The Baby

The party is a great success in Olivia’s opinion – too many people (not all invited), too loud music, too much alcohol – even Jonty, her boyfriend, is in a good mood. Then she finds her best friend, Nicola, in the bathroom – and she is giving birth to a baby. What happens next?

This is a very assured debut that takes many of the themes and tropes of the contemporary YA novel to create a lively story about teenage relationships. The narrative is delivered by each of the five central characters in turn, the reader sees events from the point of view of not just Olivia and Nicola but also the boys, Jonty and Ben, and finally the little sister, Alice. Combined with the now obligatory present tense, this makes for very direct and immediate storytelling. It also ensures the reader’s sympathies are evenly spread; there are no real villains – or indeed heroes. Instead, familiar teenage tensions and problems are introduced to flesh out the background adding a sense of authenticity to the characterisation. The author has the courage to present the reader with an interestingly enigmatic ending, though, in keeping with the conventions of the genre, there are plenty of happy resolutions. While this is not a novel that subverts its genre, it shows the author has a sure touch, confident approach and a lively imagination; definitely a talent to watch.