What do you think?
Rate this book
Somebody's Crying
When Alice looks up and sees Tom staring at her, everything closes down around them and becomes very still. No one is breathing. No one else is in the room. Tom feels as if he can see right into the soul of Alice Wishart. It lies open before him, like a wide, long pane of glittering glass. So delicate and beautiful and . ready to break.Three years have passed since the murder of Alice's mother, but still the killer is unknown. Alice, her cousin Jonty and his friend Tom are drawn together by the mystery, but what is each of them hiding? Will their secrets bind them tighter or tear everything apart?Maureen McCarthy's intensely real characters will draw you deep into a world of suspicion, betrayal, desire and redemption.A compulsive reading experience from the bestselling author of Rose by any other name.
371 pages, Paperback - C Format
First published November 1, 2008
4 people are currently reading
231 people want to read
About the author
Maureen McCarthy
33 books104 followersMaureen McCarthy, the ninth of ten children, was born in 1953 in country Victoria. She has worked as a teacher in Victorian secondary schools and has written scripts for television and educational films. Her film credits include 'Skipping Class', he award-winning documentary, 'Eating Your Heart Out', and the SBS mini-series, 'In Between', which was later adapted inot four novels by Maureen. Her latest works includes the novels Ganglands and Cross My Heart, which was published in 1993 and short-listed for the NSW Premier's Prize in that year. An Australian author and scriptwriter, her novels concern the lives of emerging adults, from ages sixteen to early twenties. McCarthy has three sons and lives in Melbourne.
Maureen dedicated her story in the collection 'Family: A Collection of Short Stories' to the memory of her much-loved nephew, Justin Haire, who died tragically in October 1993, aged 21 years.
Maureen dedicated her story in the collection 'Family: A Collection of Short Stories' to the memory of her much-loved nephew, Justin Haire, who died tragically in October 1993, aged 21 years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 15, 2008
I have to confess that, when I read the blurb, I was a little wary. After all, a YA novel, set in country Australia, with teens dealing with a death in the family... it gets done a bit in the industry.
However, my fears were allayed very quickly, as I started reading. Whilst, on the surface, this is a bit of a whodunit, this only serves as the setting for exploring the three central characters, all deeply disturbed in their own way, as they attempt to escape their past by understanding it and finding closure. However, as they learn, you can't dig yourself out of a hole, and sometimes it would be better to walk away from the past than try to find meaning in it.
This isn't easy reading. It's quality young adult drama, with interlaced storylines which ebb and flow around each other. Thoroughly engaging and thought-provoking, it wasn't the most enjoyable read, but it was quite satisfying. I don't necessary share a lot of McCarthy's sentiments, and the themes were a little less subversive than I like personally, but that's a matter of personal taste, and I'd be doing an injustice to judge her on that.
This novel it has its complexities that will challenge young adult readers, and draw in older readers, appealing across generations. It's quiet profound and thought-provoking, without being overly indulgent or contrived (not that there's anything wrong with that IMHO). A good, solid Australian YA novel.
However, my fears were allayed very quickly, as I started reading. Whilst, on the surface, this is a bit of a whodunit, this only serves as the setting for exploring the three central characters, all deeply disturbed in their own way, as they attempt to escape their past by understanding it and finding closure. However, as they learn, you can't dig yourself out of a hole, and sometimes it would be better to walk away from the past than try to find meaning in it.
This isn't easy reading. It's quality young adult drama, with interlaced storylines which ebb and flow around each other. Thoroughly engaging and thought-provoking, it wasn't the most enjoyable read, but it was quite satisfying. I don't necessary share a lot of McCarthy's sentiments, and the themes were a little less subversive than I like personally, but that's a matter of personal taste, and I'd be doing an injustice to judge her on that.
This novel it has its complexities that will challenge young adult readers, and draw in older readers, appealing across generations. It's quiet profound and thought-provoking, without being overly indulgent or contrived (not that there's anything wrong with that IMHO). A good, solid Australian YA novel.
