Reviews

Run, Riot by Nikesh Shukla

katykelly's review

3.0

3.5 stars

Meatspace was brilliant, an on-the-money look at a social-media-obsessed world. Shukla here turns to the YA audience and a selection of other hot topics: gangs, violence, corruption.

Twins Taran and Hari live in a rundown estate, after their Dad's chemo and unfairly rising rents out-priced them from a nicer area. They've settled there, made friends. In a THUG-like (Angie Thomas) scenario though, things come crashing down very quickly.

The tragic setup that they film sets up a community-spanning set of events that endangers their group of friends as they try to work out why things are happening and if they can work things out for themselves.

While I liked the overall scenario and aim of the book, I didn't really get a feel for the protagonists, and the key scene that sets off the plot didn't make sense to me - it seemed unrealistic that it would take place as it did (I don't want to specify to avoid spoilers). Characters also seem to recover from the shock/grief of it quite quickly as well, and the character involved, I felt, never got a chance to explain why he let it happen.

It may have detracted from the novel, listening to this on audiobook. I might have felt more flow reading this on paper/e-reader, rather than disjointedly over several days in the car via Audible. I also didn't feel the narrator conveyed the voices I expected in my mind for these young people in this particular setting.

The hidden story (again, no spoilers) was one I wasn't sure teenage readers would care too much about, they are more likely to be interested in the relationship between youth and the police, gangs and related crimes, family and loyalty. I lost interest in listening a few times and had to backtrack.

I'd say this will have an audience. I just don't think I'm 'it'.

With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.

patchworkbunny's review

3.0

Run, Riot is Nikesh Shukla's first young adult novel, set in a tower block in an un-named UK city (but I think it's Bristol). The action takes place in the 24 hours following the murder of a youth by the police, with a group of friends trying to flee the tower and release the evidence. It tackles themes of gentrification and corruption as well as racism and it was great to see this from a British perspective.

carolineroche's review

5.0

I had this book as a prepub and it is so good I have ordered it for my school library. Set in a tower block in London that is under threat from developers, this takes place in one night when violence erupts and four teenagers are caught up in a web of lies, deceit and police corruption and brutality. This is a good story about the importance of cohesion and the fight back of a disadvantaged community against gentrification. Excellent read.

missoliviareadsbooks's review

5.0

WOW! WOW! WOW!! I struggled to keep up with the pace at the start but once I found my feet - I was blown away by this!!
(4.5 stars!!)

mairi96's review

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

oliviaehrhart's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

thebookguru's review

2.0

DNF

truth be told this IS A GREAT CONCEPT THIS BOOK HAD SO MUCH POTENTIAL but the execution was just...meh...

I honestly felt nothing for the characters and the writing was a bit all over the place for me.

I really wanted to love this book especially because BRITISH YA BY A POC about police brutality etc but I wasn’t feeling it AT ALL.

lydiahephzibah's review

4.0

How does this only have 31 reviews? This book is being slept on and it deserves more; it feels like the UK's answer to THUG and it is scary. It took me a while to get into it but then I had to know what would happen.

kba76's review

4.0

What do you do when the people who’ve vowed to serve and protect you are the ones causing trouble? Sadly, the teens we follow through the course of this novel are forced to find out.
Thanks to NetGalley for granting me access to this prior to publication.
It’s an explosive read, with a growing sense of injustice and anger that builds to an unforgettable climax. I’d like to say we were truly in the realms of something that could never happen, but know that’s not the case.
We follow Taran and her twin through a momentous evening. It begins with the death of a local man at the hands of the police. Asking someone to document what happened and not intervene suggests he knew what was coming - and as we work out the extent to which the corruption has spread the sense of injustice was palpable.

madeleine_webb's review

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0