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Checkers
Tonight before I started writing this, it was me confronting Jack. It was so real I could smell it.
Suddenly, according to my imagination, I'd be on my feet, screaming, "Why didn't you leave us alone? Why did you have to drag us in? You're scum, filth. I hate you. Go away. You deserve everything, everything, you understand? Everything that you get. It's not my fault. IT'S NOT MY FAULT."
She had everything going for her--good looks, a nice school, and friends. But suddenly and without sufficient warning, life spins out of control. It's hard not to let life get to you when nothing seems to make sense anymore. Sometimes it takes confinement in the hospital--and a lot of time to think--to once again get a handle on life.
Suddenly, according to my imagination, I'd be on my feet, screaming, "Why didn't you leave us alone? Why did you have to drag us in? You're scum, filth. I hate you. Go away. You deserve everything, everything, you understand? Everything that you get. It's not my fault. IT'S NOT MY FAULT."
She had everything going for her--good looks, a nice school, and friends. But suddenly and without sufficient warning, life spins out of control. It's hard not to let life get to you when nothing seems to make sense anymore. Sometimes it takes confinement in the hospital--and a lot of time to think--to once again get a handle on life.
128 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
20 people are currently reading
647 people want to read
About the author
John Marsden
90 books1,955 followersThere is more than one author with this name in the database, see f.e. John Marsden.
John Marsden was an Australian writer and school principal. He wrote more than 40 books in his career and his books have been translated into many languages. He was especially known for his young adult novel Tomorrow, When the War Began, which began a series of seven books.
Marsden began writing for children while working as a teacher, and had his first book, So Much to Tell You, published in 1987. In 2006, he started an alternative school, Candlebark School, and reduced his writing to focus on teaching and running the school. In 2016, he opened the arts-focused secondary school, Alice Miller School. Both schools are in the Macedon Ranges.
John Marsden was an Australian writer and school principal. He wrote more than 40 books in his career and his books have been translated into many languages. He was especially known for his young adult novel Tomorrow, When the War Began, which began a series of seven books.
Marsden began writing for children while working as a teacher, and had his first book, So Much to Tell You, published in 1987. In 2006, he started an alternative school, Candlebark School, and reduced his writing to focus on teaching and running the school. In 2016, he opened the arts-focused secondary school, Alice Miller School. Both schools are in the Macedon Ranges.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
April 6, 2021
Disappointingly dull, very thin story, weak , and has poorly developed characters; additionally, it has unnecessarily distressing ending.
January 12, 2016
A very interesting fly through read.. well done, John Marsden!!! Checkers is a book that explores teens with prominent and real social/family/health issues.. It's told in the perspective of a nameless girl, who is a voluntary patient in a Psychiatric Ward who refuses to talk about why she's there.. It was like reading her diary.. Before she admits herself into hospital, she lived with a rich yet dysfunctional family, when her father has a success with his business, he buys her a pet dog which she calls Checkers due to his fur pattern.. this is a real page turner that keeps you questioning and leaves you shocked!!!
October 29, 2018
Hello, John Marsden, my old friend.
Listen, old mate Marsden has a way to send me into emotional turmoil like no other author. It’s been literal years since I read ‘Letters from the Inside’ and I still haven’t forgiven him.
Surprisingly, since this book was written years ago, it is pretty relevant in terms of the political climate, especially in Australia.
Anyway, this book is short but somehow I want to just sit in the bath and cry after finishing it. I truly don’t have much else to say, but I should’ve known with John Marsden and a book about a dog. Read it if u dare Xx
Listen, old mate Marsden has a way to send me into emotional turmoil like no other author. It’s been literal years since I read ‘Letters from the Inside’ and I still haven’t forgiven him.
Surprisingly, since this book was written years ago, it is pretty relevant in terms of the political climate, especially in Australia.
Anyway, this book is short but somehow I want to just sit in the bath and cry after finishing it. I truly don’t have much else to say, but I should’ve known with John Marsden and a book about a dog. Read it if u dare Xx
January 29, 2021
story 4/5
characters 4/5
writing 4/5
audio/paper Paper.
reread? I think I will.
Recommend it? Yes.
Verhaal: 4/5
Karakters: 4/5
Schrijfstijl: 4/5
Papier/audio? Papier.
