What do you think?
Rate this book
Kill the Possum
Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
20 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
About the author
James Moloney
54 books193 followersMy full name is James Francis Moloney and I was born in Sydney, Australia on 20 September, 1954. When I was seven years old, my family moved to Brisbane and except for the odd year or two, I have lived in Brisbane ever since. At school, I was into every sport going - cricket, footy, swimming - you name it. It's hard to believe now but in High School, I was a champion Long Jumper! After University I became a teacher and then a Teacher Librarian. I moved around from school to school and in 1977-8 found myself in Cunnamulla, a little "outback" town where many Indigenous Australians live. These turned out to be important years for my writing.
In 1980, I look a year's leave, stuffed a backpack full of clothes and went off to see the world. Got to do it, guys! There's so much out there, from things to uplift your spirit to things that make you question the humanity of your fellow man. I stepped over rotting dog carcasses in Mexico city, got all weepy in a roomful of Impressionist paintings and met some fascinating people. Hope you'll do the same one day.
1983 was another big year. I got married and started work at Marist College Ashgrove, an all-boys school in Brisbane, where I stayed for fifteen years. During this time, I became interested in writing for young people, at first using the ideas and experiences gained from my time in Cunnamulla, mixed in with the thinking and wondering I'd done overseas. After my early attempts were rejected, the first of my novels, Crossfire , was published in 1992.
In 1997, my fifth novel for young adults, A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove won the Australian Children's Book of the Year Award. At the end of that year, I decided to leave teaching and become a full time writer.
In the mean time, my wife and I have produced three great children, two of whom are currently studying at University. Photos of them to the right, along with my lovely wife, Kate, who has encouraged me along every step of the way.
Now that I have turned my hobby into my job, I have had to develop some other interests. For exercise, I go cycling along the bike paths around Brisbane. I'm also into great books, great food, movies, travelling, learning to speak French and I dabble in a little painting. In recent years Kate and I have spent an extended period in France, cycled through Vietnam and soon we will be off to the USA.
In 1980, I look a year's leave, stuffed a backpack full of clothes and went off to see the world. Got to do it, guys! There's so much out there, from things to uplift your spirit to things that make you question the humanity of your fellow man. I stepped over rotting dog carcasses in Mexico city, got all weepy in a roomful of Impressionist paintings and met some fascinating people. Hope you'll do the same one day.
1983 was another big year. I got married and started work at Marist College Ashgrove, an all-boys school in Brisbane, where I stayed for fifteen years. During this time, I became interested in writing for young people, at first using the ideas and experiences gained from my time in Cunnamulla, mixed in with the thinking and wondering I'd done overseas. After my early attempts were rejected, the first of my novels, Crossfire , was published in 1992.
In 1997, my fifth novel for young adults, A Bridge to Wiseman's Cove won the Australian Children's Book of the Year Award. At the end of that year, I decided to leave teaching and become a full time writer.
In the mean time, my wife and I have produced three great children, two of whom are currently studying at University. Photos of them to the right, along with my lovely wife, Kate, who has encouraged me along every step of the way.
Now that I have turned my hobby into my job, I have had to develop some other interests. For exercise, I go cycling along the bike paths around Brisbane. I'm also into great books, great food, movies, travelling, learning to speak French and I dabble in a little painting. In recent years Kate and I have spent an extended period in France, cycled through Vietnam and soon we will be off to the USA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 15, 2018
The first time I read this book was in late primary school and was one of the first literary insights I had into domestic abuse at a time when my best friend was being abused by her father. The first time I read this, I did a lot of crying throughout the book. This time, I didn’t cry until the very end.
A book that explores the naivety of those who are fortunate enough to not live in an abusive world, Kill the Possum will break your heart at the same time that it gives you hope that the cycle of domestic violence within families will end.
The ending of this book is one you will never forget.