October 29, 2011
It’s highly unusual and at times too slow. But it’s got me thinking. And feeling…
The emotions ranged from the intense then soft and all else in between. Most their relationships are unconventional, complicated, should not work but still do. The lot of them are complicated interesting people. Initial descriptions of Jonty are of a boy with a bright future ahead of him, smart and good. Tom, too had everything going for him, solid family, good school and all that. But when 40 something Lillian enters these 18 year old boys lives, things got complicated. I have to say I was puzzled by what each saw in the other. But they worked, didn’t they?
Then later still, Tommo with his homecoming and facing what he’d failed to do. I understood what he did, understood, but still judged because like Alice I thought him a coward. But what’s to be said but that he did what he had to. And then there’s Jonty, whose experience touched me the most, but confused me the most as well. It’s his role that’s just all muddled. Do I like him? Feel sorry for him? Fear him?
I’m still trying to settle on whether I liked this because while initially I was clear on what I felt for them (Zero respect for Tom, sorry for Alice and even more sorry for Jonty, ) now, though? I’m just not so sure. Their story (for it certainly wasn’t just about a Lillian’s murder) is slow and complicated. Their story is about the after of it, specifically, of whether they'd moved on at all. Truly, none of them had. Take Tom who’d cut ties with the other. And Jonty whose shine had dimmed some. But most of all, Alice who’s a teensy bit bitter, a lot angry with ahemmed in trapped air to her.
A big part of the story is how different their relationships were. I got sucked into how Tom recounted his initial meeting encounter with a boy his polar opposite and later still of Lillian. As to the first, two boys with seemingly nothing in common, hitting it off and becoming fast friends is not that unusual. But it was the second that had me wondering more, these two befriend a forty something woman with whom they have an intense bond. But then the unthinkable happens, and then Tom does the unthinkable (unforgivable?) as well of cutting ties and forgetting. Only does he really?
Because there’s still Alice to consider, Lillian’s daughter, left behind and definitely angry, but not so sure about what to do about it. And when all of them start coming home, things get stirred up and even a tad more uncomfortable. Not only because of how unresolved things were or how conclusive Tom’s actions were, BUT because someone makes a love connection that just struck me as odd.
Don’t get me wrong, this is compulsively readable because there’s just so much drama going on as well as a mystery to be solved, but moments of it were just straight out odd for me especially with regard to Tom’s feelings for Alice. Were his feelings authentic ones or carried over from what he felt for her mother? And what on God’ green earth did she see in him? I plan to re-read this because I can’t still get a grasp on when things changed but that ending has me wondering if there is even a possibility of a them. But honestly I wonder if I really want there to be a them.
3/5
The emotions ranged from the intense then soft and all else in between. Most their relationships are unconventional, complicated, should not work but still do. The lot of them are complicated interesting people. Initial descriptions of Jonty are of a boy with a bright future ahead of him, smart and good. Tom, too had everything going for him, solid family, good school and all that. But when 40 something Lillian enters these 18 year old boys lives, things got complicated. I have to say I was puzzled by what each saw in the other. But they worked, didn’t they?
Then later still, Tommo with his homecoming and facing what he’d failed to do. I understood what he did, understood, but still judged because like Alice I thought him a coward. But what’s to be said but that he did what he had to. And then there’s Jonty, whose experience touched me the most, but confused me the most as well. It’s his role that’s just all muddled. Do I like him? Feel sorry for him? Fear him?
I’m still trying to settle on whether I liked this because while initially I was clear on what I felt for them (Zero respect for Tom, sorry for Alice and even more sorry for Jonty, ) now, though? I’m just not so sure. Their story (for it certainly wasn’t just about a Lillian’s murder) is slow and complicated. Their story is about the after of it, specifically, of whether they'd moved on at all. Truly, none of them had. Take Tom who’d cut ties with the other. And Jonty whose shine had dimmed some. But most of all, Alice who’s a teensy bit bitter, a lot angry with a
A big part of the story is how different their relationships were. I got sucked into how Tom recounted his initial meeting encounter with a boy his polar opposite and later still of Lillian. As to the first, two boys with seemingly nothing in common, hitting it off and becoming fast friends is not that unusual. But it was the second that had me wondering more, these two befriend a forty something woman with whom they have an intense bond. But then the unthinkable happens, and then Tom does the unthinkable (unforgivable?) as well of cutting ties and forgetting. Only does he really?
