Jinx
Margaret Wild
Allen & Unwin 2001
215p pbk $15.95
1-86508-264-3
Nominated for the Ethel Turner Prize
2002 NSW PREMIER'S AWARDS SHORTLIST
Jinx is a touching story about a young girl name Jen and her life. Jen is a good kid, but she fears that she is too good; she wants to drink, smoke and have sex all before she is 18. Throughout the book we learn about Jen and her friends. Jens boyfriend has just committed suicide and she is struggling to come to grips with this. Jen has many emotional episodes throughout the story. The way that the story is written in verse conveys everybodys feelings and emotions very well.
The verse manages to convey everyones trials, tribulations and emotions about the events of the story very well. I like how we get to know each character and exactly what makes them all tick. It is different to most of the books that I usually read which makes it interesting.
I like the character of Grace as she seems to be more and more sane as the story progresses. I feel sorry for Grace as she has Downs Syndrome and this book got me thinking of how bad it would be to have a terrible problem such as this. The character of Ruthless is also very likeable, she seemed a bit of a nerd at the start but I liked her more and more as the story progressed. However I did find most of the characters were a bit depressing at times.
Overall an enjoyable book even though it is a bit depressing at times.
Peter, aged 16, Canberra, ACT
Jinx, by Margaret Wild is a verse novel about a girl going through a transition period in her life. Jen is going through a hard time, her boyfriend commits suicide and she is afraid to love anyone she begins to call herself Jinx and finds herself in all sorts of trouble from then on.
The story shows how Jinx and her family cope with the sadness of losing someone close, and also her friends who have to deal with Jinxs change and the loss of their friend.
As the story develops we see changes in Jinx and begin to realise she is coping better with her sadness but she is continually emotionally wounded by the twists of events in her life.
This book was fantastic, the verse novel genre was especially effective in portraying the characters feelings. The book shows a relevance to every teenager's life and helps to show the pain felt by those around a suicide victim. I think this book is great for an older audience.
