This is Not Forgiveness

Nov 25, 2011 Amy (Turn the Page) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This isn’t the kind of book where you fall in love with the characters and follow their story because you care about what happens to them. This is more of a psychological glimpse into some very real, very flawed characters. This Is Not Forgiveness focuses around war, terrorism, extremism, loyalty and love. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it certainly is compelling.

This Is Not Forgiveness is something new from Celia Rees, who usually writes historical fiction. Her wonderful Witch Child is st...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Bella (Cheezyfeet Books) rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-releases

I'm giving up. There is little introduction, and I don't know, maybe I missed something vital, but I'm confused and I can't work out who the characters are and what they have to do with each other, and the plot is going nowhere and I can't see how it will go on, and I've no interest anymore... I think I've given it enough chance to grab me and hook me in, and unfortunately it just didn't. I may give it a go again in a few weeks times, but right now I'm going to put it back on my shelf and start...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Read2review rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-for-read-2-review

** For the full review please check out www.read2review.com **

This was my first step into the incredible world of Celia Rees, and what a step it is. After reading This Is Not Forgiveness I am incredibly excited to read other books by Celia.

I received This Is Not Forgiveness as an ARC (advanced reading copy) as it is not due for release until February 2012. The blurb on the back doesn’t give much, if anything, away although mixed with the excerpt on the front cover you know that someone dies, so...more ** For the full review please check out www.read2review.com **

This was my first step into the incredible world of Celia Rees, and what a step it is. After reading This Is Not Forgiveness I am incredibly excited to read other books by Celia.

I received This Is Not Forgiveness as an ARC (advanced reading copy) as it is not due for release until February 2012. The blurb on the back doesn’t give much, if anything, away although mixed with the excerpt on the front cover you know that someone dies, someone named Rob. However after reading the excerpt I expected a lot more deaths in the book. The indication is that something big happens but what is unclear.

The main story begins by introducing Jamie and Caro who meet in the Rendez, a café. Before that the prologue goes into a little more detail about the death of Rob but still not much is clear about what happens. What is clear is that Rob comes across as a bad person. The next section is an excerpt from Rob’s video diary and we find out that he is a war veteran that fought in Afghanistan.

The story is split into three sections, the main sections written by Jamie, then Rob’s video diary and Caro’s diary. With Rob’s video diary you read his thoughts and feelings and learn more about Rob as a person and his intentions.

As you get into the story Jamie and Caro start to see each other, and become an item in Jamie’s eyes. Caro claims she never loves anyone but in the end you know that she does as she saves Jamie.

I found the fact that Caro was playing both brothers gripping wondering if Jamie finds out and when he does wondering what he will do. Neither Rob nor Jamie fully knows where the other stands with Caro and that leads to interesting threads in the story.

The Red Army Faction added a sinister feel to the story; you knew because of them and because of Caro’s love for them something big was going to happen. I was literally on the edge of my seat not wanting to stop reading.

In the closing sections of the book the action really kicks off leading to the deaths mentioned in the beginnings of the story. I was left with a sense of sadness that things happened the way that they did but the reader also knows that the right thing happened in the end.

The story was very powerful, kept me turning the pages without realising how much I had actually read. Celia Rees’s writing style is easy to follow and easy to read. I loved the fact that there were the three separate sections to the story as I felt that it added intensity to the story.

**Read More At: http://read2review.com/our-reviews/c/...(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Told in first-person narrative alternating between the voices of Jamie, his hot-tempered and rabble-rousing brother Rob, and Caro, the girl they’re both inexorably drawn to yet repelled by, This is Not Forgiveness takes a serious look at post-traumatic stress disorder and how families are torn apart by mental illness and violence.

Indecisive, predictable, empathetic, and closer to his sister and mother – Jamie is the opposite of Rob. Sometimes vicious and heavy-handed – Rob takes after their fat...more

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Oct 13, 2012 BookHookup rated it 2 of 5 stars

The original review for this title can be found HERE on The Book Hookup.

Christina's Review:

**Note:** Christina was provided an e-galley of this title from the publishers via Net Galley. However, that did not influence her review in any way.

The Lowdown: From the prologue, we gather that a guy named Rob has died and so have others. We know that whatever Rob did has made him the villain and that his actions won’t earn him forgiveness any time soon, even from his own brother and family.

