Title: Kid Got Shot
Author: Simon Mason
Purchase: Available now in the UK, and publishing fall 2017 in the US.
Overall rating: 4/5
Great for: Murder mystery fans, people who love to help piece together puzzles
Themes: Rebellious teenagers, racial prejudices, investigative questioning, finding a path to take in life.
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Review: First things first, I’ll openly admit that I’m not generally a fan of ‘who did it’ and murder mystery type stories. Normally, they bore me. The pace can be slow and a little repetitive and a lot of the time I just don’t feel like I connect with the characters. Whether it’s because Simon Mason’s ‘Kid Got Shot’ is set in the present time or the characters are more near my own age, I’m not sure, but I was hooked by the time I was on page 9.
‘Kid Got Shot’ centres around Garvie Smith, a teenage genius who sometimes doesn’t like to admit it. He’s mathematically minded, yet a waster and isn’t afraid to flunk an exam because he was down the park with his mates having a few cigarettes and cheap alcohol. Garvie and his friends live in a small town, with little to do – until now. A boy from his school, Marsh Academy gets shot, with no clear motive and no clues.
Everyone thought Pyotor Gimpel had no friends at school, in fact, his social circle was described as ‘nil’. He sat on the same bench at school every day observing people, he took photographs and he played violin in the school orchestra. Pyotor knew he was different and the school recognised his autism spectrum disorder, but they really didn’t know what he was capable of.
‘Kid Got Shot’ is full of twists and turns and in some cases veers away from its classified genre to tackle important issues like racial prejudices, and finding your path in life at a young, hormonal age. Simon Mason’s writing style not only made me feel a genuine connection to certain characters but also left me wondering if my rebellious teenage streak left my mother feeling like Garvie’s.
This sassy Sherlock-esque young adult novel might just be the missing piece to your puzzle.