Because there’s still Alice to consider, Lillian’s daughter, left behind and definitely angry, but not so sure about what to do about it. And when all of them start coming home, things get stirred up and even a tad more uncomfortable. Not only because of how unresolved things were or how conclusive Tom’s actions were, BUT because someone makes a love connection that just struck me as odd.
Don’t get me wrong, this is compulsively readable because there’s just so much drama going on as well as a mystery to be solved, but moments of it were just straight out odd for me especially with regard to Tom’s feelings for Alice. Were his feelings authentic ones or carried over from what he felt for her mother? And what on God’ green earth did she see in him? I plan to re-read this because I can’t still get a grasp on when things changed but that ending has me wondering if there is even a possibility of a them. But honestly I wonder if I really want there to be a them.
3/5
July 28, 2010
So what can I say about “somebody’s crying”? Well I must say it was a beautiful book about passion, friendship and love.
Alright so this book took me a long time to read, I would like to say that the only reason for this was because I read so many books in between but it’s not the only reason. I didn’t feel like I was a part of this book like I usually do when I am reading a book I love such as this one, I felt like someone was telling me about the story not like I was reading it. I don’t know why that was but it was probably just me cause the story was really fantastic!
So! The rating system on goodreads is really annoying me at the moment, some books get high ratings for their story line like “the hunger games”, some get high rating because of their amazing writing styles such as “poison study”. Some get high ratings because of amazing characters like “vampire academy” and some such as this book get high ratings because of they set a brilliant different view of life. Even though my eyes were slightly glazed over when I was reading this there is no doubt that this book is stunning.
This book had wonderful characters! Tom, bla never liked him, I thought he was a “prick” as the author described him. I must say though there was something just disturbing about his character, but hay he had a role to play and yeah I will admit he got better in the end! Alice at the start of the book I was convinced that I hated her character, but about half way through the book I realised that I admired her character and I found myself thinking.
“Gee that was strong of her” or
“Geez why cant I be that tough?”
She is so strong considering the circumstances, if I was in her shoes I would cry every second of the day but she never did, well at least not in front of people. Jonty, gah I am not sure why I liked him so much but I did, I don’t usually go for his type of character.
This book really was amazing and unique! It had all kinds of themes flowing through the pages. The author has a way with words and she goes where other authors don’t and her words appeal to our five senses . At the start of this book I was thinking wth because I have never read a book written by an Australian but it was nice in the end.
Even though I can’t depict why I didn’t quite get into this book I would still highly recommended it! It is a different book that is very refreshing and very heart warming even though the ending is kinda sadish.
Alright so this book took me a long time to read, I would like to say that the only reason for this was because I read so many books in between but it’s not the only reason. I didn’t feel like I was a part of this book like I usually do when I am reading a book I love such as this one, I felt like someone was telling me about the story not like I was reading it. I don’t know why that was but it was probably just me cause the story was really fantastic!
So! The rating system on goodreads is really annoying me at the moment, some books get high ratings for their story line like “the hunger games”, some get high rating because of their amazing writing styles such as “poison study”. Some get high ratings because of amazing characters like “vampire academy” and some such as this book get high ratings because of they set a brilliant different view of life. Even though my eyes were slightly glazed over when I was reading this there is no doubt that this book is stunning.
This book had wonderful characters! Tom, bla never liked him, I thought he was a “prick” as the author described him. I must say though there was something just disturbing about his character, but hay he had a role to play and yeah I will admit he got better in the end! Alice at the start of the book I was convinced that I hated her character, but about half way through the book I realised that I admired her character and I found myself thinking.
