It was difficult and uncompromising, but absolutely beautiful - it's combination that's difficult to pull off and even more difficult to pull off a second time. Her debut novel, Before I Die, which tells the story of a girl dying of leukaemia, made a huge impact. Jenny Downham has a weight of expectation on her shoulders. It's impossible to believe that a boy such as this could be a rapist, isn't it? A loving brother and childhood companion? That's what Ellie tells herself, anyway - and it's why she'll go to court as a witness, to tell the world that her brother just couldn't do such a thing.Īnd then, these two teenagers, poles apart in every way, meet. Ellie herself is hardworking and intelligent - a high achiever, just as her rather controlling father expects. Tom's at college with a bright future ahead of him. He flatly denies doing anything wrong - why would a boy like him need to rape anyone? Why indeed? Tom and Ellie lead privileged lives in a big house with huge grounds hidden behind a security gate. And Mikey wants revenge.Įllie's brother Tom is the boy Karyn has accused. Karyn won't leave the flat, her police support officer is concerned about the family situation, the accused boy's father has engaged expensive lawyers and is painting Karyn as a cheap tart and a liar. Life's not easy at the best of times, but when his sister claims she's been raped, things begin to spiral out of control. Meanwhile, he's trying to make something of himself, training as a chef at a seaside pub. His mother's an alcoholic and Mikey has to shoulder most of the parental responsibility in the house - getting food on the table, getting his littlest sister to school, fending off periodic interest from social services. It all seems so straightforward, doesn't it? But it's not straightforward at all for Mikey and Ellie. If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If you're brother's accused of a terrible crime but says he didn't do it, you defend him, don't you? Beautifully written and tremendously moving, it's a worthy follow up to the phenomenally successful Before I Die. Summary: A book about love, loyalty and choices.

You against me book