Having read both of Laura Jarratt's previous books, I was very excited for this one! So of course I started to read it straight away. The first thing I must say, is that it was completely different to the first two, and so if you're looking for something the same, you may be disappointed. I did approach the book expecting something similar to Skin Deep and By Any Other Name, and though I found it very different – both in topic and writing style – it was still enjoyable.

I liked the main character – she was complicated, but realistic and Jarratt always seems to write in a way that makes you empathise with the characters, even if you haven't suffered a similar experience. Her brother and Josie were good characters too, though at times I found Silas a little whiny.

One of my favourite things about this book was the collection of quotes which occupied the beginning of every chapter – some of which have been added to my own collection. They were clearly thought out and mostly relevant to the coming or previous chapter but not in a way that revealed too much. The alternate points of view worked well for the book and I particularly liked how Silas's parts were written in an email to his absent father – it seemed more realistic than diary writing and tied in well with his computer skills.

However, I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I enjoyed the last two books, and I'm not really sure why. The ending was effective and completed so that enough questions were answered and enough were left to the imagination. The characters were well thought out and likeable and at times the story was amusing, but I felt as if there was something missing. I would still recommend it to both fans of Laura Jarratt and new readers and I am of course looking forward to what else she will be writing in the future!

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