“Gee that was strong of her” or
“Geez why cant I be that tough?”
She is so strong considering the circumstances, if I was in her shoes I would cry every second of the day but she never did, well at least not in front of people. Jonty, gah I am not sure why I liked him so much but I did, I don’t usually go for his type of character.
This book really was amazing and unique! It had all kinds of themes flowing through the pages. The author has a way with words and she goes where other authors don’t and her words appeal to our five senses . At the start of this book I was thinking wth because I have never read a book written by an Australian but it was nice in the end.
Even though I can’t depict why I didn’t quite get into this book I would still highly recommended it! It is a different book that is very refreshing and very heart warming even though the ending is kinda sadish.
August 22, 2025
2.5⭐️
I never usually give such a low rating. I was so disappointed. I had hopes for this because I had heard good things about this author. And it’s YA Australian Mystery. All good things on their own. It was published in 2008, so there are definitely somethings that haven’t aged well. There’s so much fat shaming and fat phobia. And then there’s the really simple grammatical errors. I can usually ignore it if there’s one, but I found several and it was hard to get past. I wanted to DNF but I was curious enough to keep reading. Unfortunately the ending was also a let down, so I probably should’ve just DNF’d
I never usually give such a low rating. I was so disappointed. I had hopes for this because I had heard good things about this author. And it’s YA Australian Mystery. All good things on their own. It was published in 2008, so there are definitely somethings that haven’t aged well. There’s so much fat shaming and fat phobia. And then there’s the really simple grammatical errors. I can usually ignore it if there’s one, but I found several and it was hard to get past. I wanted to DNF but I was curious enough to keep reading. Unfortunately the ending was also a let down, so I probably should’ve just DNF’d
September 6, 2018
Although this was quite a well-written novel, I felt that the style of writing really represented the decade in which it was written therefore making it a little old-fashioned. A POV style mystery the character development was good and the information was drip fed so that it kept your interest to the last page.
May 14, 2020
Was in my book shelf at home, decided to read because of Australian author and based in Australia. It was an interesting enough read.
February 27, 2023
Read a third but couldnt get into it. Seemed a bit slow to me, and just not that interesting
January 30, 2010
I fell in love with Maureen McCarthy’s ‘Chain of Hearts’ ages ago unfortunately none of her other works have come to close to it. ‘Somebody’s Crying’ is a young adult novel following the lives of three teenagers coming to terms with the mysterious death of a local woman, a mother, aunt and friend to the respective characters.
Tom and Jonty used to be best mates but have grown apart after Jonty was accused of murdering a local woman called Lillian. The novel begins several years after the murder with Jonty calling Tom with the promise of a new lead on the case adamant that he is innocent but Tom can’t bring himself to believe him.
Through a twist of fate the two boys return to the place where it all happened and are forced to confront one another and Lillian’s only child Alice who bears a striking resemblance to her mother.
Tom’s uneasiness with Jonty and refusal to believe him hints at something more sinister lurking underneath the surface but the story never really comes to together in a satisfying conclusion. This was a quick read but not necessarily an enjoyable one.
McCarthy has a tendency to use characters that are a bit stereotypical. Her characterization of the Grandmother as a rich, snobby tyrant without redeeming qualities was off putting. Also there are moments in the book when her representation of the character’s behaviour seems less than authentic. For example when Jonty goes to a concert and hooks up with a sixteen year old girl he then formally introduces himself and they all ‘shake hands furiously’. It just seems a little off. Alice calling Tom ‘a pretty boy’ constantly in her head didn’t seem like a typically sixteen year old approach to an insult.
I hate to give a McCarthy such a low rating but this could have been a lot better than what it was.
Tom and Jonty used to be best mates but have grown apart after Jonty was accused of murdering a local woman called Lillian. The novel begins several years after the murder with Jonty calling Tom with the promise of a new lead on the case adamant that he is innocent but Tom can’t bring himself to believe him.
