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Sugar
What’s yours is yours for a reason. Luck has nothing to do with it.
Some people get exactly what they deserve. And, as it turns out, I deserve to be called Persephone. No simple-to-sound-out Pride-and-Prejudice-style name like Elizabeth or Jane for me. Nope. Demi had to go Greek. Define ‘Persephone’. Bringer of destruction. That pretty much sums it up.
Persephone is angry. Angry that her life revolves around finger-prick tests, carbohydrate counts and insulin injections. Angry at Alexander Manson. Angry with her mum for lots of things, for nothing and for everything.
But most of all, she’s angry with herself. For deserving it all. Because of what she did, or didn’t do. Because one year ago she did something and her dad died.
But then Persephone finds a body on a bush path, a young woman she doesn’t know but feels a strong connection to. And as she tries to find out what happened to Sylvia, Persephone begins to understand her own place in the complex interconnectedness of the universe.
Sugar is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl trying to make sense of the life-changing events that have sent her world into a spin, her search for a reason behind it all, and ultimately her acceptance of life’s randomness.
Some people get exactly what they deserve. And, as it turns out, I deserve to be called Persephone. No simple-to-sound-out Pride-and-Prejudice-style name like Elizabeth or Jane for me. Nope. Demi had to go Greek. Define ‘Persephone’. Bringer of destruction. That pretty much sums it up.
Persephone is angry. Angry that her life revolves around finger-prick tests, carbohydrate counts and insulin injections. Angry at Alexander Manson. Angry with her mum for lots of things, for nothing and for everything.
But most of all, she’s angry with herself. For deserving it all. Because of what she did, or didn’t do. Because one year ago she did something and her dad died.
But then Persephone finds a body on a bush path, a young woman she doesn’t know but feels a strong connection to. And as she tries to find out what happened to Sylvia, Persephone begins to understand her own place in the complex interconnectedness of the universe.
Sugar is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl trying to make sense of the life-changing events that have sent her world into a spin, her search for a reason behind it all, and ultimately her acceptance of life’s randomness.
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2022
6 people are currently reading
416 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
April 29, 2022
This is one of those gorgeous, angry books that sucks you into the protagonist’s head, where you get caught in the middle of their frustration, depression, and personality quirks without being able to look away for 350 pages. Sugar is a heavy read, but it’s a super, super interesting one, exploring a messy family and a cluster of messy characters but ending on a tentatively positive note. The characterisation of the kids and teenagers all being obsessed with illness and apocalypses because they’re sick of living in suspense that Something Is About To Go Wrong and just want everything to crash and burn already, is so goddamn interesting.
February 12, 2022
Thanks Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review
Tw in this book for death, grief, abuse, cancer, and more.
This book starts off with our main character, Persephone, getting called a cunt by some new kid named Alexander after defending herself when a girl treats her like her diabetes is contagious. She gets in trouble for it and her friend Joseph looks into the kid. It takes like sixty pages for us to get to where we are in the synopsis. Persephone finds a dead body. Here we start to learn that Persephone feels like her diabetes is retribution because she kept telling her dad she hated him and then he died. She thinks this women did something to deserve her death and it’s the key to everything going on with her. I liked Persephone’s character arc as a whole. Her mom cares about her but it kinda checked out from grief. There’s also her cousin-not-cousin Steven whose dealing with abuse and wants to be chronically ill. I’m still a bit confused on his character. I don’t forgive Alexander and wish we’d learned more about Joseph to make him the way he is. This book felt short to me. It’s also the first book I’ve read in YA where the main character has diabetes. I learned a lot and it’s a unique perspective in the genre that we need more of!
Tw in this book for death, grief, abuse, cancer, and more.
This book starts off with our main character, Persephone, getting called a cunt by some new kid named Alexander after defending herself when a girl treats her like her diabetes is contagious. She gets in trouble for it and her friend Joseph looks into the kid. It takes like sixty pages for us to get to where we are in the synopsis. Persephone finds a dead body. Here we start to learn that Persephone feels like her diabetes is retribution because she kept telling her dad she hated him and then he died. She thinks this women did something to deserve her death and it’s the key to everything going on with her. I liked Persephone’s character arc as a whole. Her mom cares about her but it kinda checked out from grief. There’s also her cousin-not-cousin Steven whose dealing with abuse and wants to be chronically ill. I’m still a bit confused on his character. I don’t forgive Alexander and wish we’d learned more about Joseph to make him the way he is. This book felt short to me. It’s also the first book I’ve read in YA where the main character has diabetes. I learned a lot and it’s a unique perspective in the genre that we need more of!
June 11, 2022
First, I have to mention the cover. It's one of the most beautiful covers I've ever seen! Just look at it! The swirl of colours and the pain in the girl's eyes really represent the story.
I loved that this book felt so, so Australian. The author paints a vivid picture of a dry landscape, and you can almost hear the characters' accents due to the dialogue they use. The writing overall in this book was really strong.
I also loved Persephone as a main character. She's depressed and angry, and she doesn't have much character development until the end, but I kind of liked this. Although the story started to get monotonous (and, I'll admit, I was a little bit bored), it felt so real. She's self-destructive and has a big guilt/blame complex. This was really interesting and it was refreshing to see a character who doesn't have a steady growth, instead making herself feel worse by blaming herself for her problems and pushing everyone away.
I enjoyed the themes in the story like Peresphone's obsession with words and their meanings, or showing her blood sugar level at the start of each section. These things helped create a very real, unique and impactful narrative.
Persephone's diabetes is a huge part of the story, and you really see how it impacts her day-to-day life. I can't speak on how good or bad this is as representation, because I have no experience with diabetes, but I felt like I learned a lot. I had no idea how much of a daily struggle it is - one you're stuck with forever. Persephone's attitude towards it felt so real.
As I mentioned earlier, the story did get a bit monotonous. It started out so strong, but by about 1/3 I was starting to feel bored and kept wondering when something interesting was going to happen to push the story forward. Nothing really did. Luckily, though, the different characters and several subplots/mysteries occurring helped to keep me engaged enough to read to the end.
This would've been five stars if it were a bit less repetitive, and the relationship dynamics were stronger (other than Persephone, the other characters didn't really shine). I really think the book could've been 100 or so pages shorter and it would've been more impactful.
Overall a beautiful book that I won't forget!
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy <3
I loved that this book felt so, so Australian. The author paints a vivid picture of a dry landscape, and you can almost hear the characters' accents due to the dialogue they use. The writing overall in this book was really strong.
I also loved Persephone as a main character. She's depressed and angry, and she doesn't have much character development until the end, but I kind of liked this. Although the story started to get monotonous (and, I'll admit, I was a little bit bored), it felt so real. She's self-destructive and has a big guilt/blame complex. This was really interesting and it was refreshing to see a character who doesn't have a steady growth, instead making herself feel worse by blaming herself for her problems and pushing everyone away.
I enjoyed the themes in the story like Peresphone's obsession with words and their meanings, or showing her blood sugar level at the start of each section. These things helped create a very real, unique and impactful narrative.
Persephone's diabetes is a huge part of the story, and you really see how it impacts her day-to-day life. I can't speak on how good or bad this is as representation, because I have no experience with diabetes, but I felt like I learned a lot. I had no idea how much of a daily struggle it is - one you're stuck with forever. Persephone's attitude towards it felt so real.
As I mentioned earlier, the story did get a bit monotonous. It started out so strong, but by about 1/3 I was starting to feel bored and kept wondering when something interesting was going to happen to push the story forward. Nothing really did. Luckily, though, the different characters and several subplots/mysteries occurring helped to keep me engaged enough to read to the end.
This would've been five stars if it were a bit less repetitive, and the relationship dynamics were stronger (other than Persephone, the other characters didn't really shine). I really think the book could've been 100 or so pages shorter and it would've been more impactful.
Overall a beautiful book that I won't forget!
Thank you to the publisher for my review copy <3
April 18, 2022
before we start this review, can we take a moment to admire the cover please? isn’t it just stunning? the pastel colours are phenomenal.
anyway, on with the review.
sugar, written by australian author carly nugent, follows the non stop life of persephone. (yes, named for the greek goddess. although i found it amusing that her mother was called demi – usually short for demetria aka follower of demeter).
sorry. i love when names match up.
persephone isn’t like many other protagonists that i’ve read about. (well, she is, but she’s also different). firstly, she has type 1 diabetes. this book was very insightful regarding the things that people with diabetes go through. it sounds like a lot of effort, trying to calculate everything that you eat to ensure your sugar levels are okay.
secondly, persephone is a very angry teenager. she thinks she owes the world something (mostly because she feels responsible for someone’s death). it wasn’t until the last 20% when i really started to feel for her. when we found out that she thinks diabetes is her punishment for being a bad daughter.
the other characters in sugar were like every other side character. they didn’t make me love or hate the book. i liked how everyone was struggling with something of there own. demi wasn’t the best parent, but she grows and overcomes what troubles her.
i found steven to be the most interesting of the side characters. mostly because i watch a lot of true crime and he was giving off anti-social-school-shooter vibes. (which i regret thinking that way, given the way he had suffered, but he did some alarming things).
