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ნარინჯისფერი ბიჭი
"”არც მაგარი ბიჭი ვიყავი, არც დიდად ნიჭიერი, არც ქუჩის ბიჭი, რომ ვინმეს ყურადღება მიმექცია. ჩემს არსებობას ვერავინ ამჩნევდა. მაგრამ მისტერ ნარინჯისფერმა ყველაფერი შეცვალა“. თექვსმეტი წლის მარლონმა დედას პირობა მისცა, რომ ძმის, ანდრეს არჩეულ მცდარ გზას არ დაადგებოდა. პირობას იოლად ასრულებს, სანამ პაემანზე ტრაგედია არ მოხდება და მარლონზე ნადირობას არ დაიწყებენ. უცნობები იდუმალებით მოცულ მისტერ ნარინჯისფერს ეძებენ და მის საპოვნელად მარლონის გამოყენებას აპირებენ. მარლონს არჩევანი აღარ აქვს, მაგრამ გადადგამსარასასურველ ნაბიჯს საყვარელი ადამიანების დასაცავად?"
360 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2016
155 people are currently reading
2322 people want to read
About the author
Patrice Lawrence
46 books152 followersPatrice Lawrence is a British writer and journalist, who has published fiction both for adults and children. Her writing has won awards including the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Older Children and The Bookseller YA Book Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
July 5, 2017
5 Words: Family, death, friendship, gangs, drugs.
At the start of this book, I thought that Marlon was great. He really had his head screwed on right, he was a smart kid, a kid I could believe in... But by the end? Not so much. (This is a good thing).
Marlon's attitude, and my attitude towards him, really changed as the story progressed. And it was great. I loved slowly falling out of love with the character, I loved how he transformed from one person into another without losing what made him HIM. I might not have liked him very much by the end, but I absolutely loved the story.
This book is incredibly fast paced. It's edge-of-your-seat thrilling, with a smattering of frustration and a fist-fight of violence. The author is not afraid of brutality and it did make for some toe-curling moments, but not so many that I was put off.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
At the start of this book, I thought that Marlon was great. He really had his head screwed on right, he was a smart kid, a kid I could believe in... But by the end? Not so much. (This is a good thing).
Marlon's attitude, and my attitude towards him, really changed as the story progressed. And it was great. I loved slowly falling out of love with the character, I loved how he transformed from one person into another without losing what made him HIM. I might not have liked him very much by the end, but I absolutely loved the story.
This book is incredibly fast paced. It's edge-of-your-seat thrilling, with a smattering of frustration and a fist-fight of violence. The author is not afraid of brutality and it did make for some toe-curling moments, but not so many that I was put off.
I received a copy of this for free via NetGalley for review purposes.
June 27, 2017
Why was this book so unnecessarily long?! 2.5
April 18, 2021
YA Book Prize 2017. Arrgghh... I don't know what to write. Kudos for Lawrence for trying to tell the story of how difficult it is to avoid the 'thug-life' in London and the main story line is pretty enthralling and a real page turner.. BUT... The stupidity of the main protagonist knows no bounds, and it does feel like his lack of common sense (despite being pretty good at school with an educated and rational mother and male role model in his life) is used to propel the story. After watching The Wire and growing up in South London, kids do make mistakes but not in the hyper reality way the kids do here. Still an 8 out of 12 for telling one of the stories that needed to be told.
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November 5, 2017
2.5 stars. I don't know how to evaluate this book fairly. It had its strong points, and it covers subject matter which is probably of interest to many teens, but I didn't enjoy reading it at all. I had to drag myself through it, and even the suspenseful elements didn't drive me through the plot. Also, it felt overlong - and the narrative jumped and 'jived' (lots of street lingo) in a way that meant I couldn't just skim it. Having said all that: it was the YA Book Prize winner for 2017, and I respect that I was probably just not the right reader for this book.
Told from the first person point-of-view of Marlon, a 16 year old boy who lives in Hackney, the book kicks off immediately with drama. Marlon has been pursued by Sonya, a beautiful girl who he knows is way out of his league. As his feisty best friend Tish says, he should have been suspicious from the start, but he wasn't really thinking with his head. Their first rendezvous - at a local fair - goes horribly wrong. Drugs, gangs, a mysterious death - and suddenly Marlon, a good kid, is drawn into some mysterious vendetta.
This book kicked off my mom alert to a crazy degree. I wanted to shake Marlon, constantly, for thinking he could sort out things he had no business dealing with. Talk to your mother! Talk to the police! Good grief. The book is set in contemporary London, and I felt confidence that the author has a pretty good insight into the world she is describing. The Evening Standard reports regularly on why so many young boys in London are carrying knives these days, and this is both the mentality and the setting of this book.
Strong points include characterisation - the primary characters are fleshed out with plenty of detail - and realistic dialogue. Young adult literature needs these kinds of stories, too - urban, 'street', with young male protagonists - but it just wasn't a storyline which appealed to me as a reader.
Told from the first person point-of-view of Marlon, a 16 year old boy who lives in Hackney, the book kicks off immediately with drama. Marlon has been pursued by Sonya, a beautiful girl who he knows is way out of his league. As his feisty best friend Tish says, he should have been suspicious from the start, but he wasn't really thinking with his head. Their first rendezvous - at a local fair - goes horribly wrong. Drugs, gangs, a mysterious death - and suddenly Marlon, a good kid, is drawn into some mysterious vendetta.
This book kicked off my mom alert to a crazy degree. I wanted to shake Marlon, constantly, for thinking he could sort out things he had no business dealing with. Talk to your mother! Talk to the police! Good grief. The book is set in contemporary London, and I felt confidence that the author has a pretty good insight into the world she is describing. The Evening Standard reports regularly on why so many young boys in London are carrying knives these days, and this is both the mentality and the setting of this book.
Strong points include characterisation - the primary characters are fleshed out with plenty of detail - and realistic dialogue. Young adult literature needs these kinds of stories, too - urban, 'street', with young male protagonists - but it just wasn't a storyline which appealed to me as a reader.
September 6, 2019
Ik moest in het begin echt inkomen in het boek. Maar uiteindelijk vind ik het toch een heel goed boek met een mooi verhaallijn.
January 24, 2017
Stunning contemporary telling the story of Marlon, caught up in danger when a date ends tragically. He's an incredible main character and my heart went out to him and his mother, already heartbroken by an accident his brother was involved in several years previously. The way Marlon gets drawn into the world Andre had occupied is brilliantly paced - although it's a tough read as it's so clearly leading to bad things. A really outstanding debut!
November 28, 2016
Orangeboy has become a book that I’ve found complex to review. Foremost I want to say this: ‘Orangeboy is gripping, intriguing and emotional. It’s an excellent mystery, with drama and a wonderful set of relationships for the reader to explore, both friendships and the family dynamics. Just go and read it now!’
Honestly I’d be quite happy do go and push this book at so many people with the above (and I’m still mad at myself for taking so long to read Orangeboy). Especially because I adore the two main female characters in this book so much, Tish and Marlon’s mother. At times I could have just shaken Marlon for not realising what these women were doing but that leads to spoilers and I most certainly don’t want to spoil anything about this book for anyone.
As I’ve said, Marlon’s story was a captivating read. It was also incredibly frustrating an eye-opening. It’s easy to say that I didn’t understand why Marlon made the choices he did. While reading I frequently thought; “why don’t you tell…” or “what about door 2” but the truth of the matter is that at Marlon’s age I would have been treated completely differently to him. It’s a sucky fact but it’s a fact. Marlon’s world is very different to mine and reading Orangeboy gave me a much deeper understanding of this. While Marlon’s character at times frustrated me, the more I become involved in his life the more I appreciated why he chose the path he did.
Orangeboy pulled me through an emotional-ringer but for all the best reasons. This book and its characters will stay with me for a long time.
Honestly I’d be quite happy do go and push this book at so many people with the above (and I’m still mad at myself for taking so long to read Orangeboy). Especially because I adore the two main female characters in this book so much, Tish and Marlon’s mother. At times I could have just shaken Marlon for not realising what these women were doing but that leads to spoilers and I most certainly don’t want to spoil anything about this book for anyone.
As I’ve said, Marlon’s story was a captivating read. It was also incredibly frustrating an eye-opening. It’s easy to say that I didn’t understand why Marlon made the choices he did. While reading I frequently thought; “why don’t you tell…” or “what about door 2” but the truth of the matter is that at Marlon’s age I would have been treated completely differently to him. It’s a sucky fact but it’s a fact. Marlon’s world is very different to mine and reading Orangeboy gave me a much deeper understanding of this. While Marlon’s character at times frustrated me, the more I become involved in his life the more I appreciated why he chose the path he did.
Orangeboy pulled me through an emotional-ringer but for all the best reasons. This book and its characters will stay with me for a long time.
June 18, 2016
A powerful, chunky, honest read - a fantastic first book from Patrice Lawrence. Also- look at that cover! It's awesome!
June 9, 2017
I'd really been anticipating this read for a number of reasons, partly because of my sheer determination to read more diverse, #ownvoices reads, and partly because I'm enjoying Contemporary YA a lot more as of late and I'd been hoping to get into thrillers and other genres I normally forgo. And for the most part this was actually a great read for a variety of reasons, which tackles a lot of issues and is written well. Lawrence did a great job at creating a fast-paced story full of action and intrigue to keep readers on their toes.