A book that explores the naivety of those who are fortunate enough to not live in an abusive world, Kill the Possum will break your heart at the same time that it gives you hope that the cycle of domestic violence within families will end.
The ending of this book is one you will never forget.
September 5, 2023
kirsty playin too much i dont play with dat ngl~
dylan shouldve played bbal tbh🙄🙄
chloe ~tho🥵🥵
#follow my tiktok @Leonardospam😈
1/10 🗣️🗣️
dylan shouldve played bbal tbh🙄🙄
chloe ~tho🥵🥵
#follow my tiktok @Leonardospam😈
1/10 🗣️🗣️
April 29, 2024
Great author but crap book 😘
May 6, 2016
I was in the middle of reading another book – a long, dense, important but mentally draining book – and decided to take a break and read Kill the Possum, knowing it would be a shorter read, something I could get through quickly. But if I was hoping for an easy read, I was sorely disappointed. This was a hard book to read. Not because of the writing but because of the story. This is every blended family teenager’s worst nightmare.
Dylan Kane is fifteen and has a crush on Kirsty Beal. They’ve been on a few dates and he’d like a few more. So one Sunday afternoon he decides to drop in on her unexpectedly. But he couldn’t have chosen a worse time. Sunday afternoons are when Kirsty’s ex-stepfather, Ian, drops her half-sister, Melanie, home from her weekend access visit. And while he’s there, Ian terrorises the Beals, including Kirsty’s little brother, Tim, and her mother, Ian’s former wife.
The abuse has been going on for years – physical, emotional, sexual – and Ian gets away with it thanks to his powerful policeman brother and his twist-everything-you-say-in-court lawyer. Tim, barely even a teenager, drinks to cope with it all. His mother takes sedatives. And Kirsty tries to stay strong, hoping that one day it will simply all end and Ian will get tired of his power games.
But the more Dylan sees, the more he wants to help. So he and Tim come up with a plan to steal Ian’s rifle and shoot him in his bed while he sleeps. But killing a man is difficult, morally at least. When Tim insists he be the one to kill Ian, Dylan tells him to practise by killing a possum he’s trapped. But Tim can’t. How can they kill a man, Dylan reasons, if they can’t even bring themselves to kill a possum?
Kill the Possum is a young adult book but it’s not for children or even younger teenagers. If I found it hard to read in my late thirties, I can only imagine how disturbing it might be for young minds still getting a grasp on right and wrong, especially those going through similar situations themselves.
The book is simple and at the same time powerful, intense, moving and with a shock ending that I didn’t see coming. I feel like I really should have seen it coming but I didn’t and that’s a credit to the author. There are quite a few typos, spelling and grammar issues that should have been picked up during the editing process and weren’t and that’s a discredit to the editor. Considering the book is meant for a younger audience, I would have hoped that a focus on these things was paramount as an example. Pretty unusual for a book from a publishing company as reputable as Penguin. But there’s not too much else wrong with it.
The book is also a commentary on parenting, particularly fatherhood. Kirsty’s real and much beloved father died a decade ago. Dylan’s father walked out on him and his mother before his first birthday and hasn’t seen him since then. Dylan hates his father with a passion for his absence, his irresponsibility, and particularly the fact that he has a new wife and three other children now. But is Dylan’s father’s crime as bad as the one that Ian is perpetrating on the Beals? Wasn’t he supposed to be their father figure? Isn’t he failing on a much grander scale by staying in their lives and making them perpetually afraid?
Read this book but be prepared. This isn’t a fairy tale or a morality tale or a fond look back at the innocence of youth. It’s gritty realism. And there is no happy ending. But there’s an honest ending, one that will stay with the reader forever.
Dylan Kane is fifteen and has a crush on Kirsty Beal. They’ve been on a few dates and he’d like a few more. So one Sunday afternoon he decides to drop in on her unexpectedly. But he couldn’t have chosen a worse time. Sunday afternoons are when Kirsty’s ex-stepfather, Ian, drops her half-sister, Melanie, home from her weekend access visit. And while he’s there, Ian terrorises the Beals, including Kirsty’s little brother, Tim, and her mother, Ian’s former wife.
