Book Review: The Deviants by C.J. Skuse

Blurb: When you set out for revenge, dig two graves

Growing up in the sleepy English seaside town of Brynston, the fearless five – Ella, Max, Corey, Fallon and Zane – were always inseparable. Living up to their nickname, they were the adventurous, rowdy kids who lived for ghost stories and exploring the nearby islands off the coast. But when Max’s beloved older sister Jessica is killed, the friendship seems to die with her.

Now years later, only Max and Ella are in touch; still best friends and a couple since they were thirteen. Their lives are so intertwined Max’s dad even sponsors Ella’s training for the Commonwealth Games. But Ella is hiding things. Like why she hates going to Max’s house for Sunday dinner, and flinches whenever his family are near. Or the real reason she’s afraid to take their relationship to the next level.

When underdog Corey is bullied, the fearless five are brought back together again, teaming up to wreak havoc and revenge on those who have wronged them. But when the secrets they are keeping can no longer be kept quiet, will their fearlessness be enough to save them from themselves?

Review: The Deviants is definitely one of the YA books of the year for me. No other story managed to capture me like this one. The tension, the secrets, the characters, the layers... all made this story unputdownable and mesmerising. Right from the start, C.J. Skuse creates a dark but addictive atmosphere that makes you forget everything around you and focus exclusively on this story.

I think the way it's written it's really clever. You know the ending of the story right from the first page but you don't really know what it actually happened. Plus, every chapter starts with a question that is supposed to help you figure it out but you don't really know what it means or who is asking the questions. But when you finally discover what happened and the reason for these questions, it all clicks and you can only admire the author for her genius.

The story per se is really emotional and interesting. I loved that it had so many layers and the characters were complex and realistic. I really got to care about them and really felt for them. They were a group of teenagers with their flaws, doubts and problems that found themselves in a really difficult situation. The story handled really serious and sensitive topics that really got me thinking. You could tell that the author had done extensive research and paid attention to every detail.

I really don't want to give anything away about this book because I think this is a story best enjoyed when you don't know that much about it. All I can say is that this is a story worth reading, it will leave no one indifferent. I can't recommend it enough and all I can do now is basically get C.J. Skuse's back catalog to keep enjoying her unique and tense style. 

Rating: 5 stars

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*