Review by Noelle: September 17, 2012
Noelle received a copy for review from the publishers.
Published August 22, 2012 by Text Publishing
Goodreads • Buy at Text • Fishpond
What makes a person who they are? Is it some magical combination of experiences, memories and family? What happens when those things are stripped away, are proven false or leave you behind? Who are you then? And do you actually have any say in the matter?
Friday Brown has spent her entire life traveling from town to town with her mother Vivienne. Never in one spot long enough to know anyone. Never needing anyone else but her mother to know her. But then Vivienne dies. Left alone with a grandfather that's a stranger, Friday is lost. Vivienne not only physically created Friday, she mentally shaped her as well. Vivienne's stories built her up but now the truth is breaking down. Friday doesn't know who she is without Vivienne... but it's time to find out.
Reverting to her nomadic instincts, Friday runs away to the streets and finds herself a part of a new kind of family--broken people fitting their jagged edges together trying to become whole. But is Friday finding herself or merely letting the next charismatic mother figure mold her into someone else? Sometimes it's just easier to allow yourself to be swept away with the current than exhaust yourself struggling to swim against it. And no one knows they are caught in a riptide until it's too late.
Friday Brown has a more subdued style than All I Ever Wanted but the story is just as intense. Wakefield's prose is as beautiful as ever with an exquisite tension thrumming throughout. When the setting switches to an abandoned, isolated town in the Outback, the stress fractures formed by the effort of keeping the family together begin to strain, crumbling apart to chilling results. Friday's journey and portrayal are painfully honest and once again, Wakefield's characters are so vividly drawn their strength reverberates off the page. From devotion to desperation to horror, every emotion rings true.
If I had to describe Vikki Wakefield's novels using one word it would be "fearless". If I could choose two words they'd be "required reading". Rating: 4.5/5 stars.
GIVEAWAY!
You'd have to pry our personal copies of All I Ever Wanted and Friday Brown out of our dead cold hands, but if sharing is caring, sharing Vikki Wakefield is true love. Don't ever say we don't love you, readers! That's right, enter below to win a copy of your choice of All I Ever Wanted or Friday Brown. YA Anonymous will order you a copy from Text and send it straight to your doorstep. International readers welcome to enter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wonderful review, Noelle! I have yet to read Wakefield's All I Ever Wanted (blasphemy, I know!), but I am so glad to hear you enjoyed Friday Brown just as much. It seems to be yet another moving contemporary read that I just have to get my hands on, so I hope I can read it soon - one I finish All I Ever Wanted, of course! A truly beautiful review! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Keertana :) FYI All I Ever Wanted and Friday Brown aren't a series so you can actually read them in any order you want (or can get your hands on)! --N
DeleteWow, what an amazing review, N! "Wakefield's prose is as beautiful as ever with an exquisite tension thrumming throughout." - that tension had me hooked yet I had no idea how devastating the outcome would be.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mandee! And YES. That tension! I can't wait to read what Wakefield writes next. --N
DeleteLove, love, love this review, Noelle. It's perfect. I agree with you that it's a little more subdued than AIEW, but the intensity is definitely is still there. And Vikki Wakefield's writing is just gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteAww thank you Rey! I'm so glad you loved Friday (and Wakefield) too. Her writing is so special. --N
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ReplyDeletei'd definitely like to get my greedy paws on a copy of "all i ever wanted". i love the simplicity of the cover and the onion-layered complexity of the characters. <3
ReplyDeletex joe
oops, my active email address is as follows: gitapar (at) hotmail (dot) com
DeleteGood luck joe!!
DeleteWow - I have so many books to read right now and it's killing me that I can't read them all at once. Ag! This one sounds so powerful and different. I can't wait to start it. Thanks for the giveaway, you two!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Catie! And good luck in the drawing! :D --N
DeleteI'd pick Friday Brown...and a laminated Jeremy Jackson as Hobie from Baywatch if that's on the menu?
ReplyDeleteThis is one of your loveliest reviews ever, Noelle.
Why thank you, Flannery.
DeleteAnd...um...have you google image searched present day Jeremy Jackson by chance? I can't decide if the spiky mullet or sassy bob phase is my favorite. --N
Bahahaha, no I hadn't but I just did and holy crap, those pictures are frightening. I think the sassy bob is funnier. There is DEFINITELY some gel going on there. It even looks blown dry for some added body.
DeleteSoooome people staaaand in the corner, afraid to steeeeep intooooo the light. (and some people start out as cuties and then get a mullet as an adult)
I love this review Noelle it's so beautiful! I would love to win a copy of Friday Brown, your review definitely makes me want pick up a copy asap! Thanks for the giveaway! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jasprit! Good luck in the giveaway!! -N
DeleteGosh, I love that name, 'Friday Brown'. :D I can never resist reading a highly recommended Aussie novel, so thank you so much for the international giveaway! And Noelle, your review is utterly stunning!
ReplyDeleteI would choose Friday Brown. :]
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the giveaway!!
Marijana Sitar
I loved All I Ever Wanted! This was a lovely review, one of many glowing reviews for Friday Brown. (and it's got me only more excited for it.
ReplyDelete~Isa
Lovely review, Noelle - you've just made me more eager to read Friday Brown! It looks amazing... thank you for the giveaway :-)
ReplyDeletethis is precisely why this blog is one of my favourites - you guys love aussie ya as much as I do which is a HELL OF A LOT. I've been wanting to read this once as soon as i turned the last page of all I ever wanted - she really knows how to hit hard with her gorgeous prose right? I can't wait to read it.
ReplyDelete"required reading", ha! No need to convince me, I really want to read this. I've seen a couple of Aussie editions in bookstores here in Singapore so I was hoping they'd get copies of this but that's not the case. :( Which is why I'm delighted that you girls are having an INTERNATIONAL giveaway for it. Thanks for the heads up, by the way. :D What is Text, is it like Fishpond?
ReplyDeleteHold on, I didn't say which book I'd like - would love to get a copy of Friday Brown. :D
DeleteText brings out some of the best books for Aussie YA fiction with Vikki’s books being a standout. I just recently finished Fire in the Sea and that was amazeballs. I’d like to win Friday Brown considering that’s her latest and I have All I Ever Wanted :) Very neat review :)
ReplyDeleteOhhh, wonderful review. I have always tried to not become too excited for Vikki Wakefield's books as I know I can't get them, haha. Thanks for the chance to win! You are awesome :)! It's really hard to decide which of her two books I'd like to read, though ... I think I'd decide on Friday Brown.
ReplyDeleteI have just started Friday Brown (thanks Mandee :D) so I would love to win All I Ever Wanted as I already love Vikki's writing style and I'm only 3 chapters in! :)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win All I Ever Wanted, because it sounds FABULOUS, and I read Carla's review of it recently, and I MUST HAVE IT, but I am too poor. Sadness.
ReplyDeleteAwesome review, by the way. *adds to wishlist*
All I Ever Wanted sounds really great!
ReplyDelete