Jacqueline Wilson is one of the best authors I have ever come across. I have never found a book by her that I disliked, they are all great. Diamond is no different and has actually become my new favourite book by her, just edging in front of Hetty Feather and The Longest Whale Song. It was absolutely perfect, there was nothing wrong with it at all.
Diamond is about a young girl, previously known as Ellen-Jane, who hasn't had the best start in life. Her father goes from loving her, to having complete resentment for her and therefore has no problem selling her off to the Circus for five guineas.
She then becomes the star act, alongside her new 'brothers', Marvo, Julip and Tag. The man who owns them, Beppo, works them too hard and is very harsh with punishments for the four making them fear him a great deal.
Diamond does become close friends with a few of the other acts, including Madame Adeline who becomes like a second mother to her and Mr Marvel who is in charge of the monkey act. Also, Diamond becomes friends to a girl known as Hetty, who was a character in a previous series by Jacqueline Wilson. Hetty soon becomes like a sister figure for Diamond and cares for her more than anybody else. I think that the friendship between the two is the most important as they have both been in difficult times growing up, both have been shown a lack of compassion. Now that they have that, they can make up for what they didn't have before, and they learn to depend on each other quite a lot.
This book has a great development of characters and Diamond changes throughout but at the same time, is not changed drastically. She is a very sweet and sensitive character who is difficult not to get along with, and we as the audience feel so much sympathy for her as we find out more about her, as well as with Hetty. Hetty has matured a considerable amount from the series that we first had the chance of knowing her in, but still carries with her the same traits which allows for the reader to still be able to adore her just as much as before.
Overall I was very impressed by this book and I am certain that it can be appreciated by any age group, rather than what it is marketed at. I am glad I decided to pick this one up.
• Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
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