“I can’t d

...more

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Sep 15, 2012 Maya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library, ya

I must admit, I had heard about this book before it came out and was looking forward to reading it. I mean, a Celia Rees book set in the modern day?! Unheard of! I've read other books of hers (all historical fiction, by the way), and adored them. So, when I came across this in the local library, I grabbed it. And it didn't disappoint!

There are three main characters here: Jamie, his older brother Rob, and a girl called Caro.
Rob - He joined the Army as a sniper at the age of sixteen and is now in...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Maggie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a bit difficult to read as an ARC from NetGalley because of the formatting and spacing of the text. That happens sometimes with an ARC. But also, it was difficult to know who was thinking and telling the story in the beginning. It took a bit to realize that the fonts changed to reflect a character change. Once I caught on, that helped a lot. I think some readers will find this difficult as well so be prepared to point this out to them when they check out the book.

I knew that the main ch...more

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Nov 27, 2011 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

"I can't decide what to do with your ashes. It's been nearly a year now. Almost summer again."

...

"This is not forgiveness. Don't think that."

A powerful start. We know Rob is dead. We know there were funerals. We know Rob has done something that cannot be forgiven, not even by those closest to him. The story returns to the start of that summer. Jamie's interested in a girl, Caro, and doesn't have much time for his brother who has been discharged from the army following an injury in Afghanistan. E...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Kristian rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book Information:
Rees, Celia. This is Not Forgiveness. .2012. 288pp. $17.99 hc. Bloomsbury Children’s Books. 9781599907756

Grade Level:
Recommended grade level 10 and up

Sometime you find someone who you know is no good for you, but you can’t help yourself. When Caro catches Jamie’s eye there is nothing anyone can say to stop him from thinking about her. Everyone says that Caro’s gorgeous exterior can barely hid her unconventional, impulsive and radically unstable personality. Even when Caro dis...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Sarah5 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This novel opens dramatically; we learn that Jamie (the main narrator) is holding the ashes of his older brother, Rob. The novel then unfolds what has happened to him through the eyes of three narrators: Jamie, Rob and a girl called Caro. Rob has returned from fighting in Afghanistan and is suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder. Caro is interested in politics and has a reputation for being wild and out of control.
I really liked the style of this book, although it is very different to pre...more

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Feb 02, 2012 Kayleigh {K-Books} rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This Is Not Forgiveness Review on K-Books

I really don't know where to start with this review. I was completely in shock and awe when I finished this book yesterday and really couldn't put my thoughts and feelings about it into words. Today, I am still unsure of how I can really write about this book. It was brilliant. I definitely did not expect it to be as good as it was. This is definitely not the kind of book that I usually read but I genuinely enjoyed every moment of it.

Jamie has seen the be...more This Is Not Forgiveness Review on K-Books

I really don't know where to start with this review. I was completely in shock and awe when I finished this book yesterday and really couldn't put my thoughts and feelings about it into words. Today, I am still unsure of how I can really write about this book. It was brilliant. I definitely did not expect it to be as good as it was. This is definitely not the kind of book that I usually read but I genuinely enjoyed every moment of it.

Jamie has seen the beautiful Caro around and always wanted her to notice him. When she does he can't believe his luck, she is everything he has ever wanted. But Caro holds some secrets, like what is really her relationship with Jamie's brother, the mysterious and disturbed Rob? Secrets, shocks and horror come together in this haunting Psychological tale, one this is for sure: After this summer, life will never be the same.

I really loved that the book was told from three perspectives. It is mostly told from Jamie's point of view but there are certain chapters where you get the story from Caro and Rob. I loved this since you really got an insight of what was happening with Caro and Rob and what they were thinking. One this is for sure, neither Caro nor Rob can really be called 'sane'.
These characters completely shocked me. All the way through the book I was diagnosing them in my head to different kinds of mental illness based on how they were acting. It is so difficult for me not to turn this review into a psychological analysis of these characters and it's inevitable for me not to mention it a little, after all it is a Psychological book. Caro was the character that I got the most reaction out of me. I hated her. I mean really really hated her. I don't think there's ever been a lead female I have hated more. She is deceiving and manipulative and knows exactly how to act to get people to do what she wants. She is the character that without a doubt confuses me the most. At times I thought she had to be without a doubt 'mentally ill'. No body would do the things that she does and be mentally stable but then there are times throughout the book where she really just acted like a normal person. This really frustrated me but I loved that about the book. It really kept me guessing all the way through.

I really love the way that Celia wrote this book. At first I wasn't entirely sure about the narration. To me it seems kind of simple but then the more I read the more I realised that the use of the simple sentences throughout the book was actually a genius thing to do. It really kept me hooked and I couldn't put the book down. I was hooked to the story right from the first chapter when it is hinted that something bad happened. It had me reading at a pace must faster than I usually read just because I couldn't wait to find out what had happened and what was going to happen.
I am definitely a fan of Celia Rees now. I think she is a phenomenal author and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

A brilliant book that really opened my eyes to this genre. It's a very dark gritty book for Young Adult but that's what makes it so brilliant. A must-read for any fan of Contemporary YA books.(less)

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Dec 31, 2011 Sandra "Jeanz" rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I thought this book was quite "deep" "involved" and "political" for a Young Adult novel. at first I struggled with the way the book jumps around from different points of view. there were occasions where I found myself thinking whose point of view is this, you had to read a few paragraphs to realise who was telling you that particular point of the novel. Once I got used to the ever shifting points of view I quite enjoyed the book. I would say it is a thought provoking book, it makes you stop and...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Petty Witter rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A bit of a difficult start, told by three different characters, Caro, Jamie and Rob, I confess that I was a tad confused as to just who was narrating but problem solved, I soon discovered that each of the three had their own type face - Jamie told his story in your average font, Rob's his in bold print and Caro hers in italics.

A truly dark read, all of the characters had issues that should have made me feel a little empathy for them, that should of perhaps made me more understanding of why they...more

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Dec 27, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the first book I have read by Celia Rees and I have already got 3 more of her books purchased to read, that is how much I liked her writing.

From the first chapter I was hooked, I needed to know what had happened to make this person feel the way they do and to find out what happened to the people who had died. After a few more chapters the points of view of the person telling their story are revealed. At first though I was confused by the different types of chapters, each individual perso...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Samantha rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, young-adult

The plot is intriguing and important in our day and age. However, I couldn’t get over the fact that I did not like the characters. In my opinion, it’s hard to like a book and a story if you don’t like the characters.

Jamie doesn’t know whats good for him. Caro is manipulative. Rob is downright lost. Celia Rees created three very unique and dynamic characters, but I hated them.

The narrating format was confusing as well. I didn’t understand the first few chapters. The beginning didn’t make sense...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Stephanie (Stepping out of the Page) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, arc-or-review, young-adult, contemporary, read-in-2012, realistic-fiction, mental-health, death, if-i-were-a-boy

I have only read one other book by Celia Rees, Blood Sinister, when I was quite a lot younger, but I still connect Rees with historical and some horror stories. This book is very different from the subjects and style of what Rees has written in the past and I thought that it was quite ambitious.

The story revolves around three people - Jamie and Rob, who are brothers, and a girl who comes into both of their lives - Caro. Jamie is supposedly your typical teenage boy, who gets a little bit obsessiv...more I have only read one other book by Celia Rees, Blood Sinister, when I was quite a lot younger, but I still connect Rees with historical and some horror stories. This book is very different from the subjects and style of what Rees has written in the past and I thought that it was quite ambitious.

The story revolves around three people - Jamie and Rob, who are brothers, and a girl who comes into both of their lives - Caro. Jamie is supposedly your typical teenage boy, who gets a little bit obsessive with Caro, and considers them to be in a relationship. At points, I found his focus on Caro to turn him into quite a weak-willed character. Often, he put Caro before anything or anyone else, and didn't seem very grateful to others who tried to befriend or help him. He only seemed to take Caro into consideration.
Caro herself is a very dark and mysterious character. Although she has a luxurious lifestyle to fall back on, she doesn't let this change her. I did enjoy learning about the rebellious, anarchist and very political side of Caro, I found it to give her a lot more complexity and it gave me some insight into her personality. However, Caro, in general, is not very likeable. She seems dangerous and has a bad attitude - this may have made her appeal to the men in the story, but it certainly didn't make her appeal to me.
Rob, Jamie's brother, could have been the most interesting character for me. He is back in England after being rather severely injured whilst fighting in Afghanistan. For the most part of the novel, we find out about him through transcripts of his online video diary. His dialect felt very authentic and his attitude really reflected his personality as well as how it changed due to fighting in a war. Whilst the basis was there, I think Rob could've been developed into a much deeper character. He was obviously very troubled, but with some research from the author, the portrayal of psychological effects could have been even better.
Martha is a fourth character who is featured in this book, but we do not read from her point of view. She is Jamie and Rob's sister and is obviously very opinionated when concerning her past with Caro. I think that she also could have certainly contributed more to the story as she was a strong character.

One of the main things that bugged me from this book was how the teenagers were portrayed. A lot of the book, at the beginning, focused on teen culture in a negative way. The book was full of swearing, alcohol, drug abuse and sex - it seemed like the characters lives revolved around these things and as I don't really have an interest in that lifestyle, I couldn't connect with them and found it to be a little immature - I would not recommend this for younger readers. At some points, I thought that these subjects actually distracted from much more important issues that could have been discussed.

The attempt to be political was interesting though, especially the parts about the Red Army Faction. I have studied the Baader-Meinhof, a group of urban guerrillas who disrupted Germany's system in the 70's, and found them very interesting. I was shocked and pleased that Rees included them in this book and did add a little bit of history to her story - this actually made the book a lot more enjoyable for me as it was fascinating to see how Caro almost idolised this group and how they influenced her.

This book definitely has a very powerful start, but from thereon in, it does slow down and then pick itself up again and again - at points, it almost felt rushed. I do think that the ending somewhat redeemed this book, and I did enjoy it. This book was definitely mixed for me though, as I've described. It was still a quite quick read, introducing some important issues and it did have some substance.(less)

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Nov 16, 2011 Read2review rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Shelves: reviewed-for-read-2-review

** For the full review please check out www.read2review.com **

This was my first step into the incredible world of Celia Rees, and what a step it is. After reading This Is Not Forgiveness I am incredibly excited to read other books by Celia.

I received This Is Not Forgiveness as an ARC (advanced reading copy) as it is not due for release until February 2012. The blurb on the back doesn’t give much, if anything, away although mixed with the excerpt on the front cover you know that someone dies, som...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Beth Flynn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bloomsbury, sunshy-read

This Is Not Forgiveness ripped something out of me, and then squished it back in. In a good way. I think.

Written from three different, but irrevocably intertwined, perspectives, This Is Not Forgiveness explores the realities of war, political activism, first love, mental health, and how challenging clambering from teenager to adult (17-24ish?) can be if you scratch the surface. It is, in places, a challenging read, but even the most shocking descriptions are somehow rendered a beautiful piece of...more This Is Not Forgiveness ripped something out of me, and then squished it back in. In a good way. I think.

Written from three different, but irrevocably intertwined, perspectives, This Is Not Forgiveness explores the realities of war, political activism, first love, mental health, and how challenging clambering from teenager to adult (17-24ish?) can be if you scratch the surface. It is, in places, a challenging read, but even the most shocking descriptions are somehow rendered a beautiful piece of the whole.

If you have read any of the frankly awesome historical-ish books by Celia Rees, forget them. This Is Not Forgiveness is something utterly different. (Although, there are still subtle hints of `magic as real`!)

Jamie, or the less "poncey" Jimbo as his big brother Rob likes to call him, is a fairly average sixth form student. He's single, his summer job keeps his pockets lined, and he's as likely to be at home drinking coffee as to being on a night out. He intends on going to university - it's just what you do when you finish your A-Levels, right?

Rob is different, was different before he ever joined the army. Reckless, blokey (did I make that word up?), self-medicating *wink wink* and deeply scarred: inside and out. But he's fiercely loyal to his brother, in his own way. Martha, their sister, is typical in a different way to Jamie - with fake tan and freshly-straightened hair, she and `the girls` form a clique of gossip-lovers at every opportunity. She tries to protect Jamie, though, and seems to love him as much as most close-in-age teenagers love their siblings.

