Thrill Seekers

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Ransom Publishing

ISBN

9781785916755

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

01-01-2019

Synopsis

The Oxley Creek Boys are thrill seekers; young, invincible and willing to risk everything to feel alive. Drink, drugs, sex - it's all theirs for the taking. But things change. Brian's dad is dead and his little brother Douggie has started hearing voices. When the thrill is gone, is there nowhere left to go, no direction home?Set in Brisbane, and told as a series of skilfully linked short first-person narratives, this fast-moving and gripping story deals with teenage issues and tough topics.Reader Reviews\"The Thrill Seekers was touching. It was deep. It was mature and it was poignant. It had a very good and meaningful plot. I would be interested in reading other books in the series.\" - Faith Mutyiri, Holy Road High\"A lot of teenagers will be able to relate to the issues in this book, such as losing a family member and addiction. It is a gritty read but the events and bad language are all realistic. The fact that it is bleak and depressing makes it more effective and highlights it's message - drink and drugs are not to be treated lightly.\" - Michael Ferguson, St Thomas of Aquin's High, Teen Reads \"I usually read to escape from reality, but I admire the author for tackling issues like crime, poverty and drugs. The book cover is really striking - it is almost like it has special effects.\" - Breagh Shaw, St Thomas of Aquin's High, Teen Reads

Reviews

Cutting edge. Raw. Powerful. Thrill Seekers is an intense ride through the lives of young boys for whom life has simply become too much. With every chapter a little mini story in itself, this story will grip readers with its realistic setting (Brisbane) and characters. The tale follows 'Brian', whose Father dies in the opening few chapters, leaving behind his mother and brother Douggie for Brian to now look after. But, it all becomes too much as Brian's mother turns to alcohol and Douggie starts hearing and seeing things. Brian and his mates - the 'Oxley Creek Boys' - spend almost every evening drinking until they pass out, doing copious amounts of drugs and having a lot of sex in attempts to find their place in the world. But, things begin to spiral out of control and Brian is forced to 'wake up' and realise the reality of his life and must learn to grow up. But with friendships dying, his brother locked up and his own mental health hanging in the balance, suddenly life isn't so easy. At first I found this a difficult read it does contain a lot of expletives, excessive drug/alcohol use and sexual violence. However, the moral behind the tale of these boys is an interesting take on modern society. This tale depicts the severe dangers of drug/alcohol abuse and accurately pin points how difficult it can be to find a way out of the cycle. I would say that I would not recommend this to any of the teenagers in my classroom due to its intense content. However, it is delightfully fresh and original so would recommend to older/responsible readers. This is the sort of book that you think about for a long time afterwards and which makes you look at youth culture with a fresh perspective. The characters feel intensely real, the narratives feel real and by the end you ache with the truth of what you have just read. On this merit alone, this book deserves to do well. 176 pages / Ages 14+ / Reviewed by Joanna Hewish, teacher.