29 Locks

Product Information

The two already have a close bond but their eyes are opened to the world, even Donny who has seen too much.

His devotion to her through the years of his childhood never falters, even leading him to feel guilt when enjoying the cooking of his foster mother. Locks is dark, the world within the book is gritty and one that opens the reader's eyes to the reality of the world some have no choice of being a part of but there is also hope. When they start out on their journey, the future for both of them looks unpromising, like the fake audition, but as each lock is navigated and conquered, as the waters fall then rise again, their adventure takes on a new dimension.Fifteen-year-old Donald Leroy Samson is the son of an absentee St Lucian father and a drug-addicted English mother. Locks is a coming of age novel set in contemporary London and Hertfordshire where the story is divided into 3 parts.

Donny is an inspirational hero who seeks justice in the face of overwhelming obstacles – it’s impossible not to fall in love with him! It has been written to feel current with a lot of British slang so it feels the way teenagers would speak. Donny's inner strength is one to be admired and whilst you nay want to scream at the pages, you will also cheer him on. A story that is narrated in first person, which I prefer as you get to know the character and Donny is a lad that I warmed to immediately on his and Zoe's journey of the 29 locks.She has taught in secondary schools for twenty-three years, including fifteen in an Islington comprehensive. This is a gritty, harsh story of someone's life who hasn't had it easy and hasn't had the chances a lot of people have in their lives. The main character starts his journey in London and is involved in a gang so you really get to care about him and what he's going through in his life.

Growing up in dire poverty in Hackney, East London, his life is shaped by casual violence, gang initiation, drug-dealing, and knife crime.I missed him when I finished reading 29 Locks, and I think that’s the best compliment I can pay a character! There are enough references to 29 Locks to make it an utterly convincing sequel, but it works absolutely as a standalone story.

The story itself is great – there are moments of sadness and tragedy, but there is also an adventure, and one that is both unusual and very funny. His belief in his mother through everything is one of the really powerful messages in this book and kept me rooting for him. Payments made using National Book Tokens are processed by National Book Tokens Ltd, and you can read their Terms and Conditions here.

This book demonstrates the realities and continuous cycle of drugs and violence of childhood in poverty. Donny is initially taken to a family who live across the otherside of London and despite loving for his Mum, he loves the simple comforts that most take for granted. The different sections of Donny’s life keep the book fast-paced and attention-grabbing, while allowing for small moments of reflection which add depth and tenderness to the story.