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Billy
Billy Finn is een klier, een lastige tiener. Een etterbak van de hoogste orde. Hij schopt, slaat, spijbelt van school en is ook nog aggresief. Billy is een last voor zijn begeleiders in het tehuis waar hij woont. Maar toch. Iéts in Billy intrigeert. Wat zit er achter zijn agressie? Als lezer krijg je sympathie voor hem en dat voelt raar; zo raar dat je door blijft lezen. Billy grijpt je bij de lurven en laat je niet meer los. Je gaat van hem houden. Een onvergetelijke ervaring. Phil Earle heeft een aangrijpend young adult boek geschreven, a real knock out. Move over John Green volgens de fans!
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2011
10 people are currently reading
1148 people want to read
About the author
Phil Earle
48 books105 followersPhil was born in Hull in 1974, and he studied English and Drama at Hull University. He worked for a year as a carer in a children’s home, then after training as a drama therapist, he worked in a therapeutic community in London, which cared for multiply abused adolescents. Then, changing tack completely, he chose a marginally more sedate life as a children’s bookseller. It was here that he developed an obsession for kid’s literature, in particular, young adult fiction.
After three years at Ottakar’s, he became a sales rep, and then a key account manager for Transworld/Random House, and is now sales director at Simon and Schuster Children’s Books.
Phil lives in South East London with his wife and three young children.
After three years at Ottakar’s, he became a sales rep, and then a key account manager for Transworld/Random House, and is now sales director at Simon and Schuster Children’s Books.
Phil lives in South East London with his wife and three young children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
April 18, 2012
Woosh.
This book was fantastic. I think my heart is still pounding from those last couple of chapters.
I don’t mind admitting that the majority of my knowledge of children in care is from reading Tracey Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson. And I know that might sound odd because Ms Wilson doesn’t really write young adult books, but if you’ve ever read a Jacqueline Wilson you will know that she is not one to shy away from the truth or darker aspects of life because they’re uncomfortable to read. Tracey Beaker is my second favourite of Ms Wilson’s books (First one, if you’re interested, is The Lottie Project) because it’s so realistic and isn’t afraid to delve into the nitty-gritty of what it’s like for a child in care.
And Being Billy? It was like Tracey Beaker… amplified.
There were two scenes in particular (the bowling alley and the house at the end, if you’ve read this) that I’m sure will stick with me for a long time. They were so powerful and it was often difficult to read it because they felt so raw. But it never felt gratuitous. As the events unfolded I could always tell that Mr Earle knew what he was talking about. I knew that he wasn’t just thinking “Right, OK, I’m writing a book about a SERIOUS SUBJECT and it has to be horrendously sad and my readers have to be in floods of tears”. He was telling Billy’s story as it was, with no extra trimmings.
So did I cry? I hear you ask.
Maybe.
And when I say maybe I really mean yes. Multiple times.
Anyway enough about me, let’s talk about Billy. He was such a colourful character even if he wasn’t always likeable. But sometimes they’re the best ones, aren’t they? There were so many times I wanted to reach into the pages and throttle him. Was he frustrated, angry, unreasonable? Our Billy was all of the above. But I still loved him.
He had an extremely British self-deprecating and dry humour that was hilarious but also ridiculously sad. No fourteen year old should have the material to master a self-deprecating sense of humour. But unfortunately Billy does. I don’t want to go into the specifics because of spoilers, but when the events of his past are finally revealed it isn’t surprising that he is the way he is. He’s disillusioned with life. He doesn’t trust people when they say they want to help. He feels that he has been given up on by every single ‘responsible’ adult that was supposed to be taking care of him. And he has anger that he can’t control without being restrained by The Colonel.
I’m 99% sure that Mr Earle didn’t have an agenda in mind when he wrote this book but regardless, he has written an extremely affective book that wasn’t only compelling but also incredibly harrowing.
My favourite relationships in young adult books are between siblings. Wait… I’m not talking about in a creepy and illegal Forbidden way, but I mean the connections between siblings. I always think that, when done right, a relationship between siblings can be more powerful than a love interest and it makes me sad that siblings hardly get a look in in fiction. Luckily, Mr Earle knows how to do it right. Billy’s relationship with Lizzie and Louie was one of the most touching aspects of this book and every time the three of them were together I just wanted to gather them into my arms and cuddle them and pray that everything was going to be OK for them.
Also, make muffins made in orange skins. Because they sound DELICIOUS if you ignore the slight possibility of getting salmonella. I would like that recipe.
For… um… research. Blogging research…
And also snaffling them.
I want to say it was a happy ending, but it wasn’t. Normally I hate happy endings because, to me, there is nothing worse than an overly saccharine ending that would never happen in real life. But I wanted there to be a happy ending with this book because I wanted to know that Billy was definitely going to OK. I wanted to know that all his flaws and insecurities would be eliminated by a glorious ending where all the characters get together and sing or do an interpretative dance or something. But no. I got a realistic ending and it’s one that’s almost hopeful. I have faith in Billy. Not sure how much that means for I am just a lowly book reviewer but I believe he’ll be OK when he gets to the end of his story. This book is just the first chapter in his story, though. That’s what I reckon, anyway.
He’s a tough nut, our Billy is, and he’s a fighter.
Before I wrap this review up, I just want to say how much I want to go on and on about how much I loved Daisy and how much of a fantastic character she is… but I’ve just discovered that Mr Earle has given her her own book. So I’ll just wait, because there is 100% chance that I will be reading Saving Daisy within the next few weeks.
Read this book.
Go on.
Have I ever steered you wrong?
*flutters eyelashes*
This review and lots of other exciting things can be found on my blog, Wear the Old Coat.
This book was fantastic. I think my heart is still pounding from those last couple of chapters.
I don’t mind admitting that the majority of my knowledge of children in care is from reading Tracey Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson. And I know that might sound odd because Ms Wilson doesn’t really write young adult books, but if you’ve ever read a Jacqueline Wilson you will know that she is not one to shy away from the truth or darker aspects of life because they’re uncomfortable to read. Tracey Beaker is my second favourite of Ms Wilson’s books (First one, if you’re interested, is The Lottie Project) because it’s so realistic and isn’t afraid to delve into the nitty-gritty of what it’s like for a child in care.
And Being Billy? It was like Tracey Beaker… amplified.
There were two scenes in particular (the bowling alley and the house at the end, if you’ve read this) that I’m sure will stick with me for a long time. They were so powerful and it was often difficult to read it because they felt so raw. But it never felt gratuitous. As the events unfolded I could always tell that Mr Earle knew what he was talking about. I knew that he wasn’t just thinking “Right, OK, I’m writing a book about a SERIOUS SUBJECT and it has to be horrendously sad and my readers have to be in floods of tears”. He was telling Billy’s story as it was, with no extra trimmings.
So did I cry? I hear you ask.
Maybe.
And when I say maybe I really mean yes. Multiple times.
Anyway enough about me, let’s talk about Billy. He was such a colourful character even if he wasn’t always likeable. But sometimes they’re the best ones, aren’t they? There were so many times I wanted to reach into the pages and throttle him. Was he frustrated, angry, unreasonable? Our Billy was all of the above. But I still loved him.
He had an extremely British self-deprecating and dry humour that was hilarious but also ridiculously sad. No fourteen year old should have the material to master a self-deprecating sense of humour. But unfortunately Billy does. I don’t want to go into the specifics because of spoilers, but when the events of his past are finally revealed it isn’t surprising that he is the way he is. He’s disillusioned with life. He doesn’t trust people when they say they want to help. He feels that he has been given up on by every single ‘responsible’ adult that was supposed to be taking care of him. And he has anger that he can’t control without being restrained by The Colonel.
I’m 99% sure that Mr Earle didn’t have an agenda in mind when he wrote this book but regardless, he has written an extremely affective book that wasn’t only compelling but also incredibly harrowing.
My favourite relationships in young adult books are between siblings. Wait… I’m not talking about in a creepy and illegal Forbidden way, but I mean the connections between siblings. I always think that, when done right, a relationship between siblings can be more powerful than a love interest and it makes me sad that siblings hardly get a look in in fiction. Luckily, Mr Earle knows how to do it right. Billy’s relationship with Lizzie and Louie was one of the most touching aspects of this book and every time the three of them were together I just wanted to gather them into my arms and cuddle them and pray that everything was going to be OK for them.
Also, make muffins made in orange skins. Because they sound DELICIOUS if you ignore the slight possibility of getting salmonella. I would like that recipe.
For… um… research. Blogging research…
And also snaffling them.
I want to say it was a happy ending, but it wasn’t. Normally I hate happy endings because, to me, there is nothing worse than an overly saccharine ending that would never happen in real life. But I wanted there to be a happy ending with this book because I wanted to know that Billy was definitely going to OK. I wanted to know that all his flaws and insecurities would be eliminated by a glorious ending where all the characters get together and sing or do an interpretative dance or something. But no. I got a realistic ending and it’s one that’s almost hopeful. I have faith in Billy. Not sure how much that means for I am just a lowly book reviewer but I believe he’ll be OK when he gets to the end of his story. This book is just the first chapter in his story, though. That’s what I reckon, anyway.
He’s a tough nut, our Billy is, and he’s a fighter.
