Book Review - Run, Rebel

 Title: Run, Rebel

Author: Manjeet Mann 

Publisher: Penguin 

Release Date: 5 Mar. 2020 

ISBN-13 : 978-0241411421 

Synopsis

When Amber runs, it's the only time she feels completely free - far away from her claustrophobic home life. Her father wants her to be a dutiful daughter, waiting for an arranged marriage like her sister Ruby.
Running is a quiet rebellion. But Amber wants so much more - and she's ready to fight for it.
It's time for a revolution. 

 My Review

This is another one of the Carnegie shortlist books I have been given to read. I wasn't sure what to expect before picking it up, although it's nearly 400 pages, it is written in verse so I knew it would be quite a quick read. I'm a bit hesitant about verse novels as it seems to be a trend that everyone is jumping on at the moment and some are brilliant but others are shocking. So I tried to approach this with as open a mind as possible. 

Amber lives with her very strict father, who expects her to be the perfect daughter, follwoing the rules and preparing for an arranged marriage when the time comes, but Amber wants to live her own life and follow her own destiny, she loves nothing more that to run and when she gets the chance to join the school team and train towards a future as an athlete she has to decide whether it is worth upsetting her family in order to follow her dreams.

Along the way we meet Ambers 2 friends whi try to keep her grounded, but even they have their moments where Amber wonders why they hang out with her, will the two of them fall in love and leave her behind and will they ever find out about her harsh home life, having to witness her fathers violent outbursts towards her mother, and sometimes herself.

The book does deal with domestic violence and abuse, along with the strains put on children of foreign parents who can't speak English, meaning the children have to be responsible for everything. Although these are heavy issues, the books verse style and the way the author has presented them, make them easier to read and deal with. They are still as serious as ever, but it isn't too graphic which allows you to emphasise with Amber and wish for a change along with her. 

I liked how Amber grew and developed across the novel, in so few words you see her go from a scared, submissive girl into a girl capable of rebellion, but it's not a quick change - you see it build across a time scale that would be totally believable and it's heart warming to see. I found myself growing to like her more and more and rooting for her to succeed. However my favourite character is her mother - she emerges even more than Amber does and I desperately wanted her to get free and live her own life.

This is certainly not the sort of book I would usually pick up, which is why I love this Carnegie award as it is exposing me to different types of novel and allowing me to get immersed in a mixture of different worlds. This is a powerful and moving novel that is easily accessible and gripping. 

My Rating