My Review on Turf by John Lucas

Turf written by John Lucas is one of my favorite books as it explores the student life in north London,Hackney.
The book follows Jay, a student growing up in Hackney, North London and as his 16th birthday approaches, Jay is offered the chance to move up in the ‘food chain’ from the youngers to the Olders of the Blake Street Boyz (His local Gang). But to be accepted in he is asked to kill a classmate, and Jay begins to rethink if the Blake Street Boyz is all its pumped up to be. Jay has been sent to live with his ardent Christian aunt; her flat is a “Welcome Break for souls” crammed with metaphors, including a hologram of Jesus that taunts Jay with life or death.
The book contains many hints to religion and choice.Jay meets new characters who teach him new lessons and change his perception of life. Although this book is for teens it contains sexual content and violence which i like because its a lot more realistic because it goes beyond the stereotype.The book is read in 3rd person but from Jay the main antagonists perspective. I find it entertaining how John Lucas (the writer) writ the book with so much detail but hadn’t had any history with hackney or gangs. Often the book is quite comedic and funny but are diluted down with unfortunate happenings. The author guided the plot with Jays decisions and choices. He also creates characters like Leo in which hangs around a church and has a rather large spliff in which he smokes and gives many prophecy’s to jay almost like the apothecary in Romeo and Juliet. His aunt also steers Jay’s direction by talking to him about religion and the smart choices. The book explains the segregation between whats cool and whats not mainly at the start in which it explains that when your 15 everything matters. Jay explains how Mars,twix and snickers are too mainstream and flake , Buenos and malteser are too girly. He then explains how Galaxy is not too girlie, but actually that galaxy englishhomeworkhelp.co.uk is a good choice because it shows certain class, like a mans taste. But soon after he explains how he would of liked to eat a Milky way bar but that’s light and fluffy because it took him back to when things were simple and it didn’t matter what chocolate he ate but now he seems to think that there is no way eating a chocolate bar not in his section.