Broken
Author(s): Daniel Clay
You thought your neighbours were bad? Wait till you meet the Oswalds. They're crass, cruel and seemingly untouchable. Until, that is, they go one step too far -- and the results begin to tear an entire community apart. Skunk Cunningham is an eleven-year-old girl in a coma. She has a loving dad, an absent mother and a brother who plays more X-Box than is good for him. She also has the neighbours from hell: the five Oswald girls and their thuggish father Bob, vicious bullies all of them, whose reign of terror extends unchallenged over their otherwise quiet suburban street. And yet terrifying though they undoubtedly are, the stiletto-wearing, cider-swilling Oswald girls are also sexy -- so when Saskia asks shy, virginal Rick Buckley for a ride in his new car, he can't believe his luck. Too bad that Saskia can't keep her big mouth shut. When, after a quick fumble, she broadcasts Rick's deficiencies to anyone who will listen, it puts ideas into her younger sister's silly head -- ideas that will see Rick dragged off to prison, humiliated, and ultimately, in his father's words, 'broken' by the experience.From her hospital bed, Skunk tries to make sense of the events that follow, as Saskia's small act of cruelty spreads through the neighbourhood in a web of increasing violence.
Product Information
Shortlisted for Authors' Club First Novel Award 2009.
'There are many good things here: it's bold, prescient, engaging and oddly touching.' Guardian 'A seething indignation propels the narrative to its violent conclusion' Arena 'This is a novel whose plot and vivid, pared-down imagery bravely patrol the terrifying border at which the human blurs into the bestial and inanimate ! remarkably controlled and disciplined ! Clay's triumph is in exploring the kindness and love that might heal and restore -- and what it is to feel fully alive.' Anita Sethi, Independent 'It's funny and sad and moving ! and ultimately very engaging.' Francesca Segal, Observer 'A moving, intriguing and at times funny debut novel' Daily Express '[A] fine, fine novel that would be a worthy inclusion on a VCE English reading list![an] astonishing debut novel' Herald Sun (Australia) 'This is a terrific book.' Daily Telegraph (Australia) 'It is without a doubt one of the most memorable novels that I have had the pleasure to read!gritty and compelling reading, this is a must buy, once you pick it up a guarantee it will be hard to put down' The Chronicle (Australia) '"Broken"!has everything you'd expect and more -- laughs, tears and a curious ending' Burnie Advocate (Australia) 'I have never read something that has made such an impact on me -- I laughed, cried, and once or twice screamed![an] incredible story.' Launceston Examiner (Australia) Praise from 'Amazon Vine' reviewers: 'A very good novel, well-written and compulsively readable.' 'This book grabbed me and I could not put it down!This book is shouting out to be read. It will make you laugh, cry and gasp with horror.' 'This is fantastic. Very disturbing, but so good.' 'Daniel Clay's first novel "Broken" may be set to achieve the same impact as [Iain] Banks's debut ["The Wasp Factory"] 25 years ago! I look forward to his next book.' 'I almost couldn't read the last 6-10 pages I was crying so much! ! I was totally hooked.' 'I just couldn't put it down! Having read "The Lovely Bones", I can see where comparisons can be drawn, but enjoyed this book more.'
Daniel Clay is thirty seven years old and married with no children. He lives in Hampshire in the UK.
General Fields
- :
- : HarperCollins Publishers
- : HarperPerennial
- : 0.224
- : 02 April 2009
- : 197mm X 130mm
- : United Kingdom
- : books
Special Fields
- : Daniel Clay
- : Paperback
- : 823.92
- : 256