Dead Boy Talking

by Linda Strachan

Josh has 25 minutes to live.

Lying alone in a pool of blood, Josh hasn't much time to think. Yesterday he stabbed his best mate, and now it's happened to him. But there are questions he can't get out of his head. Like, how did he get into this mess? Will anyone find him in time? Will his girlfriend forgive him, and what really happened to his older brother?

As his life slips away, the events of the last 24 hours start to look very different.

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 5, 2012

Reviews

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually a little taken by surprise by this book. My first reaction was that Linda Strachan is trying hard to be S.E. Hinton and failing. And in a way, even after having finished the book, I still feel that way. I mean, she's taken a teenage boy who's a little rough around the edges, but who still remains a good person, and thrown him in to the gritty real-world of knives and loss and "hard times." And yet she just doesn't write with the poise and grace of S.E. Hinton. For the entire first third of the book (and in a book as short as Dead Boy Talking, that's a lot), I found Josh's character distinctly unbelievable.

A third of the way through, though, this book picked up for me. Strachan finally got around to telling the parts of the story that, to me, needed to be told. She finally developed Josh enough for me to be capable of believing him and believing in him as a character. It made sense why he was the way he was and why he thought the things he thought and did the things he did. And as this happened, Strachan was finally able to break away from my constant comparisons to Hinton and create a novel that is, without a doubt, worth a read.

Dead Boy Talking goes back and forth between fist person and third person narrative - we hear the story leading up to how Josh found himself lying in a pool of his own blood and the story as Josh thinks back over the events as he is slowly dying. It is gritty, it is real, and it is heart-breaking.

While the book is, on the surface, about knife crime, Strachan brilliantly weaves in the story of what it is like to be a teenager. When we're teenagers (or, let's face it, even adults), it's so easy to get caught up in trying to be our reputations that we often forget who we are and what is important to us. It's easy to forget that everyone has problems; what is important is how we deal with them. The alternation between first person and third person narrative allows the reader to understand just how important our decisions and reactions are. It also broaches the subject of knife-crime and teenage runaways in a completely real, no-nonsense way.

So, while it took me a while to be convinced by this book, in the end it hit me hard, and I think it will hit you hard, too. I found myself sobbing towards the very end. It also sends an important message to teens about the impact of running away and on the dangers of knife crimes. Read this book, and I don't think you will be disappointed.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dead Boy Talking is story which will knock you off your feet with the speed of its delivery and the raw, tough realism that it explores. This is the third novel I have read which explores knife crime and Strachan gives this issue her own fresh and very accessible twist. It is the story of Josh and how he comes to be lying in a pool of his own blood on the very first page. The story alternates between his first person account of the minutes after he is stabbed and the third person narrative which reveals how events in Josh's life play the domino effect and to lead up to this horrific moment.

It is a story which doesn't deviate from the path of its telling. Strachan expertly gives you only what you need to know keeping the narrative free of excessive detail and unnecessary asides. It is also a story that isn't in any way sentamentalised. The cover even reflects this clinical telling of the story and it is something that the author should be commended for. Whilst the plot is simple and direct, the characterisation shows a huge depth and understanding of the every day difficulties faced by a number of teens today. Josh is harbering a huge resentment towards his parents as they are absorbed by the disappearance of his brother. Danny is hiding a secret from everyone and I especially liked the exploration of his home life. Skye is an intriguing character. Her story is an original twist which took me completely by surprise.

The issues of how the stabbing comes to pass are not necessarily studied in great detail but in a way that shows you how our mistakes can soon spiral out of control. Strachan creates a fascinating portrayal of the interaction between characters and explores issues of manipulation and control and a pressure to keep face.

Overall, this is an excellent novel which will grab any reader with its shocking and tough approach to the issue of knife crime. The fast pace and direct approach will have a particular appeal to reluctant readers. A definite must have for any school library. A great short sharp burst of a book that will actually take your breath away.

[Jenny / Wondrous Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead Boy Talking is another YA book to explore teenage gang culture and knife crime. It looks at the before and after, and poses many questions relevant to today's society. I'll never fully understand why teens feel the need to fight and kill each other over something that could be resolved, but it happens, and it's a great shame.

Strachan's narrator, Josh, tells his story from two time frames: the 24 hours leading up to his stabbing, and what look to be his last 25 minutes after being left for dead. As you'd expect, it's emotional stuff, though it's all over very quickly. I would have liked a higher page count with more depth, and more chance to get to know everyone properly. It does work well as a short book too, and is definitely straight to the point. Seeing events unfold over a shorter period of time gives that sense of realism and, in the end I felt like I was there myself, counting down the minutes with Josh.

Dead Boy Talking is one of those books that should find its way on to school reading lists. Not as an example of social commentary, but rather as a lesson to anyone thinking about carrying, or using, a knife. If they read Strachan's take on things, I'm sure they'd at least think twice about what they were doing, as well as the consequences of their actions. Eventually all this real-life violence has to end, and I just hope it's soon.

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lol low-key had me sobbing at the end. The last chapter was beautifully written.

[Maloukk ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didnt think he was gonna die fr I thought they'd save him 💀