Blood brothers by Peter Corris
Allen and Unwin, 2007
ISBN
978 0 7344 1006 1
(Age 12+) Wheeled into the hospital with a fracture, Bart Fletcher's
thoughts are turned to his best friend, Jack Chandra, and the possible
reasons behind his tripping Bart in the rugby game, resulting in his
broken leg. Out of hospital, the enmity shown to Bart by his former
friend becomes obvious to all round him, and the tension moves up a
gear, once Jack's girlfriend is killed in a car crash.
The story gets more involved as Bart's feelings for a girl in his year
develop, and she encourages him to speak to Jack. This results in a
fight and Bart talks to his mother about his absent father, once
imprisoned for marijuana cultivation. The story keeps on building as
Bart finds out more about his background, and decides to get a bus to
Melbourne to talk to his unknown family.
A well known adult writer, Peter Corris has turned his hand to writing
for young adults with a stunning opening novel. A range of issues for
young adults is covered in this story, as Bart discovers his father
living in a commune not far away. If the story is a little too neatly
resolved, this can be overlooked when considering the wider niceties of
plot and characterization.
Fran Knight
Home
© Pledger
Consulting, 2007