Natural Talent

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Natural Talent

Category:	Fiction
Author:	Sheelagh White
Publisher:	Big Paw Books
Price:	£6.99
ISBN:	978095597705
Pages:	314
Reviewed in issue:	11

My first glance at the cover photo – four glamorous teenagers at a movie premier – told me that I was not in this book’s target audience. I didn’t hold out much hope of an enjoyable read. I was wrong. This is a well-written, well paced book, and I was soon caught up in its characters and plot.

The story centres around four teenage actors brought together on a film set that comes in for more than its fair share of accidents and upsets. Aaron becomes convinced that someone is trying to sabotage the production, and his efforts to find out who soon lead him into trouble. Meanwhile, dyslexic Noah struggles with life in a deprived community where crime is rife, Tola is preoccupied with her broken family, and Aaron’s attempts to get closer to Jasmine seem doomed to failure.

An experienced editor would have picked up the odd grammatical failing, but this is an assured piece of writing from an author who has made the most of ‘writing what she knows’: now a vicar, she has a background in youth work and the theatre, and her empathy with young people is evident. The book tackles the issues that concern them most – including difficult subjects like sex and drugs – openly, sensitively and constructively, without the slightest trace of preaching or ‘talking down’, and the author’s excellent ear for dialogue brings her characters to life. Good value, and a good read.

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