Hard-hitting YA novel
A review of I Had Such Friends by Meg Gatland-Veness
By Christine Yunn-Yu Sun

The title of Australian author Meg Gatland-Veness's YA novel comes from the final lines of W.B. Yeats's poem “The Municipal Gallery Revisited”: “Think where man’s glory most begins and ends / And say my glory was I had such friends.”

As the poet revisits old friends and old memories, he is “heart-smitten with emotion”, immersed in a wave of nostalgia and gratitude. In comparison, the first-person narrator Hamish in I Had Such Friends recalls his teenage years with much sorrow and regret:

“Sometimes we talk about the past, but it gets harder and harder each time. Sometimes we just cry.”

Seventeen-year-old Hamish lives on a cabbage farm and has extremely low self-esteem. As the second least popular student in his country-town high school, he envies those who are more popular and better looking, such as school captain Charlie and his girlfriend Annie.

Hamish finds it difficult to engage with those around him, particularly after the death of his little sister. Not that he enjoys the company of his one and only friend Martin, although their friendship does help reduce the amount of bullying they receive daily.

The turning point comes after Charlie's death in a car crash. As Hamish gets pulled into the lives of those left behind, he realises that nothing is as it seems. The truths are far more complicated and alarming, the darker sides of Australian youth, school and family culture both undesirable and unavoidable.
One of the hard-hitting themes in the book is the impact of toxic masculinity on how teenagers perceive others and themselves. Not just the misconception that masculinity means being physically strong and superior, but the false assumption has become so prevalent that those failing to abide by it are deemed, by others and even by themselves, as weak and deserving ridicule and derision.

The author's own teaching experience has enabled her to explore another unpleasant yet undeniable part of the true nature of a universal high school experience – the use of aggression and violence against those who deviate from the commonly accepted social “norms”. Whether it is Hamish or his more popular friends, bullying happens whenever an individual is judged to be above, below or away from the “standards” recognised and upheld by the collective.

But the most vivid depiction is of the haunting, desperate feeling of loneliness that Hamish and his friends often experience, especially when they are with their family. Every teenager in the story has secrets that they cannot share with their parents, for fear of not being understood, accepted, believed and/or supported. While this feeling of isolation helps them bond with each other, it also deepens their own sense of vulnerability and helplessness.

As the author's first novel, I Had Such Friends displays the kind of raw brilliance that only debut writers possess, rich in emotions and empathy. While Hamish's penchant for self-deprecation is occasionally excessive, his is an authentic voice full of love and compassion for his friends. It is this devotion that gives us hope.

Note: This book review is based on a digital copy of the book that the reviewer purchased online, having missed the archive date issued by NetGalley. It is published here in NetGalley and in GoodReads on August 22, 2023. It will be published in the reviewer's weekly column "Passion for Prose" via Melbourne-based community newspaper The Star Mail (Australia), and afterwards on the reviewer's blog "Voices under the Sun" and associated social media platforms, on August 29, 2023.

While this is aimed at YA, it is very much just as applicable to adults. It is a heart wrenching read at times and so very well written. Definitely worth a read.

While this book wasn't for me, I did have my sister read it too and she really enjoyed it. The characters were interesting but they weren't a driving force like I had expected. The first half of the book was a little disjointed but I did find it picked up in the last few chapters. There are quite a few trigger warnings for this book so I would check out some other reviews on Goodreads.

This book, kind of took me by surprise. I didn't really fully know what I was getting into when I began the story, but later figured out that this would come to be a book I LOVED!!

It is so relevant to this day and age and should be a read for both young adult, and adult fiction readers. It takes time for Hamish to come out of his shell and even fight internal conflicts on whether or not he should open up anyways! This book is very well written, but does contain harsh subjects that may be sensitive to readers, so I do recommend looking at tags on Goodreads to see if this would suit you or not. Although through all the harsh subjects, the author makes the characters relatable in how they grieve, and it's a little bit of what we need to read now.

5/5 stars :)

My apologies I am unable to review this book as I was unable to download the book. I have heard it was a great read.

I had Such Friends is a young adult read that i find really relevant to todays everyday life. i found that it really explored some sensitive topics and it was a really emotional read. This was incredible written by the author and really shed light on some really important areas in society,

Content warnings include grief, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, homophobia, alcoholism, discussion about prior drug use, bullying, accidental death and suicide (including method used).

Charlie Parker, who was loved by everyone (including his teachers), has died. The entire school has been deeply affected by his death at the beginning of Year 12. Well, everyone except Hamish and his only friend Martin. Hamish hasn’t been the same since a tragedy in his own family years ago and he thinks he knows what Annie, Charlie’s girlfriend and the prettiest girl in school, is going through.

‘Back then, I thought I was invincible. Back then, I didn’t realise children could die.’

It’s a hard book to review for a couple of reasons. Most of the time I didn’t even like the main character, particularly when he kept ditching his only friend because someone more popular was suddenly paying attention to him. I also spent most of the book wondering why a specific character suddenly wanted to spend time with Hamish when they were polar opposites in most respects. This is explained towards the end but, although I liked the other character, I didn’t really take to their unusual friendship. I had guessed a big reveal early on so I didn’t feel the impact of that when it happened.

‘Some conversations work better in dark rooms where faces are hidden by the quiet.’

At times it felt like I was playing YA Social Issue Bingo while reading this book (look at length of my content warnings list if you don’t believe me) but at the same time it was realistic because many high school kids really do have to deal with all of these issues and more.

I appreciated that this book highlights the fact that you really don’t know what is going on in other peoples’ lives. Behind the smile of the prettiest girl in school there could be a world of pain. Beneath the bravado of the star football player there may be secret shame. I wish that these kids had been given help for their problems or at least been able to tell a trusted adult instead of another kid who didn’t know what to do to help.

I loved that not only does the author live in the same county as me but we even live in the same state. For those of you living in America you will probably never understand how wonderful it feels to actually find your local area represented in a book when it happens so infrequently. Whenever I find a book by a local author I always relish all of the minor details.

In this book the distance between places was measured in kilometres and the temperature was in celsius so I didn’t have to convert any numbers in my head as I was reading. A character ate Vegemite on toast for breakfast. I love Vegemite! The beat up car one of the characters drives? I drive one of those! The tar melting on the road and sticking to the bottom of your shoes? Welcome to summer in Australia!

Once Upon a Nitpick: In chapter 15, Hamish and another character go to the beach. It’s specifically noted that the other character leaves his football in the car and Hamish has a little internal monologue about why this is the case, but on the next page Hamish takes a photo of the other person with the football on the beach. However they never go back to the car to retrieve it.

The sentences that addressed the reader only served to pull me out of the story and the repeated use of “As you know” irritated me. For example,

‘I guess I don’t need to tell you that Martin hated the beach. As you know, he couldn’t really swim, and he didn’t look too great with his shirt off.’

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Pantera Press for the opportunity to read this book. I am rounding up from 3.5 stars. I’m interested in reading this author’s next book.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as I wanted to. Set in rural Australia, the book tells the story of Hamish, a lonely outsider who has only one friend at school, an equally shunned loser. So when the charismatic star of the school footy team starts paying him attention after the death of school top-dog, Charlie Parker, Hamish basks in it. And when Charlie's girlfriend, the beautiful Annie Bowers starts talking to him too, Hamish's life takes a turn for the better.

But not everything is what it seems. People harbor secrets about themselves and others and Hamish soon finds himself in the middle of it all, keeping secrets for other people, and about himself.

I found Hamish to be a rather uninspiring central character. There was nothing about him that made me believe all these other people would be drawn to him. And the way he treats his one and only friend, and even his own family, didn't endear him to me at all. He also seemed very out of touch with his emotions.

And once again, the ending troubled me. I won't ruin it by telling you what happened, but let's just say it doesn't go anywhere new, and I felt like it ruined any usefulness the book might have had in opening up conversations about some troubling issues that many teens face. Which is a shame because teenagers living in small Australian towns probably need books that offer them options and visions of a different, better way of life more than anyone else.

I went into this book blind; blind in that I didn't read the synopsis before downloading. I'd heard a lot about it through friends and the main reason for my requesting to review it was that it was a) YA b) set in Australia c) dealt with pressing social issues.

But having read the story of Hamish, I was left feeling a little . . . flat. Don't get me wrong, I think the writing was good and the story flowed well, I just wasn't too sure about the message that the book sends to young adult readers in Australia and the world over who might be struggling with their sexuality. I think it's about time that there were some buoyant books about finding your place as a homosexual teenager.

I received an e arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I had a difficult time with this one. I felt as though it tried to tackle too many topics at once. I feel like I would have enjoyed it so much more if there was less going on and more time was spent on a specific topic such as mental illness, or homophobia. Overall it was ok. The ending threw a lot at you at once.

I found the main character frustrating but the author created a very distinct narrative voice, and did a great job conveying the intensify and monotony of teenage life.
Full review on blog.

There is one word to describe Hamish Day and that is awkward but lovable. Okay so that's two. In some ways Hamish is your typical misfit teenager, he is not one of the popular kids like Charlie (before he died in a car accident), his only friend is a nerd and his parents don't understand him. But there is so much more to Hamish and he does a great job of telling his story. He is such an endearing character who carries alot of baggage. This is a wonderful novel and a fabulous addition to the young adult genre.

