Brilliant and thought provoking novel by a talented young author who captures the voice of the youth

In this compelling narrative, the paths of three distinct individuals—Eman, a good-girl hijabi; Amir, a so-called bad boy with a troubled past; and Kemi, a determined athlete—converge as they find themselves brought together by a well-intentioned but misguided police volunteering scheme for the summer. Their initial connection occurs while inscribing Amir's deceased brother's name on a bus stop, setting the stage for a transformative journey of friendship.

Eman, buoyed by the support of her grandmother, emerges as a positive force in her life. Her strength is evident in overcoming her mother's departure from an abusive marriage. Amir, struggling with the weight of clearing his brother's name and contending with a father who abandoned him for a new family, finds solace in his bond with his younger sister. Meanwhile, Kemi grapples with her sister's transformation after returning from university with a newfound sophistication, all while resisting the stepfather poised to replace her late father.

Set against the backdrop of a divided town, where the trio is perceived as living in the "inferior" but culturally vibrant half, they collectively resist the challenges of poverty, racism, and the privileged residents of the other side. Each character confronts these issues in their unique ways, pushing back against societal disparities.

Interwoven with the protagonists' stories is the perspective of PC Chris, whose background is revealed in a dedicated chapter. As their lives intertwine, the narrative explores whether PC Chris will undergo his transformation.

The story culminates in a poignant and somewhat fairy-tale-like conclusion, where the main characters take control of their destinies. By the end, each character has undergone significant personal growth, creating a heartwarming and uplifting narrative that makes for a delightful read.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if it were in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿
I really liked this cover, its what drew me in to read the book.

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
Agatha Christie retelling
Mystery
Male POV
Rich Kids

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I hate that I'm going to say this but I did NOT like this book. I'm Muslim. I'm British Pakistani. I really should like this but honestly I was so bored.

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
I thought everyone was a bit 2D.

𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
I think the writing was a huge part of why I couldnt get on with this book. There are multiple POV but i struggled to differentiate between them, they all sounded the same!

𝗔𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱?
I mainly hated the fact that not much happens

This book is absolutely fantastic, I loved every second while I was reading it and I didn't want it to end

Absolutely loved this book. I often wished when I was teaching in inner city Bradford 30 years ago that their were more books like this around.
Ansar adressesissues in a real, sensitive and convincing way.
This is a true flavour of the diverse Yorkshire I love and I hope it makes its way onto the school curriculum.
Beautifully written, well developed characters, authentic setting and real heart. What more could you want in a book.
No hesitation at all in giving this one 5*

Good-girl hijabi Eman meets so-called bad boy Amir and determined athlete Kemi when the latter two are inscribing Amir's dead brother's name on a bus stop. Pushed together by a misguided police volunteering scheme for the summer, they all learn from each other and forge a strong friendship. Eman has the support of her grandma, and she's a great force for good in Eman's life and has clearly supported her mum through leaving her abusive dad; Amir is close to his little sister but not engaged with school life, always worrying about clearing his brother's name and with a dad who ran off with a White woman and has a new family, and Kemi's sister has gone to university and come back with a new posh voice while Kemi pushes back against the stepdad who she can't bear to replace her late father.

Seen as living in the inferior (but also hip and cool) half of a divided town, they push back against poverty, racism and the posh folk of the other half of town in their different ways. Meanwhile, will PC Chris, who has one chapter explaining his background amidst the rotating ones of the three protagonists, learn, too?

A lovely if rather fairy-tale set piece ends this book positively: the three main characters take their own fates in their hands and have all changed by the end, and it is a lovely read.

There's a glossary at the back, which I don't always love as I think people should be able to look things up for themselves, however this is aimed at young adults who might not have experienced people from the communities represented here, and it's a good mix of both the cultures.

My review will be published on my blog on 7 May: Mariam Ansar - "Good for Nothing" @PenguinBooks

Although I am very much not the target audience for this book, it captivated me from page 1 and it is clear how important a book this is within the YA genre, especially with the topics it discusses.

