intense and seizing work filled with sorrow and solemnity. pretty interestingly done, and definitely a work I would recommend. 4 stars. tysm for the arc

Well....don't expect this to be an easy read. This is about aging, mothers and daughters, health. regret, responsibility and overall, life.

This isn't a book to be taken lightly. It's thought-provoking, and painful.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'The Youngster' by Bibi Berki

OMG!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE ,LOVED THIS BOOK, AN ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, GRIPPING AND PAGE TURNING EXPLOSIVE MUST READ FROM THIS AMAZING AUTHOR!! MIND ABSOLUTELY BLOWN!!!! A GRIPPING, DARK AND CHILLING PAGE TURNER YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT DOWN!!!


Wow!!!! Just flipping wow!!!! What an absolutely epic page turner!!! Well done Bibi!!! How on Earth have I never read any of your books before? Absolutely smashed it!!!!!!!

I have absolutely no idea how this is the first time I have read one of this incredible author's books but I am so glad I have rectified that problem and I cannot wait to get hooked into more books by Bibi considering I can guarantee they are all amazing even if they are just half as good as this book they are guaranteed to be epic which means I will fly through them like I did with this book!! This book truly is a rollercoaster ride of emotions that will take the reader through fear, confusion, helplessness, isolation, frustration, desperation and absolutely everything in between!!! The storyline is ram packed with mystery, heartache, emotions, tension, dread and so much more. It is one of those books that you really do have to pick up and discover for yourselves. There are very few books that make the hair on my arms raise and leave me with chills and those that have done in the past have all been horrors!! This is the first book I have read that isn't technically classed as a horror that has had this affect on me!! Bibi's absolutely gripping writing style and emotive and evocative descriptions will suck you into the storyline where you will see everything come to life and feel everything that each of the characters are feeling at the turn of the page. Bibi does discuss some sensitive topics in this book such as Covid, Long term Covid and Dementia but does so in as sensitive manner as possible. The fact that she has also done her research shines through the pages so a HUGE congratulations Bibi. It is a pet hate when authors fail to research the topic/s they discuss in their books which lead them to be littered with unnecessary mistakes yet you have avoided this and created an absolute gripping storyline. It is one of those books that will live in my head rent free for a very, very long time. My Grandparents had dementia and something like this happening would have truly been a family's worse nightmare. They have sadly both passed away now but most people know someone who has suffered or is suffering with dementia and this book will truly open eyes to how easy something like this could happen. The fact that this book is so realistic definitely makes it scarier!! Grab your copy of this absolutely gripping page turner to discover more for yourselves and I promise that you will not regret it!! In fact, if you are anything like me you may even discover a new favourite author! With an addictive storyline ram packed with so much going on and so many emotions what are you waiting for? This book is extremely multi-layered, thought provoking and eye opening with such a range of characters that you will not want to put it down. The cover of this book does not give the storyline enough justice, or it may be the fact that the cover does nothing to reveal the shocks that you will find inside due to it being such an unassuming one. The plot was unique and realistic and Bibi's brilliant descriptions brings absolutely everything to life in front of your eyes. It started straight in the action and kept you going on a roller-coaster ride of suspense and mystery throughout. There were several occasions when my heart was in my throat and the hair was raising on my arms but I won't mention those as not to spoil it for future readers. It is so hard to not say too much without giving anything away to future readers but I'm sure once people have read it they will know exactly what I mean. Well done Bibi you did absolutely amazing and everything was tied up perfectly. The twists, turns and suspense in this book left me going from one chapter to another!!! I completely devoured it in one sitting as I just could not put it down. Prepare yourself for a rollercoaster ride!!! I just could not put this book down and I cannot wait to read more books by this fantastic author!!!

Before you start this make sure you clear your schedule because once you pick it up you are not going to want to put it down!!!!

The characters were very realistic, multi layered and well rounded and their personalities reflected the storyline and how they would act, etc perfectly. The descriptions gave a really good in depth view of how the characters were feeling and what they were thinking. They were complex and each had their own unique personalities with individual flaws, quirks, secrets, strengths and weaknesses!! Each of the characters were well developed, unique and thanks to Bibi's fantastic evocative writing skills they all came to life before my eyes. That is all I will say as I don't want to run the risk of dropping any hints or spoilers. However, whether you love or hate these characters, they all have their own strong unique personalities and they all bring the story to life playing their roles perfectly. I cannot wait to read more books by Bibi and this is exactly why I would like to welcome her to my favourite authors club!!!

Overall an absolute must read, pulse racing, addictive page turning and chilling thriller that will keep you on edge and addicted.

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Not me looking for good summer reads and finding only distressing, desperately sad books about older people that have completely enthralled and destroyed me. Eek.

Fans of Leila Slimani's [book:Lullaby|35437614] or more generally literary noir will enjoy this new novel from writer Bibi Berki who was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize in 2020.

Set against the backdrop of the pandemic and the first lockdown in 2020 (too soon?), Georgie is a lawyer working from the government, married to government adviser Sam and the only daughter to single mum Cherry, who has just been diagnosed with dementia.

Georgie and Cherry have an extremely close relationship, which is brought to a sudden halt when Georgie is struck down with the virus and becomes seriously ill. Into the vacuum left by Georgie moves the titular "Youngster", a man who Georgie knows Cherry has chatted to in the local park but who Georgie does not trust. What unfolds is frankly a story that will leave you with chills. This is psychological, domestic noir that will haunt you. I can imagine it being made into a film.

What the author does really well is evoke the confusion, frustration, isolation and sheer oddness of the time. There are some odious characters in the story and what is most impactful is how close to reality it seems. While lockdowns brought about a renewed sense of community for many, for others it brought about untold heartache and loneliness that unsavoury actors were all too eager to exploit. A memorable, frightening tale that filled me with helplessness and horror. 4/5 stars

The Youngster was published 17 July (yesterday) by Deixis Press and I read an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I've just noticed it's available to read for free on Kindle Unlimited for subscribers.

This book is a spiral of grief and control- raw, disturbing, and heartbreakingly precise. A story that stings long after the last page.

Stories about dementia are often hard to read, this one is absolutely worth it. My heart was continiously aching for this mother and daughter. I will be thinking about this book for a very long time.

I was very intrigued by the blurb of 'The Youngster' by Bibi Berki and was happy to be able to read this ARC. The mother-daughter-bond between Cherry and Georgie was interesting to read about, however I would have loved to find out more about Cherry as a person.
The book started off strong, I was drawn into the story up until I realised it was set during the pandemic. Personally, I don't really like reading about this era but I understand why it was important to the plot. I liked the mystery aspect of not knowing 'The Youngsters' intentions, overall the story fell a bit flat for me though. I have also been left confused by the ending.

While I enjoyed the themes explored in the book particularly the exploration of the bond between mother and daughter I found after a strong start it lacked the finial push to be a really really good novel. It is still very good with heartbreaking moments set among a much darker undercurrent but it fails to maintain the strong start, ending was unexpected which brought it up a bit but the journey getting there needed work. I suspect the writer will develop her skills and over her next books they will move from a solid 3.5 stars easily into 4/5 stars. On a footnote I loved the character of Cherry and would have liked to have heard a lot more about her both in the present day and past

I read the description of The Youngster and it caught my attention. Once I started reading, it took a little while to get into the story. It takes place during the pandemic so if you don’t want to be reminded of that time, you won’t really like this book as that is part of the plot.
It was interesting enough that I read the book. The plot was slow in areas. The main character seemed to overthink in places. The ending was a little confusing to me.
All in all, it was interesting enough that I wanted to know how it ended.

3.5 ⭐

There were times when I was SO frustrated with some of the characters in this book. That they did nothing. NOTHING.
the whole book started off strongly, really letting us in on the relationship between Cheryl and Georgie.
I spend a lot of the book wanting that back.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending.
Not what I wanted or expected.
But that's not a bad thing.

[Disclaimer: It's a very intriguing book, brilliant in its narration and ability to elicit such strong emotions in me. So, written below is not a review but just my feelings about the *plot*.]

I hated this. I hated this so much. Not because it's a poorly written story (it's not). No. But because I wouldn't want this to happen even to my enemies. Even to people I loathe.

I hate Sam. I hate Alan. I hate the fact that the probability of this story happening to people in real life is actually not that slim. I hate it so much because it broke my heart into uncountable pieces. Oh god.

Georgie and her mother, Cherry, have always been a team. Growing up with each other, they have had their own share of fights and disagreements, but the way they love and understand each other, no one else can. But when the world suddenly comes to a standstill as a virus wrecks havoc everywhere (very reminiscent of the Covid-19 pandemic, even though the name isn't mentioned anywhere), the lives of this mother-daughter duo start falling apart in unimaginable ways.

Cherry is fast losing her memory due to the onset of vascular dementia and Georgie has caught the virus– both flickering at the edge between life and death, both in each other's thoughts continously but so far from each other physically.

It's the story of circumstances going as wrong as they could and people being monsters. My feelings might be too strong because this was a story that hit too close to home, but I don't care. I hate people like Sam and Alan who are so self-righteous that they often forget the people around them have brains and emotions and feelings of their own. I hated Sam for being so selfish when it concerned his mother-in-law. I hated Alan for being a literal manipulative maniac in a human's disguise. I hated it all so much that my heart hurts. For the first time, I don't want to engage in any empathy with these two characters. And I don't think I'd ever be able to forgive either of them.

"The Youngster" embodies a delicious balance of chaos, frustration and desperation. The novel is aptly devised with all the right emotional material to evoke a profound sense of existential crisis. It offers a precise and unflinching introspection into the strength of human connection, diving deeper into the complexities of relationships with remarkable depth. The fondness, resentment, and regrets we often reserve for those we love are beautifully portrayed here. "The Youngster" brilliantly captures the raw vulnerability of both being loved and loving someone. The writing is sharp, evocative and unflinching. The philosophical exploration of life added with a hint of mystery to reach an epiphany was absolutely brilliant.

Thank you, NetGalley for the copy of this book.

This book started off so strongly and I really thought this was going to be a 5 star for me. I thought that the relationship between Georgie and Cherry was so captivating.

Unfortunately, after the 50% mark it started feeling a bit flat for me. I wish Cherry was explored more as she was my favourite character.

Also just a personal thing for me, but I dislike books being set in the pandemic. I understand that without this setting, a lot of the plot wouldn’t have made sense, it’s just a very niche thing that I don’t really like reading about.

I can see what this book was trying to do, but I think there was too much going on at points and it was hard to understand the different aspects. Cherry, as a character, was so interesting and I wish we got to see more of her. I also found the inclusion of the Covid pandemic to be an interesting addition, especially with Georgie suffering from long Covid and all the other complications that came along with the pandemic. However, at a certain point I found myself disinterested and confused by all the various plot lines. The ending was also a little underwhelming, as was The Youngsters character as a whole.

In The Youngster, the roles of Georgie and her mother, Cherry, have been reversed due to the Cherry's deteriorating health in her advanced years. Once the caretaker, Cherry now finds herself dependent on her daughter. Georgie, who is married with a child of her own, consistently prioritizes her mother over her own family. This dynamic is clearly evident in the novel, with Georgie even voicing her dedication to Cherry at one point. This role reversal highlights the profound bond between mother and daughter.

However, as Cherry begins to experience memory loss and confusion, it becomes Georgie’s responsibility to care for her. Yet, in an unexpected twist, Georgie herself falls ill and is hospitalized for an extended period, leaving her unable to be there for her mother in her time of need. Enter The Youngster, a mysterious figure who suddenly becomes involved in Cherry’s life. Who is he? What is her connection to Cherry? Why has he appeared now?

The novel delves into themes of responsibility and regret, capturing the complexity of familial love and the weight of unmet obligations. Unfortunately, it didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. I had anticipated a more suspenseful storyline. However, if you are into contemporary literature about confusion, delusions, illness, isolation, and the shifting nature of family, you can add this book to your list, too.

Thanks #NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.
(Pub day: july 2025)

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