The Edge is a novel covering some of the main modern day issues and concerns such as domestic violence, single parenting, drugs and racism. After having to cope with a violent boyfriend for three years young mum Cathy and her son Danny come up with a risky but possible plan to get away from `The Animal'. A blood-pumping race through the streets of modern day London leads Cathy and Danny to the train where they get away to start their new life living on The Edge in the North. Their new home is with Cathy's parents where her racist father refuses to accept her black son Danny.Cathy spent weeks meticulously planning their escape and removing any chance of The Animal finding them but will a slip of newspaper under the carpet in London be their downfall. The story is written by
...Alan Gibbons and is in a multi-narrative form which means that different characters can convey their different emotions about the same parts of the story.
Gibbons has created a moral but fast-paced book which looks at many modern day issues such as domestic violence and racism.The plot is thick with hidden truths and the amazing storyline will make you wonder how such a good book is not better known. The author uses short, sharp sentences to give a sense of a hurried and rushed opening to the book. Alan Gibbons has done this technique very successfully because his technique gives you an insight into their previous lives, however, meeting Chris Kane, Cathy is not allowed a past because Chris thinks he is her past, present and future but she still refers back to her yout
when he's not around.Cathy is not the main character in this story but she does give us some information about the way Chris behaved before the beginning of the book.
Chris Kane is one of the main characters in the book, he does have a large part in the book but Cathy's son, Danny, is the main character. The characters in this novel have very different personalities because Danny is a traumatised, `insecure' and an `abused' teenager; Cathy is low in self-esteem, damaged but independent and Chris is a `psychotic', antisocial `animal'. It kept me interested, intrigued and constantly wanting to find out what happened next.The book is set out as if it were a diary, each chapter being split up into each characters entry for that particular day. The characters are well portrayed and each of the them show very different personalities but all coming together in the end, giving a dramatic scene and climax to the novel, sorting out the bad from the good. I would recommend this book for anybody aged about 10+ as there are some scenes of harsh violence and it can be a bit confusing at times.
Overall however a brilliant plot with many moral points of interest but it can be a touch confusing at times.
- Media Violence essays
- Domestic Violence essays
- Violence in Video Games essays
- Gun Violence essays
- Video Game Violence essays
- Violence Against Women essays
- Youth Violence essays
- Abortion essays
- Abuse essays
- Animal Rights essays
- Animal Testing essays
- Assault essays
- Bullying essays
- Controversial Issue essays
- Crash essays
- Cyber Bullying essays
- Feminism essays
- Human Rights essays
- Immigration essays
- Inequality essays
- Poverty essays
- Prejudice essays
- Racism essays
- Torture essays
- Violence essays
