The Golden Child
When online bullying spirals out of control who is to blame?
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4.0 • 68 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
2017 Ned Kelly Award Best Crime Fiction shortlist
'A chilling novel of our time, with a truly shocking twist' Australian Women's Weekly
When teenage bullying spirals out of control who is to blame?
Blogger Lizzy's life is shiny, happy, normal. Two gorgeous children, a handsome husband, destiny under control. For her real-life alter-ego Beth, things are . Tensions simmer with her husband, mother-in-law, her own mother. Her daughters, once the objects of her existence, have moved into teenage-hood, their lives - at school, home and online - increasingly mysterious to her.
Then a fellow student is callously bullied and the finger of blame pointed at one of Beth's girls. As an innocent child lies suspended between life and death, two families are forced to question everything they believe about their children, and the answers are terrifying.
As unsettling as it is compelling, The Golden Child asks: how well can you know anyone in the digital age?
A potent story with shades of The Party and Mary Kubica.
Two families grapple with the tragic fallout of cyberbullying.
PRAISE
'On par with the thought-provoking nature of Jodi Picoult's works, combined with the rapt
storytelling style of Liane Moriarty, readers will finish the last page wanting more' Erin Holt, Booklist US
'The novel is cleverly constructed, the characters are extremely well-drawn, the use of social media as a plot device is very sophisticated, and the resolution is a genuine surprise' Judges' report, Ned Kelly Crime Awards, 2017
'This is domestic noir at its most intelligent and sharp' Sydney Morning Herald
'It takes 48 hours to pulse through Wendy James' rollercoaster story about parenting' Australian Women's Weekly
'an engaging and intimate read that will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty and Jodi Picoult, with nods to Lionel Shriver and Christos Tsiolkas' The Slap . . . 4 Stars' Books & Publishing
'This book is utterly brilliant' Nicola Moriarty'
'Brilliant. Such a clever plot, and such real characters, and so very, very well written' Danielle Hawkins
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Alive with suspense and heartbreak, The Golden Child is a tense, fast-paced thriller that plays with contemporary parental fears about adolescent alienation and social media manipulation. Australian author Wendy James—a mother and winner of the Ned Kelly Award for crime fiction—has a keen understanding of the insecurities and bravado of both parents and teenagers. She plays upon them skillfully, weaving a disturbing emotional knockout of tale about power and shocking unforeseen consequences.
Customer Reviews
A bit obvious
Good read but a bit obvious.
Let down by the ending
This could have been a powerful story about bullying and the complex emotions family go through when their children are victims or perpetrators but was ruined by a clumsy and predictable twist at the end. It’s a shame that every author now seems to think that a twist is necessary at the end of every book, in this case is detracted from the story.
A waste of time reading
This book had the potential to explore a topic that should be talked about. It was difficult to get in to & grasp what the storyline was- don’t waste your time