Face

Product Information

I read this book ages ago but I remember that it scarred me for life (but in a good way) and made me appreciate things more. I recommend to anyone because of how diverse it is and how easy it is to want to carry on finding out about the story and the characters. Being a short novel, I think everything was carefully played out and I very much enjoyed the contrast between what Martin had been before and after the accident. It explores the way that – as a society – we take things at face value, and teaches us that what’s inside a person is what counts, and not how they look. The book however did tell more than show the reader the events which made the book a bit less enjoyable.

Martin's life looks good with a model for a girlfriend, the best gymnast in school, and as a class clown. It's all a bit different being on the receiving end of other people's prejudices, about disabilities, or race, or anything else.There’s a lot of feeling going on in this short read and he’s able to include positive messages at the end that everyone can relate and take notice from.

Brilliantly written with a real ear for dialogue, this is Benjamin Zepaniah breaking new boundaries.This would be an excellent prompt for discussion about prejudices regarding appearance and our reaction to those less fortunate than ourselves. It also shows us a strong young protagonist who is able to deal with the situation maturely and learn as it goes on. Fortunately, the burden helped Martin find his voice of reason and uncovered who his loyal and faithful friends really were.