Reader, Banjo and Finlay have stolen my heart – in a way I do not think any characters have stolen my heart before (apart from possibly Charlie and Nick from Heartstopper). These two ‘Glasgow Boys’ deserve all the love in the world, as well as the life that neither of them has managed to experience yet – and that you hope they will experience by the end of the book.
Banjo and Finlay have grown up in the care system, they have had different paths that get them there but sadly they both do not understand that it is the adults and the system that have let them down. And, they are not to blame for the sort of life they have sadly ended up living – in fact, Finlay has managed to get himself to university, which is an achievement he does not seem to think he deserves. As we read their story, first separately and then as a pair, as we realise they were once friends, but what tore them apart? And we see what they really both need is people to love them and for them to love, and an understanding that they deserve this – and any success that they have in life.
This book made me ugly cry, and I am not afraid to admit it. The story is beautifully told, with sensitivity and emotion. The characters are well-rounded and you believe in every moment, incident and conversation on the page. The chapters alternate between Banjo and Finlay’s viewpoint, and I think that brings you closer to the characters, as you see how they are feeling, what they are thinking and what makes them who they are.
Margaret McDonald is a very talented writer and it is hard to believe that this is a debut novel, but it is definitely one that deserved to win the ‘Carnegie Medal for Writing’. It is clear that she loves her characters as much as the readers do. I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen to me. It may be a YA novel, but it can be enjoyed and loved by adult readers also – and rightfully so.
If you have seen this book around and ever been tempted to read it, take this as your sign that you should, because you will not be disappointed.