Through a twist of fate the two boys return to the place where it all happened and are forced to confront one another and Lillian’s only child Alice who bears a striking resemblance to her mother.
Tom’s uneasiness with Jonty and refusal to believe him hints at something more sinister lurking underneath the surface but the story never really comes to together in a satisfying conclusion. This was a quick read but not necessarily an enjoyable one.
McCarthy has a tendency to use characters that are a bit stereotypical. Her characterization of the Grandmother as a rich, snobby tyrant without redeeming qualities was off putting. Also there are moments in the book when her representation of the character’s behaviour seems less than authentic. For example when Jonty goes to a concert and hooks up with a sixteen year old girl he then formally introduces himself and they all ‘shake hands furiously’. It just seems a little off. Alice calling Tom ‘a pretty boy’ constantly in her head didn’t seem like a typically sixteen year old approach to an insult.
I hate to give a McCarthy such a low rating but this could have been a lot better than what it was.
January 10, 2018
YA fiction. Three years ago, Alice's mother was murdered. The police arrested Alice's cousin Jonty, the charismatic boy with the wide grin and the wild streak, but the evidence fell apart. Jonty doesn't remember anything about that night. He was released after a short stint inside, and nobody was ever brought to trial. Tom, Jonty's best friend, has been ignoring what happened ever since, and ignoring Jonty too. He barely remembers Alice, a shy girl next to her more vibrant mother. But now they're all back, all home for the first time since the murder, and circumstances are throwing them together. Everything's going to change.
I was so excited this month to get a review book from an author I actually follow - a book I would have gone out and bought, when it came out, if I hadn't got to review it. Maureen McCarthy is one of only two non-fantasy authors whose angsty YA I will always read, because I trust her to wring my emotions out and then bring me back in, gently. (The other is Melina Marchetta.) She's a master at writing those break points in teenagers' lives, when love and violence get tangled together. She's not a safe writer - I wasn't sure, right up until the end, whether Jonty had committed the murder or not - but I trust her with my emotions.
This isn't her best book. The characters are likeable - Jonty in particular - but the Alice/Tom love story has a slightly weird edge, due to Tom's feelings for Alice's mother. But my biggest complaint was that the ending didn't really resolve all the things that it should. There's a devastating climax, everything breaking apart, and then there's an epilogue. The epilogue shows us two of the three central characters, shows us what's going on with them, but not the third. I really wanted to know that the third character was okay, or even that they weren't, and she just didn't tell us.
I was so excited this month to get a review book from an author I actually follow - a book I would have gone out and bought, when it came out, if I hadn't got to review it. Maureen McCarthy is one of only two non-fantasy authors whose angsty YA I will always read, because I trust her to wring my emotions out and then bring me back in, gently. (The other is Melina Marchetta.) She's a master at writing those break points in teenagers' lives, when love and violence get tangled together. She's not a safe writer - I wasn't sure, right up until the end, whether Jonty had committed the murder or not - but I trust her with my emotions.
This isn't her best book. The characters are likeable - Jonty in particular - but the Alice/Tom love story has a slightly weird edge, due to Tom's feelings for Alice's mother. But my biggest complaint was that the ending didn't really resolve all the things that it should. There's a devastating climax, everything breaking apart, and then there's an epilogue. The epilogue shows us two of the three central characters, shows us what's going on with them, but not the third. I really wanted to know that the third character was okay, or even that they weren't, and she just didn't tell us.
gave-up-on-it
July 17, 2012I gave up on this book 19% of the way through it.
Why?
The writing style.
I hated it. Hated it. Third person present tense? Really? REALLY??
The writing style made it extremely hard to read. Sure, the plot was interesting, but I had a hard time remembering how old each character was. Tom acted like a 40 year old man. (Not that that's a bad thing; his behavior was just a little too old for the age he was actually supposed to be.) I kept thinking his dad was, like, 70 or something. Jonty and Alice were the only characters who I think acted their age.
