This Beautiful Life

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       November 26, 2014

 

Author  Helen Schulman

Distributor:     
ISBN:                 9780857896230
Publisher:         Atlantic Books
Release Date:    

FaceBook:   

YouTube:   

Instagram:   

X formally Twitter:   

Never has the topic of cyber bullying, Face Book and the like, along the fallout effect of viral media been so topical. Well known author Helen Schulman has taken this explosive topic and turned it into a work of fiction with a serious, underlying message aimed directly at the teen market.

When Jakes family move into the city to embrace their new found lifestyle of comfortable middle class living, Jake takes a fatal step in the bid to fit in and make friends.

A sexually explicit email made by a girl who wants to attract his attention has been sent to him and without thought he sends it on. The email goes viral.

The repercussion of this is far reaching and almost deadly, with Jake falling into a downward spiral, as the girls all want him and the boys all hate him.

Daisy, star and creator of the fatal email, does not fare any better when she finds herself suspended from school and being forced to face up to what she has done, not only to herself but to her friends and family.

Jake’s family find they are unable to cope and face the disintegration of their family unit as they search for answers in the struggle to help and protect their son, all the while needing to face their own reality.

Sexually explicit, heart wrenchingly real, hard hitting and factual, even though it is couched in fictitious terms, Schulman hits home in more ways than one with this no holds barred look at modern day life and the challenges that come with the cyber age.