Books For Keeps
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Articles
  • Past Issues
  • Latest Issue
  • Authors and Artists
  • Latest News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
January 5, 2018/in Fiction 14+ Secondary/Adult /by Angie Hill
BfK Rating:
BfK 228 January 2018
Reviewer: Margaret Pemberton
ISBN: 978-1910655672
Price: £8.99
Publisher: Chicken House
Genre: Fiction
Age Range: 14+ Secondary/Adult
Length: 406pp
Buy the Book

The Fandom

Authors: Anna Day, Angela McCann

When Violet and her friends have a day out at Comic Con in London they imagine that they will just be meeting up with other fans and cos-players of “Gallows Dance”, their favourite book and film.  What they did not envisage was finding themselves drawn into a parallel world; the world of “Gallows Dance”.  They definitely did not think they would find themselves in a nightmare where they accidently kill the fictional heroine and Violet has to take over the role in order to save the story and get them all back to the real world.  What follows is a roller coaster ride that subverts the story that they know and places strains on the relations between this group of friends.

I must admit that when I first saw this book it was a case of ‘not another dystopian novel’, however this has exceeded my expectations and in the end it was a really enjoyable read with lots to make you think.  The central characters are well thought out and because of the changes in the expected plot line they have to develop and think beyond the known ‘canon’.  It is fascinating watching characters grow and see them beginning to understand that this world they have entered is not just a version of the film they have watched; the protagonists that they think they know have in fact undergone their own subtle changes and this makes  it impossible to keep rigidly to the original storyline.  In many respects this is a form of morality play in which people gradually realize that real life can lead to long term consequences and that we should never mistake fiction for reality.  Due to a couple of the scenes that have a slight sexual theme this has been marked as a 14+ (by the publisher as well) and school librarians might want to read the book before they decide on access.  Having said all this it was an excellent read and I would definitely recommend it for the suggested age range.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png 0 0 Angie Hill http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png Angie Hill2018-01-05 13:40:002021-06-08 11:33:34The Fandom

Search for a specific review

Author Search

Search







Generic filters




Filter by Member Types


Book Author

Download BfK Issue Bfk 272 May 2025
Skip to an Issue:

About Us

Launched in 1980, we’ve reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children.

Read More

Follow Us

Latest News

‘Exceptionally talented illustrators’ Shortlist announced for the 2025 Klaus Flugge Prize

May 15, 2025

Next stop Shakespeare’s Globe – finalists of Poetry By Heart competition 2025 announced

May 8, 2025

School Library Association announces Information Book Award longlist and new nationwide Book Club

May 7, 2025

Contact Us

Books for Keeps,
30 Winton Avenue,
London,
N11 2AT

Telephone: 0780 789 3369

ISSN: 0143-909X (this is our International Standard Serial Number).

© Copyright 2025 - Books For Keeps | Proudly Built by Lemongrass Media - Web Design Buckinghamshire
Mike The Rainmaker Danced
Scroll to top