The Accident by Kate Hendrick

Text, 2013. ISBN: 9 781921 922855.
(Age: Teenagers) Highly recommended. The Accident is a story about three teenagers and how their lives were affected by a single event, the car crash which killed Robbie Starke. Sarah is devastated by the loss of her brother; she blames herself for the accident. Will is isolated and alone, his family is a mess and he doesn't know what to do. Eliat is a rebellious foster child who can't do anything right, she hides in a shallow night life taking all that she has for granted and putting her daughter second to her own vanity. One night changes it all. Sarah needs peace, Will needs his family and Eliat needs direction.
Told the different perspectives of three characters the novel shows how something as tragic as a car accident can change lives in a positive way. Filled with relatable characters and incredible detail this novel is not just the portrayal of one journey of self discovery but three. I would highly recommend this novel for adolescents as the author's expressiveness as well as her ability to tell these stories in such a way makes it a powerful novel. This book should be read by teenagers to give them a sense of the impact which their actions could have on other people's lives.
Kate Hendrick's debut novel is an extraordinary take on a tragic event. Her unusual style of story-telling adds to the novel's appeal and she is set to excel in her writing career if her future works maintain the same standard. I look forward to reading her future novels.
Kayla Gaskell (Student)