Junk by Melvin Burgess was a sensation when published in 1996. In the days of children's stories and adult fiction, with very little YA presence in the fiction market.These days, the young adult category dominates the market, with plenty of novels making the jump from page to big screen.
Before the days of YouTube and Instagram, however, writing a novel like Junk was a huge risk for Burgess. It becomes clear when reading the novel, however, that the story of Tar and Gemma could not be silenced.
Junk follows the stories of characters caught up in a drug-fuelled misadventure in 90s Bristol. The characters are only 14 when they run away from home, escaping abusive parents and other pressures, and find themselves surrounded by a bunch of colourful characters.
Regardless of whether you are still a teen, or are firmly settled in adulthood, whether you have had experience of drugs or you barely even drink, everyone can find something relatable in this novel. It warns of the risks of falling head over heels, losing yourself to a crutch or being lead astray by peer pressure. Burgess doesn't pretend that bumps in life's adventure are all bad. Instead he shows that however much you lose your footing, the next big adventure - that of healing - can always be waiting around the corner.
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