Before I wrap this review up, I just want to say how much I want to go on and on about how much I loved Daisy and how much of a fantastic character she is… but I’ve just discovered that Mr Earle has given her her own book. So I’ll just wait, because there is 100% chance that I will be reading Saving Daisy within the next few weeks.
Read this book.
Go on.
Have I ever steered you wrong?
*flutters eyelashes*
This review and lots of other exciting things can be found on my blog, Wear the Old Coat.
July 4, 2017
5 Words: Harsh, startling, thought provoking, different.
I haven't read a book like this for a long while. And it was so refreshing.
Being Billy is stark and harsh and though-provoking. It makes you stop and think and look at things from a different perspective.
This book is UKYA at its best. It's real, it's gritty and it hits you hard.
At first I thought I wasn't going to sympathise with Billy. He's a bit of a shit. But as I read I discovered that he's a good kid, really. He just hasn't had the best of lives. I understood why he made the decisions he did, even if at first they seemed abhorrent to me. As different as Billy is, as much as he is pretty much the opposite of me, I found that I could identify and empathise with him.
This is a great read. Read it even if only to challenge your own perceptions of the bad kids.
I haven't read a book like this for a long while. And it was so refreshing.
Being Billy is stark and harsh and though-provoking. It makes you stop and think and look at things from a different perspective.
This book is UKYA at its best. It's real, it's gritty and it hits you hard.
At first I thought I wasn't going to sympathise with Billy. He's a bit of a shit. But as I read I discovered that he's a good kid, really. He just hasn't had the best of lives. I understood why he made the decisions he did, even if at first they seemed abhorrent to me. As different as Billy is, as much as he is pretty much the opposite of me, I found that I could identify and empathise with him.
This is a great read. Read it even if only to challenge your own perceptions of the bad kids.
August 6, 2014
Being Billy is a book that I've been meaning to read for a long time now, it's come highly recommended by most of my favourite UKYA bloggers and now that I've finally read it I can completely understand why they all rave about it. It's incredibly impressive to think that this was Phil Earle's debut novel and I'm excited that I already have copies of his next three books because I can't wait to dive into them.
Billy is an angry young man, something that isn't really surprising considering everything he's been through, he has spent eight years living in care and he feels that nobody really cares about him. The staff may act like they care but they're getting paid to look after him and he's sure they all forget about him the moment they're no longer on the clock. The only constants in Billy's life are his younger siblings, Lizzie and Louie, and Billy would do anything to make sure they are safe and cared for. He's pretty much given up on himself but he wants the best for them so when social services threaten to separate them unless he starts to behave himself he knows he's going to have to try and do something about his temper.
This story absolutely broke my heart, Billy is such an incredibly realistic character (you can really tell that the author has experience as a Care Worker) and his story really makes you think. It's painful to think of the thousands of children who are in Billy's position, children who haven't had the best start in life and who have been rejected or abused by the people who are supposed to love them the most. It's no wonder that some of these kids fight back to get attention or just don't know how to deal with their anger in a healthy way. Billy has no outlet for his feelings so his temper can be explosive but it was incredibly easy to sympathise with him.
What I loved most was seeing how Billy changes from a young man with the world on his shoulder who thinks that everyone is out to get him. It isn't easy but eventually he starts to understand that people do care about him and that they want what is best not just for him but also for Lizzie and Louie too. I also loved seeing his friendship with Daisy develop and I'm excited that we're going to learn more about her in Saving Daisy. I think the thing I probably enjoyed the most was Billy's interactions with the carer Ronnie. Ronnie was a hard taskmaster who didn't let Billy get away with anything but he took the time to build a bond between them. It was obvious how much Ronnie cared about the whole family and even though it took Billy a long time to realise that seeing the change in Billy when he finally did was incredibly rewarding. I have the utmost admiration for carers, it must be one of the most emotionally draining and difficult jobs out there but at times it must be one of the most rewarding ones too.
Being Billy is an incredible story, one that will break your heart one minute but have you laughing out loud the next. It will make you appreciate everything you've got and it might even make you think twice about the actions of some of the kids you used to go to school with. One thing it will definitely do is stay with you. I found myself thinking about Billy many times after I finished the book because he just feels so real to me, he is a young boy you could meet in pretty much any town in England and he wormed his way into my heart and made himself at home there. I can't recommend Being Billy highly enough and I can't wait to read more from Phil Earle.
Billy is an angry young man, something that isn't really surprising considering everything he's been through, he has spent eight years living in care and he feels that nobody really cares about him. The staff may act like they care but they're getting paid to look after him and he's sure they all forget about him the moment they're no longer on the clock. The only constants in Billy's life are his younger siblings, Lizzie and Louie, and Billy would do anything to make sure they are safe and cared for. He's pretty much given up on himself but he wants the best for them so when social services threaten to separate them unless he starts to behave himself he knows he's going to have to try and do something about his temper.
This story absolutely broke my heart, Billy is such an incredibly realistic character (you can really tell that the author has experience as a Care Worker) and his story really makes you think. It's painful to think of the thousands of children who are in Billy's position, children who haven't had the best start in life and who have been rejected or abused by the people who are supposed to love them the most. It's no wonder that some of these kids fight back to get attention or just don't know how to deal with their anger in a healthy way. Billy has no outlet for his feelings so his temper can be explosive but it was incredibly easy to sympathise with him.
What I loved most was seeing how Billy changes from a young man with the world on his shoulder who thinks that everyone is out to get him. It isn't easy but eventually he starts to understand that people do care about him and that they want what is best not just for him but also for Lizzie and Louie too. I also loved seeing his friendship with Daisy develop and I'm excited that we're going to learn more about her in Saving Daisy. I think the thing I probably enjoyed the most was Billy's interactions with the carer Ronnie. Ronnie was a hard taskmaster who didn't let Billy get away with anything but he took the time to build a bond between them. It was obvious how much Ronnie cared about the whole family and even though it took Billy a long time to realise that seeing the change in Billy when he finally did was incredibly rewarding. I have the utmost admiration for carers, it must be one of the most emotionally draining and difficult jobs out there but at times it must be one of the most rewarding ones too.
Being Billy is an incredible story, one that will break your heart one minute but have you laughing out loud the next. It will make you appreciate everything you've got and it might even make you think twice about the actions of some of the kids you used to go to school with. One thing it will definitely do is stay with you. I found myself thinking about Billy many times after I finished the book because he just feels so real to me, he is a young boy you could meet in pretty much any town in England and he wormed his way into my heart and made himself at home there. I can't recommend Being Billy highly enough and I can't wait to read more from Phil Earle.
November 13, 2011
Being Billy was a very realistic book. It is clear from the beginning that Phil Earle has previously worked in care - the authenticity of Billy and the relationships he has with others is incredible. Though I didn't find Billy completely endearing, I found him to be a very interesting character and I could see where he was coming from in a lot of his thoughts and I could admire the fact that he knew he wasn't perfect and had made mistakes. I adored Billy's relationship with his siblings as it showed a more sensitive, paternal side of him. His relationship with Ron also made for a very strong feature in the story. I didn't see the twist coming which made for a really big shock - it was certainly effective and emotive. I can't say that this book completely grabbed my attention, it didn't have me desperate to read on, but it all felt very true to life which is the real quality of this book.
February 2, 2015
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Although I am a fan of contemporary novels and recently read another novel set in the UK with a male protagonist (review here), Being Billy still managed to take me by surprise. I was expecting it to be confronting and gritty, it seems to be something the Brit’s excel at, but I was not expecting it to make me so angry or have a protagonist I didn’t particularly like.
I know that sounds harsh, but in my opinion, Billy wasn’t meant to be instantly likeable or endearing. No, he was angry and he showed it and that’s always confronting to read. I felt deeply sorry for Billy and I could never begin to imagine what it must have been like to have been through what he had. However, he also made me angry when it came to his relationship with his main carer Ronnie. I could see Ronnie was trying to help and Billy’s constant anger toward him annoyed me, but ultimately I could understand why he found it so hard to trust anyone. In saying that, I did eventually come to care deeply for Billy. He was so incredibly loving towards his brother and sister, and so brave and mature when it came to realising he had to let them go. By the end of the novel, I was cheering him on, hoping he could make everything right.
In terms of the pacing of this novel, it was spot on. It was relatively fast-paced and very compelling, yet portrayed the more ‘mundane’ aspects of life in the home and at school. And those last few chapters…WOW. I’m still trying to get my head around it all. I was torn between desperately hoping for a magical happy ending and knowing that I wouldn’t be happy unless the conclusion was realistic, however heartbreaking. Well, Earle certainly delivered a realistic ending, but there was a dash of hope in there.
Being Billy was a wonderful read and one that really did take me by surprise. It was raw, heartbreaking, confronting...everything I’ve come to expect from those marvellous British writers. Although I didn’t instantly take to Billy, he won me over in the end and made this a book I won’t forget in a hurry.
This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.
Although I am a fan of contemporary novels and recently read another novel set in the UK with a male protagonist (review here), Being Billy still managed to take me by surprise. I was expecting it to be confronting and gritty, it seems to be something the Brit’s excel at, but I was not expecting it to make me so angry or have a protagonist I didn’t particularly like.
I know that sounds harsh, but in my opinion, Billy wasn’t meant to be instantly likeable or endearing. No, he was angry and he showed it and that’s always confronting to read. I felt deeply sorry for Billy and I could never begin to imagine what it must have been like to have been through what he had. However, he also made me angry when it came to his relationship with his main carer Ronnie. I could see Ronnie was trying to help and Billy’s constant anger toward him annoyed me, but ultimately I could understand why he found it so hard to trust anyone. In saying that, I did eventually come to care deeply for Billy. He was so incredibly loving towards his brother and sister, and so brave and mature when it came to realising he had to let them go. By the end of the novel, I was cheering him on, hoping he could make everything right.
In terms of the pacing of this novel, it was spot on. It was relatively fast-paced and very compelling, yet portrayed the more ‘mundane’ aspects of life in the home and at school. And those last few chapters…WOW. I’m still trying to get my head around it all. I was torn between desperately hoping for a magical happy ending and knowing that I wouldn’t be happy unless the conclusion was realistic, however heartbreaking. Well, Earle certainly delivered a realistic ending, but there was a dash of hope in there.
Being Billy was a wonderful read and one that really did take me by surprise. It was raw, heartbreaking, confronting...everything I’ve come to expect from those marvellous British writers. Although I didn’t instantly take to Billy, he won me over in the end and made this a book I won’t forget in a hurry.
This review and many more can be found at Maree's Musings.
April 29, 2015
4.5 Stars
This really is such a great book! I apologise in advance for my (rather) gushing review but I really did love it.
The story follows Billy, a boy who has been in care for the past 8 years, a 'lifer' as he calls it. He's angry with everyone - the only meaning in his life are his younger brother and sister. Then one night he runs into a girl called Daisy and they develop a friendship. As he starts to open up to her he begins to learn that people do care...and that he cares too...
Phil Earle's writing in this is spot on and the voice he gives to Billy is remarkably authentic. Not only did I absolutely adore his character but his story made me reconsider all the things I take for granted - having a home, having parents who have always been there for me, knowing that I am loved by them - there are just so many things that just are that I haven't really thought it might not be the case for everybody. No, that's not completely true. I think I know that's the case but by making Billy so real, it makes it heartbreaking to realise that there are many, many kids out there just like him.
So I admit I cried A LOT reading this but please believe me when I say there is humour present too. I loved how Billy is constantly trying to wind Ronnie up! But Billy's story really struck a cord with me. I can't even begin to understand what it must be like - to essentially be rejected not once but twice, and all before you are 15 years old. To be told: yes you are wanted and then no, sorry you are not. Back to care you go. It made me really sad (and angry) but I also began to understand why this might happen. How do you go from living in care - where everything is decided for you, with a bunch of other kids and people who look after you on shifts and then go home to their 'real' family - to being part of a family where suddenly you are supposed to fit in and make all these choices, to really believe that someone cares? I wondered if that's why Billy calls himself a lifer? Because he knows he will never have anything else?
I loved taking Billy's journey with him. At the start he's angry with everyone - constantly lashing out and refusing to let anyone close. His lifeline is his brother and sister and you really see how different he is with them, how caring and vulnerable. The addition of Daisy in his life seems to change all that anger and their friendship seems to open him up and make a real difference. I also loved his relationship with Ronnie and how that changes and develops over the course of the novel. If I had to criticise, there was one aspect of the story that felt a little too coincidental for my liking, but at the same time it did get Billy to the place he needs to be. The pay-off made it worth it so to speak!
What I really enjoyed about this book, as well as everything I mentioned above, was how all the characters felt real. Ronnie, Daisy, Billy's brother and sister, his mother - I felt completely invested in all of them. I think Phil Earle's experience working in a care home really added to this novel by giving us insight into not just Billy but also in the characters that surround him. A truly awesome debut and I'm really looking forward to reading more by this author.
This really is such a great book! I apologise in advance for my (rather) gushing review but I really did love it.
The story follows Billy, a boy who has been in care for the past 8 years, a 'lifer' as he calls it. He's angry with everyone - the only meaning in his life are his younger brother and sister. Then one night he runs into a girl called Daisy and they develop a friendship. As he starts to open up to her he begins to learn that people do care...and that he cares too...
Phil Earle's writing in this is spot on and the voice he gives to Billy is remarkably authentic. Not only did I absolutely adore his character but his story made me reconsider all the things I take for granted - having a home, having parents who have always been there for me, knowing that I am loved by them - there are just so many things that just are that I haven't really thought it might not be the case for everybody. No, that's not completely true. I think I know that's the case but by making Billy so real, it makes it heartbreaking to realise that there are many, many kids out there just like him.
So I admit I cried A LOT reading this but please believe me when I say there is humour present too. I loved how Billy is constantly trying to wind Ronnie up! But Billy's story really struck a cord with me. I can't even begin to understand what it must be like - to essentially be rejected not once but twice, and all before you are 15 years old. To be told: yes you are wanted and then no, sorry you are not. Back to care you go. It made me really sad (and angry) but I also began to understand why this might happen. How do you go from living in care - where everything is decided for you, with a bunch of other kids and people who look after you on shifts and then go home to their 'real' family - to being part of a family where suddenly you are supposed to fit in and make all these choices, to really believe that someone cares? I wondered if that's why Billy calls himself a lifer? Because he knows he will never have anything else?
I loved taking Billy's journey with him. At the start he's angry with everyone - constantly lashing out and refusing to let anyone close. His lifeline is his brother and sister and you really see how different he is with them, how caring and vulnerable. The addition of Daisy in his life seems to change all that anger and their friendship seems to open him up and make a real difference. I also loved his relationship with Ronnie and how that changes and develops over the course of the novel. If I had to criticise, there was one aspect of the story that felt a little too coincidental for my liking, but at the same time it did get Billy to the place he needs to be. The pay-off made it worth it so to speak!
What I really enjoyed about this book, as well as everything I mentioned above, was how all the characters felt real. Ronnie, Daisy, Billy's brother and sister, his mother - I felt completely invested in all of them. I think Phil Earle's experience working in a care home really added to this novel by giving us insight into not just Billy but also in the characters that surround him. A truly awesome debut and I'm really looking forward to reading more by this author.
January 27, 2015
I really enjoyed this moving and poignant tale about Billy an angry young man who has spent a lifetime living in care.
I liked this book because I thought it gave real insight into what life is like for children like Billy and highlights an issue that many people do not give a second though to. It showed how simply the effect of being in care can affect every aspects of a childs life even affecting their future aspirations and acheivements.
I found Billy as character really fascinating. He had this really tough front which he had built up from years of being in care and thinking no one wanted him but underneath it all he was really kind and loving towards his younger siblings and was deeply affected by all the rejection he had been through despite appearing to shrug it off. Being inside Billy's head throughout the enite book was an interesting choice of narration as it meant the story was quite unpredictable and subject to the differing moods Billy was in.
I loved the relationship Billy built up with Daisy another young girl who he recognised to be the same as him. I also liked seeing how Billy was with Ronnie his key worker and seeing how that changed over the course of the novel.
The final outcome of the story was really moving and very sad. The twists were unexpected and engaging. All in all a fantastic book which highlighted for me the issues surrounding children in the care system. An emotional rollercoaster of a ride and definately one I would recommend.
I liked this book because I thought it gave real insight into what life is like for children like Billy and highlights an issue that many people do not give a second though to. It showed how simply the effect of being in care can affect every aspects of a childs life even affecting their future aspirations and acheivements.
I found Billy as character really fascinating. He had this really tough front which he had built up from years of being in care and thinking no one wanted him but underneath it all he was really kind and loving towards his younger siblings and was deeply affected by all the rejection he had been through despite appearing to shrug it off. Being inside Billy's head throughout the enite book was an interesting choice of narration as it meant the story was quite unpredictable and subject to the differing moods Billy was in.
I loved the relationship Billy built up with Daisy another young girl who he recognised to be the same as him. I also liked seeing how Billy was with Ronnie his key worker and seeing how that changed over the course of the novel.
The final outcome of the story was really moving and very sad. The twists were unexpected and engaging. All in all a fantastic book which highlighted for me the issues surrounding children in the care system. An emotional rollercoaster of a ride and definately one I would recommend.
March 11, 2020
After about the half the book I cried through all the rest.
If you like books that get you down on the earth again and make you think about what you have rather than what you want, this is the right book.
Billy has been in a children's home half his live. With 15 he's playing the mother - and father role for this twin siblings Louie and Lizzy. And he's angy, angry about the past, angry about people lying to him, about people thinking they know what's best for him and his siblings. He's suspicious of everybody and can't believe that some people might want something good for him.
If you like books that get you down on the earth again and make you think about what you have rather than what you want, this is the right book.
Billy has been in a children's home half his live. With 15 he's playing the mother - and father role for this twin siblings Louie and Lizzy. And he's angy, angry about the past, angry about people lying to him, about people thinking they know what's best for him and his siblings. He's suspicious of everybody and can't believe that some people might want something good for him.
May 14, 2011
I was very lucky in winning a signed copy of this book from the wonderful book blog Wonderous Reads.
I woke up at 5am this morning and read this book in one sitting could not put it down
.
