Lady

In 1996 Melvyn Burgess and the Andersen Press caused a storm of controversy with the publication of Junk, a powerful novel of teenagers and drugs that, despite protests, deservedly won the Carnegie Medal. In this book Burgess has tackled teenage sex in an even more dramatic and daring manner. Seventeen-year-old Sandra Francy is an emotional mess. She hates school and has no particular love for her family or friends. What she loves is getting kicks and the best of all is sex, despite its often tawdry and shallow nature. But when she is bizarrely turned into a dog her experiences of freedom, friendship and sex cause her to re-evaluate her life, bringing her to a surprising conclusion. This is a novel that will be devoured by teenagers and in part this will be for its controversial nature. The language is strong and there are frank descriptions of sex, but these are in no way titillating: on the contrary, the two human sex scenes are depressingly grim, whilst that between animals is convincingly frantic. But what will really provide a genuine appeal for teenagers are the questions raised about responsibility, relationships and humanity, and the honest manner in which they are answered. The book does not try to preach but in fact contains a surprising morality: if you only want to enjoy yourself and satisfy animal needs, you are just acting like an animal. This is a book that rouses strong opinions about the subject matter it deals with and its suitability for children. But it should not be judged without being read. It is undoubtedly controversial but deserves to be considered thoughtfully by those over 14 who will be able to see through the superficial sexual themes to the moral tale that lies beneath. (Kirkus UK)