At first glance, this book appears to be fairly simple and straightforward. But it’s only as you come to the end that you realize what quiet power Liz Allan’s debut novel really possesses.
It’s 1994 in Vincent, a small coastal town in Australia. Four high school girls, longtime friends, have a band called The Bastards, because none of them has a father present. They’re obsessed with Nirvana, with loud, angry music, and believe the band is their ticket out of their horrible little hole of a town.
These girls live by a self-fulfilling prophecy. They’re almost a group of ruffians—poor, rowdy, disdainful, and not particularly smart—so no one expects much from them. But they don’t care—they’re just biding their time. And an upcoming Battle of the Bands competition is the key to freedom.
Trouble strikes when their lead singer, Lily, drops out of the band. Shortly thereafter, she accuses the girls’ beloved music teacher (and perhaps their only champion), Mr. P, of sexual assault. The other three girls know he’s innocent and don’t understand why Lily would accuse him of such a horrible act. They’re determined to discover the truth, and nothing—or no one—will get in their way.
Most of the book is narrated by the three remaining Bastards in a collective voice. This was an interesting and very effective choice. You really feel for these girls, who just want to be viewed in a positive light by their peers and their families. The book really made an impression on me!
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