- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Sceptre; New edition edition (20 Sep 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340792728
- ISBN-13: 978-0340792728
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.4 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,283,237 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Too Small for Basketball is a novel that is hard to put down, and also hard to define. Ostensibly a coming-of-age tale of an adolescent boy in the 1980s, growing up in the "land of roundabouts" that makes up commuter-belt Britain, it secretes within its narrative folds the cruelty of the world for children. Kris Kenway stakes out the chapters of the book with height markers, following his hero Marlow, as he first fails to grow as a young teenager and then becomes over six foot in late adolescence. As Marlow is small for his age, he becomes the easy target of school bullies, suffering silently for three years. He stops speaking much to his parents, has bouts of illness through his loathing of school and finds friendship only with kids from outside his school. The years of misery, though, are described as if through a fog: Kenway makes clear that Marlow's childhood experiences are unbearable and crushing, so that Marlow himself is not in touch with them. He has distanced himself from them, and they are described dispassionately, almost wryly.
On the surface, this novel is a tale of normal teenage angst and dysfunctional families in 1980s Britain. Marlow has a pretty little sister who is as vivacious as he is quiet; a mother who nags; and a father who works too hard. But then, digging deeper into the story, darker secrets than Marlow's bullying are found hiding. Kenway has layered and spiralled the narrative so that whispers emerge from beneath the linear shape. These would gather dust in the reader's mind if it were not for the intriguing first chapter and the presence of Marlow's blonde sister Cress and her friend Lucy's sister Peri. --Olivia Dickinson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'Kenway gives poignancy and passion to the small experiences, the simple pleasures of a man rebuilding a life. This is a moving novel' Rebecca Ray, author of A Certain Age, on Precious Thing; 'This immediate and raw novel is full of sharp insights into the problems of school, family and growing up' Bookseller; 'An affecting...warm, bittersweet novel, with a haunting, disturbing picture inside' Independent on Sunday
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Marlow is one of the tallest in his class, that is until he moves onto to his next school, he has virtually stopped growing, and now every one else towers above him. Along with his loss of statue comes his loss of favour, and he becomes the target for taunts and bullying, but that is just one of his worries. He worries about his beautiful younger sister, he hates his new school, his father seems distant and his mother is no longer the fun loving person she used to be.
The story follows Marlow from his pre-teens and on into his twenties and the eve of the new millennium, his friendships with some local boys, his isolation in school until he finds a new friend there, and his friendship with Peri, the young girl who comes regularly to visit his sister. We are there when he starts to grow again, when he regains his confidence perhaps too much, when he discovers the delights of girls, when he loses his virginity.
But there are darker undercurrents here too, something terrible happened when they were young. But what, and who was involved, and who to tell? The story moves forward engagingly, and is often funny, but we gradually gets hints of the impending drama, and when it all comes out someone is bound to be hurt. As events unfold the book becomes increasingly harder to put down.
This is a well written and often thought provoking novel. It is set in England, but we are not told the name of the town, and we often have to figure other things out for ourselves too. However Marlow is a worthy protagonist and a memorable character.
The story follows Marlow from his pre-teens and on into his twenties and the eve of the new millennium, his friendships with some local boys, his isolation in school until he finds a new friend there, and his friendship with Peri, the young girl who comes regularly to visit his sister. We are there when he starts to grow again, when he regains his confidence perhaps too much, when he discovers the delights of girls, when he loses his virginity.
But there are darker undercurrents here too, something terrible happened when they were young. But what, and who was involved, and who to tell? The story moves forward engagingly, and is often funny, but we gradually gets hints of the impending drama, and when it all comes out someone is bound to be hurt. As events unfold the book becomes increasingly harder to put down.
This is a well written and often thought provoking novel. It is set in England, but we are not told the name of the town, and we often have to figure other things out for ourselves too. However Marlow is a worthy protagonist and a memorable character.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Once I started reading this book I couldn't stop. The charachters developed before my eyes, the words on the page played like a movie in my mind and I was genuinely moved by the raw emotion behind the story. I was born in the late seventies, Marlow is roughly my age and yes, Cress is annoyingly like my very own sister but this is not why I became so immersed in the story and so convinced this is a great book. Kris Kenway has such a unique writing style and way of telling the story, through the narrative of Marlow (and his very real sense of humour)that you understand and come to love the characters like they were part of your own family. No matter what age you are or when you were born you will identify with at least one of the events of marlows life, we all had to grow up. Before I read this book I firmley believed that 'The House of Sleep' by Jonathan Coe was the best book ever written - I was wrong, please read this book it is a masterpeice.
Format:Paperback
Born around the mid seventies to eighties? You will love this book. It follows a guy called Marlow as he grows up through the pains and the good times of life, whilst accounting for all those things you remember but shouldn't (If like me you also grew up in the same era). Great storyline all the way through.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
this book is a must
This is the best read in years.It's funny and sad with an unexpected twist to keep you reading non stop to the end
Published on 7 Oct 2001
unflinchingly emotional, brilliantly written, and funny too
This is a fantastic book, without doubt one of the best of the year...and it's appeared out of nowhere, with apparently no hype and no marketing. Read more
Published on 1 Oct 2001
It's not like reading, it's like breathing.
The moment I finished this book, I wanted to begin again. I had enjoyed being surrounded by the characters so much that I wanted to continue the relationship. Read more
Published on 22 Feb 2001
Nice Title, Disappointing Novel
I was taken in, I picked up the book because of the title and the cover. I flicked through, saw the inventive use of chapter headings, read the first chapter and thought why not. Read more
Published on 20 Feb 2001
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