I think I'll address a few things that held me back with this book and stopped me from giving it the five stars I'd hoped it would achieved. I mentioned the fast pace, and in many ways this was to it's benefit. However, sometimes it jumped and progressed a little too fast for me and I found myself in more than a few 'blink and you miss it' situations while reading. The MC, Marlon Sunday, REALLY irritated me. A few people have talked about this in their reviews, some saying that liking the character at the beginning and not so much at the end was all part of the fun, but I didn't like it because I think I was SUPPOSED to be rooting for him. And it was nigh on impossible to do so when he continually made error after error, mistake after mistake, and I spent most of the book wanting to yell at him. He got himself into so many stupid situations that I almost started to feel that they didn't develop his character, but were there only to further the plot. Yikes.
Lawrence didn't make all of her characters like this though. In fact, she developed some of them so well that I really applauded her successes. Marlon's mother was definitely one example of this and I loved this strong, firm but fair, life-hardened woman who would stop at nothing to protect her children. SHE was who I was rooting for. Tish was another great character, and though I didn't love her I liked her enough. Lawrence kept me interested in the story with a lot of unusual twists and turns, and I felt drawn into it even more purely because it's set in East London for the most part, which is where I live! There were so many recognisable settings as a result! That coupled with the drama, suspense and tackling of powerful issues such as drugs, gang warfare and the importance of family really aided in keeping this title up there in my list of worthwhile reads.
3.5 Stars.
For full review, see here: http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot...
I think I'll address a few things that held me back with this book and stopped me from giving it the five stars I'd hoped it would achieved. I mentioned the fast pace, and in many ways this was to it's benefit. However, sometimes it jumped and progressed a little too fast for me and I found myself in more than a few 'blink and you miss it' situations while reading. The MC, Marlon Sunday, REALLY irritated me. A few people have talked about this in their reviews, some saying that liking the character at the beginning and not so much at the end was all part of the fun, but I didn't like it because I think I was SUPPOSED to be rooting for him. And it was nigh on impossible to do so when he continually made error after error, mistake after mistake, and I spent most of the book wanting to yell at him. He got himself into so many stupid situations that I almost started to feel that they didn't develop his character, but were there only to further the plot. Yikes.
Lawrence didn't make all of her characters like this though. In fact, she developed some of them so well that I really applauded her successes. Marlon's mother was definitely one example of this and I loved this strong, firm but fair, life-hardened woman who would stop at nothing to protect her children. SHE was who I was rooting for. Tish was another great character, and though I didn't love her I liked her enough. Lawrence kept me interested in the story with a lot of unusual twists and turns, and I felt drawn into it even more purely because it's set in East London for the most part, which is where I live! There were so many recognisable settings as a result! That coupled with the drama, suspense and tackling of powerful issues such as drugs, gang warfare and the importance of family really aided in keeping this title up there in my list of worthwhile reads.
3.5 Stars.
For full review, see here: http://chasedbymyimagination.blogspot...
September 9, 2017
DNF at 65%
Edit 9.9.17 Can't believe I forgot to point out some shitty off hand comments made in this book. Early on, Tish tells Marlon not to listen to any 'wrist slitty' music which is just a stupid way to define anything and irritated me. Not long after that, Marlon's journey to school is delayed because somebody killed themselves by jumping in front of a tube train.. the explanation given is that they must not have liked Mondays. I find this very offensive- it just ignores (at best) mental illness and trying to make suicide funny is plain wrong.
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I suffered through 291 pages of pure boredom before giving up. Fortunately my lovely friend Aali (we buddy read this) told me everything else that happened and I'm so glad I didn't suffer through it!
Marlon is an irritating idiot, literally every decision he makes is fucking ridiculous. I didn't like any of the characters at all other than his mum, who is an actual saint and deserved so much better.
I don't even understand how this is so boring because in principle it's a really interesting idea and should be exciting but it falls flat at every possible moment.
Edit 9.9.17 Can't believe I forgot to point out some shitty off hand comments made in this book. Early on, Tish tells Marlon not to listen to any 'wrist slitty' music which is just a stupid way to define anything and irritated me. Not long after that, Marlon's journey to school is delayed because somebody killed themselves by jumping in front of a tube train.. the explanation given is that they must not have liked Mondays. I find this very offensive- it just ignores (at best) mental illness and trying to make suicide funny is plain wrong.
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I suffered through 291 pages of pure boredom before giving up. Fortunately my lovely friend Aali (we buddy read this) told me everything else that happened and I'm so glad I didn't suffer through it!
Marlon is an irritating idiot, literally every decision he makes is fucking ridiculous. I didn't like any of the characters at all other than his mum, who is an actual saint and deserved so much better.
