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When Only One
‘There’s someone in the school. Someone who’s not supposed to be there. This person is walking towards the classroom. They’re holding something in their hands. Something terrifying.’
Sam lives with his mum, dad and four brothers in a small farming town. At his school, there are three main factions: the rich kids, the mid-grounders and the farm kids who live on the outskirts. Sam is a comfortable mid-grounder and life is pretty good. He works as a lifeguard at the local surf club, is saving to buy his first car, he’s training with his friends for the Ironman challenge, and on Sunday afternoons he and his family take care packages to their less fortunate neighbours. Then, five years since they last spoke, Emily Burrow climbs back into Sam’s life and everything changes.
Emily’s life is very different to Sam’s – her absent father has returned and her mum struggles with her mental health. Sam does his best to be there for Emily when he wasn’t for so long, but there seems to be no right way to help her.
When Rei starts at school, Sam is smitten. Rei’s parents are social workers, she’s from the rich side of town, and her life seems a thousand miles away from how the kids on the outskirts live. In a world that’s ill-equipped to support kids struggling with unseen burdens, is there a way to help Emily before the worst happens?
From the bestselling author of I Had Such Friends comes a novel that’s gritty, full of heart and shines a light on kids who are doing it tough in a rural Australian town.
Sam lives with his mum, dad and four brothers in a small farming town. At his school, there are three main factions: the rich kids, the mid-grounders and the farm kids who live on the outskirts. Sam is a comfortable mid-grounder and life is pretty good. He works as a lifeguard at the local surf club, is saving to buy his first car, he’s training with his friends for the Ironman challenge, and on Sunday afternoons he and his family take care packages to their less fortunate neighbours. Then, five years since they last spoke, Emily Burrow climbs back into Sam’s life and everything changes.
Emily’s life is very different to Sam’s – her absent father has returned and her mum struggles with her mental health. Sam does his best to be there for Emily when he wasn’t for so long, but there seems to be no right way to help her.
When Rei starts at school, Sam is smitten. Rei’s parents are social workers, she’s from the rich side of town, and her life seems a thousand miles away from how the kids on the outskirts live. In a world that’s ill-equipped to support kids struggling with unseen burdens, is there a way to help Emily before the worst happens?
From the bestselling author of I Had Such Friends comes a novel that’s gritty, full of heart and shines a light on kids who are doing it tough in a rural Australian town.
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 31, 2022
8 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Meg Gatland-Veness
3 books25 followersMeg Gatland-Veness is a high school drama teacher in New South Wales, Australia.
Meg Gatland-Veness was born in a tiny country town called Milton and now lives on the Central Coast of New South Wales with her boyfriend and two cats. She attended the University of Newcastle where she studied a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Secondary Teaching.
Meg has been writing stories for as long as she can remember and reading them even longer. She always carries a notebook with her in case inspiration strikes or she encounters a beautiful new word. Equal to her love of words is her passion for championing local youths and fostering important conversation about issues facing young Australians.
When she's not writing novels, Meg is a high school drama teacher who channels her creativity into choreographing and directing musicals, writing poetry, singing and dancing.
Meg Gatland-Veness was born in a tiny country town called Milton and now lives on the Central Coast of New South Wales with her boyfriend and two cats. She attended the University of Newcastle where she studied a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Secondary Teaching.
Meg has been writing stories for as long as she can remember and reading them even longer. She always carries a notebook with her in case inspiration strikes or she encounters a beautiful new word. Equal to her love of words is her passion for championing local youths and fostering important conversation about issues facing young Australians.
When she's not writing novels, Meg is a high school drama teacher who channels her creativity into choreographing and directing musicals, writing poetry, singing and dancing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 20, 2022
this book was an automatic buy for me as Meg Gatland-Veness' first book I Had Such Friends was so amazing and truly one of the best books i've ever read but i had to wait to read another book of hers before i could label her as a new favourite author of mine..but it's safe to say that she is now one of my favourite authors after i read this book.
She has the best writing i've read in a while, it's true talent. Her characters are so real, so relatable and so raw. I can't explain it in words really but her characters are a breathe of fresh air.
This book hit home for me, too close to home so it made me so emotional. This book says a lot about poverty, especially poverty in Australia. I grew up and still live in poverty but my childhood was ruined by it. I slept with mice and cockroachs, my house had holes in the floor you had to dodge to not fall under the house, we couldn't wash our school uniforms and we had to sleep in them so we were the "smelly kids" at school, i couldn't take a shower for two years in my teens, i had to sneak off to the beach to wash my hair with dish soap. The character Emily from this book has the same issues so i could really relate and know exactly what she was feeling in every moment. I also lived in a house of alcoholics and violence so those aspects really hit home.
We all take a message away from most of the books we read but the message this book gave me was: How do we all expect to live in a perfect world when the people in power do everything to kill us? Bad environments breed bad people, a bit controversial to say but it's true.
I lived in a poverty stricken area for my whole life and i've seen what a lack of money does to people. It kills them. It will wear you down mentally until you can't take it anymore. It cost money to be good now days, it cost nothing to commit crimes when you have no hope for the future. How do you expect people to treat others nicely when their mental state is at such a low that there is absolutely no hope because they can't afford to eat and feed their kids? How do you expect people to follow laws when the system is so against them? Again, as someone who had nothing it was easy to give up on life, at the age of 14 i was already beaten down by poverty and didn't see a future for myself but i had to hold on for my sisters who i raised (same as Milo from this book) and i can't imagine life without them so if they were taken away.. i would not have been here writing this.
Fighting poverty is one thing but getting in trouble for it and the law coming at you to strip you of anything else you have is a whole new topic which i can't get into because it makes me so emotional.
so reading this just reminded me of my childhood and i guess that's a good thing as it meant i could really understand all the characters, even the bad person.
in conclusion: Poverty kills people in more ways than you think. Donate your unused food and clothes to charity bins and community centres, it means more than you think.
Meg Gatland-Veness you've done it again and made me cry once more with your books. A new insta-buy author for me!
She has the best writing i've read in a while, it's true talent. Her characters are so real, so relatable and so raw. I can't explain it in words really but her characters are a breathe of fresh air.
This book hit home for me, too close to home so it made me so emotional. This book says a lot about poverty, especially poverty in Australia. I grew up and still live in poverty but my childhood was ruined by it. I slept with mice and cockroachs, my house had holes in the floor you had to dodge to not fall under the house, we couldn't wash our school uniforms and we had to sleep in them so we were the "smelly kids" at school, i couldn't take a shower for two years in my teens, i had to sneak off to the beach to wash my hair with dish soap. The character Emily from this book has the same issues so i could really relate and know exactly what she was feeling in every moment. I also lived in a house of alcoholics and violence so those aspects really hit home.
We all take a message away from most of the books we read but the message this book gave me was: How do we all expect to live in a perfect world when the people in power do everything to kill us? Bad environments breed bad people, a bit controversial to say but it's true.
I lived in a poverty stricken area for my whole life and i've seen what a lack of money does to people. It kills them. It will wear you down mentally until you can't take it anymore. It cost money to be good now days, it cost nothing to commit crimes when you have no hope for the future. How do you expect people to treat others nicely when their mental state is at such a low that there is absolutely no hope because they can't afford to eat and feed their kids? How do you expect people to follow laws when the system is so against them? Again, as someone who had nothing it was easy to give up on life, at the age of 14 i was already beaten down by poverty and didn't see a future for myself but i had to hold on for my sisters who i raised (same as Milo from this book) and i can't imagine life without them so if they were taken away.. i would not have been here writing this.
Fighting poverty is one thing but getting in trouble for it and the law coming at you to strip you of anything else you have is a whole new topic which i can't get into because it makes me so emotional.
so reading this just reminded me of my childhood and i guess that's a good thing as it meant i could really understand all the characters, even the bad person.
in conclusion: Poverty kills people in more ways than you think. Donate your unused food and clothes to charity bins and community centres, it means more than you think.
Meg Gatland-Veness you've done it again and made me cry once more with your books. A new insta-buy author for me!
June 11, 2022
Pantera Press reached out to me and sent me a copy of the book, along with a bunch of goodies, in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t even know where to start with this review.
Going into this book, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. For the most part, I have a ‘type’ when it comes to choosing books; I love a fun and light-hearted rom com more than anything. This book is NOT that. At all. When Only One is a raw and captivating story of survival, difficult conversations, and loss. Something I really enjoyed was that this wasn’t glossed over or flinched away from. Instead, we got to go through those treacherous times and see it through the naive (but honest) eyes of a teenager.
Again, if a story is set in Australia I seem to connect that bit more simply because I love reading the descriptive explanations of where I live. I love truly understanding the little details like mentions of Nutri-grain, the beep test (I’m in my late 20s and that still haunts me), and lots of other uniquely Australian things.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a heavier read in terms of content and themes, but I was utterly hooked from the very beginning. I was never certain of what was to come until it actually happen, and I felt as though the characters were my close knit friends.
I don’t even know where to start with this review.
Going into this book, I wasn’t sure if I’d like it. For the most part, I have a ‘type’ when it comes to choosing books; I love a fun and light-hearted rom com more than anything. This book is NOT that. At all. When Only One is a raw and captivating story of survival, difficult conversations, and loss. Something I really enjoyed was that this wasn’t glossed over or flinched away from. Instead, we got to go through those treacherous times and see it through the naive (but honest) eyes of a teenager.
Again, if a story is set in Australia I seem to connect that bit more simply because I love reading the descriptive explanations of where I live. I love truly understanding the little details like mentions of Nutri-grain, the beep test (I’m in my late 20s and that still haunts me), and lots of other uniquely Australian things.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a heavier read in terms of content and themes, but I was utterly hooked from the very beginning. I was never certain of what was to come until it actually happen, and I felt as though the characters were my close knit friends.
May 30, 2022
4.5 stars
Thank you to Pantera Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was honestly incredible. Every character felt real and fleshed out and achingly human. Everyone had their own separate lives and struggles and personalities and I really appreciate that as a character-driven reader.
This book also builds tension incredibly well. The book starts with a school shooting—something that will, I’m sure, hit home for a lot of people, especially Americans, right now—and then rewinds a year to tell you the events leading up to it.
The stories told in this book about domestic violence, loss, grief, murder and suicide are told delicately and handled with the respect they deserved, but readers should be aware of these themes before diving in, as they do come up quite a lot.
My only real issue with this book were the quotes from people in the community about the shooting at the start of each chapter. Some of them were fine, but some of them felt a little like they were trying to be funny about something that is definitely not funny. Given the way the narrative handles this topic, I doubt that was the authors intention, but that’s how it came across to me as the reader, and is the main reason this isn’t a five star read for me.
Regardless of that criticism, I highly recommend this book.
Thank you to Pantera Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book was honestly incredible. Every character felt real and fleshed out and achingly human. Everyone had their own separate lives and struggles and personalities and I really appreciate that as a character-driven reader.
This book also builds tension incredibly well. The book starts with a school shooting—something that will, I’m sure, hit home for a lot of people, especially Americans, right now—and then rewinds a year to tell you the events leading up to it.
The stories told in this book about domestic violence, loss, grief, murder and suicide are told delicately and handled with the respect they deserved, but readers should be aware of these themes before diving in, as they do come up quite a lot.
My only real issue with this book were the quotes from people in the community about the shooting at the start of each chapter. Some of them were fine, but some of them felt a little like they were trying to be funny about something that is definitely not funny. Given the way the narrative handles this topic, I doubt that was the authors intention, but that’s how it came across to me as the reader, and is the main reason this isn’t a five star read for me.
Regardless of that criticism, I highly recommend this book.
June 27, 2022
Here’s an Australian YA novel that doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff. Poverty, domestic violence, suicide, murder, gun violence, a school shooting, and socio-economic inequality are all covered in this story which will have you thinking about it long after you’ve finished it.
I’ve no doubt that there are young people right now experiencing some of the issues & situations faced by the characters in this book & that makes me so damn sad & mad. WHEN ONLY ONE handles the subject matter sensitively and I think it’s an excellent example of a book that will strike a chord with readers of all ages.
The tension mounts throughout the story with chapters jumping between the year leading up to the school shooting and the immediate aftermath and I really found it hard to put the book down. I was apprehensive about reading about the incident at the school given current world events, but the bigger themes of poverty, mental health and inequality have more of the focus throughout the book.
#LoveOzYA at its finest. A heavy-themed read & one that I couldn’t put down. This is powerful stuff.
A big thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book.
I’ve no doubt that there are young people right now experiencing some of the issues & situations faced by the characters in this book & that makes me so damn sad & mad. WHEN ONLY ONE handles the subject matter sensitively and I think it’s an excellent example of a book that will strike a chord with readers of all ages.
The tension mounts throughout the story with chapters jumping between the year leading up to the school shooting and the immediate aftermath and I really found it hard to put the book down. I was apprehensive about reading about the incident at the school given current world events, but the bigger themes of poverty, mental health and inequality have more of the focus throughout the book.
#LoveOzYA at its finest. A heavy-themed read & one that I couldn’t put down. This is powerful stuff.
A big thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book.
June 8, 2022
When Only One promised to be something moving, raw and important, and from the first page it proved to be exactly that.
The writing style is so descriptive and encompassing, it guides you to see the scene and the characters exactly as the author intends, with gentle suggestion towards the emotion of the scene. Gatland-Veness is a master story teller, drawing you in with creatively written sentences with carefully selected words, which make them read almost as prose.
We are immediately glued to our seats, from the first sentence in the prologue, and from there Gatland-Veness doesn't release us until the final page has turned. And I'm still debating if even then. This book is important, it makes you think, it makes you question and makes you want to seek out answers and change.
Our protagonist Samson feels authentic and raw and his experiences are so Australian, reading him catching the bus to the beach, or riding his bike to his friends place, sends me back to my childhood, adding a layer of connection to an already powerful read. I love the Australiana within the pages of this book, especially the way the weather is described as all encompassing, from the unbreathable heat, to the flooding rain. Not to forget the Hills-Hoist, it wouldn't be a novel set in 80's-90's Australia without the Hills-Hoist!
When the book draws to a close and you start to connect the dots to who the antagonist is, it is utterly heartbreaking. To have seen each line crossed that makes this character feel like violence is the only way out is devastating. I am in no way condoning the actions of this character, but in this case, the lead up to the violence they create as horrific as the violent act itself.
When Only One is confronting, it makes you think, makes you question what you would have done if you were in this friend group, what choices you'd make. It is well written, thoroughly engaging and easy to read, which surprised me, considering its heavy contents. This is definitely a read, not to be missed.
The writing style is so descriptive and encompassing, it guides you to see the scene and the characters exactly as the author intends, with gentle suggestion towards the emotion of the scene. Gatland-Veness is a master story teller, drawing you in with creatively written sentences with carefully selected words, which make them read almost as prose.
We are immediately glued to our seats, from the first sentence in the prologue, and from there Gatland-Veness doesn't release us until the final page has turned. And I'm still debating if even then. This book is important, it makes you think, it makes you question and makes you want to seek out answers and change.
Our protagonist Samson feels authentic and raw and his experiences are so Australian, reading him catching the bus to the beach, or riding his bike to his friends place, sends me back to my childhood, adding a layer of connection to an already powerful read. I love the Australiana within the pages of this book, especially the way the weather is described as all encompassing, from the unbreathable heat, to the flooding rain. Not to forget the Hills-Hoist, it wouldn't be a novel set in 80's-90's Australia without the Hills-Hoist!
When the book draws to a close and you start to connect the dots to who the antagonist is, it is utterly heartbreaking. To have seen each line crossed that makes this character feel like violence is the only way out is devastating. I am in no way condoning the actions of this character, but in this case, the lead up to the violence they create as horrific as the violent act itself.
When Only One is confronting, it makes you think, makes you question what you would have done if you were in this friend group, what choices you'd make. It is well written, thoroughly engaging and easy to read, which surprised me, considering its heavy contents. This is definitely a read, not to be missed.
May 31, 2022
This book is incredible. It is a heart wrenching story shining a light on mental health, domestic violence, loss, grief, suicide and murder. Meg Gatland-Veness tells a very delicate story in a way that has the reader eagerly devouring every page.
This is a very character driven story, and I loved the depth of each character. The story itself opens with a high school shooting, without providing many details regarding the who or the why. The following chapter then jumps back a year, and we can start to see what led to the shooting.
As this book progressed, I started to form an idea of who the two girls in the first chapter were, as well as who the shooter may have been. As we learn more about each character and their situation, my ideas progressed and eventually you reach the conclusion of who and why. The quotes at the start of each new chapter lent some clues towards the final outcome, but mostly those quotes highlighted the effect of socio-economic division.
I felt so upset about the situation that many of the kids in this book were in. Emily's home life was distressing, with her 'normal' being domestic violence, malnutrition and poor mental health. Milo's situation was equally complex, being left to raise a baby on his own, with no support. The issues faced by the characters are varied, so please check trigger warnings prior to reading.
Overall, I felt moved by this book. It is written beautifully, and about a highly topical theme. The character development and the story progression are excellent, and this book is well worth the read. I loved reading this, and would absolutely recommend it.
Thank you to Pantera Press and the author for the advanced copy of this book.
This is a very character driven story, and I loved the depth of each character. The story itself opens with a high school shooting, without providing many details regarding the who or the why. The following chapter then jumps back a year, and we can start to see what led to the shooting.
As this book progressed, I started to form an idea of who the two girls in the first chapter were, as well as who the shooter may have been. As we learn more about each character and their situation, my ideas progressed and eventually you reach the conclusion of who and why. The quotes at the start of each new chapter lent some clues towards the final outcome, but mostly those quotes highlighted the effect of socio-economic division.
I felt so upset about the situation that many of the kids in this book were in. Emily's home life was distressing, with her 'normal' being domestic violence, malnutrition and poor mental health. Milo's situation was equally complex, being left to raise a baby on his own, with no support. The issues faced by the characters are varied, so please check trigger warnings prior to reading.
Overall, I felt moved by this book. It is written beautifully, and about a highly topical theme. The character development and the story progression are excellent, and this book is well worth the read. I loved reading this, and would absolutely recommend it.
Thank you to Pantera Press and the author for the advanced copy of this book.
June 27, 2022
my heart is broken
sam is such a genuine and likeable character and the writing makes the story so so good. i loved “i had such friends” and loved this just as much.
the meaning and everything behind the story is so pure and real but at times i felt confused as to what the ending was going to be.
i am in pain 💔
sam is such a genuine and likeable character and the writing makes the story so so good. i loved “i had such friends” and loved this just as much.
the meaning and everything behind the story is so pure and real but at times i felt confused as to what the ending was going to be.
i am in pain 💔
May 23, 2022
So powerful. So tense. So moving. 5stars +++
January 22, 2024
This book is SO important to read, the blurb doesn’t do it enough justice. I LITERALLY CRIED for 30 MINUTES.
It focuses heavily around poverty in Australia and around dysfunctional households, which is something I haven’t really ever read about.
EVERYONE PLS READ IT
**once you have just finished the book, listen to ‘all I want’ by Olivia Rodrigo, it will make you cry even more.
It focuses heavily around poverty in Australia and around dysfunctional households, which is something I haven’t really ever read about.
EVERYONE PLS READ IT
**once you have just finished the book, listen to ‘all I want’ by Olivia Rodrigo, it will make you cry even more.
October 6, 2024
3.5 i love anything meg gatland-veness writes
July 9, 2022
This book made me sob.
The book has a lovely story and progresses nicely. We know the ending from the very start but we don’t know the characters involved till the end. It truly shows how ordinary people can be turned in to killers and victims with just one conversation or action.
One thing I did not like however was the messages before each chapter. They almost desensitise the topic about school shootings and were almost as if they were joking about it. On one hand though I can see their importance to the novel showing how different people are affected by these tragedies and how they deal with them and even if they really affect their life’s at all. I’m still contemplating however if the messages really added anything to the story or if it would have been better if they were just not included.
The ending made me cry on multiple occasions and I did not put the book down once when I was in the last few chapters.
I am hesitating between giving it a 4 or 5.
It took me two days to read which shows that it was a very engaging book. I will most definitely be reading it again.
The book has a lovely story and progresses nicely. We know the ending from the very start but we don’t know the characters involved till the end. It truly shows how ordinary people can be turned in to killers and victims with just one conversation or action.
One thing I did not like however was the messages before each chapter. They almost desensitise the topic about school shootings and were almost as if they were joking about it. On one hand though I can see their importance to the novel showing how different people are affected by these tragedies and how they deal with them and even if they really affect their life’s at all. I’m still contemplating however if the messages really added anything to the story or if it would have been better if they were just not included.
The ending made me cry on multiple occasions and I did not put the book down once when I was in the last few chapters.
I am hesitating between giving it a 4 or 5.
It took me two days to read which shows that it was a very engaging book. I will most definitely be reading it again.
September 20, 2023
Okay.
Well this book was achingly beautiful and really, really sad. I don't want to spoil it but the ending made me so confused. Because I know in school shootings, in all shootings, people die that should have lived.
But Kay- Milo- Rei.... It's literally heartbreaking. And Emily, so brave, so beautiful...
It was a book that I needed to read and I will never forget it. Well done Meg, you have crafted an intricate world that is so real. I could swear I've met some of these people. You're amazing- five stars!
Side note: bit of swearing but not too bad, a sex scene.
Well this book was achingly beautiful and really, really sad. I don't want to spoil it but the ending made me so confused. Because I know in school shootings, in all shootings, people die that should have lived.
But Kay- Milo- Rei.... It's literally heartbreaking. And Emily, so brave, so beautiful...
It was a book that I needed to read and I will never forget it. Well done Meg, you have crafted an intricate world that is so real. I could swear I've met some of these people. You're amazing- five stars!
Side note: bit of swearing but not too bad, a sex scene.
August 1, 2022
Wow, this packs a punch. A poignant exploration of the many social justice issues facing the teenagers in a small Australian town; including domestic violence, neglect, suicide and living below the poverty line. Would recommend for senior students only.
June 14, 2025
Isn’t it amazing how you can source books from the most random of places, and the author manages to make the characters and the story instantly resonate with you?
That’s what has happened to me reading “When Only One.”
Pick up from a second hand thrift store, Meg Gatland-Veness’s story has sent me down memory lane filled with childhood remembrances.
Set in Australia in 1987, it begins a year previously to the events that take place,.
It features News Events, and Pop Culture references from the time.
Told through the eyes of seventeen year old Samson, being raised in a staunch Catholic family, of all boys, where he is the oldest,….it’s a coming of age story, where the on,y thing Samson wants is to become an Ironman.
Not the Movie version, but the Australian version.
A Sporting/Surf carnival that is held in high regard, to discover the best tri-athletes in the country.
Samson idolises Grant Kenny ( from the 80’s ) who was plastered all over the Nutri Grain breakfast cereal boxes.
When he’s not at School, ( where he is an average achiever,) he’s at the beach training, or his other job, lifesaving.
Samson’s best friend, that he’s grown up with, is Emily.
Emily, however, is struggling, she doesn’t come from the same loving home environment as Samson.
In fact, with her mothers mental health issues ( she collects shoes ) and her fathers brutal, alcoholic fuelled behaviour.
Emily is the brunt of a lot of school jokes.
It’s only that she hangs with Samson and his friends, ( a group of lads he has known since Nippers together. * Nipper are junior lifesavers ) Patrick, Daniel, Jeffrey, and Milo, that it is not worse.
The first half of the book focuses around the Samson/ Emily relationship and how he manages to navigate his way around her violent home life while dealing with everyday school drama.
Then.
Rei arrives.
Samson falls instantly, for the pretty overachieving girl from Japan.
As Rei becomes more of a fixture in their group Samson’s relationship with Emily, while still on good terms, changes.
But we soon find out, after a school party, that Samson’s friend Milo is also struggling.
One of the farm kids from the outskirts town, he has had to deal with his mother’s “ unaliving “ his Dad descending into depression, and a young toddler to look after.
All. On. His. Own.!!!
It’s through her insertion into Milo’s situation by Rei’s well meaning Social Worker, parents, that set an awful scenario into play that has tragic consequences.
There are two chapter for every month leading up to the events at the end.
Then they are broken down to days,…then, we go back to a month after.
An amazing story, that brought up,a lot of memories for me.
The rambling stories Samson narrates about life growing up in Australia in the 80’s only add to this book and give you a further insight into the lives of all these young characters.
You WILL become heavily invested in Samson and his friends.
Loved it
That’s what has happened to me reading “When Only One.”
Pick up from a second hand thrift store, Meg Gatland-Veness’s story has sent me down memory lane filled with childhood remembrances.
Set in Australia in 1987, it begins a year previously to the events that take place,.
It features News Events, and Pop Culture references from the time.
Told through the eyes of seventeen year old Samson, being raised in a staunch Catholic family, of all boys, where he is the oldest,….it’s a coming of age story, where the on,y thing Samson wants is to become an Ironman.
Not the Movie version, but the Australian version.
A Sporting/Surf carnival that is held in high regard, to discover the best tri-athletes in the country.
Samson idolises Grant Kenny ( from the 80’s ) who was plastered all over the Nutri Grain breakfast cereal boxes.
When he’s not at School, ( where he is an average achiever,) he’s at the beach training, or his other job, lifesaving.
Samson’s best friend, that he’s grown up with, is Emily.
Emily, however, is struggling, she doesn’t come from the same loving home environment as Samson.
In fact, with her mothers mental health issues ( she collects shoes ) and her fathers brutal, alcoholic fuelled behaviour.
Emily is the brunt of a lot of school jokes.
It’s only that she hangs with Samson and his friends, ( a group of lads he has known since Nippers together. * Nipper are junior lifesavers ) Patrick, Daniel, Jeffrey, and Milo, that it is not worse.
The first half of the book focuses around the Samson/ Emily relationship and how he manages to navigate his way around her violent home life while dealing with everyday school drama.
Then.
Rei arrives.
Samson falls instantly, for the pretty overachieving girl from Japan.
As Rei becomes more of a fixture in their group Samson’s relationship with Emily, while still on good terms, changes.
But we soon find out, after a school party, that Samson’s friend Milo is also struggling.
One of the farm kids from the outskirts town, he has had to deal with his mother’s “ unaliving “ his Dad descending into depression, and a young toddler to look after.
All. On. His. Own.!!!
It’s through her insertion into Milo’s situation by Rei’s well meaning Social Worker, parents, that set an awful scenario into play that has tragic consequences.
There are two chapter for every month leading up to the events at the end.
Then they are broken down to days,…then, we go back to a month after.
An amazing story, that brought up,a lot of memories for me.
The rambling stories Samson narrates about life growing up in Australia in the 80’s only add to this book and give you a further insight into the lives of all these young characters.
You WILL become heavily invested in Samson and his friends.
Loved it
November 14, 2022
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did! It's an Australian book, so I was skeptical about the writing style but in the end, it was really well done. It felt like a conversation between the narrator and the reader, which was highly effective. Though there were a couple of pretty cringey examples of pure Aussie slang, it felt like talking to a friend.
I found that the characters were well-crafted and the book brought out hard topics like social injustice, suicide, loss and domestic violence, and did this well, showing how much it affects real people.
However, a downside was how the book seemed to portray Christianity in a fairly negative light.
And I was also a bit disappointed with the climax ...It seemed like a massive lead-up (foreshadowing all through the novel) to a climax that lasted for less than a full chapter. I feel like that could have been done a lot better... but all in all, it was a pretty good book. The epilogue was satisfying as well, giving hope for the future, despite a fairly sad ending.
I found that the characters were well-crafted and the book brought out hard topics like social injustice, suicide, loss and domestic violence, and did this well, showing how much it affects real people.
However, a downside was how the book seemed to portray Christianity in a fairly negative light.
And I was also a bit disappointed with the climax ...It seemed like a massive lead-up (foreshadowing all through the novel) to a climax that lasted for less than a full chapter. I feel like that could have been done a lot better... but all in all, it was a pretty good book. The epilogue was satisfying as well, giving hope for the future, despite a fairly sad ending.
September 24, 2022
what an amazing book. i was in a massive reading slump and this book brought me out. the book was heartwarming yet so raw and heartbreaking that i found myself crying. a great read and i would definitely recommend reading.
April 1, 2024
This is a confronting YA novel that deals with a lot of heavy content including mental health, suicide, gun violence.
I felt this was an important read and shone light on some issues that teenagers face.
It’s a suspenseful read and the end will leave you feeling a little crushed and broken
I felt this was an important read and shone light on some issues that teenagers face.
It’s a suspenseful read and the end will leave you feeling a little crushed and broken
May 29, 2023
This book is not what I expected it to be. But wow was it amazing. Anyone who reads this book can relate to something.
August 27, 2023
i actually feel sick this book was DEVASTATING but so so well written it was so good i sobbed my eyes out reading the last chapter anyway i think i’m officially out of my reading slump yas
September 23, 2022
Raw, strong themes, thought provoking. Painfully real. An incredible page turner
August 24, 2022
okay- i cried, like so bad. and gosh-my heart hurts so much. i don’t mean to be rude to her, but i hated Rei so much and shipped Emily and Sam so much more than Rei and Sam. i didn’t particularly enjoy the ending but i guess yk i signed up for it! (lol). i do love a good sad book :)))
oh and i think this book is enteriely underrated and should be super popular, i haven’t read the authors other book although i do have it in my bookshelf 💕
oh and i think this book is enteriely underrated and should be super popular, i haven’t read the authors other book although i do have it in my bookshelf 💕
August 27, 2022
incredibly sad omg
August 23, 2022
This was such a heartbreakingly beautiful book that had me from the start. I loved it so much and the ending had me bawling.
June 9, 2022
This one was heartbreaking... I felt so bad for the kids in this book...
June 28, 2022
I personally love the book, at times I got a tiny bit confused but then I seemed to get the hang of it. It was honestly such a good book with a little bit of a love story. This book was very emotional!!!
Love this book!!!
Love this book!!!
July 8, 2022
4.5 rounded up- decent Aussie YA fiction
December 28, 2023
the tears.
April 23, 2024
I don’t like writing negative reviews on books because I feel like all books have some redeeming qualities, this one however, does not. Sam was the only decent character and even his personality became redundant towards the end of the book. It had the feeling of a wannabe best friends to lovers unrequited love written by a 13 year old on Wattpad.
Rei was incredibly irritating. I was rooting against her and by the end of the book, I honestly wanted her to be the one that got shot.
Emily was a refreshing character but I wish she made better decisions. Her personality and general arc was unsatisfying and felt unfinished. She was generally annoying but I do wish she ended up with Sam.
Sam was a decent character but got annoying and I was so done with him and his decisions.
The ending was so predictable and I hated Rei so much. Will never read again, predictable but unsatisfying ending, redundant, frustrating characters and mixed messages.
It’s a shame because I was looking forwards to reading something different and seeing an interesting take on a different time period but overall was executed badly. Had great potential but fell shorter than my patience during reading.
Rei was incredibly irritating. I was rooting against her and by the end of the book, I honestly wanted her to be the one that got shot.
Emily was a refreshing character but I wish she made better decisions. Her personality and general arc was unsatisfying and felt unfinished. She was generally annoying but I do wish she ended up with Sam.
Sam was a decent character but got annoying and I was so done with him and his decisions.
The ending was so predictable and I hated Rei so much. Will never read again, predictable but unsatisfying ending, redundant, frustrating characters and mixed messages.
It’s a shame because I was looking forwards to reading something different and seeing an interesting take on a different time period but overall was executed badly. Had great potential but fell shorter than my patience during reading.
May 31, 2022
Similar in writing style to I Had Such Friends, I get the sense that Meg Gatland-Veness writes specifically for the NSW HSC English or Literature curriculum.
This is a novelisation of a school shooting incident, in the NSW rural fringe (an hour's commute from Sydney, an hour from the bush) set when Cheers was still on TV and everyone relied on payphones to get in touch (let's assume 1985 without it ever being explicit)
It features a mixed bag of teenager behaviour and teen parent relationships, with the added complexity of taking place in a low SES neighbourhood and an insular community in a time before social work and mental health was accepted or mainstream.
Perfectly acceptable to read and emotionally moving in places, it still felt manufactured to manipulate a particular discussion, in a classroom I graduated from 20 years ago.
This is a novelisation of a school shooting incident, in the NSW rural fringe (an hour's commute from Sydney, an hour from the bush) set when Cheers was still on TV and everyone relied on payphones to get in touch (let's assume 1985 without it ever being explicit)
It features a mixed bag of teenager behaviour and teen parent relationships, with the added complexity of taking place in a low SES neighbourhood and an insular community in a time before social work and mental health was accepted or mainstream.
Perfectly acceptable to read and emotionally moving in places, it still felt manufactured to manipulate a particular discussion, in a classroom I graduated from 20 years ago.
August 17, 2022
Wholly crap I haven’t cried like that while reading a book in such a long time. Man this one was so packed with so much build up that the flood gates certainly opened as I read the final few chapters.
Oh my heart!
I nearly wasn’t going to read this one having known a little bit about what the story involved (hence why I like to go into a book blind so I am not swayed or put off in anyway.)
Written from Sam’s POV the characters became so real to me, like I’d been just having a chat with Sam as he retold these stories, even just the day to day stuff had me intently listening as I read.
This is a book that will make you think. It had me reflecting on my school days and the small town were I lived.
Oh my heart!
I nearly wasn’t going to read this one having known a little bit about what the story involved (hence why I like to go into a book blind so I am not swayed or put off in anyway.)
Written from Sam’s POV the characters became so real to me, like I’d been just having a chat with Sam as he retold these stories, even just the day to day stuff had me intently listening as I read.
This is a book that will make you think. It had me reflecting on my school days and the small town were I lived.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews