Playlist For A Broken Heart by Cathy Hopkins
| Playlist For A Broken Heart by Cathy Hopkins | |
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| Category: Teens | |
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Reviewer: Robert James
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| Summary: Warm and engaging, with a brilliant central character and strong friendships, this is another winner from a fabulous author. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 288 | Date: May 2014 |
| Publisher: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-1471117916 | |
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When Paige’s dad loses his job and she and her parents are forced to move in with her aunt, uncle and cousins in an already crowded house, it feels like the end of the world to her. She’d just been cast opposite her crush in the school play, so being torn away from him and taken out of school might break her heart. But then she finds a mixtape of local bands made for a girl, and as she listens to it, starts wondering about the boy who made it. Making new friends, she decides to try and track the boy down – but will he be who she’s expecting?
I started reading this on the train, broke off quickly at about page 50 to let a friend know that I was reading it and it was great, then next looked up again on page 120 as the journey seemed to be taking rather longer than usual. As you can probably guess, I missed my stop – a serious hazard when reading the books of an author as captivating as Cathy Hopkins.
This is perhaps the 20th book I’ve read by Hopkins, and she’s up there with Karen McCombie – another prolific, warm and wonderful writer – as one of the most consistent authors for children today. As her fans have come to expect, there’s an engaging central character, a strong supporting cast, and a touch of romance. (Although less than you might expect from the book’s title – the lead’s ‘broken heart’ is perhaps just as much to do with her old life ending as it is with her separation from her crush.) It’s interesting to see some sections told from the mystery boy’s point of view, and raises some questions, especially towards the end, about the dream of a relationship as opposed to the reality of one.
I loved the three-way friendship here, and the way Paige grows more confident in herself through the course of the book as Tasmin and Clover rub off on her, while she also manages to influence them. It also has an ever-so-slightly older feel than most of Cathy Hopkins’s books, with one of the key themes being especially relevant in today’s economy, as Paige and her family have to come to terms with no longer having the same amount of money as they’re used to.
Overall this is highly recommended, as one of my favourites yet from an excellent author.
I think fans of Cathy Hopkins would also love Karen McCombie. Perhaps my favourite of her many excellent books is Life According to... Alice B. Lovely. You might also enjoy Celebriteens: In the Spotlight by Joanna Philbin.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Playlist For A Broken Heart by Cathy Hopkins at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Playlist For A Broken Heart by Cathy Hopkins at Amazon.com.
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