I don't even understand how this is so boring because in principle it's a really interesting idea and should be exciting but it falls flat at every possible moment.
October 1, 2019
An ever lasting compelling read.
Marlon is one proper person I could see through, and be inspired by who he is.
Marlon is one proper person I could see through, and be inspired by who he is.
April 5, 2017
This book is so important. Not only is it full of diverse characters, but it explores a life of gang violence that many young people in London fall into and find it incredibly hard to escape. and I've never read anything like it.
The story follows, Marlon, a young man whose brother was involved in street gangs until an accident several years ago changed everything. Marlon promised his mum he'd stay in school and avoid his brother's old life, but when old feuds reemerge and his family and friends are threatened, it's not quite so easy to keep his promise.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book because it gave me insight into a life that I've never lived; as a white woman living outside of London I've never experienced unfair treatment and suspicion directed at me by the police in the same way that Marlon, a black young man, does. I know this comes from he inherent privileges of being white and a woman, and this book was therefore vital for me to better understand how people in Marlon's position feel.
I immediately identified with Marlon's character because despite the trouble desperately seeking him out, fundamentally he's a good person. Even when he makes the wrong decisions or tries to be 'street' and 'gangsta', his good nature and conscience try to return him to the right track, and everything he does stems from a desire to protect his family and friends.
For a lot of the book Marlon is misunderstood by his peers, family, and the police, and this made him very easy to empathise with because the reader is privy to his inner thoughts and thus knows his true intentions. Other characters, however, don't have access to these thoughts and that's how misunderstandings arise.
The writing of this book was relatively simple, but I enjoyed the inclusion of London dialects. (I studied accents and dialects so I'm a sucker for books that make use of them.) The plot and pacing were very much in tune, with major events happening every few chapters but not running together in one long dramatic sequence. As a result, the book had a rhythmic style of storytelling that worked well with its subject matter.
Aside from some scenes at the beginning of the novel, romance is mostly absent from the story and I enjoyed this hugely. It was refreshing to see another YA book (This Savage Song, I'm looking at you) with little romantic interaction and I'm a fan of novels that don't feel the need to include it at all. If a book foregoes romance to focus instead on strong friendships - which was exactly what Orangeboy did - and explores these friendships in detail, chances are I'm going to be 100% on board. One of the main friendships in Orangeboy could have easily become a romantic relationship, but I'm so glad it didn't because that could have undermined the friendship itself.
I would urge everyone to read this book. It shows us the hardships and reality of life in a big city for young black teens and echoes the ideals of the BLM movement. Orangeboy was shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award in 2016 and I honestly wish it had won because I think it would have been given more of the recognition it deserves.
The story follows, Marlon, a young man whose brother was involved in street gangs until an accident several years ago changed everything. Marlon promised his mum he'd stay in school and avoid his brother's old life, but when old feuds reemerge and his family and friends are threatened, it's not quite so easy to keep his promise.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book because it gave me insight into a life that I've never lived; as a white woman living outside of London I've never experienced unfair treatment and suspicion directed at me by the police in the same way that Marlon, a black young man, does. I know this comes from he inherent privileges of being white and a woman, and this book was therefore vital for me to better understand how people in Marlon's position feel.
I immediately identified with Marlon's character because despite the trouble desperately seeking him out, fundamentally he's a good person. Even when he makes the wrong decisions or tries to be 'street' and 'gangsta', his good nature and conscience try to return him to the right track, and everything he does stems from a desire to protect his family and friends.
For a lot of the book Marlon is misunderstood by his peers, family, and the police, and this made him very easy to empathise with because the reader is privy to his inner thoughts and thus knows his true intentions. Other characters, however, don't have access to these thoughts and that's how misunderstandings arise.
The writing of this book was relatively simple, but I enjoyed the inclusion of London dialects. (I studied accents and dialects so I'm a sucker for books that make use of them.) The plot and pacing were very much in tune, with major events happening every few chapters but not running together in one long dramatic sequence. As a result, the book had a rhythmic style of storytelling that worked well with its subject matter.
Aside from some scenes at the beginning of the novel, romance is mostly absent from the story and I enjoyed this hugely. It was refreshing to see another YA book (This Savage Song, I'm looking at you) with little romantic interaction and I'm a fan of novels that don't feel the need to include it at all. If a book foregoes romance to focus instead on strong friendships - which was exactly what Orangeboy did - and explores these friendships in detail, chances are I'm going to be 100% on board. One of the main friendships in Orangeboy could have easily become a romantic relationship, but I'm so glad it didn't because that could have undermined the friendship itself.
I would urge everyone to read this book. It shows us the hardships and reality of life in a big city for young black teens and echoes the ideals of the BLM movement. Orangeboy was shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award in 2016 and I honestly wish it had won because I think it would have been given more of the recognition it deserves.
