Title: Violence 101

Author: Denis Wright

Ease: Moderate

Rating: 5/5

Violence 101 is dark, disturbing and takes us deep into the mind of a psychopath.

Seeing the world through the protagonists imposed diary entries, we meet Hamish, a 14-year-old, incredibly bright boy from a good family. In fact if Hamish could stop committing acts of extreme violence then things might be all right for him.

Even at the end of the book Hamish was still a riddle. A boy capable of both depravity and generosity, he had true insight into his fellow detainees. It was difficult to know how much of his behaviour was chosen and how much was part of a mental illness. I couldn’t like him but I was fascinated by him and was left wondering where he would go next.

I highly recommend this book.