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michalice's review against another edition
4.0
The Deviants was a book I heard about just before YALC, and I was lucky enough to snag myself a copy whilst there. When I got home it found itself on my shelf for a few months before I got around to reading it. C.J. Skuse is an author that is pretty new to me, I've only ever read one of her books which I loved, so I was both eager and nervous to make a start on this one.
The Deviants is a book that progresses slowly, ensuring you get the whole picture of what has happened and what is currently going on. We get to see the history between this group of friends and how it all fell apart. The way the chapters are written was ingenious, they answer a question that has been asked in the previous chapter, leading us along the journey with the characters.
The Deviants is a book that holds its secrets well, giving you little hints throughout the pages leaving you to guess what happened and how it will all end. Although I did guess a few things that had happened, the complete picture was a surprise for me, and the emotions I went through with this revelation had me pausing for a few minutes. Part of me was happy and relieved it was finally out, that there would be no more secrets and lies, but another part of me was heartbroken for what the characters went through, for what they still go through every single day.
The characters of the story really appealed to me, even if they were occasional idiots and not thinking things through or acting nicely. They come from all walks of life and have thier own family issues going on, yet they somehow manage to re-group and form a nice little unit that really helps each other out (the basement trick was well deserved) and I quickly found myself falling into this world and really invested in the outcomes for all involved.
Final Verdict
My review is spoiler free, and hopefully doesn't give anything away by accident. I really enjoyed The Deviants, trying to unravel the twists and turns and 'solve' this mystery by myself. The end result was not what I expected at all, but thought it was a somewhat nice ending.
The Deviants is a book that progresses slowly, ensuring you get the whole picture of what has happened and what is currently going on. We get to see the history between this group of friends and how it all fell apart. The way the chapters are written was ingenious, they answer a question that has been asked in the previous chapter, leading us along the journey with the characters.
The Deviants is a book that holds its secrets well, giving you little hints throughout the pages leaving you to guess what happened and how it will all end. Although I did guess a few things that had happened, the complete picture was a surprise for me, and the emotions I went through with this revelation had me pausing for a few minutes. Part of me was happy and relieved it was finally out, that there would be no more secrets and lies, but another part of me was heartbroken for what the characters went through, for what they still go through every single day.
The characters of the story really appealed to me, even if they were occasional idiots and not thinking things through or acting nicely. They come from all walks of life and have thier own family issues going on, yet they somehow manage to re-group and form a nice little unit that really helps each other out (the basement trick was well deserved) and I quickly found myself falling into this world and really invested in the outcomes for all involved.
Final Verdict
My review is spoiler free, and hopefully doesn't give anything away by accident. I really enjoyed The Deviants, trying to unravel the twists and turns and 'solve' this mystery by myself. The end result was not what I expected at all, but thought it was a somewhat nice ending.
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
The Deviants is a dark and compelling story dealing with the tough subject of sexual abuse. Chapters start with a question, one being asked to Ella, who narrates, which gives it the feeling of her being in therapy or perhaps being questioned by police. The book starts with a body washing up on shore, then goes back to the events leading up to that point.
Ella is a star 400m runner sponsored by Max’s father but she has anger issues she refuses to deal with or talk about. She’s rather just punch something. Her relationship with Max is strained and I think it’s something that happens a lot and doesn’t get talked about. The assumption that everyone is having sex and it’s abnormal not to be, so they try and get it over and done with. Max seems to care about her though, and he ends up angry that she thinks she has to do something she doesn’t want to do to please him.
Corey is such a sweet character. He has cerebral palsy but that has never stopped him being a great friend and it’s not his defining feature. When his beloved cat Mort goes missing, the hunt brings the group of friends back together, all but one, and soon they are plotting revenge. But there are two sides to every story and the sleepy seaside town of Brynston is swimming with secrets.
I liked the twisted Famous Five vibe. There is a definite sense of loss of innocence amongst the group and a desire to go back to the simple old days, where they had picnics and adventures and they could dare Fallon to do pretty much anything.
There were a few little details here and there which didn’t seem quite right and pulled me out of the moment, but I think that was just my picky brain. Like there’s a real food hygiene problem going on in Fallon’s basement if her mum is actually making black pudding for sale down there and Neil seemed awfully rich for someone who owns some garden centres in what felt like quite a rural place. But none of these things are crucial to the characters or plot. Neil managed to still be perfectly repugnant and smug with his obsession with how much he spends on things.
I’m not sure I liked the epilogue, it went on quite a bit about how everyone was doing after the story had really ended. It took a little bit of the wind out of what was otherwise a powerful story.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Ella is a star 400m runner sponsored by Max’s father but she has anger issues she refuses to deal with or talk about. She’s rather just punch something. Her relationship with Max is strained and I think it’s something that happens a lot and doesn’t get talked about. The assumption that everyone is having sex and it’s abnormal not to be, so they try and get it over and done with. Max seems to care about her though, and he ends up angry that she thinks she has to do something she doesn’t want to do to please him.
Corey is such a sweet character. He has cerebral palsy but that has never stopped him being a great friend and it’s not his defining feature. When his beloved cat Mort goes missing, the hunt brings the group of friends back together, all but one, and soon they are plotting revenge. But there are two sides to every story and the sleepy seaside town of Brynston is swimming with secrets.
I liked the twisted Famous Five vibe. There is a definite sense of loss of innocence amongst the group and a desire to go back to the simple old days, where they had picnics and adventures and they could dare Fallon to do pretty much anything.
There were a few little details here and there which didn’t seem quite right and pulled me out of the moment, but I think that was just my picky brain. Like there’s a real food hygiene problem going on in Fallon’s basement if her mum is actually making black pudding for sale down there and Neil seemed awfully rich for someone who owns some garden centres in what felt like quite a rural place. But none of these things are crucial to the characters or plot. Neil managed to still be perfectly repugnant and smug with his obsession with how much he spends on things.
I’m not sure I liked the epilogue, it went on quite a bit about how everyone was doing after the story had really ended. It took a little bit of the wind out of what was otherwise a powerful story.
Review copy provided by publisher.
hearts4diavolo's review
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
to_be_read_by_fran's review against another edition
3.0
What a whirlwind of emotions these last few pages were. I haven’t stopped crying yet and this book is not one of my faves. I noted a lot of spelling mistakes throughout which kind of disrupted the mood. I found it that it has the same vibes from we were liars. Same aesthetic and same vibes. At first i thought it was a bit of cliche. You’ve got all the bad things happening to these one group of people that are highly not imaginable in a group of 5. But the ending is something which tied it all together. Would give it 4 stars if it weren’t for the spelling mistakes and some time lack of description because it’s a lovely story with a found family trope.
shriti_sunshine's review against another edition
4.0
I loved 'We Were Liars' and this book comes a close second in that category for having YA characters that deal with deeper, darker, complicated issues than the norm.
I read this in one sitting even though I almost always knew what was coming, except the last part that is. The characters feel less YA and more adult, but really, it is their story - from the loss of innocence to adulthood - that gently pulls you into the book.
Recommended for anyone looking for a super #QuickRead and/or #meaningful #YAliterature.
I read this in one sitting even though I almost always knew what was coming, except the last part that is. The characters feel less YA and more adult, but really, it is their story - from the loss of innocence to adulthood - that gently pulls you into the book.
Recommended for anyone looking for a super #QuickRead and/or #meaningful #YAliterature.
girlreading's review against another edition
3.0
3.5* ~ This wasn't what I had expected. I thought it was going to be a simple revenge story but it ended up being a lot darker, with some deeper themes. I definitely recommend this to people who loved 'We Were Liars' by E. Lockhart as, although I didn't love 'We Were Liars', this definitely has a similar feel to it and I know a lot of people adore that book!
Read my full review for 'Deviants' on my blog. http://girlreading.co.uk/bookreviews/the-deviants-by-c-j-skuse-book-review/
Read my full review for 'Deviants' on my blog. http://girlreading.co.uk/bookreviews/the-deviants-by-c-j-skuse-book-review/
thereza's review against another edition
4.0
started kinda slow but OMG this book is beautiful.and sad and raw.i didn't expect this at all.made me feel empty and complete at the same time.you just need to read this book,go through the first 100 pages and then it just gets better and better.*hides in my room and cries for a month*
phdoingmydamnbest's review against another edition
5.0
So when Harper Collins approached me with the synopsis of this book I am not ashamed to say I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE to read an ARC of it. I had never read anything by CJ Skuse before but had heard good things on the YA circuit, but I have always been a massive fan of Enid Blyton- particularly The Secret Seven and The Famous Five.
This book is like a fantastic gritty, authentic, YA version of The Famous Five. It's really very cleverly done so that even the chapter headings sound like something from a Blyton novel. It adds a real sinister and dark element to the writing having these reminders of fluffy, light, children's books open the chapters that can sometimes contain some pretty harrowing things. The Deviants reads like an adventure-mystery story of days gone by, but with a grit and urgency untouched by Blyton in her books where you knew everything was bound to come right in the end. If CJ Skuse wasn't busy writing fab YA fiction I'd bet money she'd be a dab hand at crime thrillers; she can create a small cast of vividly coloured, intricately connected characters, a serious plot, well paced with well placed clues and red herrings, and a fantastically (though devastatingly) satisfying ending.
SERIOUSLY, I applaud her for the ending, not many writers of any genre have the nerve or the finesse to pull off an ending like that. Skuse is up there with E. Lockart and Sarah Crossan for creating an emotional and authentic ending in YA.
This book also explores some pretty harrowing themes but caught my interest for its unflinching look at childhood and the loss of childhood in becoming a teenager in a largely rural community in England. The setting, like in most Blyton novels, is a character in itself and the novel would be completely different without the (I imagine) Cornwellian setting.
Alcohol, drugs, sex, sexuality, pregnancy, class divides, friendship (old and new), love, and loss- but all done with a light and respectful hand that never comes across as too much (which, lets be honest, is so easy to do when dealing with teenage characters). Skuse walks the fine line between presenting a cliched and unfair representation of teenage life and an idealised, pompous, unbelievable colouring of the same subject. Her writing feels REAL and I really enjoyed it as a result.
-This is quite an emotional book, so fair warning you maybe/probably/definitely will make you cry (or maybe I am just a mega wuss). But yes, definitely a 5 star review from me!
Booklove,
Grace
This book is like a fantastic gritty, authentic, YA version of The Famous Five. It's really very cleverly done so that even the chapter headings sound like something from a Blyton novel. It adds a real sinister and dark element to the writing having these reminders of fluffy, light, children's books open the chapters that can sometimes contain some pretty harrowing things. The Deviants reads like an adventure-mystery story of days gone by, but with a grit and urgency untouched by Blyton in her books where you knew everything was bound to come right in the end. If CJ Skuse wasn't busy writing fab YA fiction I'd bet money she'd be a dab hand at crime thrillers; she can create a small cast of vividly coloured, intricately connected characters, a serious plot, well paced with well placed clues and red herrings, and a fantastically (though devastatingly) satisfying ending.
SERIOUSLY, I applaud her for the ending, not many writers of any genre have the nerve or the finesse to pull off an ending like that. Skuse is up there with E. Lockart and Sarah Crossan for creating an emotional and authentic ending in YA.
This book also explores some pretty harrowing themes but caught my interest for its unflinching look at childhood and the loss of childhood in becoming a teenager in a largely rural community in England. The setting, like in most Blyton novels, is a character in itself and the novel would be completely different without the (I imagine) Cornwellian setting.
Alcohol, drugs, sex, sexuality, pregnancy, class divides, friendship (old and new), love, and loss- but all done with a light and respectful hand that never comes across as too much (which, lets be honest, is so easy to do when dealing with teenage characters). Skuse walks the fine line between presenting a cliched and unfair representation of teenage life and an idealised, pompous, unbelievable colouring of the same subject. Her writing feels REAL and I really enjoyed it as a result.
-This is quite an emotional book, so fair warning you maybe/probably/definitely will make you cry (or maybe I am just a mega wuss). But yes, definitely a 5 star review from me!
