Sugarcoated by Catherine Forde - Revision history

Sue at 10:59, 27 August 2020

2020-08-27T10:59:02Z

Sue at 14:29, 19 April 2018

2018-04-19T14:29:21Z

Sue at 15:48, 1 February 2015

2015-02-01T15:48:35Z

Keith: 1 revision

2009-10-24T17:44:08Z

1 revision

Keith at 16:11, 25 December 2008

2008-12-25T16:11:44Z

New review

{{infobox
|title=Sugarcoated
|author=Catherine Forde
|reviewer=Jill Murphy
|genre=Teens
|summary=In her usual teen argot style, Forde makes a page-turner of a not particularly mysterious mystery, cleverly exposing her lead character's vulnerabilities. There is a deep understanding of the arrogance and frailties of adolescence and great tension in this very likeable book. Great stuff.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|format=Paperback
|pages=320
|publisher=Egmont Books
|date=April 2008
|isbn=1405229314
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405229314</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1405229314</amazonus>
}}

Claudia Quinn is working in her father's opticians when she witnesses an horrific attack. A man is beaten with a hammer right before her very eyes. Cloddy cowers, terrified, behind a desk, but she sees the whole thing. Afraid of reprisals, she keeps quiet when the police ask her the inevitable questions. Cloddy doesn't want a hammer anywhere near her own head, thank you very much. She's enough to worry about what with her exam resits, lack of friends, and non-existent love life. And then Stefan appears. Older than Cloddy, with money, sophistication and amazing good looks, it's inconceivable that he'd be interested in her. But he is. He wines and dines her, calls her his babes. He also takes a puzzling interest in what Cloddy saw of the attack.

And then things start to go wrong...

Oh, poor old Cloddy Quinn! She's young, she lacks kudos, she's lonely, she's ginger and chubby - and we all know, however old and haggard we've become ourselves, what ''that'' means when you're a teenager. She sees all these things about herself. But she doesn't see any of the good things. She's witty and funny, she's independent and determined, she's curious and enthusiastic. If only she could see it, she's got a lot to offer. If only she wasn't so isolated, she'd have seen Stefan coming a mile off. She'd have joined the dots long before her one and only friend miles away in Africa prompts her to make a mind map. Even equally lonely, socially inept teenaged readers will have solved the ''Sugarcoated'' mystery by page twenty.

But the tension isn't in the mystery. We all know Stefan for a baddie straightaway. The tension - and there's great tension in this book - is all about willing Cloddy on to see it for herself. And will her on and wish her well you do. It could all so easily have descended into a less-than-thrilling pantomime chase and mental shouts of "BEHIND YOU!" but it doesn't. Cloddy is so real, direct, and engaging that you're identifying with her before you know it. You don't want her to be deceived. You don't want her to to come any kind of a cropper. And every time you think someone's about to gallop to her rescue, Forde snatches them away again. There's both an enthusiasm and a darkness about the story and it perfectly reflects teenage life, even if the action isn't commonplace at all.

The teen argot style is spot on - don't expect finely crafted, elegant sentences here. Since when did your teenager's diction involve anything such? But it works. It's immediate, it's all in the present, and its simplicity underpins a sympathetic and sophisticated understanding, just as the narrative drive does. I loved it, and I don't think there's a teenage girl that won't. Highly recommended.

My thanks to the good people at Egmont for sending the book.

If they like this kind of book, they might also like [[Sea Change by Kate Cann|Sea Change]] by [[:Category:Kate Cann|Kate Cann]] or [[Meet Me At The Boathouse by Suzanne Bugler|Meet Me At The Boathouse]] by [[:Category:Suzanne Bugler|Suzanne Bugler]]. And if they loved this book so much they'd rather find Catherine Forde on the web they can hop on over to her very sexiful [http://www.bebo.co.uk/sugarcoatedthebook/ Bebo page].

{{amazontext|amazon=1405229314}}

{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 The teen argot style is spot on - don't expect finely crafted, elegant sentences here. Since when did your teenager's diction involve anything such? But it works. It's immediate, it's all in the present, and its simplicity underpins a sympathetic and sophisticated understanding, just as the narrative drive does. I loved it, and I don't think there's a teenage girl that won't. Highly recommended.
-My thanks to the good people at Egmont for sending the book.
+My thanks to the good people at Egmont for sending the book.  We also have a review of [[Fifteen Minute Bob by Catherine Forde]].
 If they like this kind of book, they might also like [[Sea Change by Kate Cann|Sea Change]] by [[:Category:Kate Cann|Kate Cann]] or [[Meet Me At The Boathouse by Suzanne Bugler|Meet Me At The Boathouse]] by [[:Category:Suzanne Bugler|Suzanne Bugler]]. And if they loved this book so much they'd rather find Catherine Forde on the web they can hop on over to her very sexiful [http://www.bebo.co.uk/sugarcoatedthebook/ Bebo page].

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-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title=Sugarcoated
 |author=Catherine Forde
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |date=April 2008
 |isbn=1405229314
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405229314</amazonuk>
+|cover=1405229314
-|amazonus=<amazonus>1405229314</amazonus>
+|aznuk=1405229314
 }}

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 |buy=Yes
 |borrow=Yes
 |pages=320
 |publisher=Egmont Books
@@ Line 32: / Line 31: @@
 {{amazontext|amazon=1405229314}}
 {{commenthead}}

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