Smack by Melvin Burgess Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Smack
Book Review: Boring, boring , boring
Summary: 1 Stars
Blech. I hated this book. I read a lot of "high drama" books about teen issues as I work with teens who find themselves in this genre. Unlike Speak, or Crank, or even Cut, Smack is a book that doesn't connect with anyone. Oh, and did I mention that it is boring? Don't be misled by the other reviews, this insipid ride to unbelievable town doesn't belong on your bookshelf.Book Review: Brain Muzak.
Summary: 2 Stars
i picked this book up on a heroin-fiction binge, anticipating a realistic, engrossing, and straight-up novel -- what the reviews and summaries touted. Instead, i found stereotypical, two-dimensional characters, unrealistic and once again, stereotypical situations, and an attitude throughout the book that could only be described as "this book wants to be deep and thought-provoking, but instead we're easy-listening for your brain." As you've probably heard already, Smack is the supposed story of Tar (aka David, also Gemma's somewhat-boyfriend) who runs away to Bristol to escape drunken parents, and "abusive situations" with both. Gemma, who is supposed to be the WILD FREE SPIRIT, is actually just a weak, middle-to-upper-class brat who will lap up anything that reeks of "rebellion." Her personality is rather fluid. The first time she meets a "punk" or "anarchist" she'll take off her plaid jumper and saddle shoes and spend a hundred quid to become the overnight Real Anarchist Rebel Punk Rock Free Spirit Chick. Then when someone new comes along, she latches onto their point of view and holds them up as her god, casually booting the previous deity.So our little friends leave home because of their taxing and not-so-taxing home lives (TAR--Predatory, dependent and drunk mother; "He-beats-me-and-mum-up" Father, who also seems to be an alcoholic. GEMMA-- My Parents Dont Let ME Do ANYTHING!!!! I am SOOOO SICK of having warm croissants every day for breakfast! GAWD! WHY can't things just be MY WAY?)
They move about the city, finding new homes and new people, and meet and consequentially fall in with a couple. Rob and Lily live in a vacant house they've taken over-- a squat-- and invite Tar and Gemma to stay with them. Obvious, not-so-subtle foreshadowing lets the reader know that things wil be "taking a turn for the worse." Nearly everything happens just they way Mommy told you it would. The Bad Guys--Lily and Rob--have a white powder on aluminum foil which they are preparing and inhaling. Come on, guys. It's JUST heroin. It won't hurt you. You can stop anytime you want. Try it, you'll like it. It just makes you happy, that's all. The Rebellious Risk-Taking Friend takes it, and convices the Innocent, Concerned, Shy Nice Boy to "DO IT." Gemma in particular holds the belief that she's STRONG so nothing can "get" her. In each chapter written from her point of view, she constantly states that she's not an addict, she's having fun, Lily would NEVER do something that could hurt her,--everyone's typical idea of a budding junky. She's not in real-life, actual junky denial, she's just playing to the camera.
Nearly every situation in the book refers to a standard belief or stereotype of exactly how one "falls into" junky-dom. Blaring, ominous foreshadowing jumps off the page at each "wrong turn" the characters make. You wouldn't even have to read the rest of the book once you got about 2/3 into it. They take a little. A little more. If you're going to inhale it, why not pop it? If you're going to pop it, why not mainline it? (quote courtesy of The Basketball Diaries.) So they start out small, move on up to daily usage, etc etc etc, and of course their lives are falling to pieces. Everything happened like it would in a Disney documentary of users-become-addicts. Focusing more on the relationships and petty, trivial incidents rather than the actual heroin use, it was just a soap opera at many times. Actually, no. At least soap operas don't try and take themselves seriously. The highs and lows of addiction as presented by the book could be summed up as "It made me feel sooo happy" and "My stomach has cramps. I am in withdrawal. Wow. This hurts badly. I wish I had some methadone. Oh wait, hi Tar! I missed you! Wow! Let's Have a Party!" I'd hope that anyone who has read books other than Bugsy Goes to School and The Little Engine that Could can tell you that the storyline was nicely packed up and in to give standard, cooky-cutter descriptions of situations, characters, and later on, junkies. Even removing the situation (heroin), the writing itself screams "Condensed Version. Abridged and Simplified." It's like a Drug Addicts On The Street Baby-Sitter's Club novel.
Overall, a predictable, rather boring attempt at being dramatic, chilling, eye-opening, whatever cliched words you'd want to describe your "groundbreaking report on how heroin ruins one's life." If you want a book to read on the beach while you watch your kiddies play, or during Silent Reading at your school, fine. Here it is. i gave it 2 stars not because it deserves more than the lowest possible, but because there could be worse. The only merit of the book that could deserve the extra star would probably be the fact that there was no in-your-face preaching. That was attained by the sheer ridiculousness of many of the chapters or characters, and the author's obvious lack of actual heroin-user knowledge.
Many people know that heroin and drug-addiction fiction is too many times garbage anyway. If you want UK addiction in poverty, with the whole 3 situations offered by Smack PLUS-- all the ACTUAL happenings of the day to day life of a junky, just go with Trainspotting.
It's really not surprising that the book is found in the Young Adults Fiction section, and Amazon has it categorised as Young Adults Grades 10-12, Children 12-Up Fiction General, and Juvenile Fiction. Because right there's your ultimate overall description. Juvenile.
Book Review: Brilliant
Summary: 5 Stars
A brilliant book, full of wonderful and painful surprises. This honest and difficult account of two lost teens is not simply about the descent into heroin addiction, it is about the loss of innocence and the endless suffering of immature love. The narrative is a wonder, unfolding with such ease and clarity yet exposing the many layers of character and emotion. That we see, feel, and hear the protagonists and the many secondary characters from their own points-of-view adds a depth that both propels and illuminates the story's disturbing truth.This is not just a book for teens; it is for anyone who has felt the uncontrollable emotions of youthful love. And a must for parents, if only to remind us of the overwhelming difficulties of adolescence.
Book Review: CHILLING
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is a great read. I myself was a heroin addict for three years, but have been clean since May 10th 2003, something I got into with my boyfriend. It was a quick descent into hell. Both of us became shells of our former selves. Only difference is that we came from loving, stable households. I could totally relate to Tar & Gemma, only difference is that I am American, not British. It was sort of difficult to read, because as a former addict, reading about drug use, especially heroin, makes me think about it, something I don't need to do. But as this book is recommended for young adults, hopefully it will make them realize what hell life as an addict is, and steer clear of all drugs. However, as the book is recommended for "young adults" 12 and over (I, for one, don't consider 12-year-olds to be young adults, maybe 15-16 y/o) I think this book is too much for young kids and a lot would go not understood or misunderstood by a 6th grader.Book Review: Careful
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is a must read for all teens!If you have tampered with this kinda stuff before you can really relate to Mr Burgess discription, even if you havent its a once in a life time chance to see the drug world from another side.No matter how you have grown up and what you have tried in the past or what you havent, you will love what tar and gemma get up to.really really amazing book!!!
Just be carefull the book Smack and Junk are the same don't get caught out like i did!!