“Treacle Town” by Brian Conaghan is a tough but ultimately inspiring read. It’s set in Brian’s hometown of Coatbridge and the setting and context will be familiar to many of our students, and anyone involved with 'Young Teams'.
The story unfolds in a world of brutal gang
violence, sectarianism, and personal tragedy. The main protagonist, Connor, is stuck
in a world of deprivation and unemployment, and desperate to escape from the
pointless gang warfare and lack of opportunities.
He happens across the world of slam poetry online and
sees that this could offer a glimmer of hope for him, and that he was allowed
to become part of that world. He joins a group in Glasgow and realises that he
is not stuck and he can succeed. Meanwhile, his friends are still mired in the despondency
of ‘Treacle Town’, and he has no option but to pull himself free.
This is a thought-provoking, emotional, and
compassionate novel. The relationship with his friends and the pointlessness of
their lives read true, and I loved the interplay between Conner and his dad.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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