The Transformation of Minna Hargreaves by Fleur Beale.
Minna is a modern 14 year old schoolgirl with a group of friends that keep in contact with her 24/7 and say "whatever" to everything.
At the start of the story she is agonising about whether to have sex with her smarmy boyfriend while her older brother has become a "stoner". Mother and father have their own careers and family life is non existent. When mother discovers what Minna is up to and brother Noah's drug habit is beginning to change his life, things have got to change. Father gets the opportunity for the whole family to spend a year on an isolated island in the middle of Cook Strait as part of a "reality TV" series for NZ television. In spite of severe resistence from Minna and Noah, their parents go ahead with the plan. Once on the island the change of lifestyle is a shock to the whole family but secret family revelations turn the story into high drama.
I was bored at the start of this book but I soon got into it and felt that it finished well once the secrets were out. A great read for teenagers.
Reviewed by Bob
Fleur Beale is noted for believable "real" dialogue among people and her ability to pull you into the story. There were many moments where I was there with the characters including the harrowing and exciting cliff scene and when Minna's mother is being very concerned about where and who Minna is going out with.
Written in first person the reader is instantly introduced to Minna Hargreaves and her brilliant city life - she has great friends and a new boyfriend. Minna is 14 and thinks she is ready to take the next step with Seb but then her Dad arrives home from work and disrupts everyone's lives.... Oddly, her mother agrees to go and live for a year with Dad, Noah, the 16-year-old brother with his own problems, and Minna on a tiny windswept island in Cook Strait.
The purpose is seeing what isolation does to the family dynamics and to make a new reality TV show starring the Hargreaves Family. How will Minna survive this nightmare? Recommended for good readers- intermediate age and secondary students/adults.
Reviewed by Blog Central
Published by Random House NZ.
6 comments:
This was our school's best pick and won our school voting hands down!
Woodford House
I thought this was a good crunchy book. The characters felt real and the little stress indicators were believable - right down to chatting with the chicks!
The students at our school can't possibly imagine living on an island without access to the Internet, texting, cellphones or TV and no contact with friends. Makes them think about their reliance on these things.
Heretaunga College
I wasn't sure about the story when I picked it up, but after a bit of reading I began to get interested.
I found it a good book, very modern and an interesting plot. The types of description made the situations very lifelike. You can see his personality changing as the story goes on.
All in all a very good book.
Deiran C-m Orewa College.
This was a great book i am really enjoy it. Rebecca Orewa college
Our readers, particularly the girls, can identify with poor Minna being separated from all her social network - cell phone, boyfriend, etc. Certainly catches their interest! (Waimea College)
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