Rumours are like fire, they take hold so quickly, destroying everything in their wake. Amir, Eman and Kemi all have different personalities & attitudes but they are caught up in the same prejudices that surround them. One act of rebellion and some unfortunate timing has thrown them together, and the battle is on to prove to each other that they are worth something.

This book hooked me straight away with Amir’s story about his brother and how jaded his community had become. People keeping to themselves and their prejudices, instead of questioning what is right, is at the heart of this book. The way the friendships evolved was really well done, chipping away at each other’s defences and anger via the community service tasks. I loved the different backgrounds in the main three characters, how Amir, Eman and Kemi had a strength and yet a vulnerability to them while they were finding their place in their family and the wider community.

Young adult fiction goes from strength to strength with such high quality stories such as this.

A wonderfully written book about a very important topic. I am not the target audience and yet I loved it and cannot wait to discuss with my nephews. Very well written and engaging to does not shy away from the realities.

I loved this contemporary YA debut, which focuses in on the stereotypes associated often with underprivileged areas and not seeing the potential more affluent areas are perceived as having. Ansar mixes the different languages spoken by each of the characters and street slang into authentic dialogue that sounds like real teenagers.

A really great debut - I'm looking forward to more of Ansar's work as this certainly offered great food for thought that was well-written. There was still a rawness to the writing style (giving it a bit of an abrupt feel), but the handling of multiple perspectives was really something. The balance between the different storylines was great, too, proving both realistic and sufficient for interesting character exploration/development. It's thought-provoking, current, and offer different points of view (including exploring their origins) - in short, an ideal book for discussion or exploration in a class or book group.

This is an interesting read. It is read by the viewpoint of three of the main characters, all who live in the same less-better-off neighbourhood of South Friesly. The story takes place after a graffiti incident finds the three main characters in a community volunteering programme led by the local police officers. The story is written from the three different perspectives, chapter by chapter, with a chapter from PC Chris' viewpoint too. It is a story of self discovery and finding one's place in your community, and challenging the stereotypes placed upon you. A very timely story of communities split across north and south, rich and poor, black and white - with all the characters having to face their own misplaced assumptions about others along a journey of self-discovery.

If I am honest, I hoped I would have enjoyed this book more, but I can see the importance of a story like this being told.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have said that I would not adopt this book in my school, but it is only because the content is slightly too mature for the age group I teach. It could possibly be used for Year 6 pupils, but would need to be used carefully as the characters go through a lot of trauma. I loved that it was told from the perspectives of each of the different characters, including PC Chris in one chapter towards the end. Each of the characters help each other see themselves and their actions in a different light, which helps them to become stronger. The actions of the police and the North Friestly rich kids was painful to read at times, especially the way they looked down on the people who lived in South Friestly. But on the flipside, the sense of community that developed between the three characters and existed between the South Friestly community shows that money is not the only thing that makes you rich in this life. I think many children would enjoy this book. It mixes the different languages spoken by each of the characters and the day to day street slang they use when together seamlessly (including a glossary at the end to help out where needed). It also shows that sometimes, all you need is a friend to listen to you and be there for you and that asking for help when you need it is important.

Not for me as a reader but I can see how important this book could be for some readers in the themes it covers in a thoughtful way

This is a really good read following the lives of three young people over a summer following a graffiti incident. Emir, Kemi and Eman all have different family backgrounds and have equally differing aspirations and self images but find themselves drawn together to complete a community service order involving many different tasks.; they live in the area of South Friesly- a community viewed by the police as problematic and within the wider community not worth the positivity given to North Friesly. Emir wants to clear the name of his brother who died following an accident and was perceived as drug dealer. His palpable anger and emotional confusion bursts off the page; Kemi and Eman are equally trying to find their place in the world- within their families and and their own identities. The three have to undertake tasks led by PC Chris- a constable who is constrained by the prejudices of his family. As the story progresses all three encounter challenges and begin to recognise the solidarity and growing friendship between them. The ending is pitch perfect and Mariam Ansar has created three characters that are full of angst, love and teenage confusion.Highly recommended - Come on BBC 3 make the TV series.