overall, sugar was a rollercoaster of a book. with the struggles of physical health and mental health (grief, depression, etc.) everything was non stop. i like how sugar has increased my awareness for diabetes as it’s not something i knew much about before. if you’re looking for a contemporary novel that focuses on mental and physical health, i definitely recommend this one!
anyway, on with the review.
sugar, written by australian author carly nugent, follows the non stop life of persephone. (yes, named for the greek goddess. although i found it amusing that her mother was called demi – usually short for demetria aka follower of demeter).
sorry. i love when names match up.
persephone isn’t like many other protagonists that i’ve read about. (well, she is, but she’s also different). firstly, she has type 1 diabetes. this book was very insightful regarding the things that people with diabetes go through. it sounds like a lot of effort, trying to calculate everything that you eat to ensure your sugar levels are okay.
secondly, persephone is a very angry teenager. she thinks she owes the world something (mostly because she feels responsible for someone’s death). it wasn’t until the last 20% when i really started to feel for her. when we found out that she thinks diabetes is her punishment for being a bad daughter.
the other characters in sugar were like every other side character. they didn’t make me love or hate the book. i liked how everyone was struggling with something of there own. demi wasn’t the best parent, but she grows and overcomes what troubles her.
i found steven to be the most interesting of the side characters. mostly because i watch a lot of true crime and he was giving off anti-social-school-shooter vibes. (which i regret thinking that way, given the way he had suffered, but he did some alarming things).
overall, sugar was a rollercoaster of a book. with the struggles of physical health and mental health (grief, depression, etc.) everything was non stop. i like how sugar has increased my awareness for diabetes as it’s not something i knew much about before. if you’re looking for a contemporary novel that focuses on mental and physical health, i definitely recommend this one!
April 10, 2022
“This is the way the wild ends: not with a bang, but a biscuit.”
Persephone thinks she deserves everything she’s gotten out of life. She could have been named something plain like Jane but Demi had to go full Greek with Persephone, Bringer of destruction. She’s angry with the world, life revolves around finger prick tests, carb counting and insulin injections.
Breaking point was the day Alexander Mason called her a rude word so she slugged him in the face, which only made her angrier. Demi’s constantly on her case, she’s angry at her for everything and nothing. But most of all Persephone is angry with herself for the things she didn’t do. One year ago her dad died and Persephone’s life changed forever.
Persephone finds a body of a young woman in the bush and becomes determined to find out what happened and why, she’s connected to this woman. The universe has a way of showing you the things that really matter after hitting rock bottom. Bad things happen to good people and the universe is constantly testing you. It’s a story of life, love and learning that things happen for no reason.
I love #loveozya and this books was perfection. I loved how Nugent put the insulin result in each chapter and doesn’t sugar coat living with diabetes. This one’s in stores now and it a must read for Aussie ya lovers.
Persephone thinks she deserves everything she’s gotten out of life. She could have been named something plain like Jane but Demi had to go full Greek with Persephone, Bringer of destruction. She’s angry with the world, life revolves around finger prick tests, carb counting and insulin injections.
Breaking point was the day Alexander Mason called her a rude word so she slugged him in the face, which only made her angrier. Demi’s constantly on her case, she’s angry at her for everything and nothing. But most of all Persephone is angry with herself for the things she didn’t do. One year ago her dad died and Persephone’s life changed forever.
Persephone finds a body of a young woman in the bush and becomes determined to find out what happened and why, she’s connected to this woman. The universe has a way of showing you the things that really matter after hitting rock bottom. Bad things happen to good people and the universe is constantly testing you. It’s a story of life, love and learning that things happen for no reason.
I love #loveozya and this books was perfection. I loved how Nugent put the insulin result in each chapter and doesn’t sugar coat living with diabetes. This one’s in stores now and it a must read for Aussie ya lovers.
Read
October 27, 2023The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of Sugar
‘Sugar is dark, hopeful, mesmerising—an extraordinary novel that builds and breaks like a perfect storm.’
Vikki Wakefield
‘A deeply affecting novel about loss, guilt and the fraught search for truth and certainty; the passion and ferocity of this story will stay with me for a long time.’
Leanne Hall
'Beautifully written, heartfelt and with a forward momentum that keeps you turning the page, this novel about loss, guilt and anger is ultimately hopeful and an absolute triumph.’
Readings
‘Nugent’s shrewd tale of a young woman weighed down by chronic illness, struggling to make sense of a nonsensical universe, is ultimately heart-warming.’
ABR
‘A story full of ’tude, and plenty of layers to peel back and get you thinking.’
