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Sweet (Sugar #2)

3.08 of 5 stars 3.08 · rating details · 71 ratings · 8 reviews

"'Some people tread water all their lives. Not me - I'm gonna make a big splash. I could see myself living the good life, chasing the sun . . . feet up, glass in hand, no worries. Sweet."

After a short stay at Her Majesty's pleasure, Maria Sweet, aka Sugar, is back. Her husband may have done a runner, taking their daughter with them, but at least she has a plan: get a job,...more

Paperback, 240 pages

Published October 5th 2007 by Young Picador

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Mar 30, 2011 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: teenage-fiction

Still keeping my copy...well, I think so. I'll see. I think it's fair to say I didn't quite enjoy "Sweet" as much as I did Sugar Rush. I loved the first book because I loved Kim as narrator and how Sugar still managed to be shrouded in mystery despite being so blunt and up-herself, really. I couldn't help thinking that this book took away all the possible sides of Sugar that were likeable and empathetic. I also felt her characterization, narration, and the storyline in general were both ridiculo...more Still keeping my copy...well, I think so. I'll see. I think it's fair to say I didn't quite enjoy "Sweet" as much as I did Sugar Rush. I loved the first book because I loved Kim as narrator and how Sugar still managed to be shrouded in mystery despite being so blunt and up-herself, really. I couldn't help thinking that this book took away all the possible sides of Sugar that were likeable and empathetic. I also felt her characterization, narration, and the storyline in general were both ridiculous and unrealistic. Sugar is released from prison (I've forgotten what for exactly - fraud? prostitution? drug crimes?) with a heroin habit which we don't see her mention again or struggle with all through the book - oh no, wait, she took a joint down to the beach occassionally - and slept around. Even the proper issues that are taken on - Christians being mobbed and raped in Muslim-dominated countries - seemed to both add and mean very little to this book - after learning about little Christian girls the same age as her younger sisters being raped and beaten in Pakistan, Sugar's reply is "I don't like Albanians."
The homosexual characters seemed terribly unlikeable too compared to Kim in the first book - the men Sugar goes to work for are disgusting -and her views on mental illness and abortion made me cringe. Yes, it is good to be open and honest, but the crudeness of this book left a sour taste in my mouth despite the book's title. It also made me think - Julie Burchill's first book was very real, but she seems to have forgotten everything she ever knew about both teenagers and life on a council estate by the time she penned her second book about Kim and Maria. I mean, no-one is actually like Maria/Sugar is in this book. I'm sorry, but thank God I don't know any teenagers who are actually like Maria in this book, because I don't think anyone would be able to relate to her given the characterization she is given in Sweet, whereas we all knew scary and confusing girls like her when we first read Sugar Rush and were able to both love and hate her wholeheartedly, which is probably part of its appeal.(less)

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Jul 16, 2012 Vykie Hammond rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

For some writers, its hard to recapture a character, especiallt one previously only seen from another perspective. Julie, however, tells you exactly who Maria Sweet is in the very first paragraph. I initially had my doubts about a sequel to the original book, especially considering where it left off, but the life of Sugar is never dull, tehres always a story to tell.

As the book progresses, you can see Sugar growing as a person, she begins to think about life as a whole, about the way we are as...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Sally rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one, dear god!!

Shelves: just-so-trashy, glbt-girls, really-het, country-england, ya

I seriously need an OMG WHY DID I READ THIS shelf. Okay, so I legit read this because I'd read - and somewhat enjoyed Sugar Rush - and I thought that reading its sequel wouldn't be a bad idea?

Hahahaha I was so wrong.

I guess I'm just too much of a snob to care, you know? I can't help it, I totally look down on Maria/Sugar and think she's one of the most dreadful characters I have ever read about. She's the absolute chavviest of chavs, a pathetic try-hard, completely up herself, thinks she's smart...more I seriously need an OMG WHY DID I READ THIS shelf. Okay, so I legit read this because I'd read - and somewhat enjoyed Sugar Rush - and I thought that reading its sequel wouldn't be a bad idea?

Hahahaha I was so wrong.

I guess I'm just too much of a snob to care, you know? I can't help it, I totally look down on Maria/Sugar and think she's one of the most dreadful characters I have ever read about. She's the absolute chavviest of chavs, a pathetic try-hard, completely up herself, thinks she's smart and top shit when really she just makes you cringe. And all that by 17 - with an eighteen-month-old daughter to boot! I just don't like girls like that.

This is worse than trashy, but I will not bring myself to make a shelf for the chavs because I don't ever want to have anything else to add to it!

I really didn't like her voice, and didn't like how the author stooped to writing things like "should of" in the narration. I also thought it was a bit lame how Maria would moan over how the toffs look down on her and her kind as being uneducated tarts... and then what is she? An uneducated tart. And seventeen! Oh my god. I can't get over how bad this is. And she whines about how people of her class have no other choice than to be teen mothers and whores... ugh, it grates.

The only "good" thing about reading it was that I read it after a year of being in the UK, so I could fully understand just how disgustingly chavvy she was. Wait, is that a good thing? I don't know. But like, I could picture and hear everything, which just made her even worse... I have real-life examples! *shudders*

Most of the pop culture references are really dated by now as well. Who remembers The Simple Life? Although the Jeremy Kyle one made me laugh. But would anyone not living in the UK even know what that means? Not that anyone not living in the UK should read this book. Nor should anyone IN the UK. STAY AWAY!!! Read Sugar Rush if you like, but don't seek out the sequel! The plot can be summed up as chavvy girl meets two overly gay designers, who make fun of her for being a chav, and she doesn't realise this for the longest time and when she does she gets mad and gets even. Which okay was pretty interesting, I was worried she was going to get caught vandalising their place. And there's a minor thread of gayness as well, as she can't stop thinking about Kim (from Sugar Rush)... but really not enough to make this worth while. She only hooks up with guys during the book, no girls. Ugh, what's the point?

Still, two stars because I finished it...(less)

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Jun 18, 2010 Hannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: engels, kinder-en-jeugdboeken, coming-of-age

I love this book's total lack of subtlety and "nuance"; this world needs more (y.a.) books that say it like it is instead of all that repressed, delusional, "romantic" bullshit that's so popular nowadays. "It" being the dirty and refreshing truth about love and sex AND about class. When it's said so messilly, funnily and charmingly by a character as chaotic and lifelike as Sugar, and with a great love story thrown into the bargain, this makes for a great book. I hope there's going to be a third...more

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Jan 12, 2010 Beth Schofield added it

The follow up to Sugar Rush, just as engrossing and fabulous. I love how Burchill really gets into the story in both Sugar Rush and Sweet, and leaves you satisfied, yet still wanting more. I will always love these 2 books.

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Sep 23, 2010 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Besides some of the little moments where Sugar starts to make valid, reasonable points I just didn't really feel the entire story as a whole.

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Jul 20, 2009 Robin Lee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not as funny as Sugar Rush but the character Sugar is over the top in her narcissism.

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Jul 10, 2011 Ms added it

I didn't enjoy it as much as Sugar Rush.

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Apr 19, 2013 Hannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Mar 25, 2013 Maria Magri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 20, 2013 Paola Matreló rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mar 19, 2013 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mar 10, 2013 Jessica Haywood rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 06, 2013 Evelyn marked it as to-read

Mar 04, 2013 Gunndís marked it as to-read

Feb 27, 2013 Claire marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Feb 14, 2013 Malin Ankardal rated it 2 of 5 stars

Feb 07, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Feb 04, 2013 Jessica Gray rated it 3 of 5 stars

Feb 01, 2013 Amy added it

Jan 23, 2013 Alice rated it 2 of 5 stars

Jan 22, 2013 Victoria rated it 3 of 5 stars

Jan 17, 2013 Rina Gottung marked it as to-read

Jan 16, 2013 Marsha marked it as to-read

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About Julie Burchill

Julie Burchill is an English writer and columnist known for her provocative comments. Beginning as a writer for the New Musical Express at the age of 17, she has written for newspapers such as The Sunday Times and The Guardian. She is a self-declared "militant feminist". She has several times been involved in legal action resulting from her work. She is also an author and novelist, her 1989 novel...more

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Sweet (Sugar #2)

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