Caro... she's a beautiful roller-coaster; seemingly spontaneous, secretly obsessive. Terrified, but hides it under an attitude of free love and a come-no-closer shell. She creates chaos and compulsive behaviour as much as she craves it.

I'm not particularly one for politics, I can't quote speeches or name many names; nor am I one for sitting, considering all the evidence and making decisions about the usefulness, or indeed legality, of recent military actions. However, even I could relate to the characters who did get sucked into, or more-than-mildly infatuated with, such things. Particularly moving was the portrayal of the line between political activism as a useful tool for necessary societal change and terrorism: blurry, and all too easy to cross.

This is not a feel-good read. This is not an obvious journey.

Is this an important read? Hell yes, as far as I am concerned...(less)

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Nov 05, 2012 Claudia Burgoa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads

Here we're dealing with some of todays most powerful/contemporary subjects. Politics, Middle East war, terrorism... And in This is Not Forgiveness, Rees brings us the story of two brothers that fall in love with a very sexy, manipulative vixen. Rob -the oldest brother is back from Afghanistan, dealing with a lot of problems, the traumas from being part of the war, and a smashed leg. From the beginning we know that Rob is dead, Jamie -his brother- is holding his ashes and won't let him rest until...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Vivienne Serendipity Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: february-2012

I knew that this book was going to be different to anything that Celia Rees had written before but I was surprised just how different it was. I have loved Celia's previous historical novels and I was impressed by her ability to change to such a hard hitting contemporary novel that is very current and very real.

From the first couple of pages, you know this book is not going to end well. You just have to work through the harrowing experience that led to the events that came to be.

There is a real...more I knew that this book was going to be different to anything that Celia Rees had written before but I was surprised just how different it was. I have loved Celia's previous historical novels and I was impressed by her ability to change to such a hard hitting contemporary novel that is very current and very real.

From the first couple of pages, you know this book is not going to end well. You just have to work through the harrowing experience that led to the events that came to be.

There is a real coldness about this book. Two of the main characters I really felt uncomfortable to be around. I know I should feel sorry for Robert, but I struggled to feel like that for him. I felt he was another victim who had been ignored, but should have been old enough to get the help he needed. My heart goes out to all the soldiers who fight in Afghanistan and I can't believe they are not supported better on returning to the UK. Was he fully aware of what he was doing? What really were his motivations? Was he just unhappy that his own military career had been ended; or did he really care about the issues involved? I just couldn't help but feel his actions were based upon his own situation, rather than the whole picture. I was also appalled by the way he treated his own brother, it was just awful.

Caro is the catalyst in the book and is obviously swept away with the romance and idealism of a life she really knows nothing about; one month she is into witchcraft, the next the Red Army Faction. It isn't until the end of the book that she begins to realise just how far she has gone. I have known a few young girls like Caro, and they used to irritate the hell out of me; they were so full of propaganda and knew nothing of reality. In this book she appears as a child neglected by her mother; who cannot see what is going on. The posters on her bedroom walls should have warning signals to her mother that her daughter might need some attention.

Now Jamie, I loved. For me, his innocence and trusting nature really glued the book together. When comparing him to his brother Rob, it is clear that he suffered a lot less than his brother did growing up. He wasn't aware of his father's true nature and never suffered at his hands.

This story is both gripping and compelling and shows how things can get out of hand; how an idea can catapult out of control to create disaster. If just one person had listened and taken an interest in both Caro and Rob; this situation could have been averted. With this book, Celia Rees really makes you sit up and think. If you loved An Act Of Love by Alan Gibbons, you will really enjoy this one too.
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Feb 18, 2012 Beth Kemp rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-thriller-chiller-horror

The bulk of this novel centres on Jamie and is told in his voice. We know from the start that Rob is dead (Jamie is focusing on his ashes and thinking about his poorly-attended funeral), and that his was not the only death. Then we skip back in time, knowing we are being inexorably propelled to the catastrophic event that led to Rob's sorry little funeral.

