Trash

Nov 16, 2010 K.D. Oliveros rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to K.D. by: Tina

Shelves: local, ya

Trash by Andrew "Andy" Mulligan, a British theatre director, drama teacher and now novelist is set most likely in the Philippines. Why? He used the places that are familiar to us Filipinos: Smoky Mountain (for us it is spelled with an "e" as in Smokey), Green Hills (Greenhills is a shopping center in San Juan where the former president/vice-president/senator, Joseph Estrada lives), McKinley Hill and the currency is in pesos and the country celebrates All Soul's Day on November 2nd when people fl...more Trash by Andrew "Andy" Mulligan, a British theatre director, drama teacher and now novelist is set most likely in the Philippines. Why? He used the places that are familiar to us Filipinos: Smoky Mountain (for us it is spelled with an "e" as in Smokey), Green Hills (Greenhills is a shopping center in San Juan where the former president/vice-president/senator, Joseph Estrada lives), McKinley Hill and the currency is in pesos and the country celebrates All Soul's Day on November 2nd when people flock to cemeteries to pay respect to their dead. Oh, the names of the characters are very Filipino: Rafael Fernandez, Gardo, Jun-jun "The Rat" etc. Of course Smokey Mountain was closed in the late 90's by then President Ramos. But for my foreigner Goodreads friends and those too young to know, this was how it looked like:

The name is derived from the fact that the two million tonnes of waste, when in the process of decomposition, creates too high temperature that the mountain appears to be smoking or in fire. I had no chance to be there but my Sociology professor in the 80's told us in class that the houseflies were as big as dragonflies.

Anyway, Trash is about three orphan young boys who are sorting garbage in this mountain. One day, in the heap of a garbage from a rich district of Green Hills, they find a bag that contains a wallet, a key, a map. In the wallet is P1,100, a picture of a man whose name is Jose Angelico who is a houseboy of an influential politician. The rest of the story revolves around the contents of that bag and how they change the lives of the 3 scavenging boys.

I almost did not sleep last night because of this book. I was a bit surprised because this book was categorized for "Teens" by its publisher www.randomhouse.com but I could not stop until I got to the last page. One thing that I liked was the different alternating narrators used: those of the 3 boys, the priest, the social worker and a couple of others. It reminded me of William Faulker's As I Lay Dying except that there is no mother to be buried but it is as dark and even more suspenseful, ergo more entertaining. The fact that it uses simple language and Filipino terms added to the ease in reading.

This is a YA book but totally different from the YA books that are popular among teens and young people. It neither insults your intelligence nor it makes you escape reality. Those who have read this so far were mostly British young girls and a couple of them wrote that they felt sorry for the boys that they would like to go to Behana (the place where Smoky Mountain used to operate), look for, embrace and comfort the boys. Well, one of them is described as having a killer smile so it might just be a reason too.

I did not have any high expectation when I decided to pick this book. I just heard that this is about the Philippines and I would like to see how this British author would depict our country. Although, Mulligan did not directly state that the setting is in Manila, I think the references are obvious. He has nothing to be worry about as his depiction of our country is balanced and truthful.

5 stars. Amazing, really.(less)

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May 25, 2011 Clare Cannon rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 13 years - adults

Shelves: 13-15yrs, young-adult, adults, favorites

What an amazing book! Three dumpsite boys live by sifting rubbish and looking for things to sell. One day they discover a deadly secret which they must decipher and try to fathom, and which they must risk their lives to keep hidden from the police.

Mulligan's writing is crystal clear: each voice is unique, telling the story as it happens from a different of point of view, which gives credibility and depth and sets an incredible pace.

It is a confronting tale of the corruption of power and the imp...more

What an amazing book! Three dumpsite boys live by sifting rubbish and looking for things to sell. One day they discover a deadly secret which they must decipher and try to fathom, and which they must risk their lives to keep hidden from the police.

Mulligan's writing is crystal clear: each voice is unique, telling the story as it happens from a different of point of view, which gives credibility and depth and sets an incredible pace.

It is a confronting tale of the corruption of power and the implications of this on the poorest of the poor, yet for all the gravity and unpleasantness of the content, the relative refinement with which it is told makes it more like a clear and realistic history lesson than the sickening shock of a slap in the face. There is nothing gratuitous, and even the infrequent strong word feels mild next to the difficulties the boys face with such courage.

Though it's packaged for children - who would need to be well read and mature enough for the serious themes, it is a recommended read for adults and teens. In my opinion it is well above Slumdog Millionaire, even though it only takes a couple of hours to read.

