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| Junk |  | Author: Melvin Burgess
Publisher: Bolinda Audio Books
Category: Book
List Price: £13.99
Buy New: £12.70
You Save: £1.29 (9%)
New (3) from £12.70
Avg. Customer Rating:  98 reviews
Sales Rank: 793986
Format: Audiobook
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Items: 7
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 5.8 x 5.5 x 1
ISBN: 1740945271
EAN: 9781740945271
ASIN: 1740945271
Publication Date: November 1, 2003
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: 7 CD set. Read by Katrina Baylis. Brand new & sealed. Mint Condition; We post daily by Royal Mail,from Uk location, Wrapped in bubble and inserted in jiffy bag ;Priority Airmail used Worldwide on International orders
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
Junk is an extraordinary book, and walks a terrain that is at once terrifying and totally compelling.Tar and Gemma are in love. Tar has reasons for running away from home that run deep and sour, whereas Gemma, with her middle-class roots firmly on show, has a deep-rooted lust for adventure. Together they explore the dark world of the streets as, together, they explore the dark world of drugs, moving quickly on from the first hit of heroin that takes them towards bliss, to the next hit that ultimately leads to despair. Melvyn Burgess packs one hell of a punch in Junk, a book that is certainly unnerving in its honesty about two teenagers and their very different reasons for wanting to flee their families and their lives. The narrative is simple and to the point, adding fire to the characterisation of the two main protagonists as they dive deeper into their love affair with heroin and each other. Burgess hits hard with his convincing handling of controversial subjects ranging from alcohol abuse, prostitution, teenage pregnancy and child abuse, skilfully moving the plot and the characters forward with a pace that mirrors Tar and Gemma's spiralling relationship. Junk is a must-read for any teenager who enjoys gritty realism and a gutsy, honest approach to the books they read. But be warned, this book is not for the faint-hearted: the language is realistic, the situations are occasionally terrifying, and Burgess certainly does not glamorise any aspect of Tar and Gemma's lifestyle. Parents of teenagers should take a close look too. Age 12 and over--Susan Harrison
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| Customer Reviews: Read 93 more reviews...
 Brutally honest, beautiful and desperately saddening December 1, 2008
I first read Junk shortly after its initial release, when I was 16, and it took my breath away with its stark portrayal of teenage lives which had been touched by appalling tragedy, both self-inflicted and not. Many years later I am still in awe of it. As far as literature for the younger reader goes, I cannot think of a more impressive, important novel.
The plot itself is simple enough: two teenagers run away from home and fall rapidly into a downward spiral of crime, drugs, prostitution and prison. What makes Junk so fascinating is the glorious depth of the characters, and how Burgess has managed to artfully create a cast of believable, interesting people - each with something to say, and a different perspective to say it from (with a sensible use of multiple first-person narrative to highlight this).
From my own teenage perspective, I was thrilled to find a novel aimed at my generation which did not talk down to me nor ignore the obvious, if uncomfortable, truths inherent in the subject matter. The reasons for the poor choices the characters make are clearly defined, and the strong allure of heroin is not glossed over as though it were insignificant. A significant amount of time is dedicated to explaining what it is that makes the kids in the story think that drug abuse, robbery and prostitution are good ideas before their fallacious reasoning is comprehensively destroyed by the consequences of their decisions. The single chapter written from the skewed perspective of Lily (the seductive character who draws our runaways into the life in question like heroin personified - a theme which is continued in the increasingly ugly, acrimonious relationship they share) is a mini masterpiece in itself, painting a brilliant picture of a vivacious, yet irreparably damaged young girl who has fooled herself and those around her into thinking she's found all the answers when in reality she is utterly lost. The gradual revelation that this enticing, confident young woman is actually a terrified, isolated little girl is the most devastating case the book could make against heroin addiction.
Given that they are the age group most vulnerable to these realities, most stories told to teenagers about these subjects are far too simplified, choosing to paint drug addicts and their ilk as bad people deserving of scorn, never explaining how they ended up the way they are, but that kind of patronising tone never seeps into Junk. Each character here can be loved and hated in equal measure, and all of them will have the reader's sympathy - even when they are appallingly racist and a borderline paedophile, in the case of one very complicated tobacconist. What is for certain is that nobody who reads Junk will forget in a hurry the complex, vibrant, brilliantly realised people that fill its pages with both laughter and despair. I missed Tar and Gemma as though they were my own friends when I finished Junk for the first time, and I can pay it no higher compliment than that.
There are no easy answers, and there are no fairytale endings in Burgess' world. What we have instead is a compelling, heart-breaking story about good people making bad decisions and having to live with the ensuing regret as best they can. This is an absolute must for all adventurous young readers, and for their parents too - it could well give each of those two groups an entirely fresh perspective on their lives.
juunk October 26, 2008
i'm 16, and i read alot of books & this was honestly the best book i have ever come across in my whole life, i could not put it down, its gripping and amazing, honestly read it, it makes you think about life and it's so well wrote.
it's a story about a boy and a girl who run away and get involved with drugs and the struggles they go through, at times its depressing and its uplifting
One of the greatest books of all time... July 9, 2008
I never read Junk until i was in my late teens/early twenties and it is still my favourite book now.
I love the story of Tar and Gemma. I like the way Melvin Burgess writes as the different people within the story and each chapter is told from a different perspective.
Melvin's take on teenage life is spot on and the way he gets the social issues across is fantastic.
It's a book I can read over and over again and as soon as I open to the first page I don't put the book down until i've finished it.
Everyone should read this book!!!!
He has a unique way of writing and i'm currently working my way through as many of his books as I can manage.
 Great but completely overrated February 20, 2008
When I first read this I thought it was wonderful. I marvelled at the character relationship development and it completely sucked me into the world of drugs and prostitution. The characters have clear voices. However the book does ramble a little and the plot move quite slowly.
A truly incredibly book! February 2, 2008
When I first purchased this book, I didn't know what to expect. Upon the first few chapters, for me the book was a little slow to pick up, but I preserved. The book then spiralled into events which prevented me from putting the book down. Yes, I admit, the fact that the book switches from so many different characters views confused me slightly, I still hung on. I'm glad I did however. This book gave me such an insight as to what it's like for teenagers on the streets, on drugs, prostitution that at the end I wasn't satisfied. I simply had to read it again. A truly great purchase and I recommend it to anyone!
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