Such a Nice Boy by Rebecca Spargo is a powerful, uncomfortable thriller tackling toxic masculinity, digital dangers, and modern parenthood. A highly recommended domestic suspense novel that forces deep reflection on online exposure.
Such A Nice Boy by Rebecca Spargo is a contemporary, psychological thriller which tackles the complexities of modern-day parenthood, toxic masculinity and the perils of the digital world we live in.
The story follows Amanda, who is devastated when her son is accused of being among a group of boys sexually bullying a young woman and causing her to take her own life. As the crisis deepens tragic memories from Amanda's childhood return which shape her reaction to the events and she is torn between protecting her son and making sure that he faces the consequences of his actions.
For a parent in today’s modern world this is an important, uncomfortable read. It paints a realistic portrait of the conflict of parenting in the digital world where you want to give your children trust and freedom but need to be fully aware of their exposure and what they are being exposed to online.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a well written domestic suspense novel intertwined with thought provoking discussions on modern society.
How easily our rosy-coloured view of the world can unravel to leave us with fear and a desperate need to change how things actually are. Difficult to believe that this is Rebecca Spargo's debut novel. She is a genius.
Such a Nice Boy is a powerful and well-written book that has had a profound impact on me.
Rebecca Spargo has created a story that drills down to the horrors of a misogynistic toxic masculinity lying beneath the surface of our everyday world and infiltrating the lives of young boys and men still at school. But it is much more than that - a girl commits suicide and a son is accused of bullying and the ordinary ways of being are shattered.
This is a story of a mother struggling with her son's accusation and memories evoked, but also a joyful story of female friendship and lifelong support.
I was moved by how deeply this book has affected me. How easily our rosy-coloured view of the world can unravel to leave us with fear and a desperate need to change the way things actually are.
Difficult to believe that this is Rebecca Spargo's debut novel. She is a genius.
A timely and interesting read about facing the consequences and carrying the guilt.
Interesting and timely.
Amanda is coasting along in life – married to Toby, two kids, good job…and a massive secret that she has been nursing for 25 years. As a teenager, Amanda and her three friends had gone on their first ‘no adults’ holiday to Ibiza…and only three of them had come home. Amanda is struggling to deal with her part in the events of years ago at the same time as her son is being accused of something hideous – the death of a teenage girl by suicide due to bullying from groups of boys in a toxic Whatsapp group.
Amanda’s struggles pale into insignificance as she battles to discover the truth about her son, protect her daughter, fight with her husband and wrestle with her own drinking problems. As life unravels for her, Amanda feels more and more isolated and her friendship groups crumble as more and more people point the finger of blame at her…
This is an interesting one I think and quite timely given all the interest in Andrew Tate and that whole ‘Toxic Masculinity’ vibe that exists in the spaces online. The story covers two timelines – present day and the late nineties as we revisit the holiday Amanda and her friends had and how it built towards devastation. It is not immediately clear how the past and present are linked but I think it is more to do with having to face the consequences of your actions and accept that guilt.
I like how the sites, articles and video titles mentioned in the book are real and I think this helps to demonstrate how easily accessible these things are for kids today and how parents need to be extra vigilant of these dangers. It is interesting how Amanda’s focus has been on protecting her daughter Cara from the bad men of the world, but she hadn’t thought to give the same protection to her son and I think that is also something that many people are also guilty of.
Yes, it is a little ‘young adult’ and perhaps would have been better told from Cara’s perspective – however, it is still a good story and I think carries messages about the world and the world online that children seem to inhabit these days.