There is one discussion point to keep in mind on the importance of money. It could be said that money is at the heart of the story, and one of the most respected characters (an aid worker) reasons that "there are values and virtues and morals; there are relationships and trust and love - and all of that is important. Money, however, is more important... without money you shrivel and die." There is also a quote from a university newspaper which urges "What does the country need right now? THREE THINGS: A revolution. Then a revolution. Then - when the dust has settled - a revolution."

Yet in the context of the whole story these are not the loudest calls. I would assert that what are really at the heart of the story are values and virtues and morals, relationships and trust and love... which are all tried and tested in an adventure that is set in motion by money. And it is a thrilling read.(less)

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Nov 17, 2012 Linda Lipko rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This book took my breath away for the sheer beauty of the writing and the depth in which the author told a tale of poverty and the stark disparity of those who have and those who are without even basic needs.

It is a story of political graft and corruption that occurs systemically on all levels of the hierarchy. It is a story of brave young boys who pay a high price for a dream of a better existence.

With no hope of a better life, a large population of poor pick and sort garbage. Living and workin...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Aly (Fantasy4eva) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: uk-bookish-love, borrowed-from-library, conflicted-thoughts, crushing-on-the-cover, digging-the-premise, i-ache-for-you

Reading experience is more of a 3.5. The book though, is a 3. (if that makes sense).

description

i happen to have this cover. as i'm reading along, it seems more and more tragically beautiful to me. by far my favourite cover of the book. [Update] I now see that my cover features Garbo (I'm assuming since he's bald). But the cover the review features also really connects with me now. After reading this book, it will hold so much meaning. This is why I love covers that are actually relevant to the book.

There i...more
Reading experience is more of a 3.5. The book though, is a 3. (if that makes sense).

description

i happen to have this cover. as i'm reading along, it seems more and more tragically beautiful to me. by far my favourite cover of the book. [Update] I now see that my cover features Garbo (I'm assuming since he's bald). But the cover the review features also really connects with me now. After reading this book, it will hold so much meaning. This is why I love covers that are actually relevant to the book.

There is no going around it. What these people face is horrible. And although we know this goes on. Reading it and getting up close and personal is tough to stomach. I felt for them all and grew to really care for these three boys.

Raphael, a boy who literally lives on trash, comes across a bag containing a wallet, key, map and money one day as he's sorting through the trash. (this is his daily routine). He knows at once that he's found something special. His best mate, Garbo- (the more mature and wiser of the two) isn't so sure. When the police make a visit shortly after - asking for a bag, for some reason Raphael can't bring himself to turn it in. Thankfully, Garbo stays by his side - even when things take a horrible turn. Because it's not before long until the police become more insistent, the clues more dangerous and the stakes higher. But they now realise that once they've chosen this path, there's no going back.

I do think the book dwindled towards the end. It felt all very anti-climatic really. And although I felt for these boys, I also don't feel like I connected with them as much as I could have. To be fair, there is always a new character telling their side of the story after every few chapters, so just when you feel like you're really getting to know the boys, you're switched to someone else. And maybe because you really don't get to see their inner turmoil (or they don't let you in enough), or because it's not all that gritty or dark and depressing (not as depressing as I thought it would be) you don't feel the sleepless-nights-kind-of-sad. It is sad because of the life they live. But a lot of their journey is focused on this mystery. I think.. uncomfortable, is the best word to use to describe the beginning. Because as you're getting a picture of how these boys live, you will shuffle around and want to look away. Because how can you not feel guilty. Having all that we have when others live in these horrible conditions. It really is just tragic. But later on it becomes a lot more about 'the answers' they're trying to find, rather than the place they call home. And it does make me feel like a lot of potential got lost in the ' mystery' turn it took. I know that beneath these turn of events lies a message, but I actually didn't care all that much for the answers they were trying to find. I would have much rather read a book about 'just three' boys and what they deal with when living in such conditions on a day to day basis. May it have been them trying to perhaps move forward, find hope and new meaning to life.

I definitely felt like their families kind of became a blur eventually, which is a shame because I did start off thinking they would be more consistent and vital to the book. Especially when you are shown a boy like 'Rat' who is an example of what can happen when you don't have parents to support you and give you love.

It was a fairly quick read. But it shook a little towards the middle and gave us this very rushed end. A little too simple and perfect, if you ask me.

The writing was more on the 'simple' side. I'm still not sure how I feel about that. It did make me feel like I was reading a book that might have jelled with me more when I was 14/15. Now that I think about this more and more. I think the thing that stopped me from giving this the four stars is the lack of emotional investment I felt towards the book and characters. Apart from feeling a little at the beginning, I think too much focus went elsewhere and that the story and the depth of the characters (that I was looking forward to) got lost somewhere in between.