I found it a very emotional book, it gave you an insight into the mind of a 15 year old boy in care. He is aggressive anti- establishment, school, care home etc. The only people he cares about is the twins his little brother and sister.His mother had given up her rights to him and allowed him to be put forward for adoption, it didn't work out and he was returned to the care home and reunited with the twins. Although in a care home he looks after them , puts them to bed , reads them stories prepares their breakfast etc. His alcoholic mother gets her act together and eventually gets the twins back and Billy always looking after their interest makes it easier for them to leave him, although it is the hardest thing he has to do.
Without spoiling the story , he does find that one of the care workers has always been looking out for him and as the story unfolds he realises not everything or everyone is as it seems to him.
Although there is a lot of aggression in Billy you understand what is behind it and how in his mind it is always justified. The author obviously has an insight into his subject matter through his previous employment. Although hard hitting I found it a very believable account.
I would recommend this to everyone, it's not my usual read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a powerful read.
I woke up at 5am this morning and read this book in one sitting could not put it down
.
I found it a very emotional book, it gave you an insight into the mind of a 15 year old boy in care. He is aggressive anti- establishment, school, care home etc. The only people he cares about is the twins his little brother and sister.His mother had given up her rights to him and allowed him to be put forward for adoption, it didn't work out and he was returned to the care home and reunited with the twins. Although in a care home he looks after them , puts them to bed , reads them stories prepares their breakfast etc. His alcoholic mother gets her act together and eventually gets the twins back and Billy always looking after their interest makes it easier for them to leave him, although it is the hardest thing he has to do.
Without spoiling the story , he does find that one of the care workers has always been looking out for him and as the story unfolds he realises not everything or everyone is as it seems to him.
Although there is a lot of aggression in Billy you understand what is behind it and how in his mind it is always justified. The author obviously has an insight into his subject matter through his previous employment. Although hard hitting I found it a very believable account.
I would recommend this to everyone, it's not my usual read but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a powerful read.
October 14, 2017
I don't remember where or when I acquired my copy of Being Billy. It was one of those books I picked up on a whim from my overflowing second bookcase (I have three), seemingly magically deposited there. Presumably I've had it for so long I had forgotten all about it. I have quite a few books like that and, being practical, I thought I should either read it now or give it away because I was never going to get around to it. It's a short book and so, even though the blurb gives no indication of what its pages hold, I decided to give it a go. Thank goodness I did because it was a wonderfully moving and profound piece of work, primarily focusing on the development of its main character.
Billy is a 'lifer', a child who is in care for the long haul with little to no prospects of being fostered, adopted or taken back home. He is by no stretch of the imagination an easy kid to take care of. He vandalises property, shoplifts alcohol, lashes out violently at his carers and other kids, refuses to do school work and is generally just constantly rude and angry. Doesn't sound the easiest character to like either, right? But this changes when we are first shown how he acts around his twin siblings, who are young enough not to remember a time before they were in care. Billy does everything for them (getting their breakfast, sitting outside the bathroom as they bathe, reading them their bedtime stories, waiting in their doorway for them to fall asleep), barely letting the carers do anything.
From the start Billy operates under the assumption that no one really cares about him - or any of the other kids for that matter - and lashes out constantly at the 'scummers', the care workers at his home. The book focuses on Billy over a period of several months as he makes a real friend for seemingly the first time (with, gratifyingly, no romantic tension whatsoever), deals with the terrifying prospect of losing the twins, processes past trauma and slowly learns to control his anger. Mostly this is achieved through his changing relationship with carer Ronnie, as Billy begins to trust that he does really care. It’s true that I’m an easy crier, but I don’t think that devalues the tears I shed at this and at Billy’s growth in general.
There's little plot to be seen, but I often find that that’s for the best with a book focused as much on character as this one is. Don’t worry, though, the denouement is satisfying in its closure, bringing together plot points from throughout in one climactic evening which mostly serves to showcase how much our protagonist has changed. He is still a deeply troubled young man, but the way he deals with his emotions and his attitude towards others have transformed him into someone you can't help but love.
Billy is a 'lifer', a child who is in care for the long haul with little to no prospects of being fostered, adopted or taken back home. He is by no stretch of the imagination an easy kid to take care of. He vandalises property, shoplifts alcohol, lashes out violently at his carers and other kids, refuses to do school work and is generally just constantly rude and angry. Doesn't sound the easiest character to like either, right? But this changes when we are first shown how he acts around his twin siblings, who are young enough not to remember a time before they were in care. Billy does everything for them (getting their breakfast, sitting outside the bathroom as they bathe, reading them their bedtime stories, waiting in their doorway for them to fall asleep), barely letting the carers do anything.
From the start Billy operates under the assumption that no one really cares about him - or any of the other kids for that matter - and lashes out constantly at the 'scummers', the care workers at his home. The book focuses on Billy over a period of several months as he makes a real friend for seemingly the first time (with, gratifyingly, no romantic tension whatsoever), deals with the terrifying prospect of losing the twins, processes past trauma and slowly learns to control his anger. Mostly this is achieved through his changing relationship with carer Ronnie, as Billy begins to trust that he does really care. It’s true that I’m an easy crier, but I don’t think that devalues the tears I shed at this and at Billy’s growth in general.
There's little plot to be seen, but I often find that that’s for the best with a book focused as much on character as this one is. Don’t worry, though, the denouement is satisfying in its closure, bringing together plot points from throughout in one climactic evening which mostly serves to showcase how much our protagonist has changed. He is still a deeply troubled young man, but the way he deals with his emotions and his attitude towards others have transformed him into someone you can't help but love.
June 29, 2016
To be honest, I really thought I would enjoy this book a lot more than this. (As usual, I ramble a lot about characterization, pacing and story execution, so there’ll be sort-of spoilers. I just enjoy discussing character and plot development a lot.)
The story of Being Billy should be something right up my alley, with the angry kid in the care home and his issues and fumbling his way through life and all. It’s generally my type of story and everything. However, very early in the book, only a few pages in, I ran into my first issue.
I didn’t like Billy. I really didn’t like him. I’m not sure if it’s his characterization as an arrogant and angry teenager, but I could not sympathise with him for most, if not all, of the book. While I understand that children of his background have every right to be angry and attention-seeking in their own ways, but even with this understanding, I didn’t find enough redeeming features for me to sympathise with him. Not caring about the protagonist was a big disaster signal for me only a few chapters in. I believe part of the reason is the way his first-person perspective is written. I reckon the biggest weakness of the first-person view is that the description of everything the narrator does becomes magnified, focusing all on his choices and how he made them, and how cocky and sure he is of what he does, over-explanation, over-defensiveness of his actions etc. So the safer option would’ve been to go for the third-person, where distance seems to make it easier to relate to the characters. I understand the need for first person- to understand Billy and his anger, particularly later on the book- but I regret to say I never did like Billy and that really affected my enjoyment of the book.
The thing is, in order to make an unlikeable character likeable, you simply need to show the reader something or someone they love passionately. With Being Billy, we have the twins as a way to show Billy’s good side. But the twins are so obviously there for that purpose- Lizzie and Louie are basic cardboard cut-outs of the typical needy siblings, seen commonly in other books where children band together against abusive parents- their interactions with Billy and their clinginess to him are so typical and obvious. There are moments where their characterization is done fairly well, such as the description of their drawings, but overall, the twins are very bland and flat characters used only to play their required roles.
I wish I could say something positive about Daisy, as she is a pivotal character in Billy’s growth. However, she was not as interesting as Billy made her out to be. At times, she had odd quirks and traits, but her personality and back story seem unsatisfying at most. I did like the way she was introduced in the story, her kick ass nature and her coldness and fierceness to Billy. I wish that spark had lasted longer and that it was evident in their later interactions, which were boring and didn’t portray the closeness they supposedly had. It would have been nice to see casual or deeper conversations play out between the both of them, to see scenes of their friendship. Instead, we are just told by Billy that throughout the months they sit on the bench together, they text each other, etc etc. We are given like one scene where they go out drinking together, but that too lacks any substantial development between the two. Thus, Billy’s anger and hurt at her apparent betrayal later on doesn’t make much sense to me, as the two didn’t seem anywhere near as close as they were supposed to be. It would’ve been nicer to have seen a raw friendship, to see a relationship develop throughout the book, rather than simply being told it happened.
I did like that there was no romance. It was important that Billy and Daisy could understand each other without anything extra, and it’s always nice to see genuine, strong boy-girl friendships. (It’s just a shame it wasn’t really portrayed as that genuine or strong.)
Ronnie was one of the more interesting and better fleshed-out characters of the book. He really stood out, with the way his speech and actions were described. I’m happy to say that I genuinely liked him, although it was incredibly predictable from the beginning that he would turn out to be a good guy.
I did really like the tragic backstory of Billy with Jan and Grant. It was just believable and tragic enough to see how the incident could’ve heavily isolated and impacted Billy. I liked that he would sneak back into his old room to sleep peacefully, I thought that was cute and a good way to display Billy’s longing for a home.
Most of the book didn’t seem to be about anything. I presumed Billy was supposed to be growing or making some changes, but it wasn’t really evident, he just seemed to meander along and nothing happened really. I believe his relationships were supposedly improving with Ronnie and Daisy, and thus he was improving, although there was the constant foreboding of losing the twins to his mother. It would’ve been nice if the upward ride was more upward, like it was more evident that Billy was really making an effort to change and improve in order to keep the twins (because he really didn’t seem to try that hard at all, especially with school and it really contradicts what his aims are actually supposed to be). I believe if there was more evident improvement then the downward crash at the end would have a lot more impact- more sudden, more unexpected and much more devastating- as it would be in real life.
The last few chapters and as I said, the downward crash was written very well. It was exciting to read Billy exploding and crashing the room, as well as the sudden return of Shaun. As I mentioned before, it would have had been a much bigger impact if there had been more of an upward ride before the sudden downward crash. However, although these last scenes were written really well, the pages afterwards seemed to be really really rushed. In a few sentences, we’re told that it’s already been five days (Did Billy really just mope around all that time? Why not have some character reflection or something?) and it literally reads like everything’s quickly being cleaned up and swept aside. (The charges were dropped by like the next day?? ) The immediate denouement from the climax honestly feels a bit half-assed and very rushed. However, I did like the final conversation between Billy and Ronnie. It was a very suitable way to end, as I feel like they are the two main characters and everything was built around their relationship.
Overall, Being Billy is just too predictable and the characters and story progression were undercooked. But it has a lot of heart in what it’s trying to say and Phil Earle’s honest efforts should be commended.
The story of Being Billy should be something right up my alley, with the angry kid in the care home and his issues and fumbling his way through life and all. It’s generally my type of story and everything. However, very early in the book, only a few pages in, I ran into my first issue.
I didn’t like Billy. I really didn’t like him. I’m not sure if it’s his characterization as an arrogant and angry teenager, but I could not sympathise with him for most, if not all, of the book. While I understand that children of his background have every right to be angry and attention-seeking in their own ways, but even with this understanding, I didn’t find enough redeeming features for me to sympathise with him. Not caring about the protagonist was a big disaster signal for me only a few chapters in. I believe part of the reason is the way his first-person perspective is written. I reckon the biggest weakness of the first-person view is that the description of everything the narrator does becomes magnified, focusing all on his choices and how he made them, and how cocky and sure he is of what he does, over-explanation, over-defensiveness of his actions etc. So the safer option would’ve been to go for the third-person, where distance seems to make it easier to relate to the characters. I understand the need for first person- to understand Billy and his anger, particularly later on the book- but I regret to say I never did like Billy and that really affected my enjoyment of the book.
The thing is, in order to make an unlikeable character likeable, you simply need to show the reader something or someone they love passionately. With Being Billy, we have the twins as a way to show Billy’s good side. But the twins are so obviously there for that purpose- Lizzie and Louie are basic cardboard cut-outs of the typical needy siblings, seen commonly in other books where children band together against abusive parents- their interactions with Billy and their clinginess to him are so typical and obvious. There are moments where their characterization is done fairly well, such as the description of their drawings, but overall, the twins are very bland and flat characters used only to play their required roles.
I wish I could say something positive about Daisy, as she is a pivotal character in Billy’s growth. However, she was not as interesting as Billy made her out to be. At times, she had odd quirks and traits, but her personality and back story seem unsatisfying at most. I did like the way she was introduced in the story, her kick ass nature and her coldness and fierceness to Billy. I wish that spark had lasted longer and that it was evident in their later interactions, which were boring and didn’t portray the closeness they supposedly had. It would have been nice to see casual or deeper conversations play out between the both of them, to see scenes of their friendship. Instead, we are just told by Billy that throughout the months they sit on the bench together, they text each other, etc etc. We are given like one scene where they go out drinking together, but that too lacks any substantial development between the two. Thus, Billy’s anger and hurt at her apparent betrayal later on doesn’t make much sense to me, as the two didn’t seem anywhere near as close as they were supposed to be. It would’ve been nicer to have seen a raw friendship, to see a relationship develop throughout the book, rather than simply being told it happened.
I did like that there was no romance. It was important that Billy and Daisy could understand each other without anything extra, and it’s always nice to see genuine, strong boy-girl friendships. (It’s just a shame it wasn’t really portrayed as that genuine or strong.)
Ronnie was one of the more interesting and better fleshed-out characters of the book. He really stood out, with the way his speech and actions were described. I’m happy to say that I genuinely liked him, although it was incredibly predictable from the beginning that he would turn out to be a good guy.
I did really like the tragic backstory of Billy with Jan and Grant. It was just believable and tragic enough to see how the incident could’ve heavily isolated and impacted Billy. I liked that he would sneak back into his old room to sleep peacefully, I thought that was cute and a good way to display Billy’s longing for a home.
Most of the book didn’t seem to be about anything. I presumed Billy was supposed to be growing or making some changes, but it wasn’t really evident, he just seemed to meander along and nothing happened really. I believe his relationships were supposedly improving with Ronnie and Daisy, and thus he was improving, although there was the constant foreboding of losing the twins to his mother. It would’ve been nice if the upward ride was more upward, like it was more evident that Billy was really making an effort to change and improve in order to keep the twins (because he really didn’t seem to try that hard at all, especially with school and it really contradicts what his aims are actually supposed to be). I believe if there was more evident improvement then the downward crash at the end would have a lot more impact- more sudden, more unexpected and much more devastating- as it would be in real life.
The last few chapters and as I said, the downward crash was written very well. It was exciting to read Billy exploding and crashing the room, as well as the sudden return of Shaun. As I mentioned before, it would have had been a much bigger impact if there had been more of an upward ride before the sudden downward crash. However, although these last scenes were written really well, the pages afterwards seemed to be really really rushed. In a few sentences, we’re told that it’s already been five days (Did Billy really just mope around all that time? Why not have some character reflection or something?) and it literally reads like everything’s quickly being cleaned up and swept aside. (The charges were dropped by like the next day?? ) The immediate denouement from the climax honestly feels a bit half-assed and very rushed. However, I did like the final conversation between Billy and Ronnie. It was a very suitable way to end, as I feel like they are the two main characters and everything was built around their relationship.
Overall, Being Billy is just too predictable and the characters and story progression were undercooked. But it has a lot of heart in what it’s trying to say and Phil Earle’s honest efforts should be commended.
March 24, 2023
Billy, een jongen die een beetje een "dreamschool"-jongen is, schrijver komt uit de jeugdzorg.
Laat agressief gedrag zien, een begeleider ziet hem écht en doet veel voor hem. Deze persoon helpt hem uiteindelijk enorm.
Zn tweelingbroertje en -zusje wonen eerst ook op de groep, mogen later terug naar moeder. Billy is altijd altijd enorm lief voor hem, hoe moeilijk alles ook is.
Indrukwekkend boek. Geen basisschoolboek.
Laat agressief gedrag zien, een begeleider ziet hem écht en doet veel voor hem. Deze persoon helpt hem uiteindelijk enorm.
Zn tweelingbroertje en -zusje wonen eerst ook op de groep, mogen later terug naar moeder. Billy is altijd altijd enorm lief voor hem, hoe moeilijk alles ook is.
Indrukwekkend boek. Geen basisschoolboek.
October 2, 2017
Billy is a complex character - living in a children's home - with his younger brother and sister, whom he obviously adores. He is full of angst and anger - very bitter, and tends to hit out at those around him at times. He did not have a happy home life, and finds it difficult to accept the fact that his mother wants his siblings back but not him.
Powerfully written and well worth the read
Powerfully written and well worth the read
July 28, 2017
My. heart.
August 7, 2021
4.5 actually. Really good
January 3, 2024
A compelling and at times disturbing read with strong characters who I ended up willing along but was not so keen on to begin with!
October 5, 2024
Don't judge a book by its cover.
March 18, 2022
Great book
January 18, 2011
I loved this one entirely. Being Billy by Phil Earle felt real and heartbreaking and I cried absolute buckets for Billy. I knew that this book would probably be sad but I wasn't expecting the shuddering, messy sobs that came out of me while reading this book. And it isn't as if any one major thing happened to make me feel so much, rather than absolutely everything put together makes this book so beautiful and sad and able to pull my heart out and squeeze it. A huge, huge thank you to Puffin for providing me with this review copy.
Right from the very first page I identified with Billy. He's such a great character, so complex. His anger covers up so many other emotions. Scared and vulnerable, I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have spent most of my childhood in a care home. Billy's mother gave him up 8 years ago after an incident with her boyfriend at the time. And that's left Billy bouncing between social workers and carers. And he's angry at them all. Angry that no one seems to care about him. That his carers are only there doing a job and forgets about him when they go home to their own families. But he's got his little brother and sister there that he needs to take care of, and the twins are the only things keeping Billy going. What else is there? He's all alone.
I have to say, Billy reminds me a great deal of my own brother, which might explain the huge emotional impact this book had on me. Billy's just so angry at how unjust the hand that he's been given is. There's so many instances in the book, where it's clear to see how much of a disadvantage Billy is, living in a care home. Especially emotionally. He doesn't have a great deal of self-worth and you can see how much Billy likes to test his limits, see how far he can go. Whereas Billy projects an image of not caring, I think instead, Billy cares too much.
And you can see a very soft and more vulnerable side to Billy as he cares for his little brother and sister. Providing them with a bedtime routine, staying outside the bathroom door to protect his little sister, staying with them both until they've fallen asleep. I think these scenes were especially hard for me to read, as a parent. Such little things, nobody should have to do without.
I don't think I've ever read a book like this one, that shows life in a care home. Billy's voice is one that I've not heard before and with this book Phil Earle shines a light on something that more people should know about and understand. I didn't know very much about care homes or what would happen to a child without parents to look after them. And it isn't a pretty picture looking at life through Billy's eyes. The confusion for the children as carers come and go on different shifts. No real stable influence or guiding hand. The ways in which Billy and other 'lifers' are treated by other people, by teachers and other students. The ways in which they see themselves, that life gets so hard that these kids end up with a hard, uncaring stare. Billy believes himself to be all alone, but I did very much love the relationship between him and Ronnie. Those two together make this book a lot less grim and give me hope.
This one is definitely one to look out for. Published 6th January, it comes incredibly highly recommended from me.
Right from the very first page I identified with Billy. He's such a great character, so complex. His anger covers up so many other emotions. Scared and vulnerable, I couldn't imagine what it would be like to have spent most of my childhood in a care home. Billy's mother gave him up 8 years ago after an incident with her boyfriend at the time. And that's left Billy bouncing between social workers and carers. And he's angry at them all. Angry that no one seems to care about him. That his carers are only there doing a job and forgets about him when they go home to their own families. But he's got his little brother and sister there that he needs to take care of, and the twins are the only things keeping Billy going. What else is there? He's all alone.
I have to say, Billy reminds me a great deal of my own brother, which might explain the huge emotional impact this book had on me. Billy's just so angry at how unjust the hand that he's been given is. There's so many instances in the book, where it's clear to see how much of a disadvantage Billy is, living in a care home. Especially emotionally. He doesn't have a great deal of self-worth and you can see how much Billy likes to test his limits, see how far he can go. Whereas Billy projects an image of not caring, I think instead, Billy cares too much.
And you can see a very soft and more vulnerable side to Billy as he cares for his little brother and sister. Providing them with a bedtime routine, staying outside the bathroom door to protect his little sister, staying with them both until they've fallen asleep. I think these scenes were especially hard for me to read, as a parent. Such little things, nobody should have to do without.
I don't think I've ever read a book like this one, that shows life in a care home. Billy's voice is one that I've not heard before and with this book Phil Earle shines a light on something that more people should know about and understand. I didn't know very much about care homes or what would happen to a child without parents to look after them. And it isn't a pretty picture looking at life through Billy's eyes. The confusion for the children as carers come and go on different shifts. No real stable influence or guiding hand. The ways in which Billy and other 'lifers' are treated by other people, by teachers and other students. The ways in which they see themselves, that life gets so hard that these kids end up with a hard, uncaring stare. Billy believes himself to be all alone, but I did very much love the relationship between him and Ronnie. Those two together make this book a lot less grim and give me hope.
This one is definitely one to look out for. Published 6th January, it comes incredibly highly recommended from me.
June 30, 2017
I wouldn't have known anything about this book, let alone bought it if I hadn't gone to watch Phil Earle talk about his Storey Street children's book series at the Bath Children's Literature Festival - and it's five years old now so I'm not sure where it's been hiding from me.
I defy anyone to go and watch Phil Earle speak and not be tempted to buy his whole back catalogue. He was engaging, open, and infectiously enthusiastic. And good with the kids; a breath of fresh air that buoyed me up in a day full of talks and panels with authors that, quite honestly, weren't always as exciting as you would hope.
Anyway, I was drawn to Being Billy (and another of his books, Heroic - review to follow) when the mother of the pre-teen boy in the queue ahead of me was dissuaded from purchasing it for her precious little one due to the 'older content'. I swear it was genuine interest that made me pick it up, though I can't promise that there wasn't an element of smug in the look that I gave said boy when returning to my seat.
Billy is a social care 'lifer' and is angry about it. Seemingly abandoned by everyone he cares about, the only thing that keeps him in check is the love he has for his younger siblings taken into care with 8 years ago, but when their relationship with their mother begins to change and he discovers something upsetting about the mysterious home life of his only friend, Billy spirals out of control. And there's nobody to help him...or is there?
So, there is a moment in this book that genuinely made me cry like a baby. I'm not going to tell you why because I want it to reach in and grab you by the feels unprepared just like it did me when you read this book - and read this book you must. Billy, and his relationship with his care worker (little hint about the crying for you there, I'm not worries - it'll still get you), just seem so real and genuine. Not surprising you may think after a short Google stalking session only to discover that Mr Earle has worked in a children's care home and spent time as a drama therapist working with abused kids. Of course that must have helped him write about Billy, but experiencing something and writing about it in a convincing and moving way are not the same (as the high number of cringe worthy sex scenes out there proves); Billy is brilliantly written and the issues are delicately handled in a way that allows Phil's straight talking attitude to shine through.
I genuinely cannot recommend this book enough. For me, it was reminiscent of Melvin Burgess' Junk and not just because of the similarly acidic neon green cover. Reading it, I was simultaneously immersed in, and educated about, a world of which I previously knew nothing. I was rooting for Billy in a way that I don't for many people that I actually know and I was sad - and a little emotionally drained - when saying goodbye to him. I wonder what he's up to now?
Read this book NOW and make everyone you know read it so that you can talk about it with them.
I defy anyone to go and watch Phil Earle speak and not be tempted to buy his whole back catalogue. He was engaging, open, and infectiously enthusiastic. And good with the kids; a breath of fresh air that buoyed me up in a day full of talks and panels with authors that, quite honestly, weren't always as exciting as you would hope.
Anyway, I was drawn to Being Billy (and another of his books, Heroic - review to follow) when the mother of the pre-teen boy in the queue ahead of me was dissuaded from purchasing it for her precious little one due to the 'older content'. I swear it was genuine interest that made me pick it up, though I can't promise that there wasn't an element of smug in the look that I gave said boy when returning to my seat.
Billy is a social care 'lifer' and is angry about it. Seemingly abandoned by everyone he cares about, the only thing that keeps him in check is the love he has for his younger siblings taken into care with 8 years ago, but when their relationship with their mother begins to change and he discovers something upsetting about the mysterious home life of his only friend, Billy spirals out of control. And there's nobody to help him...or is there?
So, there is a moment in this book that genuinely made me cry like a baby. I'm not going to tell you why because I want it to reach in and grab you by the feels unprepared just like it did me when you read this book - and read this book you must. Billy, and his relationship with his care worker (little hint about the crying for you there, I'm not worries - it'll still get you), just seem so real and genuine. Not surprising you may think after a short Google stalking session only to discover that Mr Earle has worked in a children's care home and spent time as a drama therapist working with abused kids. Of course that must have helped him write about Billy, but experiencing something and writing about it in a convincing and moving way are not the same (as the high number of cringe worthy sex scenes out there proves); Billy is brilliantly written and the issues are delicately handled in a way that allows Phil's straight talking attitude to shine through.
I genuinely cannot recommend this book enough. For me, it was reminiscent of Melvin Burgess' Junk and not just because of the similarly acidic neon green cover. Reading it, I was simultaneously immersed in, and educated about, a world of which I previously knew nothing. I was rooting for Billy in a way that I don't for many people that I actually know and I was sad - and a little emotionally drained - when saying goodbye to him. I wonder what he's up to now?
Read this book NOW and make everyone you know read it so that you can talk about it with them.
November 8, 2011
Being Billy is one of the reasons I love Twitter. If I hadn't been on there, this book would have definitely passed under my radar. Thankfully, I heard the whispers about how good the book was and the more I heard about it the more I wanted to read it. This book did not disappoint!
This book is a gritty, hard hitting contemporary novel that makes Tracy Beaker look quite innocent. If you ever wanted to read about what living in a children's home is really like, then this is the book for you. The main character Billy, has issues and lots of them, but you can't blame him as his life before the children's home was just terrible. He wasn't a bad kid, he was just angry and rightly so. He has spent the last ten years in care and that is a long time to feel unloved and alone. He is very protective of his younger siblings who are twins and you can easily relate to this. He is a mother and father figure to them and wants them to experience the love that he never felt. He feels totally responsible for them. So even though others seem to have a poor view of Billy, he really is rather mature in the way he deals with his brother and sister. Billy is definitely one of my favourite characters for 2011, his complexities draw me to him.
I wasn't expecting this book to affect my emotions but it did. I found myself feeling quite protective over Billy and wanting to stand up for him and shout in his corner. He needed love, real family love and the only one who seemed to be able to see it was Ronnie, his carer. Ronnie had known the family since they first came into care and you could see he felt strongly for them, just in the way he did for his own kids. At the beginning of the book you really dislike him, but as you move through the story you realise his true intentions and see that he is only trying to do what is right for the family.
Daisy is a rather complex character, who has suffered in life too. Instantly she brightens Billy's life, because he can see a kindred spirit in her. She has suffered just like he has, so she understands, even if she doesn't reveal a lot about her own life. He has found a friend to make each day a little easier.
The twist at the end of the book was surprising. I really didn't see that coming at all and yet I felt that I should have.
This book is just fantastic. For a debut, I thought it was extremely well written with strong characters that tug at your heart strings. It is an emotional read, that stays with you long after you turn the last page.
This book is a gritty, hard hitting contemporary novel that makes Tracy Beaker look quite innocent. If you ever wanted to read about what living in a children's home is really like, then this is the book for you. The main character Billy, has issues and lots of them, but you can't blame him as his life before the children's home was just terrible. He wasn't a bad kid, he was just angry and rightly so. He has spent the last ten years in care and that is a long time to feel unloved and alone. He is very protective of his younger siblings who are twins and you can easily relate to this. He is a mother and father figure to them and wants them to experience the love that he never felt. He feels totally responsible for them. So even though others seem to have a poor view of Billy, he really is rather mature in the way he deals with his brother and sister. Billy is definitely one of my favourite characters for 2011, his complexities draw me to him.
I wasn't expecting this book to affect my emotions but it did. I found myself feeling quite protective over Billy and wanting to stand up for him and shout in his corner. He needed love, real family love and the only one who seemed to be able to see it was Ronnie, his carer. Ronnie had known the family since they first came into care and you could see he felt strongly for them, just in the way he did for his own kids. At the beginning of the book you really dislike him, but as you move through the story you realise his true intentions and see that he is only trying to do what is right for the family.
Daisy is a rather complex character, who has suffered in life too. Instantly she brightens Billy's life, because he can see a kindred spirit in her. She has suffered just like he has, so she understands, even if she doesn't reveal a lot about her own life. He has found a friend to make each day a little easier.
The twist at the end of the book was surprising. I really didn't see that coming at all and yet I felt that I should have.
This book is just fantastic. For a debut, I thought it was extremely well written with strong characters that tug at your heart strings. It is an emotional read, that stays with you long after you turn the last page.
February 16, 2011
Wow. This book was intense indeed. Right from the very start Phil Earle creates in Billy a character so full of depth and complexities and so perfectly crafted it’s impossible to not think of him as a real person and become completely involved with his story.
Everything about this story rings true. Phil Earle worked in the care sector before he moved into book related jobs and this more than shows. He gets how a child in care really does feel; something I don’t believe just comes from the job itself but from a person who sees beyond it. Having experience of local authority care myself many years ago I recognised Billy: the anger, fear, distrust, vulnerability and feelings of hatred at others and himself.
What was especially fascinating with this book was seeing Billy’s relationships, which in turn allow the reader to see him from very different angles. With his mother he is resentful, distant and angry, with the twins he is caring, gentle and protective while the other kids at the home provoke a nasty and violent reaction. Then there’s the relationship with Daisy, new girl at school and fellow child of the care system. Here we see him unsure but hopeful and for the first time opening up to another person.
My favourite relationship however was with Ron, Billy’s long-term care worker at the home and pretty much the only consistent adult in his life. Seeing this relationship develop was just stunning. Billy detests Ron as he represents everything about the system he so hates being a part of. As we read from Billy’s perspective throughout the book I felt pretty much the same way about him to begin with, until little things are dropped in which slowly gives the reader a bigger picture and had me urging Billy to see what was right there in front of him. This relationship had me brimming with tears more than once.
Being Billy isn’t an easy read, far from it. However it is a book that should be read. This is an emotional book, one that will really make you stop and think and get right under your skin. It’s gripping from the first page and by the end you will be sure these characters actually do exist and care deeply for them. I felt every injustice Billy endures and was thinking about him long after the last page. Possibly one of the most realistic books I’ve read for a long time, I highly recommend it.
Everything about this story rings true. Phil Earle worked in the care sector before he moved into book related jobs and this more than shows. He gets how a child in care really does feel; something I don’t believe just comes from the job itself but from a person who sees beyond it. Having experience of local authority care myself many years ago I recognised Billy: the anger, fear, distrust, vulnerability and feelings of hatred at others and himself.
What was especially fascinating with this book was seeing Billy’s relationships, which in turn allow the reader to see him from very different angles. With his mother he is resentful, distant and angry, with the twins he is caring, gentle and protective while the other kids at the home provoke a nasty and violent reaction. Then there’s the relationship with Daisy, new girl at school and fellow child of the care system. Here we see him unsure but hopeful and for the first time opening up to another person.
My favourite relationship however was with Ron, Billy’s long-term care worker at the home and pretty much the only consistent adult in his life. Seeing this relationship develop was just stunning. Billy detests Ron as he represents everything about the system he so hates being a part of. As we read from Billy’s perspective throughout the book I felt pretty much the same way about him to begin with, until little things are dropped in which slowly gives the reader a bigger picture and had me urging Billy to see what was right there in front of him. This relationship had me brimming with tears more than once.
Being Billy isn’t an easy read, far from it. However it is a book that should be read. This is an emotional book, one that will really make you stop and think and get right under your skin. It’s gripping from the first page and by the end you will be sure these characters actually do exist and care deeply for them. I felt every injustice Billy endures and was thinking about him long after the last page. Possibly one of the most realistic books I’ve read for a long time, I highly recommend it.
March 4, 2011
The cover on this is fresh and bright. Being Billy is a sensitive yet powerful book about a lad in care. He's a 'lifer' and has adapted to his environment. The story is told from Billy's point of view and has some stark insights into how children in care feel they have to act and behave.
This has also been posted on my blog.
From Chapter 1 readers get an immediate sense of anger, frustration and empathy for this troubled and misunderstood boy. He's had to act so tough just to find his place in his world. He puts up barriers between anyone wanting to be friends with him, and treats those who dare to come close with distrust and violence. Later his life story begins to unravel as he makes friends with Daisy, another child in care who is currently staying with friends. All is not as it first seems, and things escalate in Billy's life. His siblings that he holds so dear and are the family he has kept safe, are sent back to be at home and Billy is left behind, hurt and rejected as he is not wanted by his maternal parent.
Phil Earle has really brought home to me how different a child's life in care is to that of a supportive or family environment. Within the pages you could see that Billy was being torn apart by not being understood. He felt he had no one to tell his secrets to, and his nightmares reflected the life that led to him and his siblings being placed in care. The job the care workers did was a very hard one, but seen from Billy's eyes from the beginning, they are there as a dictatorship rather than for his support and to help him.
A quote from Bing Billy which is sure to pull at your heart strings:
"Because this time they're leaving me behind. And the difference is, Annie wants them. Jan and Grant didn't want me. Not once I realized what I was"
A read that I couldn't put down, as I did get engrossed in Billy's life and his reactions to those around him, as well as being shocked by some of the scenes and taken in by Billy's love for his siblings. He has some really sweet moments, especially where his siblings are concerned. A heart breaking book in places which had me in tears more than once as we understand what Being Billy really means. A highly recommended read.
This has also been posted on my blog.
From Chapter 1 readers get an immediate sense of anger, frustration and empathy for this troubled and misunderstood boy. He's had to act so tough just to find his place in his world. He puts up barriers between anyone wanting to be friends with him, and treats those who dare to come close with distrust and violence. Later his life story begins to unravel as he makes friends with Daisy, another child in care who is currently staying with friends. All is not as it first seems, and things escalate in Billy's life. His siblings that he holds so dear and are the family he has kept safe, are sent back to be at home and Billy is left behind, hurt and rejected as he is not wanted by his maternal parent.
Phil Earle has really brought home to me how different a child's life in care is to that of a supportive or family environment. Within the pages you could see that Billy was being torn apart by not being understood. He felt he had no one to tell his secrets to, and his nightmares reflected the life that led to him and his siblings being placed in care. The job the care workers did was a very hard one, but seen from Billy's eyes from the beginning, they are there as a dictatorship rather than for his support and to help him.
A quote from Bing Billy which is sure to pull at your heart strings:
"Because this time they're leaving me behind. And the difference is, Annie wants them. Jan and Grant didn't want me. Not once I realized what I was"
A read that I couldn't put down, as I did get engrossed in Billy's life and his reactions to those around him, as well as being shocked by some of the scenes and taken in by Billy's love for his siblings. He has some really sweet moments, especially where his siblings are concerned. A heart breaking book in places which had me in tears more than once as we understand what Being Billy really means. A highly recommended read.
April 28, 2013
Let's say 4.5 stars, because some parts were a bit Mwaaah. But overall this book was pretty good. Completely different from the things I usually read, but still interesting.
We follow Billy Finn, a 14 year old boy who has been in care for the past 8 years. He ended up being a 'lifer' after his stephdad beat him up and his mother was drowned in booze. Together with the twins he has lived and ruled over their new home. But Billy has one problem: he's angry. Not just one-moment-angry, but lifetime angry. He picks a fight with everybody, he vandalizes cars and he doesn't know what to do with it all. Then he meets Daisy, a mysterious girl who he thinks might be a lifer too, but she isn't very willing to share. Meanwhile progress is made in the bringing home of the twins. When things are finally going well with Billy: he accepts the twins fade, he feels safe around Daisy and he starts to like the Colonel, everything goes haywire after visiting his former foster family. They have a new foster child, a very familiar girl and after rampaging through the house he flees in their car and ends up at his old place, because Shaun, his stephdad, is back.
I read this book in English, and it's going to be published in Dutch in the fall. And I was asked to read this and give one quote that summarized all my feelings of this book. And that particular quote might be used on commercial material or the back of the Dutch book itself. I didn't really need to think about what I should write for the review, but I honestly have no idea what to write as one simply one sentenced quote, because it's impossible to tell my feelings about this book in a one sentence quote. I think I should just wait some hours, maybe even a day and see what I can come up with tomorrow.