Samera Kamaleddine, Herald Sun
‘Exquisitely written...A work of dazzling clarity and finesse that demonstrates the literary virtuosity that critics often claim is missing from books for this age group.’
Prime Minister’s Literary Awards judges’ comments
‘Sugar is dark, hopeful, mesmerising—an extraordinary novel that builds and breaks like a perfect storm.’
Vikki Wakefield
‘A deeply affecting novel about loss, guilt and the fraught search for truth and certainty; the passion and ferocity of this story will stay with me for a long time.’
Leanne Hall
'Beautifully written, heartfelt and with a forward momentum that keeps you turning the page, this novel about loss, guilt and anger is ultimately hopeful and an absolute triumph.’
Readings
‘Nugent’s shrewd tale of a young woman weighed down by chronic illness, struggling to make sense of a nonsensical universe, is ultimately heart-warming.’
ABR
‘A story full of ’tude, and plenty of layers to peel back and get you thinking.’
Samera Kamaleddine, Herald Sun
‘Exquisitely written...A work of dazzling clarity and finesse that demonstrates the literary virtuosity that critics often claim is missing from books for this age group.’
Prime Minister’s Literary Awards judges’ comments
December 10, 2021
Tough read (another one).
Angry grief-stricken girl struggling to make sense of things.
Intense.
Angry grief-stricken girl struggling to make sense of things.
Intense.
May 30, 2025
I think despite my rating, this is just one of those books you have to read. It’s based on the theory that everything happens for a reason, that because some falls ill, they’ve done something to deserve it. It was really well written and it was nice to have an honest account of what it’s like to live with diabetes, because I think it goes unrecognised of how hard life actually is. I personally just feel like there could have been more of a story, a wrapped up romance at least, but maybe that’s the dreamer in me.
April 5, 2022
4.5 stars
April 9, 2022
I am drawn to books about angry girls. Girls who are hurting. Girls who feel like they deserve bad things. And also anything with chronic illness rep. And this is what drew me to Sugar.
Persephone (I love the name!) is angry. Her father died a year ago, and she feels partly responsible. She’s angry that her body doesn’t work—she has diabetes—and she’s angry at the people around her. Her mother is a complex character, clearly hurting, clearly grieving, and not really being there for Persephone.
And then Persephone discovers a body. It’s a woman, and she feels she knows her. Feels there’s a connection to her. She becomes obsessed with finding out who this woman is and she gains access to her Facebook account—and pretends to be her. She replies to messages as the dead woman and then gets close to the woman’s best friend, who’s also grieving, and was in love with her.
Normally, if I read about a character taking on a dead person’s identity, I wouldn’t feel sympathetic toward them. But with Persephone, you know she’s not doing it maliciously. She’s doing it to try and understand things better. She’s doing it as an outlet for her anger, as a coping mechanism. Her actions make sense.
While Persephone is struggling with identity—her own, her family’s, and that of the dead woman—we also see her struggle with diabetes. She feels she got this illness because of what she did that led to her dad’s death. She sees it as a punishment, and we see her spiral deeper and deeper, refusing to take care of herself.
Other storylines focus around bush fire in Australia that forces her and her family to temporarily leave their home, her cousin’s obsession with wanting a chronic illness of his own (likely due to the trauma he has from being abused by his step dad), Persephone’s ‘relationship’ with a boy and having sex for the first time, and her anger issues at school.
This book was emotionally heavy at times. But it is exactly the type of book I love.
Persephone (I love the name!) is angry. Her father died a year ago, and she feels partly responsible. She’s angry that her body doesn’t work—she has diabetes—and she’s angry at the people around her. Her mother is a complex character, clearly hurting, clearly grieving, and not really being there for Persephone.
And then Persephone discovers a body. It’s a woman, and she feels she knows her. Feels there’s a connection to her. She becomes obsessed with finding out who this woman is and she gains access to her Facebook account—and pretends to be her. She replies to messages as the dead woman and then gets close to the woman’s best friend, who’s also grieving, and was in love with her.
Normally, if I read about a character taking on a dead person’s identity, I wouldn’t feel sympathetic toward them. But with Persephone, you know she’s not doing it maliciously. She’s doing it to try and understand things better. She’s doing it as an outlet for her anger, as a coping mechanism. Her actions make sense.
While Persephone is struggling with identity—her own, her family’s, and that of the dead woman—we also see her struggle with diabetes. She feels she got this illness because of what she did that led to her dad’s death. She sees it as a punishment, and we see her spiral deeper and deeper, refusing to take care of herself.
Other storylines focus around bush fire in Australia that forces her and her family to temporarily leave their home, her cousin’s obsession with wanting a chronic illness of his own (likely due to the trauma he has from being abused by his step dad), Persephone’s ‘relationship’ with a boy and having sex for the first time, and her anger issues at school.