August 17, 2017
I do not know where to start with my love for this book. I can't really write a coherent review, as this book is so far out of my wheelhouse - but it was incredible. Everyone raves about this book, and it really was truly amazing. This book moves at such an incredible pace that the 450 pages fly by, the plot never lags and the things Marlon did to help his family was both admirable, and pretty stupid. The thing is - until you're confronted with something, it's hard to know how you'd react and I can see why Marlon did everything he did - he felt there was no other options, and he had to protect his mum.
I can see why everyone says this book is incredible, that it should be read in schools because it truly was amazing. I whizzed through it, and it was pretty interesting to see Marlon go from being this kid, who knows nothing, really, to having to grow up really fast and deal with past things coming back to haunt him (things that weren't even him, really).
I can see why everyone says this book is incredible, that it should be read in schools because it truly was amazing. I whizzed through it, and it was pretty interesting to see Marlon go from being this kid, who knows nothing, really, to having to grow up really fast and deal with past things coming back to haunt him (things that weren't even him, really).
March 21, 2017
Wow. A really different book, but there was great action and emotion throughout. Hmm.
Read
December 1, 2024ترجمه طوری کمرم رو شکوند که نتونستم کتاب رو تموم کنم. واقعا چرا انقدر بد؟ و چطور انقدر بد؟
August 17, 2020
2.5 stars.
(Here are some trigger warnings. Nothing in depth in this review).
Orangeboy just...did nothing for me.
Marlon is determined not to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Andre. Gangs, guns and drugs...he can't do that to his Mum again. But when Sonya befriends him unexpectedly, pushes pills into his fingers and invites him to the local fair, Marlon doesn't think twice before lying to his Mum and ditching his revision to be with the beautiful Sonya. The fair is perfect until Sonya drops dead beside Marlon, and the police find him with the rest of the pills in his pocket. It isn't long before he realises that, whilst Andre has long been off the streets, that life isn't easy to escape for his family.
This novel fell flat. It began with such urgency - throwing me straight into a great mystery-esque set up that I couldn't wait to follow. But then Patrice Lawrence did the unforgivable and just threw the mystery out the window. I'm frustrated.
We have this girl, Sonya, who Marlon is willing to do anything for because she's pretty and he's just a 'nobody' and all that. Sonya has all these connections and mystery about her and one would assume that all of this will contribute to the truth about her death and Marlon's involvement, which is why he meets her grandmother and attends her funeral etc. But then Lawrence just ditches it all and the story turns into something entirely different. As a result, almost everything Marlon realises lands with no urgency or agency because it seemed to have nothing to do with the characters and premise I'd invested myself in during the first hundred pages or so. I was just confused and constantly questioning where the story went. It also left a number of loose ends and unanswered questions by the end of the novel.
I enjoyed Marlon's voice for the most part of Orangeboy - it felt authentic and representative of a modern-day teenager growing up in North London, with enough slang and considered syntax to make him sound real. Some of this fell away towards the end of the novel, but overall it was good.
Unfortunately that was about the best it got in terms of characterisation in this novel. I struggled to care about or believe in most of Lawrence's cast despite her efforts to build each of them a detailed background. These efforts were visible, but something still prevented me from connecting to them.
Lawrence also had this strange habit of jumping way ahead of herself in certain scenes, leaving me confused and re-reading to check I hadn't missed something. At the same time, this novel felt incredibly slow, and the all-important drip feed of information felt like it was blocked for huge chunks at a time.
As proven by this messy review, this novel has confused me a lot. It was mysterious and obvious, jumpy and slow...I just don't know. But I'm pretty sure I didn't like it all that much. Shame.
(Here are some trigger warnings. Nothing in depth in this review).
Orangeboy just...did nothing for me.
Marlon is determined not to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Andre. Gangs, guns and drugs...he can't do that to his Mum again. But when Sonya befriends him unexpectedly, pushes pills into his fingers and invites him to the local fair, Marlon doesn't think twice before lying to his Mum and ditching his revision to be with the beautiful Sonya. The fair is perfect until Sonya drops dead beside Marlon, and the police find him with the rest of the pills in his pocket. It isn't long before he realises that, whilst Andre has long been off the streets, that life isn't easy to escape for his family.
This novel fell flat. It began with such urgency - throwing me straight into a great mystery-esque set up that I couldn't wait to follow. But then Patrice Lawrence did the unforgivable and just threw the mystery out the window. I'm frustrated.
