A good friend and novelist, Jonathan Trigell has achieved much acclaim for his debut novel Boy A. In 2004, it won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for the most promising literary work of the previous year for authors aged under 35. Sarah Waters, Chair of the Judges for the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, described Boy A as: “A compelling narrative, a beautifully structured piece of writing, and a thought-provoking novel of ideas.”Last year, Boy A was turned into a Channel 4 drama starring Andrew Garfield (Lions for Lambs). It's the story of one man's struggle to adapt to normal life after being released back into society following imprisonment throughout his childhood years for the gruesome murder of a young girl.
On Monday, Boy A topped a shortlist of Britain's most discussion worthy books. More than 3,000 readers were polled by the organisers of World Book Day and asked to vote on a selectition of 100 titles. Now that the list has been whittled down to the ten most popular choices, a second round of voting begins. The winning author will be announced on World Book Day (6 March) with a £5,000 prize at stake.
Boy A's subject matter - whether the rehabilitation of children who commit crime is the right thing for society, or even possible. And whether such children deserve our sympathy or our scorn – has already stimulated much debate. Garfield's powerful portrayal of protagonist Jack provoked an emotional response from many who saw it. And the spectra of James Bulger's 'where are they now?' killers just adds to the dialogue. In all, Boy A deserves its recognition as a discussion worthy read.
If you would like to vote for Boy A in the World Book Day's Books to Talk About 2008, Click here. If you'd like to read this gripping debut from a talented friend, you can order it via Amazon here.
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