Precious

Precious is a rich and fast-paced thriller set amongst young adults in contemporary Britain. It deals with a variety of themes including drug abuse, modern relationship problems and the fact that there is always the possibility of rebuilding one's life, whatever has gone on before. The story handles a relatively large cast. Each character is fleshed out and none is neglected for long. Although the novel centres on Precious' highly personal journey there is plenty to see along the way. There are a number of sub-plots all woven together to make a cohesive and compulsive whole. The manuscript gathers momentum before the final catartic scene, in which the sadistic Sadie (who towards the end of the novel functions as a symbol for all that is bad about the various characters, their respective 'dark sides') plummets to her death.