Kevin Brooks

Candy

Eleanor Luhar

"... a story as sharp as the title is sweet ..."

When I found this book in the library, I had never heard of it before. I had no idea what to expect, or how good the author - Kevin Brooks - is. At first I wasn't certain how I was feeling about Candy, but a few pages in and I must admit I was hooked.

This is not a typical book about boys and girls, love and loss. This is a book about real-life problems that nobody wants to admit are drifting around this world. This is a book about facing the facts and doing what's right, no matter how hard it may be. This is a book about a boy, and it is a book about a girl, but it's also a book about the devastating world hidden within the city of London, the darker face behind all the wonderful things many of us associate with the capital of England.

Joe Beck is normal. He's plain - and so is his life. That is, until he meets Candy - Candy with the eyes and the skin and the legs... Candy turns Joe's life completely upside down. He's faced with dilemmas that he'd never even considered before, dilemmas that people are facing every day while we're watching TV or going out with friends. This novel really drives home the reality of drug addiction, prostitution and abuse, leaving you shocked and scared with every chapter. 

I actually loved this book more than I expected. I was happy, excited, scared, sad... There were so many twists that I was always anticipating what was on the next page. Candy deserves 4 stars in my opinion. I'll be sure to check out some of Kevin Brooks' other works!

Olivera Mitić

2.5 stars
NOT SPOILER FREE
I had a lot of problems with this one, but in fact there was just this one thing that ruined the whole book for me - it was so unrealistic! No, I'm not talking about the main plot. I am well aware that there in fact is an underground world like this around us, that there are actual prostitutes, junkies, dealers and pimps. What I meant was the whole thing about Joe being so invested into everything and willing to risk his life for someone he doesn't even really know.
He had met Candy literally only three times before he decided to all of these crazy things for her. It was freaking ridiculous.
There wasn't an interaction between them I could understand. The first time they meet he finds out she's a prostituete and almost gets hurt from her pimp, and what does he decide to do? Call her on. a date. What even?!
On said date he finds out she's a drug addict as well. What does our smart protagonist do? He invites her to his gig. 
On that gig, his sister's fiance gets injured because of Candy. What does Joe do? He randomly runs of to London so he can search for her for hours, then follows her pimp around, almost gets killed whe finds her, and takes her to his cottage so she can get clean. I just can't. Like seriously. No sane person would do that.
There was this one scene where Joe talks to his sister's fiance and compares his feelings for Candy with Mike's feelings for Gina. Honey, that's not the same thing. It ain't even close. 
Also, when Iggy calls him to make a deal (handing Candy over in exchange for Gina) he says 'Give me ten minutes.'
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Even that Iggy guy made a remark on how dumb that was.
Overall I'd say the book had a lot of potential and I could have been so much better if the author had given us some more convincing motivation behind all of the things that were happening and all of the stupid decisions. The writing style was quite enjoyable (that's why I didn't lower the rating eve more), and Brooks obviously has talent, he just needs to learn how to properly use it.

Marta

Joe is hooked from the moment he sees Candy. What is it that catches his eye? Is it her hair, her smile, or just the way she's standing? When they chat over coffee there's an instant attraction - but can love ever be this sweet?

Candy

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