Herlezen: Denk het wel.
Aanrader? Ja.
characters 4/5
writing 4/5
audio/paper Paper.
reread? I think I will.
Recommend it? Yes.
Verhaal: 4/5
Karakters: 4/5
Schrijfstijl: 4/5
Papier/audio? Papier.
Herlezen: Denk het wel.
Aanrader? Ja.
July 25, 2012
While in no way a stunning piece of literature, Checkers is exceptional for the unusual perspective it takes regarding political scandals. Told from the point of view of the teenaged daughter of one of the men involved, Checkers tells the tale of a family falling apart and a teenager's life being destroyed by a scandal she had no involvement in. The story weaves the nameless protagonist's flashbacks about her dog, Checkers, and the scandal that ruined her life with current day scenes in the psych ward she now calls home. While Checkers may not be the most beautifully crafted novel I have ever read, I appreciate it for the way it challenges assumptions about anything ranging from a newspaper headline to anorexia and a psych ward. Regardless of your age, Checkers is worth your time to read.
June 30, 2016
3.5/5 stars! a short, unique and interesting story that had me engaged the whole time. i was not expecting the ending, it was so heartbreaking, but also made the story come together and make much more sense than it had all the way through. i wasn't, however, very attached to any characters, and the story was quite repetitive at times.
August 25, 2010
This book holds the distinction of being the only one I have ever thrown across the room upon finishing it.
Usually I love Marsden.
Usually I love Marsden.
May 25, 2011
sad sad sad no point
February 12, 2022
2.5-3 stars.
I'm familiar with John Marsden book "Tomorrow when the war began" but this book was quick for me, but I'm confused especially the whole legal terms. A teenage girl is in a mental hospital and she's re- calling her life with her family and the ups and downs with school, her health and her dad being involved with a job scandal, and the pressures of the media. It was quick but the legal terminology I didn't understand between the dad and the premier. It was an average read for me.
I'm familiar with John Marsden book "Tomorrow when the war began" but this book was quick for me, but I'm confused especially the whole legal terms. A teenage girl is in a mental hospital and she's re- calling her life with her family and the ups and downs with school, her health and her dad being involved with a job scandal, and the pressures of the media. It was quick but the legal terminology I didn't understand between the dad and the premier. It was an average read for me.
May 20, 2018
A thought provoking quick read.
Told from the perspective of a youth in psychiatric care we hear the story of her family and how her parents decisions have impacted upon her life and well being.
Compassionately written and traumatic at times.
Told from the perspective of a youth in psychiatric care we hear the story of her family and how her parents decisions have impacted upon her life and well being.
Compassionately written and traumatic at times.
November 27, 2025
Väldigt meh
October 14, 2012
Oh my goodness. Writing a proper review when I get on a computer.
--
So, it took me a while, but I got to a computer.
But anyway, about the book. Checkers is the story of an unnamed protagonist who has voluntarily checked herself into a psych ward. Written as a way to get her feelings out without sharing them to any of the doctors or psychologists, she recounts memories of her dog, Checkers, as well as the rest of her family and how her life fell apart.
Although a lot of what the character goes through is not quite relatable to most people, her personality is. She has many of the same fears and insecurities that a lot of teenage girls (myself included) have. She was afraid to speak her mind and like things without being judged whether they were 'cool' or not. I posted a few quotes while I was reading and showing its progress, and I feel they were quite brilliant and somewhat relatable.
In drama class, I did a monologue out of a passage from the book in the first chapter. Straight after came my friend's monologue. Prior to reading this, I had no idea they came straight after each other because they seemed so different. It just shows how quickly the girl's train of thought can change and how many things she's dealing with. I read the book wanting to know what exactly I had based my character on drama on and I was just left feeling quite sad.
This book is horrible -- horrible in an amazing way. It was quite heartbreaking, as you begin to piece everything together and begin to understand the mystery surrounding her father's shady business deal and how it connects to her and her dog, Checkers. The ending is heartbreaking especially since you learn about what exactly happened to her family and how she feels about the outside world.
It's a beautifully written book, not extremely long, but long enough to get the point across and break your heart. I enjoyed reading this quite a lot.
--
So, it took me a while, but I got to a computer.
But anyway, about the book. Checkers is the story of an unnamed protagonist who has voluntarily checked herself into a psych ward. Written as a way to get her feelings out without sharing them to any of the doctors or psychologists, she recounts memories of her dog, Checkers, as well as the rest of her family and how her life fell apart.
Although a lot of what the character goes through is not quite relatable to most people, her personality is. She has many of the same fears and insecurities that a lot of teenage girls (myself included) have. She was afraid to speak her mind and like things without being judged whether they were 'cool' or not. I posted a few quotes while I was reading and showing its progress, and I feel they were quite brilliant and somewhat relatable.
In drama class, I did a monologue out of a passage from the book in the first chapter. Straight after came my friend's monologue. Prior to reading this, I had no idea they came straight after each other because they seemed so different. It just shows how quickly the girl's train of thought can change and how many things she's dealing with. I read the book wanting to know what exactly I had based my character on drama on and I was just left feeling quite sad.
This book is horrible -- horrible in an amazing way. It was quite heartbreaking, as you begin to piece everything together and begin to understand the mystery surrounding her father's shady business deal and how it connects to her and her dog, Checkers. The ending is heartbreaking especially since you learn about what exactly happened to her family and how she feels about the outside world.
It's a beautifully written book, not extremely long, but long enough to get the point across and break your heart. I enjoyed reading this quite a lot.
February 7, 2016
Some books are almost too poignant for words. This is one. John Marsden is one of my favorite Australian writers. He somehow manages to trap adolescence in a book and make it seem like real life. No morals. No fancy parties. Good families and broken families. And all in writing that seems to have come from a real teenager.
She's in a psychiatric hospital. She won't speak in group. She slowly begins to know about the other patients in her group and feel less isolated. But she guilty, even if they tell her she's not.
Her father was an executive in the Rider Group which has just gotten a huge contract they've been working for. But before long, the rumors start. Was Rider helped by outside investors or someone in government to get the contract? Why are there shell companies that seem to be holding a large amount of what appears to be Rider money? Who, if anyone, at Rider is responsible for this?
Her father is mentioned. The reporters start coming around. She can hardly pick up the phone without the call being from a reporter. They stand around the yard. They ring the doorbell.
Of course it's all fabrication. But she's become extremely wary of reporters which is why she really doesn't understand why she responds to the young man she knows is a reporter when she takes her dog, Checkers, to the park. He flatters her; he doesn't want to try to get her to get him access to her father; he wants some pictures of her; his friend runs a modeling agency and might be interested in her; by the way, could he take a couple pictures of her dog?
That's when it explodes. Checkers is a really unique dog: part Border Collie and part Cocker Spaniel. He's not a fashion plate. He is black and white in a way that somewhat resembles a checkerboard. He's unique. And she kills him.
And destroys her family. All because of a unique dog and a walk in the park.
She's in a psychiatric hospital. She won't speak in group. She slowly begins to know about the other patients in her group and feel less isolated. But she guilty, even if they tell her she's not.
Her father was an executive in the Rider Group which has just gotten a huge contract they've been working for. But before long, the rumors start. Was Rider helped by outside investors or someone in government to get the contract? Why are there shell companies that seem to be holding a large amount of what appears to be Rider money? Who, if anyone, at Rider is responsible for this?
Her father is mentioned. The reporters start coming around. She can hardly pick up the phone without the call being from a reporter. They stand around the yard. They ring the doorbell.
Of course it's all fabrication. But she's become extremely wary of reporters which is why she really doesn't understand why she responds to the young man she knows is a reporter when she takes her dog, Checkers, to the park. He flatters her; he doesn't want to try to get her to get him access to her father; he wants some pictures of her; his friend runs a modeling agency and might be interested in her; by the way, could he take a couple pictures of her dog?
That's when it explodes. Checkers is a really unique dog: part Border Collie and part Cocker Spaniel. He's not a fashion plate. He is black and white in a way that somewhat resembles a checkerboard. He's unique. And she kills him.
And destroys her family. All because of a unique dog and a walk in the park.
July 3, 2018
“Everyone keeps telling me that I shouldn't feel guilty—but it doesn't seem to help much. What you feel is what you feel.”
Checkers explores the life of a nameless teenage girl who's family has gone through a public financial scandal. The story is told through the perspective of the girl while writing journal entries, where everything unfolds slowly as she doesn't like talking about what happened. Marsden creates a very authentic character, one who's experienced a traumatic event, and has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
It was a rather interesting how the financial scandal was shown from the perspective of the family's daughter. I often find you see these kind of stories from the perspective of the offender or the victim, so this was an intriguing way to be shown this.
As a negative, I did find the portrayal of some of the other patients rather caricatured or stereotypical. But overall, this was a good book, and a quick read, so worth giving it a shot if you ever come across it in a secondhand bookstore.
“You can tell the staff footsteps from the patients'. The staff sound like they're going somewhere.”
Checkers explores the life of a nameless teenage girl who's family has gone through a public financial scandal. The story is told through the perspective of the girl while writing journal entries, where everything unfolds slowly as she doesn't like talking about what happened. Marsden creates a very authentic character, one who's experienced a traumatic event, and has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
It was a rather interesting how the financial scandal was shown from the perspective of the family's daughter. I often find you see these kind of stories from the perspective of the offender or the victim, so this was an intriguing way to be shown this.
As a negative, I did find the portrayal of some of the other patients rather caricatured or stereotypical. But overall, this was a good book, and a quick read, so worth giving it a shot if you ever come across it in a secondhand bookstore.
“You can tell the staff footsteps from the patients'. The staff sound like they're going somewhere.”
October 10, 2012
Probably the most depressing book I have ever read. The main character, whose name we never hear, is in a Psych hospital throughout the entire book and we don't know why until the end. It's a mix between flashbacks to her life before the hospital and certain life-explaining situations in the hospital. The book is named after her dog, Checkers, who is spotted black and white. I can't really say much without spoiling the story for you... Basically the main character's dad gets into some issues with money and the company he works for so her home is surrounded by reporters and her life is devastated by hearing about the scandal all the time on television.
Her dog is so dumb... But by the end of the book I loved that dog, and that's why the ending is so hard. When you find out why she is in this Psych hospital, it will break your heart. If you don't cry, something is very very wrong with you. There is some language at the end of the book, but it doesn't start until you only have 50 pages left in the book, so that is weird.
Her dog is so dumb... But by the end of the book I loved that dog, and that's why the ending is so hard. When you find out why she is in this Psych hospital, it will break your heart. If you don't cry, something is very very wrong with you. There is some language at the end of the book, but it doesn't start until you only have 50 pages left in the book, so that is weird.
December 20, 2008
This is one of my all time favourite books and my favourite John Marsden novel.
Whilst the language is relatively simple, the story straight forward and the flashbacks (as well as the main characters placement in a mental institution) approaching cliche it is the relationship between her and the dog, Checkers that I truly love about this novel. Even as her world crashes down around her the dog is there for her, the only person she can rely on. And despite the foreshadowing throughout the book the scene where she loses Checkers is still horrifying to read (and re-read for that matter).
A moving book.
Whilst the language is relatively simple, the story straight forward and the flashbacks (as well as the main characters placement in a mental institution) approaching cliche it is the relationship between her and the dog, Checkers that I truly love about this novel. Even as her world crashes down around her the dog is there for her, the only person she can rely on. And despite the foreshadowing throughout the book the scene where she loses Checkers is still horrifying to read (and re-read for that matter).
A moving book.
September 19, 2012
I read this book awhile ago, and then re-read it after my dog died when I blamed myself for her death. I cried from the first moment the dog was bought into the household.
This book was wonderfully written with flashbacks revielling some information, but not everything to the last moment, which enables readers to completely immerse themself in the story.
John Marsden has a wonderful talent in creating characters that everyone can relate to, I'm sure everyone would know of a person who was similar to one of the other patients, and it is with this skill that he is able to deliver book after book of wonderful characters and storylines.
April 20, 2025
Found this in a box at home. I never ended up with a copy of So Much To Tell You but I had this.
Honestly not his greatest work - although good work on realistially and empathetically characterising an assortment of kids in inpatient psych. I'd completely forgotten there was a gay character here.
What brings it up from 3 starts to 4 is the sheer audacity of writing a Teenagers In Psych Ward novel which is also a mystery/thriller about, of all the fucking things, _insider trading_. It works though!
Honestly not his greatest work - although good work on realistially and empathetically characterising an assortment of kids in inpatient psych. I'd completely forgotten there was a gay character here.
What brings it up from 3 starts to 4 is the sheer audacity of writing a Teenagers In Psych Ward novel which is also a mystery/thriller about, of all the fucking things, _insider trading_. It works though!
February 3, 2009
I read this at age 13, while living in Australia, and several times later in my teens. There's something about the main character that is so easy to relate to, regardless of your own personal circumstances. I feel like this book helped me cope with the hell that was my adolescent years, and I was comforted by the fact that there were others going through what I was (or worse).
May 20, 2009
Horrible, I wish I hadn't read it. If you're an animal lover, an animal liker, or really just a decent human being, then don't go near this even with a ten-foot pole. It's horrible and cruel and in that regard, the worst book I have ever read. Usually I like Marsden, but this book has me wondering how someone's mind could come up with such a thing, and then, how they could bear writing it down?!
October 20, 2010
I never really got into this book. I don't really know why. The plot wasn't really... engaging. Like another reviewer stated, it was quite bleak. Didn't impress me as much as So much to tell you or Take my work for it.
April 28, 2020
Underrated book. It's got so much too it and so much to take away from it.
July 22, 2012
Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! Do not waste your time with this book.
August 6, 2012
Uninteresting , slow, distressing conclusion.
December 12, 2017
In the creative diary Checkers, the author John Marsden utilizes flashback to illustrate the main character’s changing emotion during and after the loss of her deepest affection Checkers, a dog. The main character is a nameless teenage girl who lived in the best suburb and went to the finest school by the support of her wealthy family. One day, the girl’s father brings home a dog for a gift, which she named Checkers. The harmonious family starts to fall apart as the press begins to attack the father’s company called ‘Rider Group,’ who accuse him of bribery, involving the Premier of the State. Rumors got bigger, and after the main character got interviewed by a good-looking reporter, who later stated that Checkers was a bribe from the Premier, the father kills the dog. Due to this incident, the girl ends up in a Psychiatric Hospital because of her internal conflict about whether she is blamable for her beloved dog’s death. By using first-person narration, the author emphasizes on the girl’s emotion so that the readers can know how she felt about her mistake and how long it took her to acknowledge it.
Throughout the book, the nameless teenage girl suffers from an internal conflict about the responsibility of Checker’s death. “The first things that went wrong weren’t my fault, nothing to do with me… that wasn’t me. How could it be me? I didn’t know what was going on.” (54 Marsden) According to this quote, whenever she flashes back to the past, she refuses to admit that the death of Checkers was her fault; she excuses her actions for being young and not knowing enough. However, during her Group therapy sessions, as everyone questions her about her past, she finally reveals that she was responsible for Checker’s death and feels guilty for him. In the end, as she mentions she is the only patient who is left in the patients’ committee, the readers can perceive that her internal conflict has not been entirely solved; she is continuously blaming and punishing herself for the death of her dog by keeping her locked in the hospital. Although the main character is blamable for talking to the reporter and causing troubles to the Rider Group, it is her father who is the foremost cause of Checker’s death, the company’s bankruptcy, and the girl’s mental illness. Not only because he murdered Checkers, but also, he disintegrated the family and destroyed the well-bonded relationships. The more business became intense, the more family conversation decreased; even her friends were keeping a distance from her. According to the quote, “Above all, though, I think the reason I spoke to him was that I was so lonely,” (111 Marsden), the isolation that the father made made her lonely, which caused her to talk to a reporter so that she could reveal her thoughts to someone. If the father had taken more care of the family and had been more honest about his job, the main character could have prevented isolating herself from the world.
John Marsden, the author, wrote the book Checkers in a first-person narrative diary to show the main character’s emotions and thoughts for every proceeding. It demonstrated how she felt about Checker’s death at the beginning, and how it changed as she flashes back to the past. Throughout this process, the unnamed girl learned how to acknowledge her mistakes, but since she could not forgive herself, she ended up staying in the hospital forever as a consequence. This shows that not only recognizing the mistakes is essential, but also, having the ability to forgive oneself is significant.
Throughout the book, the nameless teenage girl suffers from an internal conflict about the responsibility of Checker’s death. “The first things that went wrong weren’t my fault, nothing to do with me… that wasn’t me. How could it be me? I didn’t know what was going on.” (54 Marsden) According to this quote, whenever she flashes back to the past, she refuses to admit that the death of Checkers was her fault; she excuses her actions for being young and not knowing enough. However, during her Group therapy sessions, as everyone questions her about her past, she finally reveals that she was responsible for Checker’s death and feels guilty for him. In the end, as she mentions she is the only patient who is left in the patients’ committee, the readers can perceive that her internal conflict has not been entirely solved; she is continuously blaming and punishing herself for the death of her dog by keeping her locked in the hospital. Although the main character is blamable for talking to the reporter and causing troubles to the Rider Group, it is her father who is the foremost cause of Checker’s death, the company’s bankruptcy, and the girl’s mental illness. Not only because he murdered Checkers, but also, he disintegrated the family and destroyed the well-bonded relationships. The more business became intense, the more family conversation decreased; even her friends were keeping a distance from her. According to the quote, “Above all, though, I think the reason I spoke to him was that I was so lonely,” (111 Marsden), the isolation that the father made made her lonely, which caused her to talk to a reporter so that she could reveal her thoughts to someone. If the father had taken more care of the family and had been more honest about his job, the main character could have prevented isolating herself from the world.
John Marsden, the author, wrote the book Checkers in a first-person narrative diary to show the main character’s emotions and thoughts for every proceeding. It demonstrated how she felt about Checker’s death at the beginning, and how it changed as she flashes back to the past. Throughout this process, the unnamed girl learned how to acknowledge her mistakes, but since she could not forgive herself, she ended up staying in the hospital forever as a consequence. This shows that not only recognizing the mistakes is essential, but also, having the ability to forgive oneself is significant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2024
Very quick short read,
Only 123, pages.
I found the hardback of this book at a thrift store.
Having read John Marsden ‘s
“Tomorrow, When the War Began” in High School,
I was interested to see if I still enjoyed his stories and writing style.
Checkers is a poignant story, if, at times, a little “under developed on the character side.
It has an intriguing backdrop, where the main female lead is dealing with a family that has been destroyed by the thoughtless business dealing’s of her father.
These dealings centred around the awarding of government contracts to build a casino.
And, Insider trading.
Yeah.
Heavy going if, like me, I have zero interest in this kind of scenario.
However, Marsden has told this tale through the POV of the young female lead character who is in a
Young Persons Mental Health Clinic.
The reason, we slowly find out revolves around a business deal, her fathers involvement, the eventual breakdown of her family, and the part her dog, Checker, plays in his downfall.
These events lead to a tragic ending…
This story had some interesting premises.
Like, the family, who even before all the drama’s, were experiencing problems connecting
Then, there is the mental health side if the story.
This part was terrible under represented. With us only given glimpses into the issues the other teenagers in the FL’s group were dealing with.
For example:
We know straight away that Daniel is gay, but later it is revealed he also has extreme PTSD
As for Olivier, we don’t find out until more than three quarters in, that HE is suffering from anorexia .
Then, there is the part the the press play in the down fall of Murray Warner, and The Ryder Group,
There I unscrupulous behaviour , and the part , ultimately, this plays on the Warner family, and the Premier’s downfall.
This story has a “ first draft’ feel to it.
You’re left wanting something , some kind of redemption from the father for his final heinous act.
We really need his POV.
And as for the mother here….
She is treated like a trophy wife
Barely seen, or hear from.
Thus book isn’t bad
It’s has some good bones, but in the end it’s unsatisfying.
Only 123, pages.
I found the hardback of this book at a thrift store.
Having read John Marsden ‘s
“Tomorrow, When the War Began” in High School,
I was interested to see if I still enjoyed his stories and writing style.
Checkers is a poignant story, if, at times, a little “under developed on the character side.
It has an intriguing backdrop, where the main female lead is dealing with a family that has been destroyed by the thoughtless business dealing’s of her father.
These dealings centred around the awarding of government contracts to build a casino.
And, Insider trading.
Yeah.
Heavy going if, like me, I have zero interest in this kind of scenario.
However, Marsden has told this tale through the POV of the young female lead character who is in a
Young Persons Mental Health Clinic.
The reason, we slowly find out revolves around a business deal, her fathers involvement, the eventual breakdown of her family, and the part her dog, Checker, plays in his downfall.
These events lead to a tragic ending…
This story had some interesting premises.
Like, the family, who even before all the drama’s, were experiencing problems connecting
Then, there is the mental health side if the story.
This part was terrible under represented. With us only given glimpses into the issues the other teenagers in the FL’s group were dealing with.
For example:
We know straight away that Daniel is gay, but later it is revealed he also has extreme PTSD
As for Olivier, we don’t find out until more than three quarters in, that HE is suffering from anorexia .
Then, there is the part the the press play in the down fall of Murray Warner, and The Ryder Group,
There I unscrupulous behaviour , and the part , ultimately, this plays on the Warner family, and the Premier’s downfall.
This story has a “ first draft’ feel to it.
You’re left wanting something , some kind of redemption from the father for his final heinous act.
We really need his POV.
And as for the mother here….
She is treated like a trophy wife
Barely seen, or hear from.
Thus book isn’t bad
It’s has some good bones, but in the end it’s unsatisfying.
February 6, 2025
I have always admired John Marsden as both a person and a writer, and with his recent passing, felt a hankering to experience some of his books that I had not already read.
Checkers covers some very deep issues in a teenage-appropriate way, but I don’t think it’s one of his best works. Written in first person, from the perspective of our high school protagonist, we get a glimpse into her complex and now dysfunctional life. We are invited to judge her for her part in the family’s downfall and ultimate disintegration, but no-one is judging her as harshly as she is judging herself.
She intersperses the lead up to the familial disaster with vignettes of her current situation - in a psychiatric facility with a group of similarly troubled youths. Political and corporate corruption, media manipulation and a series of devastating events lead our nameless narrator to divulge the final straw that brought her to this point, but only after her co-residents share their many problems. Many societal and personal issues are explored with a light but serious touch.
2.5⭐️
Checkers covers some very deep issues in a teenage-appropriate way, but I don’t think it’s one of his best works. Written in first person, from the perspective of our high school protagonist, we get a glimpse into her complex and now dysfunctional life. We are invited to judge her for her part in the family’s downfall and ultimate disintegration, but no-one is judging her as harshly as she is judging herself.
She intersperses the lead up to the familial disaster with vignettes of her current situation - in a psychiatric facility with a group of similarly troubled youths. Political and corporate corruption, media manipulation and a series of devastating events lead our nameless narrator to divulge the final straw that brought her to this point, but only after her co-residents share their many problems. Many societal and personal issues are explored with a light but serious touch.
2.5⭐️
August 15, 2023
Just hands down one of the most brilliant YA novels I've ever read as all of Marsdens novels are. I own the paperback and have read this numerous times. Exceptionally dark like Letters from the Inside and yet it tackles, in an extraordinarily believable way, an issue I've never seen any YA author even touch upon or think about: the effect on a young girl when her father (a prominent businessman with ties to the highest heads of state, who was always kind of an asshole) is revealed to be corrupt and on the take -- and it was brought about, inadvertently, by her dog, Checkers, the dog that he gave her. It makes international news and what it does to her family, and what her father does in turn to her and the dog...
This story is the aftermath of all that. When she's in the hospital and no longer speaks to anyone.
This story is the aftermath of all that. When she's in the hospital and no longer speaks to anyone.
March 31, 2024
John Marsden has done it again. Another book creatively written. A young girl was given a dog by her father as a gift, and due to his weird coloring and markings she named him Checkers. They became great friends and had a special bond.
But her Father was tangled up in a financial scam with business partner Jack and everything unraveled rather quickly, and Checkers was the sole turning point of it all.
A fantastic read that was sad in places, and I certainly wasn't expecting the outcome.
But her Father was tangled up in a financial scam with business partner Jack and everything unraveled rather quickly, and Checkers was the sole turning point of it all.
A fantastic read that was sad in places, and I certainly wasn't expecting the outcome.
March 18, 2019
Such a similar setup to So Much to Tell You: a diary of a teenage girl with whom something is 'wrong', and slowly you find out what happened to her. I didn't love this one as much though. The reveal was good in that I did not expect it, but I really wanted to know more.
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