Friendship, loyalties and values are thrown into confusion by a rape in this gritty YA novel. bSmashed tells the story of three teenage friends, and how their friendship, loyalties and values are thrown into confusion when the main character s younger sister is raped by one of his best friends. His reaction sets in motion a ripple effect , which culminates in a violent act of revenge upon the rapist. Has our hero done this? As he finds himself deep in trouble and confused about the truth, he is forced to the vital question- are we really just puppets controlled by our genes, or do we have the free will to rewrite our own destiny? Smashed is a cautionary tale about growing up of the huge and complex challenges today s young people face in their lives. Told with humour and compassion it is also, ultimately, a story of courage, love and redemption. Smashed tackles gritty teenage issues such as alcohol, physical and sexual abuse, and anger but award-winning author Mandy Hager delivers it with a sense of humour and great sensitivity. It is a thoughtful, pacy read one that's hard to put down.

 

This book was recognised in the Esther Glen Medal for Junior Fiction category by the Lianza Children's Book Award. It was recognised in the Fiction - YA category by the Storylines Notable New Zealand Books.

There are 272 pages in this book. This book was published 2007 by Random House New Zealand Ltd .

Mandy Hager has been awarded the Katherine Mansfield Menton fellowship for 2014, and she was the 2012 recipient of the New Zealand Society of Authors Beatson Fellowship. She won the Esther Glen Award for Fiction for her YA novel Smashed and Best Young Adult Book in the NZ Post Book Awards 2010 for The Crossing. The Nature of Ash won the LIANZA YA Fiction Award in 2013 and was shortlisted for the 2013 NZ Post Children's Book Awards. Hager has a MA in Creative Writing from Victoria University and an Advanced Diploma in Applied Arts (Writing) from Whitireia Community Polytechnic, where she now works as a tutor and mentor. She lives with her partner on the Kapiti Coast. She has written novels for adults and young adults, short stories, scripts, and non-fiction resources for young people. See more at www. mandyhager. com, and on her Facebook pages for the Blood of the Lamb trilogy and for The Nature of Ash. Internationally acclaimed writer Margaret Mahy proclaimed The Crossing as being like 1984 for teenagers direct, passionate and powerful , while in the Otago Daily Times children s writer and reviewer Tania R