This book was emotionally heavy at times. But it is exactly the type of book I love.
April 2, 2022
4.0 / tw:
The beginning of the book isn’t at all representative for what it ended up being. It started off slowly, of course, with introductory chapters but more than a quarter in, our main character still felt so enigmatic, so far away. You get that she is grieving and that she feels guilty for the death of her father, you get her frustration and where her attitude comes from and you are made well aware of her condition but it is only halfway or so through the book that Nugent finally proves how much more this story is about.
The story is, in truth, an accurate depiction of the unpredictability that life implies. It’s not just about Persephone’s diabetes, her dad’s death or the bush fires that felt so immediate and of such actuality you felt immersed in every aspect of those late chapters, but about family, friendship and finding your true self.
There is a little mystery involved too, that wouldn’t exactly fit in a Poirot novel but one that made Sugar even more interesting. That being said, it is a solid 4 from me and I would absolutely love reading a YA romance novel from the author in the future.
Thank you NetGalley and Text Publishing for an early arc of this in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2022
3.5 stars.
This is a heavy book. The descriptions of grief and guilt are visceral, almost physically so. The writing is excellent and really draws you in. I enjoyed the characters—Persephone, in particular, is a very flawed, very hurt individual—and the way relationships developed between them as the book progressed.
What I didn't like is how neatly and suddenly the ending came on. Persephone spent the entire book feeling guilty over her father's death, and then all of a sudden her guilt ebbs away in the span of one paragraph. It felt unrealistic and, in the wake of everything that has been building and building in the past 300+ pages, felt rushed to me. It very quickly went from 'everything is awful' to 'everything is ok', and it gave me whiplash.
This is a heavy book. The descriptions of grief and guilt are visceral, almost physically so. The writing is excellent and really draws you in. I enjoyed the characters—Persephone, in particular, is a very flawed, very hurt individual—and the way relationships developed between them as the book progressed.
What I didn't like is how neatly and suddenly the ending came on. Persephone spent the entire book feeling guilty over her father's death, and then all of a sudden her guilt ebbs away in the span of one paragraph. It felt unrealistic and, in the wake of everything that has been building and building in the past 300+ pages, felt rushed to me. It very quickly went from 'everything is awful' to 'everything is ok', and it gave me whiplash.
April 20, 2024
- Quotes -
📄 “It's just a word. A sound in the air, marks on a page. And yet, it had power. Like a spell, or a secret. It's just a word, but it felt like so much more than that.”
💥 “Everything happens for a reason: cause and effect, action and reaction.”
🩸 “People think they understand but in reality, they have no idea.”
🔥 “A lit match. Small, but sinister. Flickering with potential.”
🥀 “The bittersweetness of a brief and fading moment of transcendent beauty.”
📋 “Not everything is a symbol…not everything has a meaning.”
🌏 “The world, which seems to lie before us like a land of dreams.”
📄 “It's just a word. A sound in the air, marks on a page. And yet, it had power. Like a spell, or a secret. It's just a word, but it felt like so much more than that.”
💥 “Everything happens for a reason: cause and effect, action and reaction.”
🩸 “People think they understand but in reality, they have no idea.”
🔥 “A lit match. Small, but sinister. Flickering with potential.”
🥀 “The bittersweetness of a brief and fading moment of transcendent beauty.”
📋 “Not everything is a symbol…not everything has a meaning.”
🌏 “The world, which seems to lie before us like a land of dreams.”
May 23, 2022
This has to be the worst book I think I have read. Nothing really happens and was really disappointed
Nearly dnf
Nearly dnf
March 26, 2024
Finished: 21.01.24 ~ S ~ Rating: 1.5 ⭐️
March 31, 2022
Trigger warnings:
With my copy of Sugar sent by the publisher, a note from Nugent explains that she wrote this book partly to voice the frustration of living with a chronic illness. And while this book does many, many things, that is certainly something that is vivid and apparent throughout Persephone's journey. And while that is a large component of the story, Sugar is much more.
This is a story about growing up, about grief, and about accepting oneself & the life they are handed - both the good & the bad. It is a story about a character that is raw and exposed in many ways. It is about a mystery, that may not be a mystery.
Sugar is a spectacularly written book that is palatable for young readers, but holds an awful amount of depth. At times the writing style feels much younger than the themes suggest - with lists and notes and word definitions throughout. But it doesn't take away from everything this book sets out to say.
