Tag: bullying

Sally Hepworth’s—Mad Mabel

Elsie’s childhood in Australia is riddled with jeering and bullying at school. At home, she keeps her nose in a book but she can’t always avoid her father’s hateful gaze and her mother’s often indifference. At eighty-one, she hides her earlier life by living quietly and unnoticed, but her notorious past has a way of creeping up on her. When her neighbour with an annoying dog dies and she discovers his corpse on the floor of his house, eyes of suspicion turn on her and Elsie suspects it’s her neighbour Joan, who has informed the police who she is.

Will she be able to escape the murderous image painted about her in the past or will the taunts return to haunt her remaining years?

Mieko Kawakami’s—Heaven *****

While Kojima observes another student in her middle school class being bullied, he observes the other girls bullying Kojima. Soon he finds a note in his desk asking to meet. Who is sending this unsigned note? Is it the boys in his class making fun of him again? He’s not sure what to do, but either way, if it’s the boys who bully him, they’ll punish him no matter what decision he makes.

This is a compelling read told through the voice of the boy the students call Eyes.

Ellie Eaton’s — The Divines *****

Joe/Josephine is an insecure yet studious student at an English private girls boarding school. Skipper, her best friend until their second last year at the school, has moved on and become closer to the twins. To make matters worse, Joe has to share a room with Gerry, the skating champion no one likes. Joe befriends a townie, a connection frowned upon by the students, the Divines. But Joe continues the friendship and develops a crush on Stuart, her townie friend’s brother. Soon everything goes from bad to worse in an environment where girls from privileged homes, have an air of entitlement. They laugh at others behind their backs, tease relentlessly and bully unpopular Gerry.

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