Amazing book, I love Benjamin Zephaniah and he continues to be a brilliant voice for our kids.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest feedback.

Brilliant book!
I did go into reading this book thinking purely about students/ya reading this but a few chapters in and I was hooked and read it for my own enjoyment and forgot about reading it to recommend. Very powerful, gripping and moving.

This was an audiobook from NetGalley. I really enjoyed it but found at one stage that I could not listen for a while because of the tension and what I felt was building. In the end my predictions were incorrect. The author’s version was much more effective.

The reader is good using some different voices for different characters.

It is a tale about friendship and how this can be difficult to maintain when you are growing up and people change often through experiencing different things, or the same event but in different ways.

There is an important message about looks and how these can be deceptive, how it is what you do and how you behave that is really important. This is also a story of a potential tear away developing and learning that hard work and friendship is better. It is also a powerful advocate for making sure you talk to others about your anxieties and how supportive parents are very valuable.

It is a moral story in many ways but it does not over do this, it is combined with a story that should appeal to both boys and girls aged from 14 to 16. I feel the listening experience was rewarding. The written book would be just as good.

I received the audiobook version of the book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I read from the author and I'm definitely going to continue reading him.

Please read theblurb of the story as here is just my opinion.

This YA book stands out from anything else I've read, as the characters seem smart and mature enough for their age, they felt real deep but shallow as most middle class young adults are. I particularly like that Martin, out main character, has a good support system, his parents are around for him. The adults are there to help him when he needs it. Maybe that was a little too perfect. But it's very refreshing given that most books targeted to YA audiences treats adults as old fashion, narrow minded, out of touch with the world, so this is was a good change for me.

The friendships depicted here are a little more stereotypical of the genre, but think some characters were not properly explored, particularly Mathew as he was a close friend to Martin and after the accident that both were in, Mathew basically just vanished.

The writing style is outstanding, there is a very nice flow to the story telling, and how the events developed, introducing new characters seamlessly. As I read it in an audio format, I can also comment on the versatility of the voice of the narrator Ben Bailey Smith, his voice has a velvety texture to it and manages to separate the characters with small inflexions and change of tone. I really like when that happens. It keeps you listening.

Don't judge a book by its cover.
This was a powerful read, highlighting the subject of image and other people's reaction to disfigurement. It reminded me of Wonder by R. J. Palacio, another Young Adult book that I really enjoyed.

Martin is a fortunate teenager; he has a crowd of mates and a stunning girlfriend. Unfortunately he makes one bad decision and ends up in hospital with serious facial burns. He has to come to terms with his new appearance, his parents' reaction to his injuries, and then his friends and the rest of the school. It's a lot to deal with and we travel with Martin on this journey of self discovery.
This would be an excellent prompt for discussion about prejudices regarding appearance and our reaction to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Like Refugee Boy that I also listened to recently, Face was brilliantly read by Ben Bailey Smith, who moves seamlessly in and out of a London accent. I shall certainly look out for other books with his narration.

I feel like I've read this book loads of time and yet I'd forgotten the plot aside from the joyriding. It was great to hear on audiobook, and whilst significantly dated (it must be 20 years old?) elements remain interesting. Martin's relationship with his friends, his position as the "leader" and his reactions to the changing dynamics of growing apart are universal, and his love for his family haven't aged. His relationship with the therapist feels more suited to 2020, and his emotional honesty is lovely to read. Elements of London have changed, the "novelty" of making Black friends seems particularly odd, alongside his dislike of rap. I loved the gymnastics plot. The narration, by Ben Bailey-Smith, was unsurprisingly good.

This is my second audiobook by this author/ narrator combination and I think it works really well. Benjamin Bailey Smith (narrator) has a clear, crisp voice which allows these emotional stories to be told without sensationalising the events that take place. The story, written by Zephaniah, is allowed to tell itself.

There are several characters at the beginning of 'Face' as you meet Martin and his gang. I did find the narration a little confusing at this point, as each person is not given a unique voice by the narrator. However, this settled down as the story captured my attention and I got caught up in events.

I did not enjoy the story line of Face as much as Refugee Boy, but this is not the fault of the narrator, but just that I was less convinced by Martin's reaction to his situation following a terrible car accident. I felt that Martin adjusted to a life-changing situation incredibly quickly with relatively few emotional bumps along the way. His friendships and relationship with his girlfriend are irrevocably changed and he just seems to accept it and move on; this might be the desired approach, but I can't believe there would be no real sense of despair, hatred, anger or frustration. Martin makes a bad choice and it is going to have lifelong consequences which I don't think this book really explored enough.

As an audiobook, I enjoyed the narrator's voice and ability to convey the events without encroaching on them.

Having listened to (and loved) another of Zephaniah’s audiobooks (also narrated by Bailey Smith) I was really looking forward to this one, and I was not disappointed. I really like his writing style; he’s able to cover such complicated topics such as peer pressure, drugs, youth crime, racism, young relationships, preconceptions and a whole host of others, without it getting too heavy or bogged down. There’s a lot of feeling going on in this short read and he’s able to include positive messages at the end that everyone can relate and take notice from. Bailey Smith does an excellent job in narration duty once more.

Ben Bailey Smith narrated this book perfectly. He has a great voice which worked well with Benjamin Zephaniah’s story. The tale is moving. A lad is involved in a car crash and ends up badly burnt. It is a YA story so not long or going too deep, but I found it a good read (listen?) and would definitely recommend it to any youngsters struggling with ‘differences’. It takes on different reactions and explains about very young children’s reactions. We have a whirlwind ride through denial, depression, acceptance and strength.

I am very familiar with this story having taught it to my GCSE drama class for a good few years.
I have read the book, read the play but was yet to listen to the audio book.

I really enjoyed the audio version - I think the narrator was absolutely perfect for this story.

The story does feel a bit outdated now - purely because of the 'hip and cool' teenage language used, but the actual themes are incredibly important and something that should be read and discussed with young people.
I think this audiobook is probably my favourite version as it really brings it to life!

This story was so well written. It highlights many modern issues teenagers face. The main character is amazing. You really feel for him. I listened to this as an audio book and really like the narrator. His voices brought the characters to life. This was such a good book to help teenagers see how easy it is to mess up and the effects one error can have on the rest of your life. So good!