With my copy of Sugar sent by the publisher, a note from Nugent explains that she wrote this book partly to voice the frustration of living with a chronic illness. And while this book does many, many things, that is certainly something that is vivid and apparent throughout Persephone's journey. And while that is a large component of the story, Sugar is much more.
This is a story about growing up, about grief, and about accepting oneself & the life they are handed - both the good & the bad. It is a story about a character that is raw and exposed in many ways. It is about a mystery, that may not be a mystery.
Sugar is a spectacularly written book that is palatable for young readers, but holds an awful amount of depth. At times the writing style feels much younger than the themes suggest - with lists and notes and word definitions throughout. But it doesn't take away from everything this book sets out to say.
Note: Review copy received from Text Publishing. This does not impact opinions within this review.
blog • trigger warning database • more links
Happy reading! ❤
March 14, 2022
This book was not for me.
Rating: 2/5
Synopsis:
Some people get exactly what they deserve. And, as it turns out, I deserve to be called Persephone. No simple-to-sound-out Pride-and-Prejudice-style name like Elizabeth or Jane for me. Nope. Demi had to go Greek. Define Persephone. Bringer of destruction. That pretty much sums it up...
Persephone is angry. Angry that her life revolves around finger-prick tests, carbohydrate counts and insulin injections. Angry at Alexander Manson. Angry with her mum for lots of things, for nothing and for everything.
But most of all, she’s angry with herself. For deserving it all. Because one year ago she did something and her dad died.
But then Persephone finds a body on a bush path, a young woman she doesn’t know but feels a strong connection to. And as she tries to find out what happened to Sylvia, Persephone begins to understand her own place in the complex interconnectedness of the universe.
Sugar is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl trying to make sense of the life-changing events that have sent her world into a spin, her search for a reason behind it all, and ultimately her acceptance of life’s randomness.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an eARC!!
Rating: 2/5
Synopsis:
Some people get exactly what they deserve. And, as it turns out, I deserve to be called Persephone. No simple-to-sound-out Pride-and-Prejudice-style name like Elizabeth or Jane for me. Nope. Demi had to go Greek. Define Persephone. Bringer of destruction. That pretty much sums it up...
Persephone is angry. Angry that her life revolves around finger-prick tests, carbohydrate counts and insulin injections. Angry at Alexander Manson. Angry with her mum for lots of things, for nothing and for everything.
But most of all, she’s angry with herself. For deserving it all. Because one year ago she did something and her dad died.
But then Persephone finds a body on a bush path, a young woman she doesn’t know but feels a strong connection to. And as she tries to find out what happened to Sylvia, Persephone begins to understand her own place in the complex interconnectedness of the universe.
Sugar is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl trying to make sense of the life-changing events that have sent her world into a spin, her search for a reason behind it all, and ultimately her acceptance of life’s randomness.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an eARC!!
February 25, 2023
Okay, another book long listed in the Indie Awards. This didn't win me over. I could not feel empathy for the main character, Persephone. I get the writer is trying to portray a teenager who's angry and trying to work through grief, but the character's memories of how she treated people before the life-changing event do nothing to shine a positive light.
Persephone is the type of character that is so over the top that it become a caricature. She doesn't feel real. And honestly, it felt like the author just discovered how to swear, because that's also so overdone. It loses its impact.
I think I'm over books full of angst. Angst does make a book wonderful. By now, angst has become cliche, because it's everywhere. There are so many books, movies, TV shows, about angst. Maybe books need an angst rating? How much angst did you cram into your story? Give that author a prize!
The link between Persephone's search for the reason Sylvia's death and her own journey was tenuous at best. It felt creepy. A teenage girl getting access to a dead person's social media account, and then decides to message that person's best friend. Because that's a sign of healthy character growth.
The best thing about this book is the Australian setting, which felt authentic and tangible.
Persephone is the type of character that is so over the top that it become a caricature. She doesn't feel real. And honestly, it felt like the author just discovered how to swear, because that's also so overdone. It loses its impact.
I think I'm over books full of angst. Angst does make a book wonderful. By now, angst has become cliche, because it's everywhere. There are so many books, movies, TV shows, about angst. Maybe books need an angst rating? How much angst did you cram into your story? Give that author a prize!
The link between Persephone's search for the reason Sylvia's death and her own journey was tenuous at best. It felt creepy. A teenage girl getting access to a dead person's social media account, and then decides to message that person's best friend. Because that's a sign of healthy character growth.