Before long, we are involved in Jamie's life, with some chapters in Caro's or Rob's voice. These additional voices enrich the narrative and pr...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog-reviews, provided-by-publisher

This Is Not Forgiveness is a dark, contemporary young adult novel exploring themes such as alienation, depression and extremism with a confronting message. The book opens as Jamie contemplates a small brown plastic urn that contains the ashes of his brother, Robert, and then traces the events that led to his death. The story unfolds through first person narratives from Jamie, Caro and Robert allowing the reader essential insight into the motivations of each and their role in the story. Caro is t...more This Is Not Forgiveness is a dark, contemporary young adult novel exploring themes such as alienation, depression and extremism with a confronting message. The book opens as Jamie contemplates a small brown plastic urn that contains the ashes of his brother, Robert, and then traces the events that led to his death. The story unfolds through first person narratives from Jamie, Caro and Robert allowing the reader essential insight into the motivations of each and their role in the story. Caro is the catalyst for the novel, desperate for attention and with the need to matter, she is anxious to prove to her political activism group that she can make a difference. Swept away by idealism she plans an action that will draw attention to the cause. To ensure it's success, she needs the cooperation of Jamie and the skills of his brother, injured war vet Robert and she expertly manipulates the brothers to her own ends until the plan goes awry and Caro realises she is in over her head.

Jamie is a fairly average teenage boy but getting involved with Caro turns his world upside down. Blinded by infatuation he doesn't see Caro's faults, or chooses to ignore them. Jamie's obsession with Caro is difficult to comprehend but teens do stupid things in the name of love all the time so his behaviour is not unusual. Jamie is the character that invites sympathy, he is sweet and sensitive and is very nearly destroyed by Caro and his brother.
Caro is not really a sympathetic character, she is cold and capricious and her naivete is edged with ruthlessness. Yet she is young, idealistic and lonely, with a sad family background, so its difficult to not feel something for her, Caro's mothers neglect is a contributing factor to her daughters poor self esteem. Caro is a lost young woman and though she goes some way to redeeming herself in the end, it's not enough.
What strikes me most about This Is Not Forgiveness is how little would have been needed to avert the tragedy. Caro and Robert both represent people who are alienated from their families, peers and society.
Robert has recently been invalided out of the service after an traumatic leg injury sustained in Afghanistan. Rees hints that even before entering the army Robert had mental health issues and now he is finding it difficult to readjust to civilian life. Suffering from PTSD and depression, he feels he has lost his purpose so when Caro approaches him with her plan he grasps it. Robert's story is tragic and his story is confronting. It infuriates me that Veterans are largely ignored once they have returned home, the lack of care and support, particularly for injured servicemen, is disgraceful and Rees highlights the issue dramatically.

This Is Not Forgiveness is a remarkable book, unsettling and thought provoking, I feel it may be most suitable for mature young adults.(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Bookworm1858 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2012, netgalley, ya-read

3.5/5

I was cautiously excited about this one. Although I hadn't read any other books by Rees, I saw that it was a contemporary and when am I ever not interested in those? Plus I saw Brandi's positive review so I eagerly opened up this book (well figuratively as it was on my Nook).

The beginning was very difficult for me; I felt dropped into a perspective without any guiding posts to orient me. Although it took me more than a few chapters, eventually I worked out that the main perspective was Jami...more

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Mar 04, 2012 Library Quine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: british-books-challenge, young-adult-fiction

This is NOT Witch Child! This is not even an historical novel; it is most definitely set in the here and now, but is equally as unsettling. Written from the point of view of Jamie, a love lorn teen, it touches on such themes as disfunctional families, violence, post traumatic stress, suicide, and sibling rivalry. Yet
Celia Rees pulls it all together to make a gripping tale of young lives lead dangerously. This may be too controversial for some readers, so watch who you recommend it to!
Readers wh...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Ni rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You can't fault Celia's plotting and the voices of her characters. This is a misadventure to enjoy. Caro and Rob cynically manipulate Jamie to take a step too far. Reminiscent of Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Doris Lessing's 'The Good Terrorist'. In well crafted smooth prose, Celia tells the story from three points of view, not all of them likeable but all recognisable. Caro's tinkering with the occult leads her to more dangerous fields and you can't escape the sense of impending disaster. Artful...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was beautiful for what the author was trying to do, but I was disappointed because I was hoping for a happy book where the guy gets the girl and they live happily ever after. This novel shook me just a bit because my father a veteran and I know people with PTSD. It is awful that people can't/won't help veterans struggling with the disorder. Then, to top it all off, I finished the book just after the Boston Marathon bombing. The harshness of the end of the novel really set in stone that as lon...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: baya-review-books

Told in first-person narrative alternating between the voices of Jamie, his hot-tempered and rabble-rousing brother Rob, and Caro, the girl they’re both inexorably drawn to yet repelled by, This is Not Forgiveness takes a serious look at post-traumatic stress disorder and how families are torn apart by mental illness and violence.