Booklove,
Grace
hazelstaybookish's review
1.0
I have never been one to shy away from gritty topics. In fact, I usually find myself in awe of books that are brave enough to tackle them. But despite all the issues that The Deviants packs in its pages, this book unfortunately didn't make me feel as emotional as it was supposed to. I was just so detached from the voice, and disappointed by how predictable the story was. I badly wanted to find myself invested in the characters, feel their hurt and their grief, but I just couldn't. The ending wasn't very satisfying either, sadly.
thesilmarillions's review against another edition
3.0
This was a free arc given to me by Mira Ink in exchange for an honest review.
A group of friends reunited to take revenge on the people who torment them? This is definitely a concept I can get behind. But it did take me a little while to get into it. Luckily, it took just under 50 pages to get me from plodding through to racing.
Ella was sort of dull at first, and Max is a complete douche. Basically. The beginning is the two of them on a date. Max has recreated their first date in the garden centre his dad owns (only with more fairy lights and Yankee Candles). An awkward almost-sex scene and a talk later, and things finally start to get a lot better. The minute we finally meet Corey, the story starts moving.
This book looks at a lot of different topics in a pretty short space of time (such as sex and sexuality, disabilities, teen pregnancies, to name a few). And for that, it made things kind of busy. Sometimes it felt like there were so many things going on at once that I occasionally forgot who was dealing with what. In a way, it showed that each character was living with their own problems. But at the same time, it was a lot of information to process in the short time it was all given out. Had it been spread out a bit more, it may not have been so jarring.
I loved the setting of the small town where everyone knew everyone. I loved seeing this group of friends reunited after years apart. I loved Fallon and Corey. I loved the theme of justice through the whole book, of righting wrongs and people getting what they deserved.
In a twisted way, it was fun to see Ella, Max, Corey and Fallon get payback. And much of what they did was inspired by the stories Jess (Max's late sister) told them when they were young. It was an awesome way to make her a main character without her being there.
Although I really did enjoy this book, the pacing just wasn't quite right for me. The setting, characters and descriptions I loved. The generally slow, often meandering, narrative is probably what made me go through the book so fast. And then about five revelations would happen at once and I'm slammed back to reality and need to take a minute to understand what happened. Or maybe I'm just bitter that Ella stayed at Max's side despite his every action screaming no at me.
A group of friends reunited to take revenge on the people who torment them? This is definitely a concept I can get behind. But it did take me a little while to get into it. Luckily, it took just under 50 pages to get me from plodding through to racing.
Ella was sort of dull at first, and Max is a complete douche. Basically. The beginning is the two of them on a date. Max has recreated their first date in the garden centre his dad owns (only with more fairy lights and Yankee Candles). An awkward almost-sex scene and a talk later, and things finally start to get a lot better. The minute we finally meet Corey, the story starts moving.
This book looks at a lot of different topics in a pretty short space of time (such as sex and sexuality, disabilities, teen pregnancies, to name a few). And for that, it made things kind of busy. Sometimes it felt like there were so many things going on at once that I occasionally forgot who was dealing with what. In a way, it showed that each character was living with their own problems. But at the same time, it was a lot of information to process in the short time it was all given out. Had it been spread out a bit more, it may not have been so jarring.
I loved the setting of the small town where everyone knew everyone. I loved seeing this group of friends reunited after years apart. I loved Fallon and Corey. I loved the theme of justice through the whole book, of righting wrongs and people getting what they deserved.
In a twisted way, it was fun to see Ella, Max, Corey and Fallon get payback. And much of what they did was inspired by the stories Jess (Max's late sister) told them when they were young. It was an awesome way to make her a main character without her being there.
Although I really did enjoy this book, the pacing just wasn't quite right for me. The setting, characters and descriptions I loved. The generally slow, often meandering, narrative is probably what made me go through the book so fast. And then about five revelations would happen at once and I'm slammed back to reality and need to take a minute to understand what happened. Or maybe I'm just bitter that Ella stayed at Max's side despite his every action screaming no at me.