In a network of lines that enlace

I picked this up on a whim; Waterstones marketing done right. I’ve not seen the film, and I didn’t know much about it before reading. I was a little unsure, as I’m not great with violence (I had to take a break from The Song of Fire and Ice when there was just too much of it), so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novella.

Language is a key influence in my liking for this book; the brilliance of the youth slang, and the way it represents the culture of this world is marvellous. It takes time to get used to, but after a few chapters I was completely immersed.

It’s not an easy read. The ‘ultra violence’ that’s committed is brutal, but not glorified. The novella is a discussion about free will, and how much control we can have over a person’s choices. Alex is ultimately forced to make good decisions because bad ones cause him pain; not because he wants to make them. Is this moral? Do the ends justify the means?

It’s definitely one I’m glad I’ve read.