Maybe in a couple of years, I'll pick this book back up again and give it another try. But, until then, I will relish in the beauty of not having to read it. Hallelujah for giving up on terrible books!
Why?
The writing style.
I hated it. Hated it. Third person present tense? Really? REALLY??
The writing style made it extremely hard to read. Sure, the plot was interesting, but I had a hard time remembering how old each character was. Tom acted like a 40 year old man. (Not that that's a bad thing; his behavior was just a little too old for the age he was actually supposed to be.) I kept thinking his dad was, like, 70 or something. Jonty and Alice were the only characters who I think acted their age.
Maybe in a couple of years, I'll pick this book back up again and give it another try. But, until then, I will relish in the beauty of not having to read it. Hallelujah for giving up on terrible books!
December 25, 2010
it was really good. you could really get into and experiance how Alice is feeling. i think it was cute and really kool how tom fell for Alice. He was mates with her mum, when Alice was 15, then when alice came back and started working for Toms dad. they were bound to meet. she hated him at first but then she slowly cam to like him, and he came to see her inner beauty even though she was slightly on the big side he thought she was beautiful the firs time he saw her sitting in her office working for his father. ( this is a couple years after Alice's mum is murderd and Alice is 18)
wow. i LOVED this book
wow. i LOVED this book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2012
This is definitely one of McCarthy's strongest works. I'm saying this as a frequent reader.
The characters are believable and likeable, and the ending is unpredictable. It makes me feel as if I'm in their world -a world mixed with mystery, crime and romance.
The main character, Alice, is one of my favourite female characters of all time because, although she's overweight, she doesn't take notice of it. Also, she is confident in herself. And her feelings are clearly projected through the third person narration.
There are some mature scenes, though not graphic. I don't recommend it for anybody younger than twelve years old.
A great story filled with suspense and mystery!
The characters are believable and likeable, and the ending is unpredictable. It makes me feel as if I'm in their world -a world mixed with mystery, crime and romance.
The main character, Alice, is one of my favourite female characters of all time because, although she's overweight, she doesn't take notice of it. Also, she is confident in herself. And her feelings are clearly projected through the third person narration.
There are some mature scenes, though not graphic. I don't recommend it for anybody younger than twelve years old.
A great story filled with suspense and mystery!
January 9, 2011
It’s been three years since the horrific event that devastated an entire community and changed the lives of Tom, Alice and Jonty. Each have tried to move on since the unsolved murder of Lillian Wishart, but this summer the three characters will reconnect, revisit their pasts and attempt to deal with chilling crime that tore them apart.
To be honest, I didn’t love Somebody’s Crying as much as Queen Kat, Carmen and St. Jude or Chain of Hearts, but this is still an intriguing story (I love a good mystery) and is surely to be devoured by diehard McCarthy fans.
To be honest, I didn’t love Somebody’s Crying as much as Queen Kat, Carmen and St. Jude or Chain of Hearts, but this is still an intriguing story (I love a good mystery) and is surely to be devoured by diehard McCarthy fans.
February 9, 2009
A murder in a country town. The accused murderer (Jonty) got off scott free and is back in town trying to make his best friend (Tom) see that it wasn't him. Whilst his cousin (Alice), the daughter of the women killed doesn't accept that fact.
Told from the perspective of the these three young adults, Maureen McCarthy captures the heart and mind of those affected by this crime with such familiar characteristics that we can't help but feel we too are apart of this story at times.
Told from the perspective of the these three young adults, Maureen McCarthy captures the heart and mind of those affected by this crime with such familiar characteristics that we can't help but feel we too are apart of this story at times.
April 8, 2011
I love Maureen McCarthy's work and this book again did not disappoint. Relationships, character and plot development are her strengths and this book continued along these strengths. It was a great read into relationships, family, and friendships told in a believable and soft way.
Great for people who enjoy books about young people and their relationships, with a murder thrown in for good measure.
Great for people who enjoy books about young people and their relationships, with a murder thrown in for good measure.
