The Baby is such a brilliant read: I instantly became so immersed into each of the character’s lives, getting the chance to read and sympathise with them individually as each character has one section to themselves. I loved the idea of the narrative being split for each of the five people – that really sat well with me.
Olivia had no idea that on her seventeenth birthday party she would go into the bathroom to see her best friend Nicola about to give birth.
The new baby effects all five of the main characters: Olivia, Nicola, Jonty, Alice and Ben – and as readers we get to experience the highs and the lows of each character, making their presence seem very real. The novel bursts with drama, love and friendship, which just added to the great impression the book was having on me.
I particularly loved Alice – as Olivia’s ‘weird’ little sister she had a lasting effect. Her narration was like a breath of fresh air to me as Lisa Drakeford clearly captures the mindset of a young girl – I loved that.
The Baby flowed so well for me, I raced through it so quickly – I was totally and utterly engaged. The ending did stun me, and to be honest I did have mixed feelings about it. I was disappointed that my questions didn’t get answers; but then when I found out there was a sequal, my excitement started to bubble again, elated at the thought of getting answers. A fabulous 4/5 – The Baby is one to read if you need to get out of a reading slump, or if you are very busy and need a reading fix to escape from your problems.
- Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop
