Behind the Hood (Behind the Lives, #1) in Edgy YA

Feb 17, 2012 Alexis *Reality Bites* rated it really liked it

Shelves: stalker_or-stalker-habits, heartbreaking, emotional-read, rescued, alpha_male, abuse-abused_abuser, ya_mature-romance, danger, his-her-pov, heart_pounding_moments

Spoiler Free Review
4 STARS out of 5
Genre: YA-Mature
Setting: New Zealand

'I HATE TAMA. UGGGGHHHH.' My personal thoughts!

I really wish i had a slang dictonary for some of these New Zealand colloqualisms, because at times i was slightly lost but i still managed to keep up. First off this book is a hard read but i knew this goin into it. Yet still i cringed at certain places during my reading.

Behind the Hood is told in 1st person by various characters through out the book. The story evolves around e ...more

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Aug 12, 2011 Denna rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-series

INTENSE! I could probably leave my review at this one word and that would say it all. What a nerve wracking read. At first I thought there were going to be too many point of view characters for me to get involved emotionally, but they all tied back to each other perfectly. I had no problem keeping track of who was who and how they related back to each of the other characters. By the last three-quarters of the book I had the phones turned off and the Do Not Disturb sign hung on the door. I had to INTENSE! I could probably leave my review at this one word and that would say it all. What a nerve wracking read. At first I thought there were going to be too many point of view characters for me to get involved emotionally, but they all tied back to each other perfectly. I had no problem keeping track of who was who and how they related back to each of the other characters. By the last three-quarters of the book I had the phones turned off and the Do Not Disturb sign hung on the door. I had to know what was going to happen and I didn’t want any interruptions. Marita Hansen did not disappoint. I can’t wait to read the sequel.

Tama is a tough guy gang leader who causes problems wherever he goes. He starts things off by stabbing Maia, a 14-year-old girl, while trying to rape her and then has the nerve to try to push the blame for it off on her. Tama has a habit of pushing the blame for all his problems onto anyone but himself. Maia’s older brother Nike and Tama are long time enemies and Nike is determined to make Tama pay for what he did to his little sister. But Tama has eyes for Nike’s wife next and no one is safe who tries to get in his path.

This novel is brutal in its honesty, giving a true-to-life picture of gang life and the destruction that goes along with it. If you’re at all squeamish, this is probably not the book for you. Lives are destroyed, whole families destroyed, in a matter of seconds because of selfish desires. I’ll read just about anything I can get my hands on and it had me cringing in a few places-—praying in others. I got attached to these characters in the short time it took me to read it and it hurt me when they got hurt. At the same time I’m being repulsed by what’s taking place, I’m also getting pulled in. It takes real talent to pull off a story like this. I can’t wait to read the next one by Marita Hansen. This story may take place in New Zealand, but the same story could be told in any gang territory in the States. Definitely earned the five stars I’m going to give Behind the Hood.

...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Yla Socorro rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

When a friend of mine asked me what I think about this book, all I said was that it kept me heavy-hearted for the entire time I was reading it. Not in a bad way though - but because it was written so vividly I can even say it felt so much like everything is happening right before me.

Each chapter is told by different characters, and surprisingly enough, each voice is owned, authentic - and sounded so much like being told by different persons. You get to peek into the minds of all characters - un ...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Debbie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wow!! This debut work by Marita Hansen just resonates with authenticity. It is violent and no-holds-barred, but not OTT.....I see flashes of these mentalities and lifestyles in the families of some of the children I teach. Not yet available in mainstream NZ bookstores (set as it is in South Auckland), but certainly should be! Will have to buy a copy for my son via Amazon in the meantime......and I look forward to more from this author.

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Oct 01, 2012 Rocio Cedeno rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Love, love, love a book that keeps me going: oh my god! Oh no! WTF! From beginning to end, masterful story telling that kept me interested, angry & wanting for more.

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Feb 09, 2012 tinyneuron rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I enjoy reading NZ based books especially the gritty ones. One thing I noticed was that all the characters had flaws. I had high hopes for some of them like Maia, Mikey, the health professionals etc. Yes the staff members at the hospital (It seemed like the main characters all end up getting dragged to the hospital for one reason or another.)... and not to forget the Police.

