Bad Kids

LoveReading Says

There is a beautiful simplicity to this novel that sits alongside an intricately layered plot, ensuring a hugely provocative and stimulating read. When Zhang pushes his in-laws to their death, he wasn’t expecting witnesses, or to be blackmailed by three children. Hats off to the hugely effective storytelling by Zijin Chen. Short sharp shocks of chapters hurtle along, focusing on different characters. The sense of place is extraordinarily vivid, I felt as though I was in China and a part of the story. So beautifully is Bad Kids translated by Michelle Deeter I felt entirely at home while looking around eyes-wide at the scenes I was viewing. The plot builds, layers shifting, altering, settling and overlapping as the next lands. At points I almost read through my fingers, flinching in expectation of what was to come. I felt a whole range of emotions, I flitted from amusement through to pity, and horror. The three youngsters are absolutely fascinating, their friendship had me hooked. The ending felt absolutely perfect and I sat back satisfied by this entertaining novel. Bad Kids is a humdinger of a read, dark, surprising, and completely addictive, it’s been chosen as a Liz Pick of the Month.

Liz Robinson

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