Emotive, raw, and heartbreaking young-adult novel about overcoming past traumas through resilence and love. Relatable for teen and adult readers looking for a grittier update to Judy Blume or Jacqueline Wilson.‘Are you okay, Mummy? Did Daddy hurt you again?’Anne Mason’s childhood in Richmond emulates suburban bliss, with a wealthy father and a loving mother. But behind the polished windows, … mother. But behind the polished windows, Anne’s father terrorizes her mother, shattering their utopian home life with beatings and beer. Home-schooled on a diet of books and museums, knowledge becomes Anne’s only saviour.
One night her dad comes home with the news that her mother has left them forever. Unable to care for his daughter, Anne is sent to live with her kindly aunt and uncle. Struggling to settle into day school, Anne enrolls in Lakeland Boarding School. She meets and falls for gentle Karen, whose friends torment Anne and her troubled roommate Simone.
Forced to confront her traumatic upbringing, Anne learns the horrors of the past and present. Will love, hope, and inner strength prevail?
‘Anne’ is a powerful and dramatic YA tale about life, family and coming-of-age in and outside of London.
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Anne
By Zarina Macha
5 out of 5 stars
The story Anne by Zarina Macha is a YA/coming of age book. It is a story that follows the life of Anne Mason. It is a book that has powerful moments and also makes you think. There are heartbreaking moments as well as times that made me wonder what I would have done given the same circumstances. Anne is a young girl whose father terrorizes her mother. She is home-schooled and knowledge is her escape. Then her world is upended when her father tells her that her mother has left them. Anne then goes to her aunt and uncle’s home. Read this book to find out more about Anne’s journey. Anne is a character that is likable and one that I could only wish for her to find happiness. While the past haunts her she goes through life by excelling in knowledge. She also has friends that she makes along that way, even falling for someone. Anne’s challenges and accomplishments shape her life. There are times when I couldn’t help but have tears in my eyes. This is an emotional story that had my emotions going up and down the entire time. There are many additional characters that are introduced and many of them are family and good friends with Anne. I enjoyed the interactions between them and Anne. This is a book I would recommend reading.
Anne is a coming of age story by a young British writer Zarina Macha. It is a young adult story that is told in a form of a journal and as a reader you feel you are privileged to have been given access to the innermost thoughts and feelings of a teenage girl.
It is amazing how this young writer who is just out of the teenage years herself is dealing with such themes as domestic abuse and self-harm and bullying and addiction and homophobia and racism and … the way the writer walks us through those emotional experiences, the care she takes, the pictures she paints with her words and all of them told in the journal of the young Anne Mason.
I think we need to remember that this book is how the young Anne experiences life and sees the world, it is meant to be written the way it is, it is not some elaborated mature storytelling, it is raw and packs a punch and if you ask any young teenager who has read it, they will tell you that they can relate and whatever you thought might have been an exaggeration or out of proportion … it is a teenage girl telling her story to her journal!
I think that Anne is one of those young adult stories that would be a great addition to a school library and used in literacy class as a starter for a discussion about all those social issues that it touches upon! Well written Zarina Macha and I am looking forward to your next release!
Anne
By Zarina Macha
This book drew me in from the beginning. This story takes you through Anne’s life and all of the things she has had to endure. There are definitely some tragic moments, but there are also moments filled with hope and joy. This book touches on some serious subjects such as mental health, addiction, abuse, bullying, and more that you will find out when you read this. The author did a wonderful job in writing so that the story flowed nicely and dealt with these issues very realistically. I recommend this book.
Tragic, heart stirring, dramatic young adult story that captivates your heart and imagination. This story is one that is full of emotion that will leave you shaking. I wasn’t prepared for the epic pull my heart would have from these pages. Simply put, this is wonderfully written book about a youth facing extremely difficult situations. From beginning to end, just extremely well done.
I absolutely fell in love with this story.
To most people Anne’s life looks like a happy one. Her father provides a good income, and wants to use it to give his daughter the opportunities he never had. She has a loving mother who wants Anne to have life experiences as well as educational ones. Beneath the surface of this family are so many cracks and so much unhappiness, and when it all comes to a head Anne’s life changes forever.
Anne finds comfort from her extended family and also finds new opportunities which see her making the choice to go to boarding school. This then brings its own set of complications, but also happiness too.
I love the character of Anne so much. She is headstrong yet caring, she is smart but still has so much to learn. She goes through so much in her young life that you just want happiness for her.
I’d recommend this story for both adults and young adults.
What a wonderful book!
I am so glad I read Anne by Zarina Macha. The story follows Anne Mason, a young homeschooled girl who lives in a beautiful home that hides a secret. Anne’s father terrorizes her mother inside the home where others can’t see what’s going on. Then one night, her father comes home to say her mother has left. Anne now needs to navigate new schools, family interactions, and needs to find her way in the teenage jumble of life.
As a mom of a young daughter, I can only pray she can be half as strong as Anne is when she gets to be this age.
Anne by Zarina Macha is a book that deals with some serious issues in a sympathetic and engaging way. As a young adult book it touches on subjects that a lot of others in the genre tend to stay away from. It really takes you on the ups and downs of being an adolescent and delves into issues that a lot of them face in today’s society.
With that being said it is quite an easy book to read. It has a nice steady pace about it and the author builds up the characters well. This is one of those books that I think for people in the genre it is definitely worth a read! And for those who don’t usually read this genre I would suggest they give it a go.
Anne by Zarina Macha. This book hit me in all the feels. This isn’t an easy read as it deals with some very difficult subjects but this author wrote it in such a unique way that had me completely lost it the pages. Anne is a character I won’t be forgetting anytime soon because in many ways I felt a connection, and I love when I read a book that can give me that feeling. This story is a coming of age with a character who has to grow up well before she’s supposed to by going through so much so early in life. It’s a story I simply couldn’t put down. This author is quickly becoming a top author for me. Five stars all the way and highly recommended.
Anne by Zarina Macha
5-Stars
Anne by Zarina Macha was a wonderful read. I couldn’t put it down. Anne had such a difficult childhood and I felt sad for her. I loved the relationship she had with her mother but hated how controlling her father was. I loved when she moved in with her aunt and family. Her life seemed to be easier. I really enjoyed that this novel evoked various emotions in me as I read. I could really feel myself in Anne’s shoes as I read. Such a great read and I highly recommend it.
Anne by Zarina Macha is a YA coming of age story. Anne’s life would sound idyllic until one steps behind the door. Her father terrorizes her mother and Anne’s get away is her homeschooled education. She loves to learn and it helps her to get through her chaotic life. When her mother leaves she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle. Does life improve for Anne? You must read this beautifully written story to find out. At times I wanted to cry for the pain Anne goes through but I also held out hope that her life would become easier. Anne is a special young lady who learns from her experiences and uses them to help shape her life.
Anne by Zarina Macha
4 of 5 Stars
A coming of age drama and an emotional rollercoaster of a story, although a young adults book, adults like myself will love it as well. From the outside Anne Mason’s childhood is one of luxury, she has both parents, they are wealthy, have a nice house and nice things but behind closed doors it is anything but perfect. Anne regularly sees her mother getting hurt by her drunk father, so much so it’s almost routine for her. The heartbreaking line, “Are you okay, Mummy? Did Daddy hurt you again?” had me reaching for the box of tissues. She is homeschooled so has no break other than visiting museums which she loves, Anne is intelligent and loves to learn so she turns to her books for escape. Her home life suddenly becomes even worse and confusing when her mother suddenly disappears. Then things improve when her father sends her to live with her Aunt and Uncle who are nice and welcoming. She then enrols in Lakeland Boarding School where although her and her friend Simone are tormented by the other girls for being shy and different, Anne finds a friend in Karen and soon falls for her. To be able to live in the present Anne learns she must confront her traumatic upbringing.
This is a wonderfully written story about family, childhood, and past traumas but mostly of coming of age. “Will love, hope, and inner strength prevail?” An emotional read but well worth the tears, the book has a powerful message and is not afraid to touch on difficult and sensitive issues. Another amazing book by Zarina Macha .
Anne by Zarina Macha. This is a very emotional young adult read that deals with abuse. It is the story of Anne Mason who lives in Richmond and her life on paper looks perfect.. A wealthy father & amazing mom., but behind doors its another story all together. What the world doesn’t know is behind those “perfect” doors her Mom is abused by her father with horrible beatings. One day her father comes home and tells Anne that her Mother is gone for good and he can’t care for her. She goes to live with her Aunt and Uncle and enrolls in Lakeland Boarding School. She trys to get her life back on track but she misses her mother terribly. She befriends a girl named Karen and falls in love with her. She has her aunt, uncle cousin Zoe and now Karen to help her thru this horrible time. Will Anne survive when all the secrets past and present come to light? Read Anne to find out!
Anne
By Zarina Macha
4 stars
I do sometimes read YA novels but they are usually of the romance type so when I saw the blurb for this one I was intrigued, it sounded like it might be a different kind of read and it absolutely was. It was such a powerful read and the author explored so many different situations/topics that can affect young adults and coming of age. I was really impressed by the authors writing, the flow of the story was really good and my interest was kept from beginning to end. I really felt for Anne, she had so much to overcome in her life, there were moments when my heart broke for her. There was a danger the author could have fallen into a stereotypical story with some of the things the character went through but I felt she really planned and thought about the path in which her characters would take.
Anne was in my opinion a well written, powerful and emotional read and one that I would highly recommend!
Anne
By Zarina Macha
What a lovely introduction to this author. This book has been written beautifully allowing the storyline to flow quite nicely. Anne the poor child has gone through a lot in her fourteen years. She was dealing with her own sexuality, but had the father from hell and a mother she loved more than life itself. That is until the night her father came home one night without her mother. Not long after the disappearance of her mother, her father shipped her off to live with her Aunt and her family, people she had never met before. There she found the love and family atmosphere she was looking for. Anne was looking for a place to fit in to, she found that with her Aunt and her family and the school she had eventually chosen to attend. This book is one to read and I am sure the story will be enjoyed.
Anne by Zarina Macha
This book is a must read!!! Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down until I finished. When you read this book you will feel like you are right next to Anne.
As many say money doesn’t mean everything. Anne grows up with a mother and a father who looking in have it all. Inside the home Anne lives with a father who drinks to much. Who is a very angry and awful man. What will become of Anne while living with a monster. Will Anne’s mother be able to leave? Will her father stop drinking and hurting his family? What will become of Anne??
If you are like me and love a great story. Read this book and find out all the answers. You will not be disappointed!!!!!
I will warn you if abuse of a child is a sensitive topic this book may be hard for you to read. Anne grew up in what appears to be a perfect home on the outside, but behind the door another tail is told. Anne is taken to her Aunt’s house but because she has been home schooled, school is tough. She is sent to a boarding school. This is when it becomes rough for Anne. In this story, Anne is a confused teenager. Zarina Macha does an amazing job with this difficult subject. Her plot line is engaging and I fell in love with the characters. I recommend this story and a box of kleenex.
REVIEW
As a “survivor” of domestic abuse myself I wanted to read and publicise this book because anything that gets people talking about a tricky subject such as this needs to be shouted about from the “treetops”.
The cover depicts an image of what I think must be Anne, the central character in the book. I love the vibrant purple colour of the cover it fits with the content of the book well. The genres I have seen listed for this book are, Teens & YA but I would add “social issues” to cover the abuse, racism, bullying, peer pressure and sexuality. Perhaps LGBT should also be added to the Teens, YA, and Social Issues.
There is a prologue for this book where Anne is in the “present” talking to a counsellor and then the rest of the book is being told from Anne’s point of view kind of like as if she is reading to the readers.
The main character is Anne Mason and to the outside world she is a happy normal little child. She attends church with her parents every week, where they are a popular family and quite well off as her father, John Mason has his own business. Sadly, inside the home life is a different story for Anne, it is not the family bliss that the family project when at church. As the blurb says “behind the polished windows, Anne’s father brutally terrorizes her mother.” As Anne becomes of school age there is disagreement as to how she should be educated, her mother Martinique wants her to attend the local comprehensive, but John wants her to attend private school. In the end and after Martinique receiving a beating for her voicing her opinion, a compromise is found and Anne is to be home schooled. As John has his own business, he can afford to pay private tutors and also for Martinique to take Anne on trips to museums and galleries. Anne has always kept to herself what goes on in her home behind closed doors but accidentally slips and tells the young girl next door that her daddy hits her mummy. So, the next time the neighbours hear an argument they call the Police. Unfortunately, Martinique covers up for her husband and doesn’t tell the Police what is really going on. One evening John is beating his wife and he makes her go out with him in the car, leaving Anne alone in bed. When he returns, he is alone and tells Anne her mother has gone away and she probably won’t see her again. It’s not long after that John suggests Anne should stay with her Aunt Colette and her family. The book then covers Anne settling into her new situation, firstly attending school with her cousin Zoe and then later attending a boarding school.
The book states it is about domestic violence but to be honest it is so much more, it covers other difficult subjects such as bullying, peer pressure and sexuality. Anne the main character goes through the realisation that she likes girls not boys and the book covers her first crush and her first relationship and what that entails. There are relevant references to popular TV programmes, series, films and music too, such as Orange Is The New Black.
Some of the descriptions the author uses really help you visualise what they are explaining. For example, when telling the reader about Martinique about to receive a beating from her husband John. “She cowered in front of him, a rabbit against a hungry tiger.” Then a scene where Anne knows her father is becoming angry and the violence is about to start. “Usain Bolt had been dubbed the fastest man in the world. His sprints couldn’t have surpassed the speed of my heart as I sat next to my mum, who was gnawing away at her thumb.”
I will be honest at times it felt like the author was really trying to pack in as many issues as she could and I was worried it would become like someone preaching about what is right or wrong. I also felt a bit odd about the following reference “Teachers stood around the classroom, walking past us. My imagination ran away with me and I pictured them as Nazi soldiers assessing us at a concentration camp, ready to toss those of us who did badly into the gas chambers and bring those of us who did well in “for effective use.” It felt an over exaggeration and maybe some could see it as trivialising the Holocaust. Though I guess some teenagers do over embellish things they are going through. Having said all that I did read the whole book and found on the whole I quite enjoyed it.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were that it was and unusual, unique book that covers so many issues. Not what I had initially expected from the book when I first read the blurb. So difficult to quantify a ‘score’ for this book. I feel it’s worth more than a 3 but then when I compare it to some 4 star books I have read it just isn’t quite a 4. Having said all that, I have enjoyed reading this book even though it kind of meandered off the route I expected it to follow. Honestly parts of it read like realistic journal/diary entries of a young girl, who goes through a heck of a lot!
To sum up I think this book would be a great addition to a school library, and to be read within classes as a conversation starter on abuse, race, bullying, peer pressure and sexuality too.
Anne by Zarina Macha is a nicely delivered and yet slightly tragic young adult novel about a young girl named Anne Mason. Anne may look like life is good from the outside when we first meet her but we find out soon that her father is anything but kind. He is an abusive father and husband and likes his alcohol as well. It turns out that Anne finds her way to living with her aunt and. We slowly watch as Anne uncovers her past and learns to find happiness in life regardless of the trials she had as a young girl. I liked how this was written almost in a diary format, I felt it helped me to connect with the character more and be more invested in her story. I was completely thrown for a ride with the emotion roller coaster and I loved every moment of it. I am anxious to see what we will get next from Ms. Macha!
Wow, This book really had me turning the pages. Your emotions will be up and down while reading this book. Great writing style and Great character building. Definitely a must-read book.
This is my 2nd book by Zarina Macha and she’s done it again got me intrigued. This is one if the best coming of age stories i have read. To the outside world Anne life seems perfect. This is a book that truly hit home with me and resonance as well. Highly emotional and will get you reaching for the tissues. This book deals with alot of hard topics for some readers.