Favourite part? Definitely, definitely 'All Souls Day'. It's a day that all go to the cemetery to visit their long lost loved ones and pay respect. It is like one long conversation in the dark and I found this moment in the book quite beautiful. You prop up a chair, pour in a glass of wine, one for yourself and one for the deceased, and talk. Just that. Talk. The cemetery is lit with candles upon candles, and honestly, it is something which I can just imagine myself being so drawn to. The togetherness of all the people who are all there for the same reason. This undeniable intimacy between you and the one you have come to visit. I wish such a thing was celebrated here. How lovely.(less)

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Jan 25, 2012 Monique rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction, young-adult

Far from diverting attention from the Philippines, the seemingly insignificant details that Andy Mulligan utilized in Trash even serve to reinforce the idea that the story was actually set in our very own Manila, particularly in that hectares-big dumpsite called Payatas. (Smoky Mountain, the old dumpsite in Tondo, has since been closed and abandoned. In the book, Payatas was renamed Behala.) Aside from familiar places in the metro and the very Filipino names, most telling, in my opinion, is t...more
Far from diverting attention from the Philippines, the seemingly insignificant details that Andy Mulligan utilized in Trash even serve to reinforce the idea that the story was actually set in our very own Manila, particularly in that hectares-big dumpsite called Payatas. (Smoky Mountain, the old dumpsite in Tondo, has since been closed and abandoned. In the book, Payatas was renamed Behala.) Aside from familiar places in the metro and the very Filipino names, most telling, in my opinion, is the fact that the dialogue used by the young protagonists is replete with the word po, which denotes respect when speaking to older people. If you could think of any other third-world country that speaks po aside from the Philippines, then I would gladly be enlightened.

But I digress. Trash is the story of Raphael, Gardo, and Jun-jun alias Rat: three dumpsite boys who find – well, maybe not exactly treasure – in trash, but something life-altering, at the very least. Classic and far-from-exceptional plot, yes. Even I could easily construct a storyline similar to this one. But the fact that the concept, atmosphere, and even political and historical milieu of the story are structured with the Philippines in mind brings this novel close to home - literally and figuratively.

Trash was simply written. So simple, in fact, that the style felt amateurish and basic to me. Not that there's anything wrong with basic, don't get me wrong, but it could have been better. Plot-wise, I appreciated the mystery that it presented, although how it will eventually play out in the end was pretty much predictable.

There were specific parts in the novel, however, that elicited feelings of indignation from me. The portrayal of the 3 dumpsite boys, and how they displayed their cunning, deviousness and street-smartness, made me cringe inwardly - could be that I was also in denial that little boys like them could be so deceiving. The police brutality that was so graphically described also made me wrinkle my nose in disgust. But the truth of the matter is that the things and situations in the book are real-life, everyday events that I've merely taken for granted, and having to read it like that is like being splashed by cold water right in the face. Yes, my country's state of affairs and poverty level are dismal and leave much to be desired, and change doesn't look forthcoming in the near future. Having accepted this as a fact, I would prefer not reading about it anymore, thank you very much.

Also posted here. (less)

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Jul 26, 2011 Lynai rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-a-copy

Wonderful. This book is just wonderful. Despite the connotation of the word, Trash is far from being, well, trash. It’s more of a gem actually, if I may say. So what made me want to read this book? Curiosity. Who wouldn’t be curious about a novel that is about his own country? With these, I’ll tell you in three parts the reasons why I like this book : the setting, the characters, the plot.

The setting

Although there is no mention about it in the book, Trash is most probably set in the Philippines....more

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Oct 18, 2010 Kirsty (overflowing library) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: signed, uk-author

This book was totally different from anything else I have read so far this year. It hit on a variety of topics which made me think and was generally a nice read.

The story was told from the point of view of three boys (along with ocassional commentary from other secondary characters) who live and work in trash, namely the city landfill site. They make their living from wading through the rubbish thrown out by the people in the city they live in. The first thing that really struck home for me whil...more

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Aug 15, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, books-i-own-print, for-review-read, signed

Raphael and his friends have grown up in a slum town built amidst a rubbish dump, spending their days sorting through rubbish for anything that they can sell to get money for food. They have all dreamed of finding something valuable but when Raphael finds a bag containing money, a key and a letter life nothing will ever be the same again. With corrupt policemen looking for the bag they are now in great danger - it is very easy for street kids to disappear and there is no one who can stop it happ...more Raphael and his friends have grown up in a slum town built amidst a rubbish dump, spending their days sorting through rubbish for anything that they can sell to get money for food. They have all dreamed of finding something valuable but when Raphael finds a bag containing money, a key and a letter life nothing will ever be the same again. With corrupt policemen looking for the bag they are now in great danger - it is very easy for street kids to disappear and there is no one who can stop it happening. Can they solve the mystery before the police catch up with them? And what could possibly be so important that the police are so desperate to find it?

The world we are taken into in Trash isn't a comfortable one - the descriptions of life at the rubbish dump was realistic and at times quite upsetting reading. Especially when you think about the thousands of children throughout the world who do actually live like that. However, Raphael and his friends Gardo & Jun-Jun (also known as Rat) aren't the kind of characters who sit around feeling sorry for themselves - life is tough but it's all they've ever known and they get on with things, finding the positive in things that many of us take for granted.

I loved all three boys and thoroughly enjoyed the journey they took me on. The mystery kept me interested and I found the descriptions fascinating. I was so worried that they wouldn't all survive to tell their tale which just shows how invested I was in the book. The narrative switches between multiple characters which I suppose could be confusing but I actually enjoyed the fact that you got to see so many sides to the story. I though each of the voices were well written and it didn't take me long to work out who was speaking.

A great thriller with an ending that I absolutely loved and one I would recommend for boys and girls both young and old. This is one of those stories that makes you question what is really important and will make you feel grateful for the things you have. A thought provoking and fun read that will take you on an emotional roller coaster and I'm looking forward to reading more from Andy Mulligan.(less)

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Feb 23, 2011 Isamlq rated it 3 of 5 stars

All I can say is Andy Mulligan pulls no punches in TRASH. People do live this way; people do really do these things. The squalor that he describes, the corruption that he explains, the harsh treatment meted out by authorities. All these things are fact for a good number of people here. And yet, the positives like the kindness of strangers, the charity of others, the connectedness of family, were not discounted.

So the message? While there is a lot of trash, there’s also a lot to be thankful for....more

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Apr 17, 2013 Krista rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: caudill-2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 06, 2013 Encruzilhadas Literárias rated it 3 of 5 stars

Quem nos segue habitualmente é capaz de já ter notado que temos uma tag especial para a colecção Noites Claras da Editorial Presença. Criámo-la quando descobrimos que já tínhamos lido muitos dos livros desta colecção e mais, quando nos apercebemos o quanto gostamos deles e o quanto eles nos mantêm a pé a noite toda fazendo jus ao nome da colecção!
Trash é um livro diferente do que esperava inicialmente: a narrativa é contada principalmente na primeira pessoa pelos três rapazes que trabalham na L...more Quem nos segue habitualmente é capaz de já ter notado que temos uma tag especial para a colecção Noites Claras da Editorial Presença. Criámo-la quando descobrimos que já tínhamos lido muitos dos livros desta colecção e mais, quando nos apercebemos o quanto gostamos deles e o quanto eles nos mantêm a pé a noite toda fazendo jus ao nome da colecção!
Trash é um livro diferente do que esperava inicialmente: a narrativa é contada principalmente na primeira pessoa pelos três rapazes que trabalham na Lixeira - Gardo, Raphael e Ratazana - assim como por outros intervenientes que explicam as partes a que os rapazes não tiveram acesso. De um modo estranho, estas personagens surgem, garantindo estar a relatar os espisódios que testemunharam a pedido dos rapazes. No entanto, tendo em conta o decorrer do livro, não fica esclarecido de que forma tal era possível (mas isto são detalhes irrelevantes para a história).
O resumo do livro é claro e directo. O livro não dá muito mais voltas e reviravoltas, sendo uma narrativa simples, directa e carregada de acção (ao fim ao cabo...são rapazes!). Deste modo, não esperem frases confusas e/ou profundas, reflexões, palavreado caro...Trash está escrito como uma representação da história e vida de três rapazes, e são as suas palavras que a transformam em realidade (revelando um dos talentos de Andy Mulligan ao consegui-lo).
Quando ao enquadramento, temos um cenário de pobreza imensa. Estas crianças trabalham há quase uma década na lixeira e que têm apenas treze anos, o que facilita a aproximação entre o leitor e elas, que não consegue evitar uma sensação de ligação e empatia por eles.
No geral, devo dizer que achei o livro interessante. Considero no entanto que falta um pouco de realismo no meio da ficção, soando por vezes demasiado "sortudo". Conhecem aquela sensação que temos quando os personagens começam a ter sorte a mais? Essa impressão acompanhou-me um bocado durante este livro, e por vezes esperei que a história ganhasse um contorno ligeiramente diferente. Geralmente sou muito tolerante a este tipo de situações, principalmente nos mundos de fantasia (porque num mundo em que dragões voam pelos céus uma pessoa até consegue acreditar que se venda sorte engarrafada), mas quando se tenta criar uma base real, quando a história se passa no nosso mundo, parece-me algo caricato.
Ainda assim, é um livro essencialmente orientado para um público mais jovem (talvez pré adolescentes e adolescentes) que gostem e procurem um livro ao jeito de filmes de domingo - cheios de acção com polícias, políticos corruptos e rapazes que sobrevivem a toda e qualquer complicação que lhes surja, como elemento de esperança para dias melhores. É pequeno (pelo menos para quem acha que 250 páginas é um tamanho razoável), que se lê facilmente, e que por esse motivo pode ser incentivador para promover a leitura entre os mais novos. Saí daqui com três estrelas.

Podem ver todos os livros que já comentamos da colecção Noites Claras clicando aqui;
Apesar de nunca ser referido o país em que se passa a acção, vários leitores das Filipinas conseguiram situar a acção no seu país (onde há uma lixeira com o mesmo nome e um shopping com uma história parecida à do livro).

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Mar 29, 2013 Elijah Strong rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: no one

Elijah Strong 3/29/13

For my 3rd good reads assignment I read the book trash. Also the Author illustrated the stories different settings in a descriptave way. The author did a great job showing the personalities of the main characters of the book. Trash was an ok novel, but for a book with a little more than 200 pages, some of the settings in the book became long.

The novel is centered on a boy named Raphael, who finds a bag of pesos while digging through the landfill. He and his friend Gardo keep...more

Elijah Strong 3/29/13

For my 3rd good reads assignment I read the book trash. Also the Author illustrated the stories different settings in a descriptave way. The author did a great job showing the personalities of the main characters of the book. Trash was an ok novel, but for a book with a little more than 200 pages, some of the settings in the book became long.

The novel is centered on a boy named Raphael, who finds a bag of pesos while digging through the landfill. He and his friend Gardo keep the bag of money a secret until the cops come, and interrogate the township until finally Raphael’s aunt cannot take it anymore, and says that Raphael finds something. After the interaction with the police, Raphael and his friend Gardo seek out their friend Rat, who knows the area inside and out. Raphael plunders through the bag, and finds a locker number with someone’s luggage and items in it. They travel to the train station, and then are lost in a large crowd of people. They force themselves through the crowd, and reach the locker sections. After opening the locker all of Jose’s secrets are revealed.

The books main characters are Raphael, Rat, and Gardo. These three boys sort through trash in the Philippines to find valuables, and sell them for pesos. One day Raphael found the bag of pesos belonging a man named Jose Angelico, who was accused of stealing money from their vice president. This major part in the book is like a start of an adventure for the boys. The bag of money would soon be more trouble than it was worth. For me that was one of the many cons, while I can still praise the author for his ability to put description in his writing.

For example when the boys went to go find Jose’s wife in the graveyard, and this scene went on for 2.5 chapters. Also, when the cops suddenly appear at the refugee camp to question everyone drew away my interest. The book is a hit or miss, and I was more on the miss side. That is my opinion though, and if you are interested in these kinds of books then checks this out.
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Mar 02, 2013 Leane Charlotte rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: 10-11 year olds

Recommended to Leane by: Scholastic

Rating: 3.5

In a nutshell, Trash by Andy Mulligan is a good book. The story revolves around these three dumpsite boys, Raphael, Gardo and Rat. I think it's supposed to be set as a dystopian not-so-distant future, but I kind of felt that it was actually set in the present in Mexico. One day, Raphael and Gardo find this bag with a wallet and a letter in it. They seek the help of one of their friends, Jun-Jun, known as Rat, and set off on a "treasure-hunt" sort of thing.

The story is slightly confusi...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Harun Harahap rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiksi, indonesian, punya, terjemahan

Raphael, Gardo, Jun 'Tikus" Jun. Tiga anak kecil yang berprofesi sebagai pemulung. Hidup mereka berubah menjadi petualangan yang berbahaya. Semuanya dimulai ketika mereka menemukan sebuah tas di antara tumpukan sampah. Ternyata, tas itu menjadi penghubung dengan uang jutaan dollar curian seseorang. Yang dicuri dari seorang pejabat. Dimana uang pejabat itu juga didapat dari mencuri uang rakyat.

Di awal, gue bersedih dengan apa yang dialami para pemulung cilik ini. Kesehariannya harus bergumul deng...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobooks, multicultural, read-in-2012, realistic

Interesting story of two friends in an unnamed but clearly South American country who make their meager living as trash pickers on a huge dumpsite. One of them finds a valuable item, a wallet with money, a key, and the ID of a man they learn died in police custody. After pocketing the cash, the boys aren't sure what to do with the wallet, until the police arrive and ask all the trash pickers if they've found anything special--and offer a reward to whoever can find it in the vast smelly constantl...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, favorites, friendship, multicultural, mystery, suspense

Trash is a fast-paced adventure story as well as a fascinating glimpse into the world of extreme poverty and child labor in third-world countries. The plot revolves around 3 "dumpsite" boys who unexpectedly find something very valuable mixed in with all the trash they sort through daily. The boys embark on a quest to solve the mystery behind what they've found, and must ultimately decide how to deal with the information they uncover.