We have this girl, Sonya, who Marlon is willing to do anything for because she's pretty and he's just a 'nobody' and all that. Sonya has all these connections and mystery about her and one would assume that all of this will contribute to the truth about her death and Marlon's involvement, which is why he meets her grandmother and attends her funeral etc. But then Lawrence just ditches it all and the story turns into something entirely different. As a result, almost everything Marlon realises lands with no urgency or agency because it seemed to have nothing to do with the characters and premise I'd invested myself in during the first hundred pages or so. I was just confused and constantly questioning where the story went. It also left a number of loose ends and unanswered questions by the end of the novel.
I enjoyed Marlon's voice for the most part of Orangeboy - it felt authentic and representative of a modern-day teenager growing up in North London, with enough slang and considered syntax to make him sound real. Some of this fell away towards the end of the novel, but overall it was good.
Unfortunately that was about the best it got in terms of characterisation in this novel. I struggled to care about or believe in most of Lawrence's cast despite her efforts to build each of them a detailed background. These efforts were visible, but something still prevented me from connecting to them.
Lawrence also had this strange habit of jumping way ahead of herself in certain scenes, leaving me confused and re-reading to check I hadn't missed something. At the same time, this novel felt incredibly slow, and the all-important drip feed of information felt like it was blocked for huge chunks at a time.
As proven by this messy review, this novel has confused me a lot. It was mysterious and obvious, jumpy and slow...I just don't know. But I'm pretty sure I didn't like it all that much. Shame.
February 1, 2022
I thought it was okay - honestly it wasn’t for me and I understand why some people find the characters frustrating haha - but I suppose that’s the point. I also can see why many people enjoyed but it wasn’t my cup of tea - I don’t think it was bad though . It was written well just not my type of style . I’m glad I read it though !!
September 26, 2020
i feel bad for rating this so low because it wasn’t a bad book, but it was SOOO much longer than it needed to be!
the characters were so vivid and i loved all the descriptive elements of this book but i think i would have felt more invested if the book was shorter.
the characters were so vivid and i loved all the descriptive elements of this book but i think i would have felt more invested if the book was shorter.
July 25, 2021
Painful to read. Marlon (protagonist) is the epitome of stupid decisions and the entire book is one giant *facepalm* moment for the reader. Would not recommend to anyone who gets frustrated with unrealistic, unrelatable, and dumb protagonists.
shelved
June 19, 2017DNF at 382 pages. So so close to the end and yet... i put it down. I've heard so many people rave about this but it just didn't click for me so I'm throwing in the towel!
August 28, 2018
Bought for the gorgeous cover, but also a pretty good YA book about gangs, family and mistakes of past.
March 5, 2021
(3,5⭐)
June 5, 2019
Laat ik beginnen met aangeven dat dit boek me al vanaf het begin niet bijzonder aansprak. Ik zou dit boek zelf nooit gekocht hebben in de boekwinkel. Dat komt met name omdat ik YA contemporaries in veel gevallen tegen vind vallen. Maar dat komt ook omdat ik merk dat de bendecultuur echt heel goed en invoelbaar geschreven moet zijn om voor mij herkenbaar te worden. Ik heb, en wellicht is dat een tekortkoming, moeite me daarmee te verbinden.
En helaas bleek dit boek inderdaad niet voor mij geschreven te zijn. Ik wil niet per definitie zeggen dat dit aan het boek ligt. Het boek is heel vlot en goed geschreven. De dialogen zijn realistisch en natuurlijk en ook de karakters zijn interessant en gelaagd genoeg. Het verhaal kent een vlot verteltempo en houdt je als lezer constant op het puntje van je stoel. Ik heb het boek in een uurtje of 3,5 uitgelezen en dat zegt in elk geval iets.
Maar ik had wel heel veel moeite met de hoofdpersoon en de keuzes die hij maakte. Misschien ben ik hier simpelweg te oud voor. Ik weet dat ik als tiener ook een hoop achterhield voor mijn moeder, maar dan nog. Marlons moeder komt op mij over als een begripvolle moeder die ondanks de tegenslagen in haar leven verwoed haar best doet er iets van te maken en haar twee jongens alle kansen wil geven om hogerop te komen.
Haar oudste zoon zat in het bende-milieu tot hij bij een auto-ongeluk hersenbeschadiging opliep. Uit het boek blijkt dat ze heel wat met hem te stellen heeft gehad, maar ze heeft hem nooit laten vallen. Als Marlon dan ook verzeild raakt in een ongemakkelijke en gevaarlijke situatie, was het voor mij dan ook absoluut niet begrijpelijk waarom hij zijn moeder niet in vertrouwen neemt en eerlijk vertelt wat er gebeurd is.
En dat gaat eigenlijk het hele boek zo door. Zijn moeder, maar ook zijn beste vriendin en de vriend van zijn moeder, geven miljoenen signalen dat ze hem willen helpen en geloven en naar hem willen luisteren. Maar elke keer weer besluit Marlon informatie achter te houden, te ontkennen en alle problemen zelf te willen oplossen. En als het gaat om mishandeling, inbraak, drugshandel en wapenbezit, dan kan ik daar persoonlijke met mijn hoofd gewoon niet bij.
