Finding Violet Park

Clever and totally assured, it is hard to believe that this is a first novel from a new author. Written in the voice of Lucas, a 16-year-old boy living in the classier part of North London, it describes how the discovery of an abandoned urn containing human ashes eventually leads him to finding out the truth about his mysteriously missing Dad. Helped by his sparky grandmother rather than by his own embittered mother, Lucas sets out on his search for some answers to questions that have always dogged him. A new girlfriend is a great support here, as is a drunken family friend. But no plot summary can do justice to the particular flavour of this book, both witty and with moments of genuine sweetness as tall, gentle, laconic Lucas determines always to do the right thing. Fashionable bullet points and lists break up the text at regular intervals, and there are numerous contemporary references. Excellent for teenagers at the moment, these could prove baffling for readers in the future still turning to this ingenious novel from a writer who already has much to offer.