policeman, Sergeant Grainger, Mayor Paley and Sally Holmes and Colleen O’Conner who go to school with Eddie and Larry. The economy of each carefully-chosen word makes the reading effortless, while the plot sinuously winds its way into your head and heart. If you’ve never read a verse novel before, try the rest of Herrick’s work and also novels by authors such as Karen Hesse, Margaret Wild, and Sharon Creech.
May 24, 2022
This tale by Steven Herrick told in verse is mesmerizing. I really enjoyed this tale. I found it incredibly easy to read and read most of it in nearly one sitting. I probably would have too if not for other responsibilities. It follows several characters but Eddie feels like the main character despite each part being told in first person from each different character's perspective. A murder happens in a small coal town and every man in town comes under suspicion. Through the course of the novel, the reader learns what motivates everyone and eventually who the killer is. It was very good, if not a little predictable. Regardless, I really enjoyed it. I would definitely read more of this story and others like it.
May 9, 2011
This was an interesting YA book. The writing set-up looks like poetry (very thin) and it took a couple pages to get used to it (since it isn't poetry). There are only 6 or so chapters, but each chapter is divided up into different character POV's. Eddie is such a darling character and he is so cute! There are some unexpected things that happen. I thought the author did a brilliant job of getting into each character's head, which could have been difficult since he switches between about 8 different POV's. I ended up actually really enjoying it--especially for something I randomly picked up at the library. It is a super quick summer read!
May 14, 2011
This was really different for a novel in verse. I would say that it would be high school age to adult. Basically a coming of age novel with a murder mystery thrown in. This is the story of life in a small coal mining town and the men and their children who live there. It seems that everyone has a secret that all start getting flushed out toward the end. Eddie, the main character, spends his days figuring out his feeling for Sally and trying to find a way out of his father's shadow. As their romance blossoms, Eddie witness several things that he shouldn't and later become the key witness as the murder of another small town girl comes to light. Great read!
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