Checkers - Hardcover

Marsden, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 073290837X ISBN 13: 9780732908379

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia, 1996

Synopsis

Tonight before I started writing this, it was me confronting Jack. It was so real I could smell it. Suddenly, according to my imagination, I'd be on my feet, screaming, "Why didn't you leave us alone? Why did you have to drag us in? You're scum, filth. I hate you. Go away. You deserve everything, everything, you understand? Everything that you get. It's not my fault. IT'S NOT MY FAULT." She had everything going for her--good looks, a nice school, and friends. But suddenly and without sufficient warning, life spins out of control. It's hard not to let life get to you when nothing seems to make sense anymore. Sometimes it takes confinement in the hospital--and a lot of time to think--to once again get a handle on life.

About this title

Review

Australian author John Marsden's gripping suspense stories--with his signature shocking climaxes--have made him the John Grisham of the young adult set around the globe. Checkers, following this tradition, is the riveting story of a teenage girl who loses not only her family but her sanity when her father is suspected of participating in a financial scam--one that the media has traced to the highest levels of the Australian government. Telling the story in first-person flashbacks as the girl recuperates in a mental institution, Marsden symbolizes his protagonist's powerlessness by never revealing her name. The result is an eerie sense that she could be any teenager trying to understand her parent's cryptic behavior and motives. The only completely honest relationship the girl has is with her beloved dog Checkers, a gift from her father upon closing his most important deal. Checkers "wasn't the kind of dog you hug really tight, like a Labrador.... He had too much independence, too much pride," but he becomes the only source of comfort for the girl once the story breaks about her father's shady business practices. She never dreamed that the connection the reporters are searching for could be running around in her own backyard. Fraught with tension and political intrigue, Checkers is an intelligent page-turner for teens. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

From the Back Cover

"This affecting account of a family under siege by the media is both an engaging read and a strong psychological exploration."--Booklist

"A privileged lifestyle offers no protection from scandal and downfall, a teenage Australian girl learns in this fascinating, intricately woven novel."--Booklist

"The pervasive sadness of the narration will make this worthwhile for teenagers who find solace in reading about hard times."--Publishers Weekly

Edition details

• Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 073290837X
• ISBN 13: 9780732908379
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 123