The best thing about this book is the Australian setting, which felt authentic and tangible.
did-not-finish
July 26, 2023In my mind, this was a shoo-in for my favourite book of the year before I picked it up. It’s about a teenage girl with type one diabetes written by an actual diabetic. As someone who was diagnosed at 14, that made me incredibly excited—I’ve never seen a good representation of diabetes in the 13 years since, and I hoped this would be that. In a way, it was. Nugent nails what having diabetes is really like—to the point where some of it was almost exact word-for-word thoughts I’ve had. That was honestly fantastic to read, if a little scary at times. Unfortunately, the rest of the book fell flat for me. This is an angst fest. And yes, I was definitely an angsty teenager, partly because of diabetes, but reading that as a 27-year-old was decidedly less fun. The lead character, Persephone, is angry all of the time but to the point where it took away from my enjoyment of the story. There was just so much anger that it was unbearable to read and I ended up having to DNF it. Even with the good representation of diabetes, I don’t think I’d actually recommend this to anyone unless they were specifically looking for something angst-filled. As usual, I don’t give my DNF star ratings.
November 7, 2022
Persephone is angry; Persephone wants answers; Persephone needs the universe to make sense; Persephone is a bringer of destruction.
Sugar is the story of a young girl, recently diagnosed with diabetes, and struggling with grief and anger at the death of her father. She is convinced that things happen for a reason, that there is blame and fault to be assigned. Because if the universe is random, her questions as to 'why' will remain forever unanswered.
I appreciate that the author allowed Persephone to be unapologetically angry while she deals with the changes that have altered her life irrevocably, rather than paying lip service to her thoughts and feelings and rushing straight to 'fixing' her.
The nature references throughout, particularly to specific species of trees, are noteworthy as they follow Persephone's emotional journey.
"For a mountain ash to survive, it has to burn. . . . . how much destruction could I handle?"
A fierce story that ends on a tentative note of hope and healing.
Sugar is the story of a young girl, recently diagnosed with diabetes, and struggling with grief and anger at the death of her father. She is convinced that things happen for a reason, that there is blame and fault to be assigned. Because if the universe is random, her questions as to 'why' will remain forever unanswered.
I appreciate that the author allowed Persephone to be unapologetically angry while she deals with the changes that have altered her life irrevocably, rather than paying lip service to her thoughts and feelings and rushing straight to 'fixing' her.
The nature references throughout, particularly to specific species of trees, are noteworthy as they follow Persephone's emotional journey.
"For a mountain ash to survive, it has to burn. . . . . how much destruction could I handle?"
A fierce story that ends on a tentative note of hope and healing.
August 26, 2022
3 & 1/2 stars.
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I won a copy through Text Publishing.
It's a stunning cover, though does feel a different vibe from the book a little I think.
I would not usually do trigger warnings, but I think you do need to be aware of a few as the writing is first person mostly and very visercal and real. I felt a bit faint at times.
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needles, blood descriptions, medical issues, cancer, sex, death
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It felt very Aussie outback and I could picture some scenes clearly, whilst a few others I wouldn't have had as much experience imagining. If you don't like your protagonists angry and moody this may not be for you. I felt I managed to push on because she's a teenager and there's been some pretty big changes she is still adjusting to. And of course, everyone reacts differently as individuals.
For it's size, I just recommend it for how many topics it managed to cover without it feeling rushed. It almost was slow and sedate for the build up to the end.
~~~
I won a copy through Text Publishing.
It's a stunning cover, though does feel a different vibe from the book a little I think.
I would not usually do trigger warnings, but I think you do need to be aware of a few as the writing is first person mostly and very visercal and real. I felt a bit faint at times.
+
+
+
needles, blood descriptions, medical issues, cancer, sex, death
+
+
+
It felt very Aussie outback and I could picture some scenes clearly, whilst a few others I wouldn't have had as much experience imagining. If you don't like your protagonists angry and moody this may not be for you. I felt I managed to push on because she's a teenager and there's been some pretty big changes she is still adjusting to. And of course, everyone reacts differently as individuals.
For it's size, I just recommend it for how many topics it managed to cover without it feeling rushed. It almost was slow and sedate for the build up to the end.
October 29, 2023
I really enjoined this book. The ongoing mysteries that Persephone wants to make sense of and the suspense of a natural disaster in the background of all she is managing each day kept me engaged to keep reading and reading each time I picked up the book.
Persephone is lost in her guilt and grief, and I could feel her anger and pain as I could relate to it a lot. Her strong emotions meant I could easily feel like I was in her story. She might not show many appealing qualities that make her seem like a good friend to approach, but I didn't dislike her. I still wanted to be a friend to her even though she was in her own bubble. I liked the ending and it left me with hope for Persephone and her journey forward.
Persephone is lost in her guilt and grief, and I could feel her anger and pain as I could relate to it a lot. Her strong emotions meant I could easily feel like I was in her story. She might not show many appealing qualities that make her seem like a good friend to approach, but I didn't dislike her. I still wanted to be a friend to her even though she was in her own bubble. I liked the ending and it left me with hope for Persephone and her journey forward.
