Children's Book review

The Knife That Killed Me

By Anthony McGowan

Published by Definitions

The knife that kills Paul is nothing special, but when Roth, the school bully, first places it in his hands, it makes him feel special and infuses him with a strange energy.

Paul is not one of the tough kids, nor is he one of the “freaks” who exist on the fringes of the school, eschewing the casual violence and bullying that colours life there.

However, Paul soon finds himself balancing precariously between life with the “freaks”, and Roth and his gang who rule by fear. Paul’s inner conflict reaches a head when Roth recruits him in a “war” against a rival school.

McGowan’s novel depicts a school governed by ineffectual teachers and – sometimes graphic – violence. Compelling and disturbing, this is a book that will stay with all who read it.

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Reading age: 12+
Interest level: 13+