I have received a free copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When Charlie Parker dies, it affects everyone who knew him. Everyone, that is, except for seventeen-year-old Hamish Day, the boy who lives on a cabbage farm and only has one friend. But Hamish soon finds himself pulled into the complicated lives of the people left behind. Among them is Annie Bower, the prettiest girl in school. As he uncovers startling truths about his peers, his perspectives on friendship, love, grief and the tragic power of silence are forever altered.

With hard-hitting themes including unrequited love, abuse, neglect, sexuality, bullying, prejudice, death and suicide, I Had Such Friends is a poignant journey of self-discovery, grief and the tragic power of silence.

3.5 stars

Definitely a book that belongs in your hands because this raw and gritty story will resonate with you long after you have read the last word. Being a teenager today sure isn't easy and it opened my eyes to what they're experiencing and dealing with on a daily basis. Prepare to be well entertained and maybe have your eyes opened on a few things as well. Happy reading!

This is a hard one for me to review. While I found the story itself engaging and I got emotional in some places, I found that Hammish's narration to be pretty flat, this could have been because he was depressed, but I felt like he was just telling a story and I was having to find the emotion in it for myself, he seemed to convey none of the emotion from his narration which should have been there. It touched on some important issues, teen bullying, sexuality, grief, depression and suicide.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pantera Press for a copy in return for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It had elements I generally like (teen drama, twists, Australian setting) but it was so flat and predictable I couldn't get into it at all.

This book was sitting in my to-read pile for quite a long time because it never really grabbed me as something I was in the mood for. I don't think the synopsis does the book justice as it doesn't really reference the depth of Hamish, his immense growth throughout the year, and the complete battlefield that high school can be.

The book left me in the most somber of moods after finishing it. When I read that it bore similarities to The Perks of Being a Wallflower and 13 Reasons Why, I was a little concerned about what direction the book would take and how certain character's lives would play out. It's a very deep book tackling a lot of serious issues, and while I feel like the execution of some could have been a bit more polished, I think the author did an incredible job in incorporating these themes into the story without it feeling forced or unnatural.

Hamish was a complex character who experienced many changes in a very short period of time. I liked his sarcastic streak and his awkwardness in navigating the new life he found himself with. Did I agree with all of his choices? Not really. Could he have been a nicer, more compassionate person? Well, yes. However, his mannerisms and thinking patterns were straight from high school where everyone is caught up in social status and worried about other's perception of themselves.

I really enjoyed the growth of Hamish and Peter's unique relationship. Peter had a raw deal in life and it was so heartbreaking to see him take hit after hit after hit with no real saving grace ever coming to ease his burden.

I wish more time had been given to Annie and Hamish's relationship. It seemed to leap over the natural growth that usually takes place when building a solid friendship. It didn't seem like they really talked or connected with one another enough to have the type of friendship they did at the end.

Overall, I'm happy that I picked this book up today. It wasn't what I was expecting; it was better. It was a beautiful story of growth, perseverance, and heartbreak that shed a light on important issues that face today's youth. I highly recommend as a YA read, but also for anyone looking for something to leave you with some lingering thoughts and feels.

I was sorely disappointed in this book and I can't really pinpoint exactly why. The plot was average, but I've read it before. The characters were okay but nothing special. The twists were also not very twisty and I could see them coming from a mile off. If I'd read this book a couple of years ago, I would have definitely been more impressed by it. So, while it wasn't for me, I still recommend it to readers who haven't read many books like this.

This is a classic modern coming-of-age story set in rural Australia. It’s the story of Hamish, who has exactly one friend, and how his life changes after popular Charlie Parker dies in a car accident. It’s well written and peppered with Aussie slang, though a little predictable at times.

I can’t call this an easy read. It’s full of grief, past and present, and painful self-discovery. Hamish can be selfish, thoughtless, and a terrible friend - at least he’s candid about his faults and grows.

I am not the target audience for this book - I couldn’t see myself in any of the characters, I am only too glad to be free of high school, and the only happy thing about the ending is that it isn’t an ending at all - it’s a hopeful “life goes on” to what would otherwise be a rather depressing read. On the other hand, while this book might not be for me, I am sure there are others for whom it will resonate, and I hope it finds its way into their hands.

This Australian novel was a complete surprise! It was a very pleasant one too. This book starts with a dead boy, and over the course of a novel that deals with unrequited love, abuse, neglect, sexuality, bullying, prejudice, death and suicide we find another boy who learns how to live. Living is not without pain and I would not describe this book as a happy one, but one that will stay with me for a very long time. There are moments of pure joy in the book and characters who become the readers’ friends along the way. The writing in this novel creates characters who we have all known, or thought we knew, and it makes the reading experience incredibly personal even if you did not fit one of the character types yourself.

One of the most lovely parts of the book is how we learn the characters’ backstories. Instead of long explanations that seem disconnected from the forming and dissolving friendships we learn in a way that is much like organic nature of real friendships. I would recommend this book to almost anyone who has an open mind, a heart, and the ability to be surprised.