The abuse has been going on for years – physical, emotional, sexual – and Ian gets away with it thanks to his powerful policeman brother and his twist-everything-you-say-in-court lawyer. Tim, barely even a teenager, drinks to cope with it all. His mother takes sedatives. And Kirsty tries to stay strong, hoping that one day it will simply all end and Ian will get tired of his power games.
But the more Dylan sees, the more he wants to help. So he and Tim come up with a plan to steal Ian’s rifle and shoot him in his bed while he sleeps. But killing a man is difficult, morally at least. When Tim insists he be the one to kill Ian, Dylan tells him to practise by killing a possum he’s trapped. But Tim can’t. How can they kill a man, Dylan reasons, if they can’t even bring themselves to kill a possum?
Kill the Possum is a young adult book but it’s not for children or even younger teenagers. If I found it hard to read in my late thirties, I can only imagine how disturbing it might be for young minds still getting a grasp on right and wrong, especially those going through similar situations themselves.
The book is simple and at the same time powerful, intense, moving and with a shock ending that I didn’t see coming. I feel like I really should have seen it coming but I didn’t and that’s a credit to the author. There are quite a few typos, spelling and grammar issues that should have been picked up during the editing process and weren’t and that’s a discredit to the editor. Considering the book is meant for a younger audience, I would have hoped that a focus on these things was paramount as an example. Pretty unusual for a book from a publishing company as reputable as Penguin. But there’s not too much else wrong with it.
The book is also a commentary on parenting, particularly fatherhood. Kirsty’s real and much beloved father died a decade ago. Dylan’s father walked out on him and his mother before his first birthday and hasn’t seen him since then. Dylan hates his father with a passion for his absence, his irresponsibility, and particularly the fact that he has a new wife and three other children now. But is Dylan’s father’s crime as bad as the one that Ian is perpetrating on the Beals? Wasn’t he supposed to be their father figure? Isn’t he failing on a much grander scale by staying in their lives and making them perpetually afraid?
Read this book but be prepared. This isn’t a fairy tale or a morality tale or a fond look back at the innocence of youth. It’s gritty realism. And there is no happy ending. But there’s an honest ending, one that will stay with the reader forever.
January 17, 2023
I spent one year reading all of the Children Book Council of Australia nominees. This was one of them. I have no freaking clue why. It was one of the worst books I've ever read. It was sick and disturbing - and I love Criminal Minds. This was just terrible. Dylan is a twisted fk. And Tim is easily manipulated. Plus I don't think it should be available to teens - and I read it as one. No need to give teenage boys ideas frankly.
March 12, 2012
it was horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 23, 2016
RATING: 3 Out Of 5
March 11, 2017
Honestly nothing has ever triggered me as much as this book did...
April 20, 2023
Very predictable end, very predictable middle. Annoying main character and I feel that the complexities could have been further explored. Whilst decent pacing , the book was eh at best
September 4, 2023
Personally I think that this book was one of if not the worst book I've ever graced my eyes onto. The pacing was incredibly slow and extremely tedious. Within the first 100 pages of this 300 page book, we get almost no story or anything of interest, all that it may be (possibly) is that James Moloney was trying to 'flesh out' the characters but do you really need 100 (and more!!!) to tell us about the characters? Don't even get me started about the characters! We're immediately met with Dylan acting like a stalker and we see him say "I'm not a stalker... or anything like that." WHY WOULD YOU PUT THAT AT THE START OF A BOOK?!?!
If I wasn't forced to read this book by my school, I wouldn't dare touch this book ever again with a sentence like that. regardless of Dylan we also have Kirsty entire lack of any emotion which I understand fits within the context of the story, but you don't need to make Kirsty completely inanimate! Every time that it becomes 'her side of the story', the entire book suddenly becomes long, tedious and overall unenjoyable. It's almost as if this author has never talked to a teenage girl and yet he has three children of his own.
The predictability of this books story and theme was readily apparent within the blurb and the first encounter that we have with Ian Cartwright. In the almost non-existent 'blurb' which is no more than 25 words completely brings forward the plot of the book whilst also spoiling the entire thing for you.
A girl desperate to live a normal life.
A family tormented by a monster's cruelty.
Two boys with a plan to make him stop.
Forever.
These 4 sentences make this entire books story so blitheringly obvious that its truly appalling that it can even be 300 pages. This entire book could have been 50 pages and would have still covered all of the fundamental plot points of the book and the climax in the end which in itself is quite anti-climactic. We read 300 pages for a tiny little 'news article' saying that Ian is dead, Kirsty is dead, Tim is wounded and Dylan gets off scot-free like he has from the very beginning.
From Dylan acting like a perverted stalker, to Kirsty's eventual demise, this book is an absolute disappointment to read, talk about or even be within a 100-meter radius of. I would not recommend this book if you value your time, effort or overall mental wellbeing because of its horrible pacing, and overall writing style.
If I wasn't forced to read this book by my school, I wouldn't dare touch this book ever again with a sentence like that. regardless of Dylan we also have Kirsty entire lack of any emotion which I understand fits within the context of the story, but you don't need to make Kirsty completely inanimate! Every time that it becomes 'her side of the story', the entire book suddenly becomes long, tedious and overall unenjoyable. It's almost as if this author has never talked to a teenage girl and yet he has three children of his own.
The predictability of this books story and theme was readily apparent within the blurb and the first encounter that we have with Ian Cartwright. In the almost non-existent 'blurb' which is no more than 25 words completely brings forward the plot of the book whilst also spoiling the entire thing for you.
A girl desperate to live a normal life.
A family tormented by a monster's cruelty.
Two boys with a plan to make him stop.
Forever.
These 4 sentences make this entire books story so blitheringly obvious that its truly appalling that it can even be 300 pages. This entire book could have been 50 pages and would have still covered all of the fundamental plot points of the book and the climax in the end which in itself is quite anti-climactic. We read 300 pages for a tiny little 'news article' saying that Ian is dead, Kirsty is dead, Tim is wounded and Dylan gets off scot-free like he has from the very beginning.
From Dylan acting like a perverted stalker, to Kirsty's eventual demise, this book is an absolute disappointment to read, talk about or even be within a 100-meter radius of. I would not recommend this book if you value your time, effort or overall mental wellbeing because of its horrible pacing, and overall writing style.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2022
Found the first half of the book quite difficult to get through, felt like it meandered through the first 100 pages. Dylan’s saviour complex, while understandable, felt a bit frustrating to read. The second half opened to tension, angst and I think it really found it’s stride. I would recommend this to readers but can’t imagine it would be very engaging to anyone who doesn’t like reading for the sake of reading.
I also can’t help but feel as though Kirsty was a little mistreated throughout the story, she deserved better. On that note, the women in this story in general felt a little one note and archetypal.
I also can’t help but feel as though Kirsty was a little mistreated throughout the story, she deserved better. On that note, the women in this story in general felt a little one note and archetypal.
March 14, 2018
The inner turmoil of each character was so incredibly vivid. The curiosity that it bloomed in you made you read page after pager to uncover whether the tormented teenage boys would actually murder the abusing Ex-husband of the Beals. It was emotionally powerful and challenged the arguments and mindsets of the people who think the world is black and white, right and wrong and not permeated with grey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2025
This book will break you down at every turn, the way I was so hoping for a happy ending for everyone was crazy. James, you know how to get people invested. This story about DM and DA from the perspective of 15yr olds was so well done I couldn’t imagine giving this any less than 5 stars.
The Beals deserved so much better and I hope Ian is in hell even if just a fictional one.
