Broken
| Price: |
$27.99 |
| On Sale: |
1/05/2008 |
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Formats:
B+ Format Paperback
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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 guides us through the events that follow‚ as Saskia′s small act of thoughtlessness slowly spreads through the neighbourhood in a web of increasing violence. Skunk watches as her shabby‚ hardworking father finds love‚ only for her courageous‚ idealistic teacher to lose it; as poor ′Broken′ Buckley descends into madness‚ while across the street her brother Jed makes his first adolescent forays into sex; and as her own gentle romance with soft−hearted‚ tough−talking Dillon struggles to survive against a backdrop that seamlessly combines the sublime and the ridiculous. As we inch ever closer to the mystery behind her coma‚ Skunk′s innocence becomes a beacon by which we navigate a world as comic as it is tragic‚ and as effortlessly engaging as it is ultimately uplifting‚ in this brilliant and utterly original debut novel.
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Critical Praise for
Broken
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.’
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Reader Reviews from First Look
Broken's harrowing account of life with the world's worst neighbours is a stunning read. Skunk's journey from childhood innocence to discovery of the truly messed up world around her, while fraught with disaster and despair, will have you tearing through the pages.
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Kristine (Richmonn, VIC)
Broken's harrowing account of life with the world's worst neighbours is a stunning read. Skunk's journey from childhood innocence to discovery of the truly messed up world around her, while fraught with disaster and despair, will have you tearing through the pages.
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Kristine (Richmonn, VIC)
This novel is an incredibly mature and skillful effort ... While the story drags you in and makes you forget, at least for a while, about why Skunk is in her coma, it also forces you to think about us, as a society and whether or not we are broken, or at least how far away are we at any given time from being broken. And if so, can we ever really be fixed? This is one of the best books I have read this year. An insightful, beautiful, sad, and yet endearing story that is an adept microcosm of modern society. A wonderful book.
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Todd (Beenleigh, QLD)
It’s been said that any book worth reading, is worth reading twice. This is one of those books. ... Broken is an awesome testament to how outwardly mundane events can lead to earth-shattering and traumatic outcomes. It’s also a brilliant debut novel from someone who obviously knows and loves his characters so much you can’t help but love them too – even the ones you hate.
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Rickelle (Lake Wyangan, NSW)
Mr Clay manages to weave inspiration and beauty and ugliness and insanity together to create a one-sitting read that gallops along until Skunk's fate is revealed. Mr Clay's depiction of a body and mind hovering between life and death is beautifully done.
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Marion (Thora, NSW)
“Broken” ... could easily become a future classic. The dark humour, bleak realism and unexpected radiant moments combine to weave a story that is enchanting and enthralling.
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Hannah (Canning Vale, WA)
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