We follow Billy Finn, a 14 year old boy who has been in care for the past 8 years. He ended up being a 'lifer' after his stephdad beat him up and his mother was drowned in booze. Together with the twins he has lived and ruled over their new home. But Billy has one problem: he's angry. Not just one-moment-angry, but lifetime angry. He picks a fight with everybody, he vandalizes cars and he doesn't know what to do with it all. Then he meets Daisy, a mysterious girl who he thinks might be a lifer too, but she isn't very willing to share. Meanwhile progress is made in the bringing home of the twins. When things are finally going well with Billy: he accepts the twins fade, he feels safe around Daisy and he starts to like the Colonel, everything goes haywire after visiting his former foster family. They have a new foster child, a very familiar girl and after rampaging through the house he flees in their car and ends up at his old place, because Shaun, his stephdad, is back.
I read this book in English, and it's going to be published in Dutch in the fall. And I was asked to read this and give one quote that summarized all my feelings of this book. And that particular quote might be used on commercial material or the back of the Dutch book itself. I didn't really need to think about what I should write for the review, but I honestly have no idea what to write as one simply one sentenced quote, because it's impossible to tell my feelings about this book in a one sentence quote. I think I should just wait some hours, maybe even a day and see what I can come up with tomorrow.
March 9, 2011
Fifteen year-old Billy is a lifer. Stuck in the care system for the past eight years he is mad at the entire world. His mother for not protecting him and giving him away. His stepfather for the physical violence he had to endure when he was younger. The Colonel for pretending to care for him only to go home every night after his shift at the care home has ended; home to his real family. The only people he truly and deeply cares for are Lizzie and Louise his ten year-old twin siblings to which he is a not only an older brother but also a father and mother. He sits outside their bedroom door when they cannot sleep, reads them a bedtime story and tucks their duvets under their feet every night so they don't get cold, he even sits outside the bathroom when Lizzie is afraid that any of the other lifers will open the door when she is in there.
Billy's life is harsh and Earle manages to realistically depict the problems a child in the care system is confronted with as well as all the terrible things Billy and his siblings went through before ending up there in the first place. It's heartbreaking at times and will move the most placid reader to tears towards the end (trust me). Yet it's also a story about hope and new chances and has surprisingly uplifting moments.
Being Billy is a fantastic debut by British author Phil Earle. It is gripping and moving and most of all it makes the reader think about issues that don't often get addressed in children's and young adult literature.
Billy's life is harsh and Earle manages to realistically depict the problems a child in the care system is confronted with as well as all the terrible things Billy and his siblings went through before ending up there in the first place. It's heartbreaking at times and will move the most placid reader to tears towards the end (trust me). Yet it's also a story about hope and new chances and has surprisingly uplifting moments.
Being Billy is a fantastic debut by British author Phil Earle. It is gripping and moving and most of all it makes the reader think about issues that don't often get addressed in children's and young adult literature.
January 8, 2011
Billy Finn has lived in a care home since he was seven years old. His Step-father used to beat him and his mum was always too drunk to look after him and his younger siblings. Billy has anger issues, hates the cares system, school ... pretty much everything really - with the exception of the twins, Lizzie and Louie, his younger siblings. They are the two people in the world Billy would do anything for. The only problem is the social workers want to take them away from him - to send them back to live with their mother now she's cleaned up her act. Billy isn't won't be going with them and makes every effort to try and keep the twins with him - including agreeing to actually go to school. This is made much easier by his new friend, Daisy, who like him is part of the care system.
Being Billy is an emotional read that really gets you inside the head of a fifteen-year-old boy living in care and makes you really understand what he's going through. Yes, he's the kind of kid who's always in trouble, who lets his fists do the talking and has no real attachment to anyone other than his brother and sister but the reader gets a real insight into why he's like this.Essentially it's how he survives.
It's the realism that really makes this book work. There's no soft sugar-coating to Billy's actions, thoughts and feelings. A debut book by a talented writer, I can't wait to read more from Phil Earle.
Being Billy is an emotional read that really gets you inside the head of a fifteen-year-old boy living in care and makes you really understand what he's going through. Yes, he's the kind of kid who's always in trouble, who lets his fists do the talking and has no real attachment to anyone other than his brother and sister but the reader gets a real insight into why he's like this.Essentially it's how he survives.
It's the realism that really makes this book work. There's no soft sugar-coating to Billy's actions, thoughts and feelings. A debut book by a talented writer, I can't wait to read more from Phil Earle.
March 29, 2011
Straight away I have to say I absolutely loved this story. Any book (that isn’t of the romance genre) which involves you so much that you cry ………………. has to have something special about it!
Having worked in the past on the streets as leader-in-charge for a youth work project and for the past ten years working in schools, I can tell you for certain that Billy’s story is the real deal – real life.
The blurb gives you all the background you need and to which the story is built around. I found Billy’s story easy to read and easy to identify with – it is sensitively written. All the characters are well-rounded and have depth and you feel yourself supporting Billy – even when he’s lashing out in anger. It’s easy to feel the depth of his emotions – I just wanted to mother him!
Some of the things that happen might make you feel uncomfortable but that will probably be your response to things you don’t want to think about!
I really enjoyed ‘watching’ Billy change and grow. Billy is …………………. Well, just being Billy isn’t he?
Having worked in the past on the streets as leader-in-charge for a youth work project and for the past ten years working in schools, I can tell you for certain that Billy’s story is the real deal – real life.
The blurb gives you all the background you need and to which the story is built around. I found Billy’s story easy to read and easy to identify with – it is sensitively written. All the characters are well-rounded and have depth and you feel yourself supporting Billy – even when he’s lashing out in anger. It’s easy to feel the depth of his emotions – I just wanted to mother him!
Some of the things that happen might make you feel uncomfortable but that will probably be your response to things you don’t want to think about!
I really enjoyed ‘watching’ Billy change and grow. Billy is …………………. Well, just being Billy isn’t he?
May 8, 2012
4.5 stars
This was an intense and often heartbreaking reading. It's the story of Billy, a kid that is still 14 years old but has already gone through so much heartbreak and problems in his life, that he can't help but be very angry at everyone. He acts out, he committs petty crimes, sometimes he gets violent, he thinks everyone is out there to get him. Only his two siblings manage to get out of him something different than anger. With them, he's a loving brother, always doing what's best for them even when it kills him.
For a long while in the book, he seems like a lost cause, one of those kids that won't ever manage to turn their lives around and let go of the past and the anger. But surprisingly, little by little he starts changing instead, with the help of one of his carers, Ronnie.
This isn't an easy read, just like Billy's life has never been easy. But in spite of everything, even if not everything gets perfect, the story leaves a message of hope for Billy and for so many other kids like him.
This was an intense and often heartbreaking reading. It's the story of Billy, a kid that is still 14 years old but has already gone through so much heartbreak and problems in his life, that he can't help but be very angry at everyone. He acts out, he committs petty crimes, sometimes he gets violent, he thinks everyone is out there to get him. Only his two siblings manage to get out of him something different than anger. With them, he's a loving brother, always doing what's best for them even when it kills him.
For a long while in the book, he seems like a lost cause, one of those kids that won't ever manage to turn their lives around and let go of the past and the anger. But surprisingly, little by little he starts changing instead, with the help of one of his carers, Ronnie.
This isn't an easy read, just like Billy's life has never been easy. But in spite of everything, even if not everything gets perfect, the story leaves a message of hope for Billy and for so many other kids like him.
April 13, 2012
Being Billy by Phil Earle. This is another good book. Phil really gets inside the head of Billy who has been in care since he was six years old. His younger twin siblings come into care at the same time and he has been both father and mother to them. Billy is constantly in trouble, but he doesn't mean to be. He is just so full of anger that his mother abandoned him, she allowed her new husband to beat him and now as she has access to his younger siblings, she doesn't want him. He's sick of being ordered around by the staff in the children's home and an attempt at adoption failed as he didn't want to be separated from the only family he has left. I really felt Billy's frustration and anger at the injustice of his life and the never ending stream of social workers. I'll not say much more as I don't want to spoil the plot but if you want to understand troubled teens then this is the book for you.
March 4, 2011
First time I saw this on Goodreads, I decided that I weren't interested. After seeing it in my local library and deciding to give it ago and i'm glad I did as some other books have also recently proved.
The book's main character as you may have guessed is Billy. Billy is a professional lifer who has a little brother and sister. Nobody can keep him out of trouble and as we read the book, we start to see Billy develop and as the blur states "He can't be anything else. Can he?" ~ we start to see if there is another Billy to Billy.
I would like to see a follow up on this, even if it was a short story ~ a year or so ahead or maybe when he's 18. I wouldn't mind visiting the scene that one of the characters are themselves looking forward too.
4/5
The book's main character as you may have guessed is Billy. Billy is a professional lifer who has a little brother and sister. Nobody can keep him out of trouble and as we read the book, we start to see Billy develop and as the blur states "He can't be anything else. Can he?" ~ we start to see if there is another Billy to Billy.
I would like to see a follow up on this, even if it was a short story ~ a year or so ahead or maybe when he's 18. I wouldn't mind visiting the scene that one of the characters are themselves looking forward too.
4/5
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