1. Damn the police took ages to find Tama. NZ's police department cannot be that useless. NZ is small and when it comes to I enjoy reading NZ based books especially the gritty ones. One thing I noticed was that all the characters had flaws. I had high hopes for some of them like Maia, Mikey, the health professionals etc. Yes the staff members at the hospital (It seemed like the main characters all end up getting dragged to the hospital for one reason or another.)... and not to forget the Police.

1. Damn the police took ages to find Tama. NZ's police department cannot be that useless. NZ is small and when it comes to seeking out criminals the first people you should ask are their whanau and friends. They're their first line of defense and would surely hide them. I was happy that Mikey's mum called the police on Tama but everything else about her is just unlikeable to say the least.

2. Another issue of mine was Mikey's flat-lining scenario. So Maia's mum called for help and "a nurse ran into the room, quickly followed by a doctor". Okay, as I can remember Mikey is in ICU. No way would there only be one nurse and one doctor running. On Emergency situations, teams of people will run to the room. When I say teams I meant nurses, surgeons, anesthetists, code red team etc and they can all come from different areas of the hospital.

It then said on the book "the doctor placed paddles on and below Mikey's chest". Paddles are obsolete and hospitals rarely use them here in NZ. Say this happened late at night (I doubt it because Maia and her mum got to see Mikey) and there was only the doctor and nurse, then getting the "paddles" ready wouldn't have been the first thing they have done. CPR would've come first - Chest compressions while providing oxygen to the patient, getting the resuscitation trolley...

3. Please don't assume that all staff members in the hospital are stupid because they look old, funny, pudgy, hot etc. I was surprised that they let Maia and her mum into ICU since they're not really immediate family (her mum claimed he was her nephew)and it's a restricted area. But of course everyone is bound to do something stupid since no one is perfect and unfortunately it is true that stupid health professionals do exist. What made me sad is when Tama assumed that the doctor who was asking about Leila's condition was looking down on him. I hope that people who live under terrible conditions like some of the kids in the book don't think that all hospital staff/healthcare providers look down on them. We don't. We'll some of us don't anyway. It doesn't matter if you're dress like a hoodlum, your wound has maggots in it, you abuse us... They are our patients and we are there to treat them regardless. I'm just pointing this out because it's a common misconception and people have trouble trusting healthcare providers because of what they hear from their friends (who sometimes don't know any better) and false media adaptation of health professionals. So rather than getting the appropriate treatment, these people let things get worse.

4. I'm in a bit of a gray area when it comes to revenge. Sometimes violence is the best way to communicate to some people because no matter how much sense your words make, at some point those who are so far off in their heads cannot comprehend the logic in it. Killing someone on the other hand... Doesn't matter how right Nike thought it was but because the law here in NZ sucks (the criminal has more protection than the victim), he was better off just letting the police handle Tama. He's not exactly a professional killer...

5. Maia and Mikey... I wish they had more self esteem. But then there wouldn't be much of an issue to overcome if they did.

6. Despite hating Tama, the cover art was nicely done. The rendering, the pose, tattoo etc.

7. I'm pleased that the book wasn't just another gang influenced story. There really wasn't much of a real gang like in Alan Duff's works. It's just groups of friends and families covering each others backs.

8. The writing is raw but what made me keep reading was its straight-forwardness. No sugar-coating and unnecessary descriptions. It fitted the story.

9. I couldn't seem to find a moral message in this book. Like how some authors convey these do good messages. I don't think I'd recommend the book to a school truant because he might use the book as a weapon to beat someone to a pulp. There's not much lightheartedness in this book that would change their attitude.

10. Nice cliffhanger at the end! ...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Katherine Holmes rated it it was amazing

Strong in character, persistently at pace, Behind the Hood follows the delinquent Tama after he “cuts” a girl who is hospitalized. His flight from one mate to the girls from his street gang, and finally to the married girl he has wanted, links characters who become invested in the street crime and too often are hospitalized. Tama’s sultry but offending sexuality, driving him, builds a plot that entangles too many into a domino of violence.

The book is compellingly written, woven in both descript ...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Fee (Ebook Addicts) rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2012

a rollercoster of a book, gritty and violent from the word go. Tama really irritated the hell out of me so much I wished he was dead from the beginning.

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