Author: Wendy James
ISBN: 978-1-4607-5237-1
RRP: $32.99
Wendy James is an Australian author I was not familiar with before the release of The Golden Child but now that I have read her latest release I think she needs to remain on my radar.
Reading this book scared me; it concerns me and has left me a little paranoid. It is certainly a book that will have an impact, I think it affected me so much because I have a 13 year old daughter who has just embarked on her first week of high school. I am also left feeling glad that my high school days were well before the years of mobile phones and social media.
I am only just beginning to navigate the world of social media and online presence as a parent, the changing dynamic of parenting a teen and high school student and I’m not afraid to admit that I find it daunting and scary, this is uncharted territory for me so this is probably not the book I needed to read in the first week of high school. At the same time this is exactly the book I needed to read.
James has tackled the very scary issues of changing dynamics in the parent-child relationship that comes with adolescence, social media, cyber bullying and the hierarchy that often emerges in the schoolyard.
Beth and her family are living in America, they are there with her husbands work and have been for over a decade. Beth and Dan are both Australians who have long talked about the day they will get to return home though their children have only known a life in America. Finally the day comes they can return home, to Dan’s childhood home of Newcastle, where they can be close to their families and build a support network.
The girls aren’t thrilled about the move, they have only known a home in America, but the timing turns out to be quite fortuitous because there is some trouble at school and a fresh start may be just what’s needed.
The Mahoney family are an ordinary family, they are a stable everyday family with parents who have done everything they can to ensure the girls have the opportunity to grow and be nurtured. Beth has been a stay at home mum, mainly because she didn’t have a green card to work in America, so could dedicate all her time to raising the girls. They have a wide range of extra curricular activities, they are bright and well adjusted children.
Lucy is the older of the two and she’s never been too hung up on being in the popular crowd, she’s happy with a few close friends. Charlotte on the other hand has always been part of the in crowd and it doesn’t take her long to reach to the top of the pile. She is genuinely well liked and gets along with her peers as well as adults. She is a confident girl with great leadership skills, traits which can easily be misused.
Beth has been writing a blog, still quite small and not enough to attract advertising dollars but it keeps her hand in while she’s not working. Her blog is anonymous and her alter ego always puts a positive spin on things. The blog is observations of her life but seen through a positive filter and many of her blog posts, and their comments, are included in the book.
We also read blog posts from The Golden Child, who is a little concerning; some of the entries on social media site ASKfm and a website that is made and shared with students at the prestigious girls school attended by Lucy and Charlotte.
The story is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Beth and Charlotte but also Sophie, a girl in Charlotte’s class, and her mother Andi. We are shown both sides of this tragic story and taken deep inside the tragedy of bullying and the effect it can have on complete families.
ASKfm is an actual app that has been linked to cyber bullying and the ability to post anonymously means that keyboard warriors of all ages can be vile with little fear of repercussion; a recipe for disaster.
The Golden Child tackles the question that I’m sure plagues many parents, how well do you really know your children…
The writing is engaging, the storyline gripping even at its most disturbing and the characters completely relatable. James navigates the schoolyard deftly and raises tough questions about why some people find themselves on the receiving end but also makes you think about where the line is between thoughtlessness, nastiness and pathological behaviours.
The Golden Child is sure to open your eyes to the insidious nature of cyber bullying, the ease with which these behaviours can be hidden and the speed at which a situation can become unbearable.
A well written story that I would recommend to parents everywhere. It can be quite dark and there are some interesting surprises but this is definitely worth the read.
Wendy James can be found on Facebook, Twitter and her Website.
The Golden Child is published by Harper Collins and is available now from Angus & Robertson Bookworld, Booktopia and where all good books are sold.
Thanks to Harper Collins 15 of our Beauty and Lace club members will be reading The Golden Child so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments 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!
The Golden Child is a great example that life on the internet isn’t always what it seems. Beth finds her life as a busy mum a bit hard to handle. When her husband’s job is sending them back to Newcastle Australia after living in America for many years, her two teenage daughters are less than impressed. But as an online blogger, Lizzy the expat mum, everything is just peachy. Until things start happening that involve her youngest daughter Charlie, dangerous things like the supposedly accidental poisoning of a school mate. I enjoyed the contemporary style of writing Wendy James used, setting it out like parts of a blog was really topical & fitting with the theme of the book. The story kept me intrigued too, I guess I could see a little of myself in Beth, we all have a bit of an online persona versus the real deal! I’d recommend The Golden Child as a great read and something a little bit different to what you read every day.
Thank you for the opportunity to read ” The Golden Child” by Wendy James. It took me a few sessions to really get into the book but by the middle of it managed to finish it in one sitting. My first words to leave my mouth when I finished was “wow what a twist”. This books characters and the events occurring around them, heightened the need for me to be more aware of what my children get up to in the virtual as well as the real world. The bullying subjected to the character “Sophie” had me so upset but also reminded me how soul destroying a child’s words and actions can be towards another child. I sympathised with “Beth” when she had the realisation that her daughter could be a bully after she had invested so much time and teachings into her as well as her sibbling. A must read for any parent and teen!
WOW !!!!! what a book and a story line.
This book had me hooked from the beginning, The themes in this book are very raw and very real.
Bullying has always been around and is nothing new but what scares us as adults is that society now hides behind cyber bullying and it’s even worse.
The author has written this book beautifully, portraying the bully as an every day person who has absolutely nothing better to do.
The story also makes you wonder as a parent , “where could I have gone wrong ”
It only took me 3 sittings to finish this book, but I needed more.
This book makes you feel many emotions such as anger, frustration, hate and I kept reading thinking when is this bully going to wake up and realise the devastation they have caused.
Well done Wendy James , because even the Golden Child makes many mistakes !
Ok so I’ve attempted reading this half a dozen times now and just can’t seem to get into it like all the other members seem to have 🙁
Not really sure why not , maybe it’s just not my sort of book . So have passed it on to my mum as I’m sure she will love it . Sorry again
Thank you for the opportunity to read Wendy James’ compelling read The Golden Child.
Bullying and social media – two contemporary issues that seem to be instrinsically inherent in modern teenage life.
James’ tale is a confronting portrayal of these themes intertwining and the devastating outcomes that can occur.
Her ability to write from various perspectives was brilliant and certainly left me questioning and pondering long after the final page.
A definite page turner. I’d highly recommend
Would like questions on this book for our book club. Can’t seem to find any. Suggestions?