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The Other Side of You: Quick Reads
Will must run, or die. He's seen a murder, and the gang on his estate are after him.
Hurt, hungry and afraid, he comes to an abandoned house in a different part of the city. Behind its high fences is a place of safety. Here, he can hide like a wounded beast. He can find food, and healing - and learn how to do more than survive.
Hurt, hungry and afraid, he comes to an abandoned house in a different part of the city. Behind its high fences is a place of safety. Here, he can hide like a wounded beast. He can find food, and healing - and learn how to do more than survive.
112 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2017
10 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Craig
28 books141 followersAmanda Craig (born 1959) is a British novelist. Craig studied at Bedales School and Cambridge and works as a journalist. She is married with two children and lives in London.
Craig has so far published a cycle of six novels which deal with contemporary British society, often in a concise acerbic satirical manner. Her approach to writing fiction has been compared to that of Anthony Trollope and Charles Dickens.[1] Her novel A Vicious Circle was originally contracted to be published by Hamish Hamilton, but was cancelled when its proof copy received a libel threat from David Sexton, a literary critic and former boyfriend of Craig's at Cambridge, fifteen years previously.[2] The novel was promptly bought by Fourth Estate and published three months later. Although each novel can be read separately, they are linked to each other by common characters and themes, thus constituting a novel sequence. Usually, Craig takes a minor character and makes him or her the protagonist of her next work.
Craig is particularly interested in children's fiction, and was one of the first critics to praise JK Rowling and Philip Pullman in The New Statesman. She is currently the children's critic for The Times.
Craig has so far published a cycle of six novels which deal with contemporary British society, often in a concise acerbic satirical manner. Her approach to writing fiction has been compared to that of Anthony Trollope and Charles Dickens.[1] Her novel A Vicious Circle was originally contracted to be published by Hamish Hamilton, but was cancelled when its proof copy received a libel threat from David Sexton, a literary critic and former boyfriend of Craig's at Cambridge, fifteen years previously.[2] The novel was promptly bought by Fourth Estate and published three months later. Although each novel can be read separately, they are linked to each other by common characters and themes, thus constituting a novel sequence. Usually, Craig takes a minor character and makes him or her the protagonist of her next work.
Craig is particularly interested in children's fiction, and was one of the first critics to praise JK Rowling and Philip Pullman in The New Statesman. She is currently the children's critic for The Times.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
August 20, 2017
I absolutely adored this book! When I first started it I wasn't sure what I was going to think, thought it was going to be another book about gang culture with no depth, how wrong I was, this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and I loved how it was done. We meet our main character Billy who is running away from the local gang after they have murdered his aunt, he runs off the estate and comes across a glass house and within this glass house an array of plants and roses, at first Billy is forced to steal from local kids to buy some food from Poundland until the glass house starts to give him food in the way of fruit and veg, Billy notices a young Indian girl and her friend on the way to her school and starts to have feelings for her, he tracks her down and she starts to visit him in the glass house and that's all I will say because it's a short book and I don't want to ruin it.
I loved this story thought it was sweet and lovely and I really felt for the characters. I thought it was a very clever reselling of Beauty and the Best and yes the ending was cliche but I still loved it.
Will be checking out more of this authors work.
I loved this story thought it was sweet and lovely and I really felt for the characters. I thought it was a very clever reselling of Beauty and the Best and yes the ending was cliche but I still loved it.
Will be checking out more of this authors work.
April 8, 2017
This is a modern 'fairy' tale. As with all short stories, it is a chance to try a new author or a different genre. Quick Reads are also a great way of bringing books to new readers and widening literacy. I think all lovers of books should read them, or just buy them, before passing them on to someone not so enamoured by reading.
It puts pressure on the authors who give of their art to keep this tradition going.
In The Other Side of You Amanda Craig has written this contemporary fable about the capacity to change. To leave one's old life behind and escape to forge a new identity, to have a chance to live.
The author also shares the gem of an idea that fashioned the plot of this story that is delivered with a degree of hope and a sense of power beyond ourselves or just buried in our spirit.
It puts pressure on the authors who give of their art to keep this tradition going.
In The Other Side of You Amanda Craig has written this contemporary fable about the capacity to change. To leave one's old life behind and escape to forge a new identity, to have a chance to live.
The author also shares the gem of an idea that fashioned the plot of this story that is delivered with a degree of hope and a sense of power beyond ourselves or just buried in our spirit.
Want to read
May 14, 2017It's a Beauty and the Beast reimagining & I can never resist those!
September 2, 2017
Wasn't Impressed With This Book Until The Final Half, Which Fast Paced, Beautiful And Nicely Rounded Off
March 11, 2021
This was the most unique retelling of Beauty and the Beast I've ever read. It has a urban, paranormal twist to it which I enjoyed.
It opens with the main character, Beasty, running for his life and being chased out of his estate by his former gang. Thanks to "third man syndrome" or maybe something even more mysterious, he survives and finds himself in a cleaner, safer estate. He takes refuge in an abandoned garden centre where he learns a better way of life by tending the plants and watching the community thriving all around him.
For such a short book that covers many themes it sure was well rounded. Reading the main character's transformation was heartwarming and inspiring.
3.75, rounding up to 4.
It opens with the main character, Beasty, running for his life and being chased out of his estate by his former gang. Thanks to "third man syndrome" or maybe something even more mysterious, he survives and finds himself in a cleaner, safer estate. He takes refuge in an abandoned garden centre where he learns a better way of life by tending the plants and watching the community thriving all around him.
For such a short book that covers many themes it sure was well rounded. Reading the main character's transformation was heartwarming and inspiring.
3.75, rounding up to 4.
August 4, 2020
Will lives on a rough estate and one night walks into a gang in his home and they have just killed his aunt. He runs. He knows they will kill him if they catch him and he desperately needs to get away. Somehow he manages to escape and finds himself living in an abandoned garden centre. But he has no money or food and has to decide what to do next.
February 20, 2023
I know it’s only a short story but this was not good. The writing style is very babyish, with even the names of people or places being very odd. If I hadn’t of been in the library, trying to kill some time and in need of something quick, I would have had to stop reading this. It’s really not for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
April 24, 2018Silly little hostel book
June 4, 2018
I’ve only one word for this: excellent!
November 30, 2019
Such a lovely little story with a heart warming ending xx
July 12, 2022
An enjoyable quick read.
A modern day version of beauty and the beast.
A modern day version of beauty and the beast.
Read
October 12, 2022Got a little bored and did not finish. Her other books are really good though.
February 28, 2017
Short read about a teenager who flees from the gang he had been forced into, when they kill his auntie. Heading over the river he finds an abandoned garden centre, hidden in a fenced-off square and takes refuge there. I was unsure whether this is an adult or YA book, I couldn't really take to the main character, but as a Quick Reads, I finished it in a couple of hours.
February 28, 2022
Genre: Crime – Gangs – Fresh Start
📖 This book follows Will, a young man from a rough estate who seems perpetually down on his luck. When he returns to his home he finds his Aunt murdered by a local gang and knows he must escape or he is next. Through chance, Will escapes and discovers a place he can hide safely; a garden with a greenhouse. He soon realises the food grown round about him is edible and even figures out how to grow more.
✍️ Will meets Padma and through his distant awareness of her (and later friendship with her,) he begins to reform, he no longer wishes to cause fear but be kind and even understood. He wants the opportunity to start again but as with all fables, his past doesn’t allow that and soon catches up with him.
🗣 I often think it’s useful to see an extract of a book to get an idea of the writing style. Here is a brief extract so that you can see a sample of the writing yourself:
🗺 This book is part of the “quick reads” collection which I like to intersperse between larger novels. The idea of this collection is exactly as it says on the tin (or should that be cover), a shorter than a normal book by world-leading authors (less than 100 pages). One of the things I quite like about these books is that they force the authors to cut out a lot of the waffle that sometimes goes on in books. This keeps the stories quite fast-paced with a lot happening in less time.
💔 Any Negatives: Despite being quite fast-paced, I didn’t initially get into this novel at the beginning with all the gangs and running around. However, I am really pleased I stuck with it as the story is great once it gets going.
💭 Overall View: The author has written this contemporary fable with the primary focus on the capacity to change. The desire (and ability) to leave one's old life behind and begin again. The tale is sweet and the characters grow on you as the story progresses.