I found the 3 main characters very likeable and endearing, and...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Everyday eBook rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Everyday by: Sarah Cahill

When you live a comfortable life and have all your basic needs taken care of, it's easy to forget that much of the world is not nearly as lucky. I'm a firm believer that it's important to expose ourselves to the plight of the less fortunate as a reminder of how lucky we are by comparison. This personal philosophy (coupled with a true adoration of Young Adult literature) is what initially attracted me to Andy Mulligan's marvelous novel, Trash.

Set in an unnamed Third World country in the near futu...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Ms Tlaskal rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a really worthy novel in that it transports first world kids smack bang into the third world. And not in th etouristy part of the thirdworld but into its garbage tips where swarms of children are human recyclers armed with hooks ceaselessly clawing through the waste of those classes above them in search of what to sell for their livelihood. I'm sure the true details of life as a rubbish dump kid are sanitised but enough leaks through like the dangers of being crushed under vast piles of...more

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Oct 14, 2012 cait rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This is a horribly realistic story, written with depth and emotion -- and filled with surprises.

Even though it's only based off Manila, the Philippines, the book rings of a true-to-life story. You get caught up in the crushing poverty of dump kids, in their way of life, in their personal stories. Drama, fear, trouble, mystery, police, unforgettable characters, beatings, rubbish -- it's all there. It's a story of a different perspective. It's a story of fighting for what you think is right.

Thou...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Erin Mccall added it

Fourteen-year-old Raphael Fernandez lives in a community of filth. His parents are dead. He keeps his aunt and little cousins from going hungry by sorting through the new steaming piles of trash that are trucked in daily, looking for plastics and reusable items to sell for pesos. He doesn’t go to school and he doesn’t wear shoes. Every day working the trash piles is the same, separating the ‘stuppa’ from the plastics, and maybe even finding a shirt… until a small black leather bag appears among...more Fourteen-year-old Raphael Fernandez lives in a community of filth. His parents are dead. He keeps his aunt and little cousins from going hungry by sorting through the new steaming piles of trash that are trucked in daily, looking for plastics and reusable items to sell for pesos. He doesn’t go to school and he doesn’t wear shoes. Every day working the trash piles is the same, separating the ‘stuppa’ from the plastics, and maybe even finding a shirt… until a small black leather bag appears among the crap.
Trash begins with Raphael’s impulse decision to keep the bag and its contents—a wallet, money and a key—hidden. Through police inquiries and a huge finder’s reward, it becomes clear that the bag could lead to not only crime clues, but also 6 million dollars. Thus begins a journey begot by curiosity and sustained by the desire to avenge the political martyr whose bag Raphael stumbled upon. While Raphael introduces us to the people he decides to trust with his secret, readers get to hear the story from the perspectives of each person, who, willing or not, was roped into the chase.
The police take on an authoritarian role in Behala and society, keeping any rebellious Behala (read: poor) residents in their place through shocking brutality, while politicians, like antagonist Senator Zapanta, sit on millions of dollars meant for the poor. Education plays very little part in the daily lives of Behala children, despite the neighborhood mission school paying its students in food and clothing just so they’ll attend.
Unfortunately in terms of setting, I found there to be a bit of cultural disconnect. Using pesos and bearing Spanish-named inhabitants, Behala is described as a district in “an unnamed third world country in a not-so-distant future”, yet the wealthy McKinley Hill sits just a few miles out, where life seems more lavish than present day suburbia. I spent too much time wondering how the arrangement of the setting could be possible and not enough time savoring it. For a recession-struck readership, this dystopian fiction serves its purpose in provoking readers to question whether this trash-based world could possibly be our future. An adventure from the perspective of three headstrong, leather-skinned boys provides a great entry into young adult science fiction as the presence of reality is still strong. The characterization is enhanced by the multiple perspectives and provides a greater scope of Behala.
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Sep 20, 2012 Raissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is a quick read that describes the lives of scavengers and street people in the Philippines fairly well. Since I'm a Filipino and familiar with the places and kinds of people described, I couldn't help noticing some unlikely details. Like when he describes kids wearing ties while in the cemetery for All Saints' Day (not All Souls' although that's the real day of the dead; here we start cemetery visits on All Saints, November 1). I'm glad he switched to calling it Day of the Dead becaus...more

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May 31, 2012 Earl rated it 5 of 5 stars

There aren’t many books today that can touch on the hardships of a 3rd world country and still be enjoyable. Luckily Andy Mulligan has found that comfortable balance with his book called Trash. Trash is based around two young boys named Raphael, Gardo and Rat who live in a run-down third world country garbage dump close by outskirts of a foreign city (believed to be in the Philippians). One day while digging through trash Raphael finds a large sum of cash, a missing I.D., key and a map. While th...more

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May 30, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Trash starts out very hard to understand. It switches back and forth between the three boys without letting you know, so it was easy to get confused as to who was speaking at the time. You had to reread sometimes in order to understand for sure who just said what. One of the things that I didn’t like was that the location of the boys was never given. You understood that they lived in a poor, third-world country, but were not given a specific place until after finishing the book. Although the boo...more

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May 30, 2012 Lantz Kehlmier rated it 5 of 5 stars

Trash by Any Mulligan is a novel about three “dumpster boys” who live among the trash and find an important wallet that takes them on a roller-coaster ride of adventure. Right away, Mulligan strikes at the reader’s emotions as it opens with two of the main characters, Raphael and Gardo combing through the trash. I immediately felt sad and began to wonder what life would be like to live that way. Almost immediately the mood changes to that of curiosity and adventure when Raphael found the wallet...more Trash by Any Mulligan is a novel about three “dumpster boys” who live among the trash and find an important wallet that takes them on a roller-coaster ride of adventure. Right away, Mulligan strikes at the reader’s emotions as it opens with two of the main characters, Raphael and Gardo combing through the trash. I immediately felt sad and began to wonder what life would be like to live that way. Almost immediately the mood changes to that of curiosity and adventure when Raphael found the wallet and the boys, joined by Jun-Jun, are off on their adventure. Throughout the entire book, Mulligan has us experience many emotions, from sadness that the boys live among trash to scared when Raphael gets arrested, to adventurous when the boys visit the president’s house, and finally happiness that their adventure is completed. Mulligan writes in such a way that the reader really does connect to the book and characters. Even though some readers may not have experienced poverty, having no family, etc. as the boys have, as a reader, we are able to relate to the emotions the boys go through and we are able to relate to the friendship and willingness to help each other that is present among the boys.

One of the other ways Mulligan attempts to connect with the reader is having parts of the books told by five different narrators, the three boys, the teacher at school, and the female volunteer at the school. The latter two help the boys on their adventure. I did find it hard to differentiate between which of the three boys was narrating what part. For me, there was not a significant enough difference between the characters of the three boys when they were narrating. But I was able to differentiate when the teacher and female volunteer were narrating as they gave a different perspective and their roles in the adventure took it on a completely different spin.

The plot and simple writing style of this book make it an easy read and one I did not want to put down. Mulligan took an emotional and hard issue, poverty, and set it in an adventurous plot. Even the young readers whom this book is written for, can relate to this book as Mulligan takes the issue of poverty and puts it on a level every reader can understand. With its twists and turns, happiness and sadness, this book kept me entertained and wanting to read more.
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May 29, 2012 Jenny Lu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Trash by Andy Mulligan is a book that is thought-provoking and conversation-inciting. When introduced to the three kids of this book—Raphael, Gardo, and Rat—readers quickly fall in love with the characters and their will-power to fight for their vision for what is right. They don’t stop in the face of hardship or danger, and will do anything to keep the police from unraveling the mystery before they do.
I like how this story is told in first-person point of view throughout the book. It provides f...more Trash by Andy Mulligan is a book that is thought-provoking and conversation-inciting. When introduced to the three kids of this book—Raphael, Gardo, and Rat—readers quickly fall in love with the characters and their will-power to fight for their vision for what is right. They don’t stop in the face of hardship or danger, and will do anything to keep the police from unraveling the mystery before they do.
I like how this story is told in first-person point of view throughout the book. It provides fresh insights to the plotline and gives the reader different perspectives, in a raw, journey-entry style. While other books give you perspective, this story is unraveled through the personal accounts of each character—even minor ones, which makes the story interesting. Because it is crafted together by the voices of so many characters, the story becomes more real. The characters collectively create this “play” of a mystery. It is suspenseful, and keeps the reader glued to the pages of the book.
This book also brings to light very real issues in this world, such as poverty and hunger. We automatically feel for these kids, as we live so comfortably in the United States. We realize that there are many people who are in much less fortunate situations, literally living in the dumps. This book opens our eyes to see the kids’ struggle for freedom from poverty and oppression—a sad reality that exists. It’s good for students to become globally aware. It’s important for readers to be taken on this emotional, fast-paced, roller-coaster ride to understand and react to serious world issues, and be appreciative of how fortunate we are to live in the US.
This book can also spark great conversations in a classroom. Students can discuss what actions can be taken to combat global issues such as poverty or hunger. Teachers can bring up the values portrayed—survival, righteousness, hope, perseverance. If you read it with an open mind, I believe there is a lot that can be taken away from this book.
As suspenseful as this story is, some may complain and focus on the unrealistic aspect of the plotline. People may also see the plotline as “too fictitious”. (Kids getting their hands on six million dollars?) A lot of the times, it’s not hard to guess what might happen next in the story as well. Another negative aspect is that if you don’t read the book in one setting, it’s easier to become confused who is speaking, because they the characters alternate quite often. I found myself having to double-check myself to make sure I had the right character in mind telling that portion of the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I feel like it does a great job providing insights for discussion and thinking.(less)

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May 02, 2012 Allison Reed rated it 2 of 5 stars

Andy Mulligan’s Trash succeeds in telling an intelligent story of mystery for children though it does have its drawbacks.

Mulligan’s characters, 3 young boys named Raphael, Gardo, and Jun-Jun or Rat, do not seem to have a different voice as they trade the responsibility of writing the chapters of this story. I, personally, found myself having to constantly look back to see who was speaking at the time; often I found I did not even care enough to look back, as it often did not matter who was tel...more

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May 02, 2012 Caren rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Shortlisted for the 2012 Carnegie Medal, this work of fiction reminded me a bit of the recent adult nonfiction book "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" by Katherine Boo. The author isn't specific about where the boys in this novel live, although in his acknowledgements at the end, he says it is loosely based on places he saw while living in Manila. It is a reminder that many children in this world live in situations hard for us in the West to fathom. The book is a great adventure story and should ap...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Trash, by Andy Mulligan is book that takes a look into the lives of children who spend their daily life sorting through the trash in a third-world country’s dump. After they find a bag that the police are looking for, their lives’ take a drastic turn from daily dump life to solving the mystery of what the contents of this bag mean.
This 230-page long chapter book is divided into 5 parts. Throughout the book, different characters are narrating the story, altering the point of view. We hear the st...more

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Mar 07, 2012 Alexandra Day rated it 4 of 5 stars

The young adult novel Trash by Andy Mulligan is by no means a work of junk, like it’s title suggests. Trash is a hidden treasure that depicts a gruesome and devastating reality for boys living in, you guessed it, trash. While the story wasn’t exquisitely written, its simple style did the book justice. The boys were real characters and the reader felt for them. However as the story progressed, they became deceiving through the tasks they did, which some readers may not appreciate. One aspect tha...more

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Mar 02, 2012 Saima added it

Trash by Andy Mulligan is a powerful book regarding poverty. On the whole the book tells a compelling story about three poverty-stricken boys who go on an adventure after finding a wallet in the trash. Both teens and adults would really enjoy the book, the scenarios depicted were quite realistic and the plot is developed on the determination of three dumpsite boys who construct thoughtful planning for survival.
The construction of the book is slightly different from the traditional novel form,...more Trash by Andy Mulligan is a powerful book regarding poverty. On the whole the book tells a compelling story about three poverty-stricken boys who go on an adventure after finding a wallet in the trash. Both teens and adults would really enjoy the book, the scenarios depicted were quite realistic and the plot is developed on the determination of three dumpsite boys who construct thoughtful planning for survival.
The construction of the book is slightly different from the traditional novel form, as each chapter changes narration which kept the book interesting. Other books have also used this technique but have over applied it. For example, in the book The Strange Case of Oragami Yoda by Tom Angleberger every chapter is narrated by a new character, such over representation of the technique often gets the reader confused. Mulligan made a wise decision to keep the narration between the three main characters.
The development of the characters is brilliant, Mulligan decision to shows the three boys, Raphael, Gardo and Rat who are raised in poverty as being street smart goes great with the plot of the story and makes it more believable.
The well-thought-out cover would attract both male and female readers. Furthermore, the cover helps the reader get a sense of the physical appearance of the boys. The title is also distinctive and makes the reader inquisitive about the story.
Trash, although a fiction novel has several aspects that make portions of the book seem non-fiction. The descriptions of poverty makes you realize a truth that actually exists in the world. Although some scenes were quite upsetting and painful, they go well with the theme of the story and make the storyline more realistic for the readers. Mulligan also does a fabulous job in portraying a particular culture of the Philippines as well as describing this impoverished group of people. Trash is a great book that takes the reader on a journey with three boys who encounter luck, dishonesty, and mystery to solve.

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Trash Review	2	16	Oct 23, 2012 02:38am

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