Wednesday 5 February 2014

Boys Don't Knit - TS Easton


Pages: 277
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Release Date: 1st January 2014
Edition: UK paperback, purchased

After an unfortunate incident with a lollipop lady (it’s a long story) Ben Fletcher avoids the Young Offenders Unit. Instead he is told to Give Something Back to the community and develop his Sense of Social Alignment.

Of course Ben does what most teenage boys would do: he takes up knitting. He’s always had a Thing for the teacher and it would be a welcome change from endless conversations about Top Ger and Chelsea FC with his dad.

Obviously it doesn’t quite go as he thought it would. There is a high risk of eternal HUMILIATION and becoming REPELLENT to all girls. But Ben’s nothing if not a risk-taker.

Just ask the lollipop lady...

When I first heard about TS Easton’s debut, I didn’t think it would be for me and I turned down a review. Then everyone raved about it and I felt left out so I bought it. Man, I was missing out!

I’m a big fan of the diary format, but I’ve never seen one for a male protagonist before I loved it. Ben’s voice is charming, funny and intelligent, but he’s still a bit of a goof and completely adorkable. The path that led Ben to community service one is a hilarious one; an unexpected one. Then came the knitting and the obsession that took hold of him. It was nice to see a character so genuinely in love with a new hobby and taking it as far as they could, it also helped that it was a little embarrassing and through in some excellent close calls and embarrassing moments.

Boys Don’t Knit has a subtly unsubtle thread of humour running through it, veering from double entendre to physical humour; horrific Fifty Shades rip offs to cringey kisses. Brilliant. The excerpts from Graham’s masterpiece, Fifty Shades of Graham, were particularly cringe-worthy and uncomfortably funny.

I really enjoyed how TS Easton approached the gender stereotype of knitting. He didn’t make a big deal out of it, and yet he did. The reactions of people around his and his fear of people’s reactions all stemmed around knitting being a feminine activity and him being a teenage boy. I loved that he didn’t really care whether it was girly or not because he loved it; it was even better when other people seemed to feel the same way.

Boys Don’t Knit is sweet, funny, charming and so much fun. I’m so glad there’s going to be another book chock full of Ben’s adventures. I can’t wait!

Sophie

4 comments:

  1. I can't wait to read this book. Especially as most people seem to be raving about it. I'm glad it's coming up soon. Great review :-)

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  2. Doh! I saw this in Foyles a few weeks ago and *almost* bought it, Going to have to correct that mistake now! Fab review :)

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  3. So glad you enjoyed this one as much as I did!

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  4. So glad you decided to pick this up after initially saying no- it was definitely worth it!

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