April 11, 2023
This is one of those gorgeous, angry books that sucks you into the protagonist’s head, where you get caught in the middle of their frustration, depression, and personality quirks without being able to look away for 350 pages. Sugar is a heavy read, but it’s a super, super interesting one, exploring a messy family and a cluster of messy characters but ending on a tentatively positive note. The characterisation of the kids and teenagers all being obsessed with illness and apocalypses because they’re sick of living in suspense that Something Is About To Go Wrong and just want everything to crash and burn already, is so goddamn interesting.
July 21, 2023
Perfect for John Green fans, Sugar by Carly Nugent is this year's most unique and emotional rollercoaster ride yet of a coming-of-age story.
With representations varying from chronic illnesses to mental health, this irresistible book does NOT back away from teenage angst and anger rooted from within, and what made it more gorgeous is that they did it wonderfully. In a way, the flow of the plot became simple yet the characters are complex and that's what's keep its readers to continue and get hurt.
And with that, I'm giving this book an immediate 5 stars ★★★★★! I just know that this one will definitely be on my top 5 for the year 2023.
With representations varying from chronic illnesses to mental health, this irresistible book does NOT back away from teenage angst and anger rooted from within, and what made it more gorgeous is that they did it wonderfully. In a way, the flow of the plot became simple yet the characters are complex and that's what's keep its readers to continue and get hurt.
And with that, I'm giving this book an immediate 5 stars ★★★★★! I just know that this one will definitely be on my top 5 for the year 2023.
April 14, 2024
This is a great YA book dealing with loss, teenage angst, domestic violence, chronic illness, and many other issues. While this might sound like a checklist of teen tropes, they are all part of an engaging and affecting story that carries well. Parts of it reminded me a bit of Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe, and to read it is heavily based on the authors own experiences explains this aspect. Part of the appeal of this work though is that it doesn't stretch for neat fictional outcomes but rather understands that life seldom ever answers the question we have. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it to others.
January 5, 2025
The descriptive writing and the strong narration from the main character made me feel really involved in this book.
The scene that Carly Nugent sets is amazing. I could sense the dry, intense atmosphere (both literally and figuratively) and the feeling of being on-edge.
While the main character was living with the roller coaster that is diabetes, she was also on a roller coaster in her emotional and social life. All while the bush fire crept closer to her house.
This book opened my eyes to life with diabetes.
Be warned that this book does have coarse language.
But it is still super good!!
The scene that Carly Nugent sets is amazing. I could sense the dry, intense atmosphere (both literally and figuratively) and the feeling of being on-edge.
While the main character was living with the roller coaster that is diabetes, she was also on a roller coaster in her emotional and social life. All while the bush fire crept closer to her house.
This book opened my eyes to life with diabetes.
Be warned that this book does have coarse language.
But it is still super good!!
December 28, 2023
this is one of the best books i've ever read
the recurring "define" and "what [person] wants:" and the apocalypse was so interesting
the use of the BGL as a kind of chapter marking was really cool as well
it was so suspenseful throughout the whole book; the way every single character's story was not fully revealed until the very end made every part of the book wanting to know more.
the descriptions of the bush and rivers were so good
and omgg the ending where she finds the other meaning of her name>>
the recurring "define" and "what [person] wants:" and the apocalypse was so interesting
the use of the BGL as a kind of chapter marking was really cool as well
it was so suspenseful throughout the whole book; the way every single character's story was not fully revealed until the very end made every part of the book wanting to know more.
the descriptions of the bush and rivers were so good
and omgg the ending where she finds the other meaning of her name>>
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2022
After finishing this book I’m like gobsmacked and speechless.
The character depth and development of Persephone over the book made this an unforgettable read.
There was so much emotion coming from each page and character, that created these vivid characters that I connected with.
Words that describe this book for me are Dark, mysterious, mesmerising, unforgettable, moving and raw and intense.
4.75
The character depth and development of Persephone over the book made this an unforgettable read.
There was so much emotion coming from each page and character, that created these vivid characters that I connected with.
Words that describe this book for me are Dark, mysterious, mesmerising, unforgettable, moving and raw and intense.
4.75
November 28, 2022
Sugar from Carly Nugent was a book that felt like it could have been flushed out more. Persephone is a likeable character who has diabetes. Her disease and how people treat her because of it is very illuminating, especially as it is one of the "silent diseases" that many people don't understand. Persephone and Steven are interesting and Alexander is horrible but I don't feel like I was too invested in any of their stories.
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