Author: Tanya Byrne
ISBN: 978-0-7553-9304-6
RRP: $22.99
This is the debut novel for English author Tanya Byrne and it is an extremely well written story that will captivate you start to finish.
At times Heart-Shaped Bruise was almost difficult to follow but it never quite allowed you to get lost, and you were warned right from the beginning that it was a possibility. This book isn’t written start to finish on a neat little timeline, it is written through a notebook left behind in a young offenders institution.
Emily Koll has done something terrible and she is in the Psych Unit of the Archway Young Offenders Institution awaiting trial. We don’t know what Emily’s done, it’s not something that she talks about. She talks about what the papers say and what other people say about her but you don’t hear much about what she thinks.
I am still thinking through this brilliant book so I’m at a loss for words, which is why I will first focus on the fact that at the end of the book there are two interesting sections which are becoming much more common in books these days. A Q&A with author Tanya Byrne that helps you get into her head and understand the motivations and inspirations behind the book, always an interesting read and great to do directly after reading the book while it is all still fresh. And a list of questions for reading groups, a great starting point for discussions and prompts for different ways to look at the book too.
Emily is shattered, she has survived the demolition of life as she knows it but she’s not the same. She’s broken and it seems that she doesn’t think there is a way back.
The notebook opens with a letter to Juliet that she was instructed to write by Dr Gilyard. It serves as a great opener, and a taste of the intrigue to come – actually it’s the basis of a lot of the intrigue to come.
All of the talk of Emily being evil leads you to expect a very different Emily than the one we meet. I don’t see evil in the broken young girl that we meet and spend the book getting to know. Through everything that is said there is also a lot left unsaid and it is what is left unsaid that compels you to turn pages one after the other long after you should be doing something else.
A lot of my need to keep reading was born of the desire to get to the bit where we find out what it is that she does to land her in this institution.
Heart-Shaped Bruise is a tale of revenge, betrayal, deception, identity, public persona and how it all combines to make us who we are – or does it?
If the whole world hears the story and makes conclusions about who you are does that make it true? Does all of that belief make it correct?
One small piece at a time we are allowed deeper into Emily’s head. She lets us in, I was going to say as she lets Dr Gilyard in but that isn’t really the case. We hear the things that are going through her head as she sits silently through her sessions with the Dr, or as she thinks through how much to say.
Emily is scared to hope and she’s scared to let anyone in because that’s never really gone well for her in the past. If she unlocks the padlocks protecting the most important parts of her story then maybe they will lose their potency, maybe she will discover that she doesn’t deserve them.
This 17 yr old girl is fundamentally scarred because of one single incident that not only changed the course of her future but totally destroyed her past as well. If nothing in her life is what it seemed does that also mean she isn’t who she thought she was? It certainly means she changed into someone she probably never would have been under different circumstances.
Emily’s writing is kind of disjointed but still flows in a way that makes perfect sense. We watch as she begins to look deeper into herself and examine how she ended up where she is. The story is much more involved than what you read in the papers. There are lots of references to ‘everything that I did’ and Emily projects herself as tough and uncaring but as the story unravels the mystery deepens and the picture of Emily changes quite dramatically.
Heart-Shaped Bruise is haunting and emotional but it is also nothing like what I expected. I love the way it was written, I love Emily’s voice and I love the way Tanya Byrne laid it all out on the page. It’s a book that has left quite an impression and I will be thinking about for quite some time.
50 of our members (sign up here) have been reading Heart Shaped Bruise, find out what they thought below…
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
I liked the fact that this book was written in the first person. Emily candidly gives an account of her disfunctional and destructive life in her own words. I was intrigued by this book and found it very hard to put down.
My only disappointment was the fact that it didn’t go further than say that “Sid” was stabbed. I assume that he died from the injuries but it would have been good to find out exactly what happended and how it impacted on everyone.
It is definately a great book all about the choices one makes in life and sometime the terrible consequences of those choices, whether good or bad.
Great reading and I ca’t wait for her next novel.
For a debut author, this book was both captivating and provoking. The first person narrative style is constructed to reflect the inner thoughts of the damaged protagonist, Emily Koll, and you can’t help but feel intrigued by her story and compelled to keep turning the page to fill the chasms of her shattered past. She is a relatable character who captures our empathy, and her tale, combined with the edgy unfolding of events, creates a book that keeps you thinking well after you put it down. I especially enjoyed the Q&A section at the end with the author – definitely something I wish more authors would include in their books! Overall, this was an enjoyable book that I would not normally pick up. Thanks Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read it!
I have absolutely loved reading heart shaped bruise.
Lately I have spent a lot of time reading YA books and this book I felt was on the cusp of both YA and a book for adults so it was a pleasure to read.
What a page turner – not many people would have experienced what Emily has in her past and it was fascinating taking in her past and learning what made her do what she did!
I am so excited to find a new author that I adore – bring on her second book NOW!!
(ps I only received the book last week but from the look of the reviews most people got it a while ago – may have been a bit lost in the mail so sorry if this is late!!)
I really enjoyed reading Heart Shaped Bruise. I love the TV series Revenge so I loved the thrilling plot as Emily plots her revenge on her unsuspecting ‘friend’.
I thought the layout of the book was unique as journal entries without chapter numbers.
I found the book a real page turner as the book was an easy real with likeable characters and exciting plot. Made me think about what I would have done in her shoes.
I would definitely recommend this novel to friends and family ..my teen daughter is reading it next.
Thank you for the opportunity :):):)
An easy, enjoyable read. I found the unbalanced Emily fascinating and I kept wanting to to more and all about her. I can’t wait for the sequel – if there is one! Hopefully, so more questions can be answered and characters more rounded. I think the younger generations will especially be drawn to reading this as it is an easy-read, intriguing and gripping. It’s possible it may just frustrate older, wiser generations but for me I was kind of in the middle. I liked the read but also could see through it and I believe in such things called consquences so that effects my view on the content and happiness about the outcomes in the story!
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. It was a different style of writing that I normally read but was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed reading this and was taken on a very interesting journey with the main character. It didn’t take me long to become totally engrossed in this book, and found it hard to put down. I was disappointed in the abrupt ending but all in all I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Really liked Heart Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne. Very well written interesting story that stayed with me. Definately would recommend it to anyone. A light Easy read
Man I enjoyed this book! I was drawn in from the first page and did not want to put it down! I liked the main character Emily although she is a little dark and wicked (I would not say EVIL) but am guessing some may not, I had no trouble keeping on track with what was happening, and actually found myself seeing the whole story as if I was watching a movie. You can always visualize a story, but I could hear what was going on, the traffic, the narrator – I just loved it! Not sure on the end, but I guess you get to decide for yourself whether Emily will have a lovely happy life or not. Thank you for the chance to read and review this wonderful book!
After reading this book I’m I’m still thinking about Emily wondering how her life ended up.Great book I’m so glad I got to review it thanks beauty and lace.
I finished this book in 2 days…(forgot about posting review though oops) I loved the way it was told in first person.
Very easy to read and as Emily takes you along on her journey you can’t help to become drawn into it. The detail that has gone into describing parts makes you feel as if your almost watching it rather than reading it. Wasn’t overly keen on the ending but I guess it leaves it open to a sequel if need be.
A very easy book to read and get swept up in, a book that I think will suit a large range of ages.