Adult Edition (Face) - Softcover

Zephaniah, Benjamin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0747564981 ISBN 13: 9780747564980

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2003

Synopsis

Martin, Matthew and Mark are the Gang of Three who roam their East London estate during the school holidays looking for fun and checking out girls, but Martin is the undisputed leader - he's cool, funny, and goes out with gorgeous aspiring model Natalie. He seems to have it all. However, one night after the Gang leave a late night rap club, the notorious Apache and Pete, a Raider's Posse gang member, offer them a ride. Matthew refuses to get in the car, but Martin and Mark fancy a lift round the corner. Too late, they realise that the car is stolen, that there are drugs involved, and that the police are after them. What happens next is to change Martin's life and looks, and show him the true meaning of strength, courage, discrimination and friendship. In this startling debut novel from Benjamin Zephaniah, the author tackles the moving and compelling story of a young man, Martin, whose life is completely changed when his face is badly scarred in a joyriding accident. Brilliantly written with a real ear for dialogue, this is Benjamin Zepaniah breaking new boundaries.

About this title

Review

In what he has described as the "new East End"--Caribbean and African and Asian people, but also a lot of the old white community who have extended families the same way that we always had"--Benjamin Zephaniah is something of a poet hero: a "black spokesman and political poet" according to critic, John Walsh. Set in this East End of fish and chips and curry, rap clubs and racism--"Many of the shops had metal shutters on their windows and doors to protect them from racist attacks"--Face is the story of Martin Turner and his "gang of three": their reactions when "something terrible" happens to Martin's face. Aimed (probably) at older children and teenagers, the novel skirts allegory. After a night in a local rap club--when Martin has to overcome a certain sense that blacks are "just different"--the (joy)ride accident which destroys his face propels Martin into a world where he has to learn to "deal with other people's prejudices". It's a world of pain, sometimes hatred, which, if anything, Zephaniah underplays here: this is Martin's tale of winning despite the odds. But that discretion may well help to jolt the imagination towards one of the underlying visions of Face: an East End where the white teen boys know they're not going to "get away with a racist remark here". --Vicky Lebeau

Review

'A brilliant first novel' -- Guardian

'A lively and positive account ... incredibly well told' -- Irish Times

'Impressive ... Zephaniah writes wonderfully natural dialogue with the same ease as he spins out rhyming couplets' -- Glasgow Herald

Edition details

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0747564981
• ISBN 13: 9780747564980
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 208