Voor mij voelde het plot helaas als een grote "stupid for the sake of drama", zeker omdat Marlon omschreven wordt als intelligent en wellicht in staat om hersenchirurg te worden. Zijn keuzes en acties tonen dat helaas absoluut niet aan.
En helaas bleek dit boek inderdaad niet voor mij geschreven te zijn. Ik wil niet per definitie zeggen dat dit aan het boek ligt. Het boek is heel vlot en goed geschreven. De dialogen zijn realistisch en natuurlijk en ook de karakters zijn interessant en gelaagd genoeg. Het verhaal kent een vlot verteltempo en houdt je als lezer constant op het puntje van je stoel. Ik heb het boek in een uurtje of 3,5 uitgelezen en dat zegt in elk geval iets.
Maar ik had wel heel veel moeite met de hoofdpersoon en de keuzes die hij maakte. Misschien ben ik hier simpelweg te oud voor. Ik weet dat ik als tiener ook een hoop achterhield voor mijn moeder, maar dan nog. Marlons moeder komt op mij over als een begripvolle moeder die ondanks de tegenslagen in haar leven verwoed haar best doet er iets van te maken en haar twee jongens alle kansen wil geven om hogerop te komen.
Haar oudste zoon zat in het bende-milieu tot hij bij een auto-ongeluk hersenbeschadiging opliep. Uit het boek blijkt dat ze heel wat met hem te stellen heeft gehad, maar ze heeft hem nooit laten vallen. Als Marlon dan ook verzeild raakt in een ongemakkelijke en gevaarlijke situatie, was het voor mij dan ook absoluut niet begrijpelijk waarom hij zijn moeder niet in vertrouwen neemt en eerlijk vertelt wat er gebeurd is.
En dat gaat eigenlijk het hele boek zo door. Zijn moeder, maar ook zijn beste vriendin en de vriend van zijn moeder, geven miljoenen signalen dat ze hem willen helpen en geloven en naar hem willen luisteren. Maar elke keer weer besluit Marlon informatie achter te houden, te ontkennen en alle problemen zelf te willen oplossen. En als het gaat om mishandeling, inbraak, drugshandel en wapenbezit, dan kan ik daar persoonlijke met mijn hoofd gewoon niet bij.
Voor mij voelde het plot helaas als een grote "stupid for the sake of drama", zeker omdat Marlon omschreven wordt als intelligent en wellicht in staat om hersenchirurg te worden. Zijn keuzes en acties tonen dat helaas absoluut niet aan.
July 24, 2017
Wow. This is a long, dense and really very intense book, where 16-year-old Marlon is pulled between the world of his older brother, Andre, and gang life, and the promises he's made to his mother, Jenny, to avoid the gang world. As is often the case in life, though, it's not easy to follow one path, and when beautiful Sonya enters Marlon's orbit by knocking on his door, all hell breaks loose, pretty much.
I love a book that avoids the simplistic resolution, a book that portrays characters and their actions as flawed and as difficult as in real life; where black and white blur into shades of grey. This fits that bill. I did a lot of talking to Marlon when I was reading it, talking as if I were him, as if I were his mother, as if I were his friend Tish, and I could see all the time where his actions were originating, but I still wanted to intervene!
Brilliant characterisation all the way through, to get the reader to react so intensely.
I love a book that avoids the simplistic resolution, a book that portrays characters and their actions as flawed and as difficult as in real life; where black and white blur into shades of grey. This fits that bill. I did a lot of talking to Marlon when I was reading it, talking as if I were him, as if I were his mother, as if I were his friend Tish, and I could see all the time where his actions were originating, but I still wanted to intervene!
Brilliant characterisation all the way through, to get the reader to react so intensely.
May 29, 2024
(Content warning at the bottom for sensitive subjects in this book)
Oh. My. God
Do not let the innocent cover fool you on this one friends (luckily I read the blurb so was half prepared for this)
I originally picked this book up while on holiday as a quick read as I had forgotten/read my book I bought (I don’t remember)
And this book absolutely captivated me, it’s one of those books that you can’t put down once your into it.
The author cuts straight to the chase on this one and it puts off , the secrets , the lies, the twists, the characters are all perfectly flawed and intertwined it’s unreal
If you like a good dark drama/modern day set crime filled book, this one is for you
But this book should not me read lightly , there are explicit mentions of : Guns, drugs, death , overdoses , trauma and knife crime (thisnis only hinted at and not depicted explicitly in the book)
Oh. My. God
Do not let the innocent cover fool you on this one friends (luckily I read the blurb so was half prepared for this)
I originally picked this book up while on holiday as a quick read as I had forgotten/read my book I bought (I don’t remember)
And this book absolutely captivated me, it’s one of those books that you can’t put down once your into it.
The author cuts straight to the chase on this one and it puts off , the secrets , the lies, the twists, the characters are all perfectly flawed and intertwined it’s unreal
If you like a good dark drama/modern day set crime filled book, this one is for you
But this book should not me read lightly , there are explicit mentions of : Guns, drugs, death , overdoses , trauma and knife crime (thisnis only hinted at and not depicted explicitly in the book)
August 17, 2017
Orangeboy opens with sixteen-year-old Marlon Sunday from Hackney having just taken his first ever quarter tab of Ecstasy. He doesn’t know it, but he’s already in trouble, about to be plunged into a nightmare of persecution and violence.
This is an all-action, fast-paced YA urban thriller, but it’s also an intensely emotional story. It offers a look at how living with fear is the lot of those who willingly or inadvertently tangle with the bad guys, or ‘badmen’ as Marlon calls them. Additionally, it’s a novel about family.
Marlon is real and engaging, his growth brilliantly depicted. We see him making difficult decisions, growing harder, getting smarter, without losing his essential self. He is able to understand the thoughts and feelings of his adversary D-Ice, and why he and his gang are out to get him and those he loves; he understands the damaged lives, and the need behind the posturing.
A tense, scary, and moving read. Superb.
This is an all-action, fast-paced YA urban thriller, but it’s also an intensely emotional story. It offers a look at how living with fear is the lot of those who willingly or inadvertently tangle with the bad guys, or ‘badmen’ as Marlon calls them. Additionally, it’s a novel about family.
Marlon is real and engaging, his growth brilliantly depicted. We see him making difficult decisions, growing harder, getting smarter, without losing his essential self. He is able to understand the thoughts and feelings of his adversary D-Ice, and why he and his gang are out to get him and those he loves; he understands the damaged lives, and the need behind the posturing.
A tense, scary, and moving read. Superb.
March 26, 2017
A pacy read, all the way to the end. You can't help but like Marlon, a good boy in a bad situation. I hadn't read the blurb when I started reading this, and didn't know much about it other than it was getting a lot of attention, so the events of the first chapter came as a bit of a shock.
Readers who enjoyed William Sutcliffe's Concentr8 will probably like this too.
Readers who enjoyed William Sutcliffe's Concentr8 will probably like this too.
January 15, 2020
Hmm. Meh. Moeilijke dit. Af en toe was het boek heel vaag, not sure of dat door de vertaling komt of door de schrijfstijl. Ook kon ik amper sympathie voelen voor Marlon, heeft t wat te hoog in zn bol zitten die gast. Desondanks pakte het verhaal mij toch enigszins, het bleef wel boeiend op de een of andere manier.
July 3, 2019
Dit boek vond ik echt een beetje meh. Het had wat mij betreft 200 pagina's minder gekund. Ik vond er geen climax inzitten en daarom las ik met tegenzin verder. De achterkant sprak me heel erg aan, maar het hele verhaal viel me gewoon echt tegen!
August 1, 2022
I was excited to read this as Malorie Blackman (whose Noughts & Crosses series completely enthralled me) reviewed it as 'A Truly Brilliant Book'.
I give it 2/5 not because it didn't live up to the expectations I had. When I first started reading it, I thought, "oh yes, a good page turner, interesting characters". But for me, more than halfway into the book I realised that I was still waiting for that spark.
But perhaps subconsciously I was waiting for a similar emotion as when I was reading the Noughts and Crosses series. Which had me hooked all through until the final book. I think that had I not seen M.B's quote on the front cover of the book I would of had a different experience reading it. So, as I said, I feel my subconscious was waiting for something deeper, more twists and turns.
That being said, it was an okay read and I understand why it won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2017 for Older Fiction.
Had I been 17 (I'll keep you guessing as to what my actual age is ;)) I'm sure I would of enjoyed it a lot more.
I give it 2/5 not because it didn't live up to the expectations I had. When I first started reading it, I thought, "oh yes, a good page turner, interesting characters". But for me, more than halfway into the book I realised that I was still waiting for that spark.
But perhaps subconsciously I was waiting for a similar emotion as when I was reading the Noughts and Crosses series. Which had me hooked all through until the final book. I think that had I not seen M.B's quote on the front cover of the book I would of had a different experience reading it. So, as I said, I feel my subconscious was waiting for something deeper, more twists and turns.
That being said, it was an okay read and I understand why it won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2017 for Older Fiction.
Had I been 17 (I'll keep you guessing as to what my actual age is ;)) I'm sure I would of enjoyed it a lot more.
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