You Against Me

If someone hurts your sister and you’re any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? If your brother’s been accused of a terrible crime and you’re the main witness, then you banish all doubt and defend him. Isn’t that what families do?

When Mikey’s sister claims a boy assaulted her at a party, his world of work and girls begins to fall apart. When Ellie’s brother is charged with the crime, but says he didn’t do it, her world of revision, exams and fitting in at a new school begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide.

Brave and unflinching, this is a novel of extraordinary skilfulness and almost unbearable tension. It’s a book about loyalty and the choices that come with it. But above all, it’s a book about love for one’s family and for another.

You Against Me by Jenny Downham is a riveting exploration of the complexities of family and loyalty.