The Lost Boy by Dave Pelzer by Darren Sant

The Lost boy is the sequel to A Child Called It. The memoirs of Dave Pelzer, see my review of the first book on this website. ( here ) The first book leaves you with a naïve feeling of satisfaction as Dave finally escapes his cruel mother. However, things are not as cut and dried, as we would like them to be. This second book deals with Dave's life from ages 12 to 18.

As you might expect Dave's years of isolation and hurt have left him emotionally isolated and insecure. He is placed with a foster family who give him unconditional love. This foster family is just one of many he resides with during the course of the book, which covers what social workers call the critical "adjustment phase". Dave naturally finds it difficult to cope with his newfound freedom.

A freedom that is more tenuous than you might imagine. He becomes a wild and defiant child. Still failing to achieve acceptance by his peers. He feels very much an outsider and will do anything to get accepted and others use this to their advantage.

This book serves to highlight the excellent and rewarding work that foster parents do. It also shows the prejudice that foster children face in society. On the whole an excellent book that is every bit as gripping as the first. Dave's writing style covers the depth of emotion he must have felt in easy to understand terms. He doesn't hide behind vague metaphors, literary devices or psychobabble. A must read, especially for anybody that has read A Child Called It.

www.samaritans.org.uk www.nspcc.org.uk/html/home/home.htm

Reviews, Books - "A Child Called 'It'" by Dave Pelzer
	By Darren Sant What can I say about this book? Anyone that knows me well would perhaps describe me as a "sentimental bugger". I am therefore surprised that I did not cry buckets of tears after every page of this book. A Child Called 'It' is the first in a trilogy of books. The books are the memoirs of Dave Pelzer. This first book covers Dave's life from ages 4 to 12. Read more...

Reviews, Books - "Cradle Song" by Robert Edric
	By Nick Quantrill Being a bit of sucker for crime fiction, and more pertinently, hard-boiled private investigator stories, I picked up this book purely on the basis it fulfilled the above criteria and is set in Hull. Upon further investigation it turns out this is the first part of a trilogy set on the mean streets of Hull by Booker Prize nominated Robert Edric. Read more...

Reviews, Books - "A Drink With Shane MacGowan" by Victoria Mary Clarke and Shane MacGowan
	By Nickolas Boldock Shane MacGowan may just be a medical miracle. He is, of course, a chronic alcoholic, whose love affair with drink will likely never cease until he is six feet below. His consumption of other inebriants is now the stuff of legend. His hedonistic exploits are usually the first thing to come to mind at the mention of his name; the first subject covered in any interview; the introduction to any article (even this one). Forget that though. Read more...

Reviews, Books - A Friend of the Family by Lisa Jewell
	By Darren Sant This book is a tale of the trials and tribulations of three brothers. The brothers are suffering from differing problems and there lives are not at present on the right track. Jewell's novels are accurately described as pop fiction but don't let that put you off. The characters are believably written and there is a high degree of what I can only call emotional depth to them. Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights
	Adapted by John Godber, Hull Truck Theatre 09/10/03 By E.M.X. Creek I went to this production with some apprehension. I am not a huge Brontë fan, and in addition had some doubts as to how well Wuthering Heights would adapt for our modest location. I am happy to say that the result was remarkably good. Read more...

People - Franks first night at Glastonbury Festival
	by Alfred Lawyer It all seemed to be looking up for Frank Malarky, Dance DJ extraordinaire and full-time Law Man - loved by the masses if only they had heard of him. At last a chance to strut his stuff, shake his (ample) booty and impress the young ladies at the festival he loved the most; Glastonbury. Read more...

Music Reviews - Sidewinder Saturday 27th September, Silhouette Club by Albert Dukes.
	Where many local bands are poor copies of national trends, Sidewinder don't fit neatly to a single comparison, unlike say, The Paddingtons, who clearly want to BE the Libertines (sort it out lads, it's like a tribute) and Turismo, who want to be The Coral, Favours, who want to be the Yeah, Yeah Yeahs (admittedly with a bass player). Sidewinder sound like everything and nothing. Read more...