29 Locks

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In the 2nd part of the story, Donny finds himself far from the city and in a rural area where he forms an unlikely friendship with Zoe, a posh white girl.

His devotion to her through the years of his childhood never falters, even leading him to feel guilt when enjoying the cooking of his foster mother. When his mum is jailed for drugs offences, Donny is fostered outside London to the Hertfordshire countryside. In what is becoming a bit of a theme at the moment, I must apologise for the delay in posting this review!I have appeared at the Hay Festival of Literature and Arts, Chichester Arts Festival and the Petworth Literary Week, and I am a frequent guest on BBC Radio London. Thanks so much for the opportunity to authenticate the North African Muslim experience in this wonderful book, and I am happy to be a part of it! The story itself is great – there are moments of sadness and tragedy, but there is also an adventure, and one that is both unusual and very funny. My debut novel, 29 Locks, was shortlisted for both the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize and Mslexia Children’s Novel Competition and was longlisted in the Berkshire Book Award 2022. I studied English Literature at university and have taught in secondary schools for 23 years, including 15 years at an inner-city London comprehensive.

Life in the rural Home Counties is a bit like landing on another planet but doing work experience on the Hertford Union Canal, Donny feels like he’s finally found his purpose. His belief in his mother through everything is one of the really powerful messages in this book and kept me rooting for him. Donny’s story is something a lot of young people find themselves in by being in and out of foster homes. Growing up in dire poverty in Hackney, East London, his life is shaped by casual violence, gang initiation, drug-dealing and knife crime.

No, what 29 Locks has is the ability to knock the reader down and make them sorely wish you could help Donny escape what seems to be an inevitable conclusion - another teenage addict, a runner for some arrogant faceless monster who loves money and cares little about consequences, a name on a faded memorial. We lived right by it in Ware, and I just loved the idea of walking down the towpath and seeing Donny, Zoe and Ziggy the dog cruise by on Zuma Jay! The ending was absolutely unrealistic, and any teen of color in such a situation would get railroaded by the system, not released with a wink and an 'attaboy'.

Facebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin. A story that is narrated in first person, which I prefer as you get to know the character and Donny is a lad that I warmed to immediately on his and Zoe's journey of the 29 locks. This is a gritty, harsh story of someone's life who hasn't had it easy and hasn't had the chances a lot of people have in their lives.Yet there are moments of humour too, as Donny and his new friends navigate countless dangers in an attempt to build a brighter future. Difficult and complex issues are present on these pages, but the writing is so full of life and vivacity that you just glide along, keen to know how things will turn out for Donny, and rooting for him all the way.