January 2, 2012
It was alright, but I'm so sick of the misrepresentation of drugs in YA fiction.
Weed certainly isn't the smartest thing you can do, but it won't induce a mad killing spree.
I've now read about three YA books in a row where one of the main characters is smoking weed and getting caught up in violence because of it.
I wish these YA authors would do a little more research and pick a drug that's actually believable. Even alcohol would do.
Weed certainly isn't the smartest thing you can do, but it won't induce a mad killing spree.
I've now read about three YA books in a row where one of the main characters is smoking weed and getting caught up in violence because of it.
I wish these YA authors would do a little more research and pick a drug that's actually believable. Even alcohol would do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2013
Slow to start but unconventional! That's what i liked about it. Something different that isn't so stereotypical that proves that things don't always go to plan and that everybody's story is different. I liked that you could see what everybody was thinking and I gave a perspective I wasn't used to but became accustomed to. It's a good book that offers good human values of life and I would recommend it to anyone .
August 9, 2011
Somebody’s Crying is a breathtaking book of murder and mystery. Alice is still finding life difficult after her mothers murder three years ago, when she meets up wit Tom, they join together to catch the killer, who may or may not be Alice’s cousin, and Tom’s ex best friend Jonty. As they are pulled deeper into the mystery, they also learn how to heal, be happy and maybe even be friends.
August 14, 2012
I really love the way Maureen McCarthy writes. Her characters are so realistic and layered and interesting, probably because they are NOT too busy being whipped through scenes of break-neck action to think or feel anything. I found this really gripping and fascinating, and stayed up till 4 finishing it!
August 25, 2012
I LOVE Maureen McCarthy's "Chain of Hearts", and so read this book, in the hope that it would be as good.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. As usual, the author is very good at writing about feelings and describing circumstances, but the actual plot of this book really drags it down - there is just not enough substance to it :(
Unfortunately, this is not the case. As usual, the author is very good at writing about feelings and describing circumstances, but the actual plot of this book really drags it down - there is just not enough substance to it :(
September 6, 2013
I made it to page 27 of this book before falling asleep... I awoke to the fall of the book off my bed and onto the floor. I'm sure deeper in it might be a good read but the start takes to long to take off.
I am deeply disappointed with this author as I loved some of her other books. I guess some people need a negative to even out the positives.
I am deeply disappointed with this author as I loved some of her other books. I guess some people need a negative to even out the positives.
October 5, 2015
I love it when you discover a book by chance and it turns out to be fantastic! Couldn't put it down. I loved the way the story ducked and weaved, and thought the hints at something deeper behind words and gestures were brilliant. I'm looking forward to reading more by another great Australian author. Highly recommended.
November 18, 2008
McCarthy does teen drama very well. Though not as good as most of her other work, it's still miles ahead of most other attempts at teen fiction.
Spoilt a little by the 'epilogue'. It seemed too much like it was trying to make a happy ending instead of a realistic one.
Spoilt a little by the 'epilogue'. It seemed too much like it was trying to make a happy ending instead of a realistic one.
January 8, 2014
The book started with an unsolved murder, but then focused on the characters whose relationships were affected by the crime. Unfortunately, the characters’ motivations were unconvincing, the revelations about the murderer came out of nowhere, and the prose was workmanlike, at best.
November 25, 2008
Its a pretty good story, and i liked it but i didnt love it.
June 19, 2009
I just couldn't get into this novel at all. Embarrassed to admit that I didn't get more than 30% through as I thought the voice was a little desperate.
October 27, 2010
I started to read this book though I just couldnt seem to get into it. I found keeping up with the story line quite hard to follow.
December 23, 2010
From the description on the back of the book, it sounded very cool, but I just couldn't get into it, sadly.
March 10, 2011
wow! that book is sad:( im not usually upset by books but it is sad! i still recomend it to everyone!!! especially if u like murder
March 25, 2011
I posted a review of this book on my site:
http://australianbookshelf.wordpress....
http://australianbookshelf.wordpress....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews