I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Twenty Questions for Gloria by Martyn Bedford Published by Walker Books on February 4, 2016
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
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Gloria is tired of her ordinary life. She barely recognizes the free-spirited girl she used to be in the unadventurous teenager she has become. So when a mysterious boy bent on breaking the rules strolls into her classroom, Gloria is ready to fall under his spell. Uman is funny, confident and smart. He does whatever he likes and doesn't care what anyone thinks of him. The only people for him are the mad ones, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn. He is everything Gloria wishes to be. He can whisk her away from the life she loathes and show her a more daring, more exciting one, in which the only limits are the boundaries of her own boldness. But Uman in not all he seems and by the time she learns the truth about him, she is a long way from home and everyone wants to know, Where's Gloria?
I loved the fact that Twenty Questions for Gloria is told as a police interview. With each chapter starting with a question. This meant that the questions we, the readers, should be thinking about, and helped us ask the questions that we needed to know.
Despite what seems quite obvious from the synopsis, the reader is left guessing about the facts and there is enough mystery to keep us entertained. All we know is that something has gone wrong the question is what? After all only one comes backs, that suggests something pretty sinister.
This may be a mystery book but there are elements of nostalgia and what it means to grow up. This is a coming of age tale with a twist. And as the adults have made up their minds and have a completely different take on events to Gloria. Who is to say who is telling the truth, who is being manipulated and how do you tell when you have grown up?
A gripping tale that I was reluctant to put down and should definitely be on your reading list.
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