Kevin Brooks has come up with book after book of tightly written, modern writing with both feet firmly panted in the real world. Martyn Pig was a classic with its black humour. Being was almost sci-fi in its content and a real page-turning right through to its gloriously ‘up in the air’ ending. Black Rabbit Summer, nominated for this years Carnegie Medal, was deeply routed in today’s society, producing controversy when it was banned by certain schools.
Killing God is another brilliantly woven tale of modern Britain. Before anyone starts to think about banning this book however, its not an anti-religion book. It follows the story of Dawn Bundy a fifteen year old girl and she struggles to fit in. She professes to not caring what she looks like. Her dad disappeared when she was 13 and ever since then she’s blamed god.
In true Brooks fashion however, she’s using all of this to hide a terrible secret. Her mother has turned to drink and drugs as a way of coping. Dawn disappears into her own world where her only friends appear to be her two dogs, Jesus and Mary, a loner called Splodge and her music in the form of the Jesus and Mary Chain – whose lyrics grace most chapters. That is until two of the ‘coolest’ girls in school befriend her.
Once again Kevin has produced a great work of fiction. You start to run out of superlatives after a while when describing his writing. Brooks produces yet again the high standard of writing you’ve come to expect. In his catalogue there’s not one ‘bum’ book. It’s not surprising that both teenagers and adults rate him highly.
