Mice by Gordon Reece (Young Adult)

February 2012, Macmillan
330 pages, Paperback
Review copies

Themes: bullying, domestic violence, abuse, mean girls, home tutoring, crime, fear of discovery, black humour, some strong violence

Summary from My Kinda Book website
  

Sixteen year old Shelley and her mother move to Honeysuckle cottage in the middle of the countryside, fleeing their fears and anxieties and hoping to put behind them years of suffering at the hands of others. 

Shelley has endured terrible bullying from the girls who used to be her best friends, and her mother has been left reeling following a divorce from her selfish, demanding husband. For Shelley and her mother are ‘mice’ – timid, nervous and obliging. And for a while, in their cottage-haven, the women flourish.

But one night, their fragile peace is shattered when Shelley wakes to hear a creak on the stairs. Someone has broken into the house . . .

In the shocking, chilling events that follow, Shelley’s world is turned on its head, as the women find themselves tested as never before. And as their lives spiral out of control, the tension reaches fever pitch, and Shelley begins to wonder: if she and her mother are not mice after all, then what are they?

Nayuleska's thoughts
The book started as I expected, and I felt so sorry for Shelley. Sadly I know that kind of bullying happens these days. What happens afterwards blew my mind away. The various emotions and consequences of what happened were well written. I'd hoped for quite a different ending, which is why this is an 8/10 read.

You can find out more on Gordon's website.

Suggested read

For another tale ofbullying that gives pause for thought is Wonder by R J Palacio