Three Bullets

Well Melvin Burgess has done it again – what a book!

I love his style of writing and I don’t care that some people see it as controversial. He knows how to write directly to his audience – young adults, and as a school librarian I really appreciate it. Yes, this book is full of language and statements you may never see in other YA books, but that’s makes it even more identifiable for the reader to relate to. We have all been teenagers, we know what it is like, but I would not want to be a teenager in the current climate. So, having these books like Three Bullets available to them is amazing.

I loved how most of this book was set in and around Manchester which is local to me. I really identified with the location. My favourite character is Marti and how she takes charge of the situation they are facing. She is brave, courageous but loyal to her family. Her younger brother, Rowan, will do anything that Marti says, he really looks up to her and she will do ANYTHING to protect him, even if it means using one of the three bullets she carries with her.

Full of twists and turns throughout, this book may cover some ‘taboo’ subjects like sex, bad language, racism, supremacy and LGBTQ+ but Melvin also writes with such sensitivity it doesn’t over step the line and is actually quite educational by tackling controversial subjects that young people need to know more about.

I absolutely loved this book and will be stocking it in my school library (yes for older readers) but I think school children really need access to books like these. Thank you Melvin for producing another fabulous novel for the young people of today.

This book is perfect for fans of Malorie Blackman and Keren David.

Set in the UK, but one being ravaged by a brutal civil war, this novel tells the story of two teenagers and a toddler who flee from Manchester. It addresses many difficult issues: race, gender, family, violence and is not an easy read. It is, however, thought-provoking and original and I certainly found it compelling.