Friday 24 May 2013

Follow Me Down - Tanya Byrne


Pages: 458
Publisher: Headline
Release Date: 9th May 2013
Edition: UK proof, review copy

Other Titles by this Author: Heart-Shaped Bruise

First love. Last lie.

When Adamma Okamma has to leave her glossy high school in New York for a dusty English boarding school, she thinks it’s the end of the world – or the end of her social life, at least.

Then she meets the wicked-witted Scarlett Chiltern, who shows her all of Crofton College’s darkest corners and Adamma realises there’s much more to her new school and tartan skirts and hockey sticks.

She and Scarlett become inseparable, but when they fall for the same guy; the battle lines are firmly drawn.

Adamma gets the guy but loses her best friend. Then, when Scarlett runs away, Adamma finds herself caught up in something far more sinister than a messy love triangle. Adamma always knew that Scarlett had secrets, but some secrets are too big to keep  and this one will change all of their lives forever.

Heart-Shaped Bruise was one of my favourite books of last year so Follow Me Down had a lot of live up to. Tanya Byrne nailed it once again.

I loved how Tanya Byrne switched between before and after a mysterious event that led to the disappearance of Scarlet. With both sides of the narration counting down and to something dramatic, the tension was constantly there and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The secrets kept, lies told and countless betrayals kept me on my toes and I had no idea who to believe and who to trust.  Didn’t know where I was half the time!

Scarlet is one of those characters you love to hate. She’s the type of girl who might ever notice your existence, or she’ll make it hell on earth for you. I could never be friends with her and I was impressed that Adamma lasted as long as she did! The way that Adamma’s attitude towards Scarlett fluctuated and changed between the two different timelines and throughout them was fantastic and so realistic. I mean, it’s rare you like your best friend all the time, right? Adamma is a strong and honest character with a strong moral character – something lacking at Crofton – and I loved the way that she related and intereacted with the other characters.

Follow Me Down ended on a mind-bending twist. I was so shocked and convinced that I must have read something wrong that I went back and re-read the last section of the book. I was left astonished and slightly confused. I’d love to re-read it one day with the conclusion in mind. I think it’d be fascinating.

Tanya Byrne once again knocked it out of the park with Follow Me Down. Tense, addictive and beautifully written; I don’t know how you couldn’t love it.


Thanks to Headline for sending me a copy to review.

Sophie

1 comment:

  1. Oh I really loved this one. It wasn't quite as emotional as Heart-Shaped Bruise but it really kept me on my toes!

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