Beatle meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams

Read by Felix Gentle. Louis Braille Audio, 2009. ISBN 9781742123783. Penguin, 2009. 9780143011491.
(Age 14+) Recommended. One night at a tram stop in Melbourne, Beatle, so called because his real name is John Lennon, notices a girl wearing sunglasses and reading a book. Her name is Destiny and it almost seems as if they were fated to meet. There is an immediate attraction, but problems loom, as Beatle already has a lovely girlfriend who stood by him as he pulled through the aftermaths of a stroke. Every day at Destiny's home, horoscopes are read and tarots are often consulted. Beatle's home is chaotic; his mother never getting over the fact that her husband had left her for a younger woman. To make matters even more complicated, Winsome, Beatle's non identical twin sister, has begun to date Destiny's brother, Frank, who is a teacher at their school.
I had read this book before I listened to the tape. I had thoroughly enjoyed it, especially liking the humour and the witty dialogue between all the characters. I found that Felix Gentle's reading brought all the smart conversations alive and I found myself laughing out loud at the funny situations the pair got themselves into. Williams has an excellent ear for the way teenagers speak and Gentle was able to modulate his voice so well that the characters came alive and the word play and repartee was just wonderful when read aloud.
Beatle meets Destiny has many situations which teenagers will identify with. Crushes on teachers, falling in love with someone else while having a perfectly good girlfriend, sibling rivalry and friendship are all themes that are relevant to their lives. Wrapped up in a humorous package and read with zest, this audio would be a perfect reading for teens.
Pat Pledger