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Uncomfortable, sorrowful, challenging - yes Precocious is all of these, however it is also a memorable, powerful and fascinating read. Fiona reconnects with Henry, one of her teachers from Secondary School and starts to mentally revisit events from her younger years. Fiona herself tells the story, she is abrasive, different and insightful, it takes a little while to get used to how she darts around in her mind and in time. Don't be in too much of a rush to make your mind up about Fiona, her journey has to be experienced and there is understanding to be discovered. Joanna Barnard has skilfully, subtly and with great compassion written a gripping and provocative tale that deserves to be read. ~ Liz Robinson
One of our Books of the Year 2015.
Reader Reviews
In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion some of our Reader Review Panel were also lucky enough to read and review this title. You can click here to read the full reviews.
- Margaret Madden - 'Overall, a beautifully written book with clever character-based narrative. Just who is to blame in this tale of crossed boundaries? A coming of age tale with a sting in its tale.'
- Edel Waugh - 'You can't look away when reading this. If you loved Lolita you will likely enjoy this tale too. Fascinating reading!!!!'
- Ruth Carson-Byrne - 'A well written novel but wasn't really for me.'
- Clair Chaytors - 'Chilling but captivating…'
- Nicola Hawryszczuk - 'Written with so much suspense and quite unnerving at times, this is a real page turner which keeps the reader guessing what's going to happen next.'
- Amy M - 'Offering a stark and almost brutally honest account of a schoolgirl infatuation and what lays behind the innocence. Absolutely could not put this book down.'
- Nicola Kingswell - 'A modern take on the Lolita storyline.'
- Danielle Holyland - 'Really interesting book, couldn't put it down towards the end. It faces a very serious topic, but handles it extremely well. The lead female is very relatable, and I just loved the ending of the book.'
- Emma Barton - 'Fiona Palmer had an affair with Henry Morgan when she was a teenager and he was her teacher. How does she feel about that now that she is an adult?'
- Suzanne Bellingham - 'I found myself looking forward to reading this book...Well written, thought provoking and real, a page turner.'
- Suzanne Beney - 'Beautifully written tale with elements that I'm sure most women can look back and relate to their own teenage selves.'
- Suzanne Marsh - 'a controversial, compelling debut novel from an award-winning writer, Precocious is a Lolita for the modern age.'
- Sophia Ufton - 'Wow! This was a scandal and half. Blown away! Awesome...'
- Cathy Petersen - 'Are things ever, really how you remember them?...As a debut novel I thought it was an extremely good and compelling read.'
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Synopsis
Precocious by Joanna Barnard
'Can there be a more unreliable narrator than a teenage girl?' Fiona Palmer is (un)happily married when a chance meeting with her former teacher plunges her headlong into an affair. Intercut with the realities of their adult relationship, Fiona remembers first meeting the enigmatic Henry Morgan as a precocious and lonely fourteen-year-old. Her schoolgirl crush developed into an intense relationship, but it was always one which she controlled. Or did she? This is a controversial, compelling debut novel from an award-winning writer which will appeal to fans of The Girl on a Train.
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Book Info
Publication date
10th March 2016Author
Joanna BarnardMore books by Joanna Barnard
Author 'Like for Like'
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Author's Website
joannaibarnard.wordpress.co...
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Publisher
Ebury Press an imprint of Ebury PublishingFormat
Paperback336 pages
Categories
Family DramaLiterary FictionRelationship StorieseBook FavouriteseBook Favourites
Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)ISBN
9781785030307Lovereading always comes up with great suggestions and has introduced me to enjoyable books and new authors to discover.
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