Book Review-Summertime of the Dead by Gregory Hughes

Title: Summertimeof the Dead

 Author:  Gregory Hughes

Series:   N/A

Published:  30 August 2012 by Quercus

Length:304 pages

Warnings: really graphic violence, mentions of prostitution, suicide, lots of things

Source: publisher

Other info: Gregory also wrote Unhooking the Moon, which won the Booktrust prize

Summary : Yukio's two best friends are dead. Tormented and blackmailed by the Yakuza - the Japanese mafia - they have taken their own lives.
Yukio is a kendo champion and he knows all the stories of the samurai. Heartbroken and furious, he is determined to avenge the deaths of his beloved Hiroshi and Miko.
And so begins a deadly struggle between Yukio and the Yakuza, and between Yukio's capacity for love, and his thirst for revenge.

Review: After being blackmailed by the Yazuka, Miko and Hiroshi kill themsleves. Yukio, their best freidn, is determened to avenge them. As a result, he goes out to kill all those he holds responsible for their deaths.

First thoughts on Yukio-whoa, overreaction much? Yes, you do kendo. I understand you’re upset. But actually killing someone? You’re fourteen.These honour things are a bit outdated (not living in 21^st centuryJapan, I don’t know how common it is for a teenager or anyone to hold the views that someone messes with your friends you mess them up even more). And even if you are going to live by the way of honor, you have gone much too far. And yeah, you’re fourteen. How the heck did you guys get into that club that started it to begin with? And then casually get hold of swords and bikes? I had issues wth the age in this. Also, issues  with Yukio. He needs someone around him.

Mikazuki aka The Lump, Yukio’s cousin, is a really sweet but a little annoying. It’s nice seeing her tryand keep Yukio from going completly batcrap insane, but it doesn’t really work.

I suppose you could call it a coming of age story. There’s a few firsts for Yukio, some very big firsts. After a certain amount of kills, it got a bit boring.

You really can see Yukio go off on his own spiral of depravity in the killings, and I liked getting inside his head.  It doesnt’ really bother him, which I find an interesting point. a fourteenyearold, whose first experience with death is traumatic and sudden, going off and killing more people, and not getting too worried could have been really interesting. but t wasn’t.

The writng style was quite simple, but got across the story well. I liked the way the setting of gangland Japan was brought together.

Overall:  Strength 2 tea. A nonsympathetic main character and a bloodbath that went too far.

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