👍 Please leave a like if you think my review/feedback of the item was helpful to you. Alternatively, please contact me if you want me to clarify something in my review.
IF YOU WISH TO SEE MORE OF MY BOOK REVIEWS PLEASE VISIT:
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📖 This book follows Will, a young man from a rough estate who seems perpetually down on his luck. When he returns to his home he finds his Aunt murdered by a local gang and knows he must escape or he is next. Through chance, Will escapes and discovers a place he can hide safely; a garden with a greenhouse. He soon realises the food grown round about him is edible and even figures out how to grow more.
✍️ Will meets Padma and through his distant awareness of her (and later friendship with her,) he begins to reform, he no longer wishes to cause fear but be kind and even understood. He wants the opportunity to start again but as with all fables, his past doesn’t allow that and soon catches up with him.
🗣 I often think it’s useful to see an extract of a book to get an idea of the writing style. Here is a brief extract so that you can see a sample of the writing yourself:
How did the glasshouse stay warm? The glass helped but there was even electricity. I flicked the switch just to check, and almost jumped out of my skin. Someone was talking out of a dusty old radio. I turned it off, sweating. But nobody came to check. It was as if I had become invisible.
🗺 This book is part of the “quick reads” collection which I like to intersperse between larger novels. The idea of this collection is exactly as it says on the tin (or should that be cover), a shorter than a normal book by world-leading authors (less than 100 pages). One of the things I quite like about these books is that they force the authors to cut out a lot of the waffle that sometimes goes on in books. This keeps the stories quite fast-paced with a lot happening in less time.
💔 Any Negatives: Despite being quite fast-paced, I didn’t initially get into this novel at the beginning with all the gangs and running around. However, I am really pleased I stuck with it as the story is great once it gets going.
💭 Overall View: The author has written this contemporary fable with the primary focus on the capacity to change. The desire (and ability) to leave one's old life behind and begin again. The tale is sweet and the characters grow on you as the story progresses.
👍 Please leave a like if you think my review/feedback of the item was helpful to you. Alternatively, please contact me if you want me to clarify something in my review.
IF YOU WISH TO SEE MORE OF MY BOOK REVIEWS PLEASE VISIT:
BLOG: HTTPS://NEW2WRITING.WORDPRESS.COM/
FACEBOOK: HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/KLCALEY/
INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT: HTTPS://WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/KL.CALEY/
May 7, 2022
A decent short read, well balanced, with great characters and a compelling plot. A real show of what you can do in a novella, and also the worth of the Quick Reads range.
Although this story of gang warfare and glasshouses wisely showed the cruel life of those involved, even when it went close to being 'inspirational and cutesy' the ending however undid that by
Apart from the excessive sweetness of the ending, a good, gritty quick read.
Although this story of gang warfare and glasshouses wisely showed the cruel life of those involved, even when it went close to being 'inspirational and cutesy' the ending however undid that by
Apart from the excessive sweetness of the ending, a good, gritty quick read.
January 1, 2023
Will lives in the wrong estate and unfortunately for him he's got to get away from the area as quickly as he can now that the gang has singled him out but where can he go? Escaping the estate is the easy part but when he winds up finding himself hiding in an abandoned glass structure full of plants he could never imagine just how much his life will change.
This is a quick read as well as a first time reading work by Amanda Craig for me and I must say this won't be my last time reading her work. The story is well thought out and delivered and in the main character Will I found someone who had a true development throughout the story but one that didn't feel overly rushed or forced which I was impressed with as the story is short.
This is a quick read as well as a first time reading work by Amanda Craig for me and I must say this won't be my last time reading her work. The story is well thought out and delivered and in the main character Will I found someone who had a true development throughout the story but one that didn't feel overly rushed or forced which I was impressed with as the story is short.
August 26, 2021
THIRD WOMAN SYNDROME
I have experienced this when I nearly died having my son. I’ve rated this book for what it is - a short read that is accessible. I read it during a long hairdressing appointment and enjoyed its simplicity and the clever way it is constructed. It’s based on Beauty and the Beast with other themes. I liked the references to radio four and Mr Engels is a good name. An unlikeable almost Clockwork Orange like character who has a heart and comes good thanks to the love of a good woman. We all need books like this occasionally and it made a welcome break from ‘a passage north’. I also loved the glass house and the nature references.
I have experienced this when I nearly died having my son. I’ve rated this book for what it is - a short read that is accessible. I read it during a long hairdressing appointment and enjoyed its simplicity and the clever way it is constructed. It’s based on Beauty and the Beast with other themes. I liked the references to radio four and Mr Engels is a good name. An unlikeable almost Clockwork Orange like character who has a heart and comes good thanks to the love of a good woman. We all need books like this occasionally and it made a welcome break from ‘a passage north’. I also loved the glass house and the nature references.
March 11, 2017
A quick read aimed at young people. Will lives on a rough estate and one night walks into a gang in his home and they have just killed his aunt. He runs. He knows they will kill him if they catch him and he desperately needs to get away. Somehow he manages to escape and finds himself living in an abandoned garden centre. But he has no money or food and has to decide what to do next.
I liked this book but found it a little unrealistic at times. That's probably because I'm not the target audience. All in all, a good way to pass 45 minutes.
I liked this book but found it a little unrealistic at times. That's probably because I'm not the target audience. All in all, a good way to pass 45 minutes.
September 26, 2021
I do enjoy these "Quick Reads" but this was a bit of a mish-mash flitting between being a menacing account of gang life & being a bit of a
fairytale. It starts off quite grim, with Will fleeing from a gang in fear of his life. Taking sanctuary in an abandoned house the story takes on a fairytale-like quality with the house providing for Will's needs. That feeling was also enhanced by the fact that the supposedly ugly Will meets the beautiful Padma- echoes of "Beauty & the Beast" eh? Does it...like so many traditional stories...end happily ever after? Well, I'll just say that the cheesy ending made me both smile & roll my eyes!
fairytale. It starts off quite grim, with Will fleeing from a gang in fear of his life. Taking sanctuary in an abandoned house the story takes on a fairytale-like quality with the house providing for Will's needs. That feeling was also enhanced by the fact that the supposedly ugly Will meets the beautiful Padma- echoes of "Beauty & the Beast" eh? Does it...like so many traditional stories...end happily ever after? Well, I'll just say that the cheesy ending made me both smile & roll my eyes!
January 2, 2018
As somebody else reviewed it, it is a boy-fairytale. As the series name, it is indeed a quick read. Still its biggest strength is allowing us to peep in into the worlds of those who we would normally won't pay much attention to. It starts on a heavy note, then gradually eases out, then finally ends on a high note. (But why just three stars? To be consistent across genres. Within the genre, its top-rated).
August 2, 2023
Simple short story focusing on Will, a teenager on the run from a gang who takes refuge in a glass house. The story mingles gritty street life with an escape into an Eden like environment where Will is able to recuperate and reset his life. Amanda Craig excels at writing about outsiders and drawing the reader into their lives without being unduly pessimistic.
February 2, 2024
I found this book to be engaging, faced paced and nuanced, I would certainly read more from this author. I felt that I could really understand the character despite not having anything in common with him. The final twist was something I anticipated long before its reveal but that didn’t detract from how I felt about it.
June 21, 2022
I am not a fan usually of quick reads but this book is an exception to the rule. The beginning of the story seems a bit crude but you cannot but feel for the outcast who thinks he has found somewhere safe to live. The ending is brilliant.
July 25, 2024
Enjoyed this short story although having just finished another Quick Reads novel (Hello Mum by Bernardine Evaristo) which was also set on a “sink estate” with unavoidable gang violence and knives quite disheartening for the young people trapped on them.
March 12, 2017
Nice read about a kid escaping from a bad estate and making something of himself. Very charming and interesting story. Would recommend reading.
May 14, 2017
I enjoyed this book as a quick read. Certainly a modern beauty and the beast vibe... but it was interesting all the same 😊
June 18, 2017
Slightly predictable but I enjoyed reading it.
July 18, 2017
Great short book, really enjoyed this Quick Read alternative version of Beauty and the Beast. Still a fairy tale, but with a modern twist.
August 15, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. It was short and snappy. It drew you in and I was willing it to have a nice ending and the conclusion was great. Really great quick read for a summer afternoon read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews