Book Title:

Smack

Author:

Melvin Burgess

Reviewer:

Jason L’Heureux

Summary:

This book is mainly about the love of two fourteen-year-old British teenagers who have run away from their unbearable homes and into the city. They live among other people who have run away or who have just decided to live inside abandoned houses. They have to overcome the poverty and homesickness but most of all as will you will discover the terrible addiction to heroin (smack.)

David, or as you may more commonly see called Tar, has run away from home. His mother is an alcoholic and his father drinks as well but beats up Tar. He is forced to do his mother's chores since she's always passed out so that his father doesn't become angry and hit him.

Gemma also lives in a house in which she runs into problems with her parents, but not as serious as those that Tar has to deal with. Her parents forbid her to see Tar and always keep a close watch on her. She feels that her parents imprison her in her own house. Her father picks her up directly from her classroom after school so that she doesn't run off and come home late at night. Gemma just wants to break free and be with her Tar.

Opinion:

 I believe that this is a very good book and it really gives you a perspective of what it's like to live on the streets of a city. I liked this book because it gave you the point of view of every main and minor character that you come across in the book. If this book does anything, it should scare you into never taking heroin and becoming a junkie.

Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars