The Guardian children’s books club sent me this book to review as an advanced proof copy. This book isn’t even published in paperback until March 2016 and I have already read it – how cool is that?
It is about a girl called Suzanna, whose best friend Frannie mysteriously drowns, even though she is an outstanding swimmer. Suzie starts researching jellyfish, for they are the only reasonable explanation for her friend’s death – a jellyfish sting.
Eventually, the only way for her to find out if everything is true is to travel all the way to Australia to find a jellyologist. Sadly, she doesn’t make it and her parents come to the airport to pick her up, telling her that she shouldn’t be worrying about what happened.
I did like the start of the book, but I wasn’t very keen on how they left it; that she didn’t get to travel and prove that what happened wasn’t down to bad swimming. I think this is a very unsuitable ending for a book that makes you feel so strongly for the girl.
It made me feel a bit depressed because the ending is too rushed and they could have made the book longer, to fit it all in.
Recommended reading age: 11 years and above. It’s very emotional. You will like this book if you like sad endings.
- Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop
