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A review by katykelly
Troublemakers by Catherine Barter
5.0
Trouble in the family, the city... the past
Alena is 15 and does not remember her mother, who died when she was a baby. Since then she has been cared for by her older brother Danny and his boyfriend Nick in London.
While an unknown bomber threatens the city, Alena finds explosive material of her own within her own family, as she tries to expose her brother's long-held knowledge of her activist mother. Socialist Nick's coffee shop (Ground), and Danny's right-leaning mayoral candidate boss all bring about a mixture of political and social instability and tension.
It was a remarkably seamless set of situations that meshed together into a cohesive plot. The theme pulls each storyline strand in, and each character was rather intriguing. Danny is frustrating but admirable, a responsible guardian still mourning his mother and unable to be open with Alena. Nick is the more relaxed of the pair and you are meant to sympathise with him more easily. Alena herself I found read a little younger than 15, not only do her parents treat her as a younger teenager but she herself doesn't sound quite her age, a little too 'good'. The minor characters as well were memorable and had a lot to say for themselves.
The combination of stories kept my interest throughout, I've not read any YA books with activism and bombs featured. I really wanted to find out more about Alena's family, and to see how Danny's job promoting the dubious-seeming candidate went.
I admit to having a tear in my eye once or twice, revelations were quite emotional. And I applaud the author for featuring a less-common family, with a sibling guardian and his partner shown in a sympathetic light and as excellent, caring parents.
A lot to think about here, and with no inappropriate context, this would make a suitable and appealing group read for book clubs as well as readers aged 13+.
Alena is 15 and does not remember her mother, who died when she was a baby. Since then she has been cared for by her older brother Danny and his boyfriend Nick in London.
While an unknown bomber threatens the city, Alena finds explosive material of her own within her own family, as she tries to expose her brother's long-held knowledge of her activist mother. Socialist Nick's coffee shop (Ground), and Danny's right-leaning mayoral candidate boss all bring about a mixture of political and social instability and tension.
It was a remarkably seamless set of situations that meshed together into a cohesive plot. The theme pulls each storyline strand in, and each character was rather intriguing. Danny is frustrating but admirable, a responsible guardian still mourning his mother and unable to be open with Alena. Nick is the more relaxed of the pair and you are meant to sympathise with him more easily. Alena herself I found read a little younger than 15, not only do her parents treat her as a younger teenager but she herself doesn't sound quite her age, a little too 'good'. The minor characters as well were memorable and had a lot to say for themselves.
The combination of stories kept my interest throughout, I've not read any YA books with activism and bombs featured. I really wanted to find out more about Alena's family, and to see how Danny's job promoting the dubious-seeming candidate went.
I admit to having a tear in my eye once or twice, revelations were quite emotional. And I applaud the author for featuring a less-common family, with a sibling guardian and his partner shown in a sympathetic light and as excellent, caring parents.
A lot to think about here, and with no inappropriate context, this would make a suitable and appealing group read for book clubs as well as readers aged 13+.