THIS IS HOW WE CHANGE THE ENDING BY VIKKI WAKEFIELD
This is a wonderfully crafted novel that gives the reader a realistic insight into a life that is being led, in one form or another, in many places across the world.
How we Change the Ending follows 17-year-old Nate who lives with his sadistic father Dec, step-mum Nance and his twin half-brothers Jake and Otis. Otis has an undiagnosed disability which his father refuses to acknowledge. Nate and his best friend Merrick scrape by at school, mainly because it is a safer place to be than at home. In the evenings, they head to the Youth Centre and hang out with other kids. Although it may not be open much longer as violence and lack of funding threaten its closure.
Nate writes his thoughts in note books where he releases all the things he cannot say. It’s hard for him to see a future that doesn’t involve being scared all the time. Grinding poverty and no path out of it seem to force him into a life of hopelessness. His father drinks and gambles all the family money away, grows hydroponic dope in Nate’s bedroom and is a daily time-bomb just waiting for an excuse to beat somebody up – anybody, including family.
Things get progressively worse at home as Dec gets more paranoid and Otis becomes sicker. Nate is running out of options and is torn between staying and trying to deflect his father’s violence from Nance and the twins or getting out while he can.
Vikki Wakefield’s language and Nate’s voice create a vivid picture of poverty and desperation. The fortitude and resilience of so many of the characters gives the reader a glimpse of something stronger than fear. As we get to know Nate while he tries to avoid being beaten up, attempting to connect with his absent mother and through his friendships with others from the Youth Centre, we see someone who is both brave and kind. It is a book of hope and the strength you can gain by gathering around you only those who love you for who you are.
For Ages: 14 + years
Number of Pages: 297 paperback.
Published: September 2019
Themes:
Rating: 4.5/5