Indecisive, predictable, empathetic, and closer to his sister and mother – Jamie is the opposite of Rob. Sometimes vicious and heavy-handed – Rob takes after their fat...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Brandi Kosiner rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is Not Forgiveness is darkly beautiful and draws you into this story with three main characters, all with their own voice and all with their own issues.
The opening wasn't what I expected and I needed to know what it was that Jamie couldn't forgive and if I agreed with him. So I began this heart breaking journey into Jamie, Caro and Rob's minds.
While I preferred the views from Jamie, I was drawn to Caro and Rob's stories like a trainwreck that you can't peel your eyes from. This is defi...more This is Not Forgiveness is darkly beautiful and draws you into this story with three main characters, all with their own voice and all with their own issues.
The opening wasn't what I expected and I needed to know what it was that Jamie couldn't forgive and if I agreed with him. So I began this heart breaking journey into Jamie, Caro and Rob's minds.
While I preferred the views from Jamie, I was drawn to Caro and Rob's stories like a trainwreck that you can't peel your eyes from. This is definitely an issues book, and I think that it is good that the majority of the book is from Jamie because of the perspective that he brings to the story. I didn't dislike being in the other's heads besides the nitpicky fact that when you are in Caro's head, it is in italics, and I don't really like reading in that format. It makes me feel weird. (Or weirder than usual)
I think that adding in those perspectives really just shows how deep their problems are and also gives a frame of reference for where they are coming from. This is a story with a lot of dark elements, and it was quite an adventure getting into the mind of a soldier with ptsd and some of the thoughts from war and dealing with the aftermath.
I think though that the blurb is a little misleading for Caro. It mentions scars on her wrists and that sort of caught me because that is more of the issues that I prefer to read about, but I didn't pay attention to the rest. She is into politics and making a statement, and that really is the forefront for her. She does have issues, and cutting is mentioned, but not in how I thought it would be.
Rob really broke my heart. The issues that he had to work with and all of the emotions he felt that he didn't really know what to do with. I think it is so important for me to read about and get a glimpse into what our soldiers to and how hard it is to adjust to being back.
Let me just warn you, in case you can't tell from the description, or if you don't get the sense from the first few pages... This story doesn't have a happily ever after. It is more true to life, and makes you think, hard.
Bottom line: Gritty and realistic story with three distinct main characters, beautiful and shocking.

Great quote:
p. 99 in earc
From down the hall, he's just a dark shape receding, sitting motionless, silhouetted against eh strong sunlight like a man in a photograph. His face is as familiar as my own in the mirrow, but he looks like someone I no longer know.

For more of my reviews, check out Blkosiner’s YA and Teen Book Blog: http://blkosiner.blogspot.com
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Oct 13, 2012 Christina rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, arc-galley, own-on-nook-kindle, contemporary, romance, mystery, 2012-publication

My original review for this title can be found HERE on The Book Hookup.

**Note:** Christina was provided an e-galley of this title from the publishers via Net Galley. However, that did not influence her review in any way.

The Lowdown: From the prologue, we gather that a guy named Rob has died and so have others. We know that whatever Rob did has made him the villain and that his actions won’t earn him forgiveness any time soon, even from his own brother and family.

“I can’t decide what to do wit

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Mar 14, 2012 Daisy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own

This book is REALLY dark. And after finishing it I had the urge to start another, happier book immediately, cause that dark feeling is really intense.

The first chapter of This Is Not Forgiveness is haunting, it's actually something that takes place after all the events in the book and you get an enormous sense of foreboding after reading it.
Sadly, the rest of the novel didn't quite live up to what drew me in about that first chapter. I was expecting to get sucked into the lives of these charac...more

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