PB RRP $18.99
ISBN 978-1-74203-149-1
Reviewed by Vicki Stanton
http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com/
Sue Lawson packs a lot into her newest YA release Dare You. The story revolves around three friends who are not only dealing with the specific difficulties of their families’ lives but also with the changing dynamics of their friendship.
Ruby, Sas and Khaden have been best friends throughout school but Khaden and Sas find their feelings towards each other are becoming something more. Sas, in particular, is confused by these changes and takes out her uncertainty on Ruby who feels left out but cannot understand why. This turmoil of emotions leads them down a dangerous path of dares and risk-taking which has catastrophic consequences.
Dare You has an innovative structure, something which is a feature of many black dog books’ titles. Chapters rotate between the three friends. Ruby and Sas tell their story in first-person; Khaden’s story is told from third person perspective. Lawson’s strength as a writer is in portraying the world through her characters’ heads and Dare You is no exception. The reader feels what the character feels and discovers truths with Sas, Ruby and Khaden as they mature. Young adults are bound to find much to relate to, and reflect upon, in Dare You.