The Beals deserved so much better and I hope Ian is in hell even if just a fictional one.
February 5, 2025
oh my god?
April 27, 2015
The book Kill the Possum by James Moloney was definitely a worthwhile read. It left an impression on me because it showed the reality of the character’s lives and domestic violence, and the impact it has on people involved emotionally and physically. Written from an adolescent perspective of what is happening to them and the struggle their family goes through, it would be ideal from mid to late adolescence to adult readers.
My first impression reading the book, I had a fairly good idea of what it was about and what sort of genre it was. The blurb and the cover defiantly hinted to the violence and the torment that would be happening. Some parts in the book even though I knew that something similar was bound to happen, the images were still confronting and very blunt, which were done for effect, but nonetheless take time to process the horror of the situation.
This book was so interesting and full of details, though at the same time left many questions about the characters for the imagination of the reader, such as feelings and actions. The themes impacted me just as much as the plot and possibly more because they were something that can’t be one answer and a dilemma that I still can’t decide a strong opinion on. It is a very serious book and any reader should know that the events and characters are confronting and meant to spark deep thoughts.
The characters were interesting, well-built and believable and by the end of the book each action they would take seemed special and fit with them perfectly, from the capturing of the possum to the reaction of the Fourth Sunday. If anything were to be unbelievable it would have been the time frame of which these events were happening, which did seem slightly rushed but overall were defiantly possible.
Reaching the end of the book I was hoping there would be more and didn’t want it to end; I wanted to learn more about the characters and their lives, after this abuse stopped. Reading the last chapter though, it seemed that the book had ended at such a definite and perfect place, leaving the reader thinking still after finishing it, that I could image if it continued that would have spoiled the effect. The author was consistently writing great scenes and the plot was outstanding, not dropping at the end of the book but only strengthening.
The structure of the book was beautiful, with how it showed the chapters and sub-headings inside the chapter, sparked interest for me. They were plain and simple which was intriguing since there wasn’t anything ordinary about the story, especially the headings for the big segments in the book which created a feeling of a daunting finish to the novel.
This book was fantastic and made me question the plot, characters and my morals. I absolutely loved this creation of James Moloney and was moved by its blunt and original concepts and it is truly a great read when looking for a serious and thought provoking story. It was a powerful read and felt as if it were carefully planned and left a strong meaning behind.
My first impression reading the book, I had a fairly good idea of what it was about and what sort of genre it was. The blurb and the cover defiantly hinted to the violence and the torment that would be happening. Some parts in the book even though I knew that something similar was bound to happen, the images were still confronting and very blunt, which were done for effect, but nonetheless take time to process the horror of the situation.
This book was so interesting and full of details, though at the same time left many questions about the characters for the imagination of the reader, such as feelings and actions. The themes impacted me just as much as the plot and possibly more because they were something that can’t be one answer and a dilemma that I still can’t decide a strong opinion on. It is a very serious book and any reader should know that the events and characters are confronting and meant to spark deep thoughts.
The characters were interesting, well-built and believable and by the end of the book each action they would take seemed special and fit with them perfectly, from the capturing of the possum to the reaction of the Fourth Sunday. If anything were to be unbelievable it would have been the time frame of which these events were happening, which did seem slightly rushed but overall were defiantly possible.
Reaching the end of the book I was hoping there would be more and didn’t want it to end; I wanted to learn more about the characters and their lives, after this abuse stopped. Reading the last chapter though, it seemed that the book had ended at such a definite and perfect place, leaving the reader thinking still after finishing it, that I could image if it continued that would have spoiled the effect. The author was consistently writing great scenes and the plot was outstanding, not dropping at the end of the book but only strengthening.
The structure of the book was beautiful, with how it showed the chapters and sub-headings inside the chapter, sparked interest for me. They were plain and simple which was intriguing since there wasn’t anything ordinary about the story, especially the headings for the big segments in the book which created a feeling of a daunting finish to the novel.
This book was fantastic and made me question the plot, characters and my morals. I absolutely loved this creation of James Moloney and was moved by its blunt and original concepts and it is truly a great read when looking for a serious and thought provoking story. It was a powerful read and felt as if it were carefully planned and left a strong meaning behind.
August 15, 2014
I decided to read this book because another student in my class recommended it. This novel is a very dramatic, tension filled and hopeless type of novel which is why I only rated it three stars. Im more into thrillers not sad and soppy things...
Anyway, a character that stood out for me in this novel was Ian Cartwright. He is a preposterous man, I couldn't stand reading about him and to be quite honest I'm glad his fate in the story ended up how it did. Ian came off as a nice and charming gentleman to the eye of the public but as soon as he was around the Beal family that act was gone and the monster came out. He really did make me angry in the novel as a good novel does though.
'Kirsty Beal sits on the edge of the bed, leaning over Mrs Beal. ‘It’s all right, Mum, he’s gone now.'
This quote from the book is interesting because it tells us of how Kirsty who is a teenager girl has to help and support her mum for strength mentally and physically. This is because of how hurt and depressed Ian Cartwright makes her feel. She is scared of him.
This book made me think deeply of speaking out. It is never okay to just sit back and watch something horrible happen especially to people who you care about.
I recommend this book for all highschool kids, it has an awesome message and a little bit of hidden reality that shouldn't be kept a secret.
Anyway, a character that stood out for me in this novel was Ian Cartwright. He is a preposterous man, I couldn't stand reading about him and to be quite honest I'm glad his fate in the story ended up how it did. Ian came off as a nice and charming gentleman to the eye of the public but as soon as he was around the Beal family that act was gone and the monster came out. He really did make me angry in the novel as a good novel does though.
'Kirsty Beal sits on the edge of the bed, leaning over Mrs Beal. ‘It’s all right, Mum, he’s gone now.'
This quote from the book is interesting because it tells us of how Kirsty who is a teenager girl has to help and support her mum for strength mentally and physically. This is because of how hurt and depressed Ian Cartwright makes her feel. She is scared of him.
This book made me think deeply of speaking out. It is never okay to just sit back and watch something horrible happen especially to people who you care about.
I recommend this book for all highschool kids, it has an awesome message and a little bit of hidden reality that shouldn't be kept a secret.
July 31, 2011
Kill the possum is James Moloney at his best. I listened to the hear a book version of this CBC nominated book and was gripped immediately by the drama and impending terror of the story. The Beal family, mother, Tim and Kirsty are threatened by their ex-stepfather, Ian, who is an intimidating and violent man, who dominates his estranged wife and her children in the most horrific ways possible. He uses his psychological threats to cause trauma for the mother, reduces Tim to a stuttering wreck and Kirsty to a feaful teenager who has already been the target of his sexual predations. Kirsty's new boyfriend, Dylan, is aghast at the situation that occurs every 2 weeks, when Ian returns his daughter, Melanie, to the Beals after an access visit. The whole family suffer every second Sunday from his tormenting violence, but are unable to escape because of the legal situation in which they are placed. The only solution seems to be for Dylan, with Tim's help, to kill Ian and end the misery. Of course, plans go awry, and their plot is uncovered, but not before lasting damage is done to the Beal family and to Dylan. The suspense builds toward a surprise ending. A dark novel, gripping and terrible.
February 29, 2020
Tight, well-written story that managed to resonate well with me. I will say that I think the book personally might be a bit too dark for younger readers, as it does cover some really deep issues and doesn't hesitate to give the main protagonists a fair bit of inner darkness - I assume this is why some readers have rated this book very low.
At its core, this book is about fathers and the impact they can have on a family if they don't fulfil their role as a good parent. While the story centres around Ian (the abusive "father" of the Beal family), the main character Dylan also has his own parental issues, which plays into the story. Another key theme of the story is preventative measures, as the two male protagonists (Dylan and Tim) have to decide how far they're willing to go to solve the problem of Ian Cartwright.
Advice for parents:
While I think the story is good and explores a lot of relevant and important issues, I would recommend that - for younger readers - parents read the novel first, if only to be able to discuss with them later the themes of the story. In particular, the ending is ambiguous and rather shocking, and raises more questions than it answers (which in the case of this book I think works to its credit).
At its core, this book is about fathers and the impact they can have on a family if they don't fulfil their role as a good parent. While the story centres around Ian (the abusive "father" of the Beal family), the main character Dylan also has his own parental issues, which plays into the story. Another key theme of the story is preventative measures, as the two male protagonists (Dylan and Tim) have to decide how far they're willing to go to solve the problem of Ian Cartwright.
Advice for parents:
While I think the story is good and explores a lot of relevant and important issues, I would recommend that - for younger readers - parents read the novel first, if only to be able to discuss with them later the themes of the story. In particular, the ending is ambiguous and rather shocking, and raises more questions than it answers (which in the case of this book I think works to its credit).
September 24, 2011
Moloney really writes to engage the youth audience. When I looked at the cover, I thought it would be a hardcore thriller that would knock your socks off or something like that. The story itself wasn't like what I expected but a compelling read.
It's about a boy name Dylan Kane who witnesses and sees abuse within his girlfriend's Kristy home. From this incident, the story revolves around this concept and a menace psycho, who turns out to be the father. Dylan attempts to try to stop the matter from going on but it gets.... traumatic and sad towards the end.
The tragic hero is Dylan and as a reader I felt a sense of sorrow and encouragement towards him as he embark this tough journey that he witnesses. The idea of domestic violence is carried on throughout the story and is written beautifully to make today's youth to understand the story.
If you liked, "13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher," you'd probably like this one too due to the emotional challenge that the reader and the main character is left to deal with.
It's about a boy name Dylan Kane who witnesses and sees abuse within his girlfriend's Kristy home. From this incident, the story revolves around this concept and a menace psycho, who turns out to be the father. Dylan attempts to try to stop the matter from going on but it gets.... traumatic and sad towards the end.
The tragic hero is Dylan and as a reader I felt a sense of sorrow and encouragement towards him as he embark this tough journey that he witnesses. The idea of domestic violence is carried on throughout the story and is written beautifully to make today's youth to understand the story.
If you liked, "13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher," you'd probably like this one too due to the emotional challenge that the reader and the main character is left to deal with.
October 18, 2011
This book is not what you expect it to be. It's not about killing possums or killing any sort of animal, but paying back a man who has mentally, emotionally and physically abused and tortured his family. Dylan is a sixteen year old, nerdy teenager who starts to date one of the most popular, beautiful girls in the grade. He then finds out that her step-dad tortures her family mentally, emotionally and physically on an unexpected visit to her house.
The title is more understanding once you read the book, and it completely makes sence. I gave this book five stars because of the pace, action, mystery, love and suspension, all the aspects you could want in a book. this is my favourite book and I could read this book again any day and recommend it to boys and girls, but I wouldn't recommend this book to younger readers because of the emotional violence, some self harming scenes, references to depression and mature themes mentioned and written in some of the scenes in the book.
The title is more understanding once you read the book, and it completely makes sence. I gave this book five stars because of the pace, action, mystery, love and suspension, all the aspects you could want in a book. this is my favourite book and I could read this book again any day and recommend it to boys and girls, but I wouldn't recommend this book to younger readers because of the emotional violence, some self harming scenes, references to depression and mature themes mentioned and written in some of the scenes in the book.
August 1, 2013
This book made me very suspensed and had a great mystery line to it. Although I would not reccommend this book because it would not get straight to the point and would go on and on about the boring stuff, so it was hard for me to read it as it was not very interesting. The only good part was near the end because it contained the sequence of adventure. So overall, I think the plot of the beginning was to over expressed and I thought other books by James Maloney were way better. But if you do like a book full of mystery and don't mind waiting for interesting parts, read it. I think the cover was a very good work but when looking at the tittle i thought it was about killing an actual possum but they are actually killing a man. I kind of enjoyed it so it was ok. I think it is quite popular and its probably because of the end because the start bored me. But if you like being bored try it out!
April 10, 2015
I loved reading this book; it's written well, it's creepy and it's a quick and easy book to read.
The reason this book is creepy is because it's so realistic. I could see every event in this book happening in real life, which is terrifying because this is not a nice book. It contains an absolutely vile character who made my skin crawl, and some kids who acted stupidly and irrationally, but not unrealistically.
I also love how this was written, it wasn't overloaded with description and yet I still felt like I knew each character. I just really enjoyed this book and I think everyone should give it a go.
The reason this book is creepy is because it's so realistic. I could see every event in this book happening in real life, which is terrifying because this is not a nice book. It contains an absolutely vile character who made my skin crawl, and some kids who acted stupidly and irrationally, but not unrealistically.
I also love how this was written, it wasn't overloaded with description and yet I still felt like I knew each character. I just really enjoyed this book and I think everyone should give it a go.
October 5, 2012
This is a really good book. I came to reading this because the title really interested me and got me saying "Well this is not a title that you see everyday. I think I'll try it." Don't worry the whole book isn't about killing possums. I don't really want to say why the title is that because it means that I will have to tell you the ending so you should read the book. It is a really good one that I enjoyed a lot.
June 14, 2016
Would have preferred to give this 3.5 stars but there wasn't the option. Kill the possum is a heart breaking story with a very interesting narrative and flow. Though i found some of the overall story arc disappointing (as they were quite different to what i had expected) the characters and the treatment of the themes in the story were so eloquently put together that i didn't really mind. A very dark and interesting story
July 9, 2010
This is a disturbing book about a family ruined by just one mans cruelty
This shows the reality of the extent to which someone can affect another person...Tim is probably going to have psychological issues for a long time...Kirsty will never get to live her life...Dylan will remember what happened until the day he dies...
All these things can never be undone...
This shows the reality of the extent to which someone can affect another person...Tim is probably going to have psychological issues for a long time...Kirsty will never get to live her life...Dylan will remember what happened until the day he dies...
All these things can never be undone...
February 28, 2011
This book is very exciting, from the very start to the very end, wondering what is going to happen next, every next page getting more and more intimate and exciting, this book has
-the donomate male
-fear of the sexual assualt
_fear of the law (semi)
and many more gothis features and structure :)
i give this book 4 out 5 stars i very much enjoyed it :)....
-the donomate male
-fear of the sexual assualt
_fear of the law (semi)
and many more gothis features and structure :)
i give this book 4 out 5 stars i very much enjoyed it :)....
June 13, 2011
I thought the book was really boring in the beginig but i liked alot more when it got more interesting i loved the book i hope u loved it to. To me i loved the part at the end.
Kill the Possum
Kill the Possum
April 9, 2014
James Monoloney has won over me once again first with silvermay and now kill the possum. It was a great book i like how on the back of the book it makes you think that the book is about something supernatural, but really it is just about an abusive man. I also love how James kept changing the character to keep the book in first person.
July 3, 2016
This is one of those fabulous gritty books that captures you from the first page - I just couldn't put it down. It deals with some heavy issues such as emotional and psychological abuse, and raises the question 'Is murder ever justifiable?" A worthy contender for CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers - it has my vote!
August 3, 2016
Eerily amazing and original. James Moloney arrested me with Kill the Possum. His manoeuvre of the development of his characters and plot was masterful and the gruesome capture of man's nature when pushed to the limits left me fascinated. The way he wrote man's self-afflicted downward spiral into 'madness'- I was unable to tear myself away.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews