I haven't seen any of Simon Mayo's books, so was surprised when I saw Blame. I like to read books that hold my interest within the first few pages, & this did exactly that. 12 hours later, I've finished, completely satisfied with the outcome! What a brilliant concept. What a compassionate depiction of children in such a sensitive place. I wanted more blame for Grey, & I wanted a repercussions for Papa, so felt I couldn't give a whole 5 stars. But it was clever. Thoughtful. It was more deserving than a mere 4 stars. So as I'm unable to make it four & a half, it's in as a five! I was routing for D&G, so a tad disappointed even though I'm glad really, because it would have been a cliché. Thoroughly enjoyed, & hugely recommended!

So, I stumbled upon this book at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival. Simon Mayo was doing a panel with the legend that is Malorie Blackman and, if I’m honest, I wasn’t all that enthusiastic about a book written by the man who I remember my dad loving on breakfast radio (the Nick Grimshaw of the early 90’s). BUT as soon as I heard him describe the premise behind Blame, I knew I was going to have to read it and I’m so glad I did. The idea is that a person’s children and/or grandchildren can be held responsible for the crimes they commit (heritage crime). So, if I die before anyone discovers that I spent my whole life stealing from my boss, my children will go to prison in my place. Or if my children are under 18 when the body of my neighbour that insisted on playing death metal at 3am every morning is discovered under my patio, they will serve time with me. Don’t judge me by these examples. Sound a bit far-fetched? One of the best things about this book is how completely believable the story of how the change in law came about is and how it is placed so completely in the here and now. This isn’t happening in some volcanic, post-apocolyptic other world covered in ice; it is so firmly in the Bristol, Bath and London of today that I had to stop myself from searching the internet for local anti-heritage crime demonstrations to join. We follow Ant as she unconsciously causes an eruption of violence in the prison complex that her, her adoptive parents and her little brother, Mattie, call home, and witness the mental and physical cruelty they are subjected to whilst on the run from the evil, lying prison govener Grey. Seriously, these kids have had a really bad start to life. Every time I promised myself I would put this book down at the end of the chapter and cook dinner or do the washing or actually function as a human being, I didn’t. I just NEEDED to know what happened next, it was completely engrossing. My sense of morbid fascination was completely satisfied by the placement – and removal! – of the strap sunken into the skin in the small of prisoners’ backs, turning them into ‘strutters’ (it hurts to slouch). I genuinely felt my pulse racing in fear during the suspense of the prison riot and the televised ceremony at the end (no spoilers!). Be prepared for a “thrilling roller-coaster of a read” (Malorie Blackman’s words, not mine – and when is she wrong?) that will completely consume you; my other half and I are still debating whether heritage crime could ever really be a thing and I’m seriously considering getting a goose tattoo. Bring on the sequel.

Mayo's foray into YA fiction is explosive, packed with rock solid characters, a smart, topical narrative and a decidedly corrupt and generally unpleasant villain, this is a thrilling read. Blame calls into question the ease with which the media can create a convincing and consuming blame culture, forcing innocent people to become both victims and perpetrators in the same breath. It's an excellent read, taken both as the story as it's told and as a frightening portent of what could come to pass. Loved it!

Simon Mayo's 'Blame' is action packed right from the start, and I flew through it in a day. The plot didn't feel forced, and the ending was amazing and satisfying. Although some of the secondary characters lack depth, Ant and Mattie's relationship was brilliantly depicted, and you could empathise with them both. Mayo's writing about the prison and the events that happen felt very real, and I look forward to seeing what he writes next. A great read for all teenagers looking for their next 'Hunger Games' fix. I received a proof copy for free in exchange for a review.