Allen & Unwin
June
2003
$17.99 AU
236p pb
ISBN: 978-1865089287
US edition
Laurel Leaf Books
Random House
August 2006
$5.99 US
240p pb
ISBN: 978-0553494341
fp May 2004
One Night
Margaret Wild
from the book...
This
book shows what can happen after ‘one night’.
If you have read this verse novel and would like to share your opinion of it with other readers please send your review or comments to YARR-A
Having
read and enjoyed the verse novel Jinx
I was pleased when I received One Night
another verse novel by Margaret Wild. This time the issue covered is
teen
pregnancy. There are two main characters: Gabe and Helen along with
Bram and Al.
The book is divided into three sections – Gabe,
Helen, and Gabe and Helen and
focus on the mentioned character/s. The book
shows what can happen after ‘one night’.
Gabe
is a young man, who enjoys parties and has had an endless string of
girlfriends.
He lives with his father, step-mum, Sara and brother, Luke. In the
words of Sara
he is “in danger of becoming a beautiful but heartless man”.
Helen is a young woman who sees herself as ugly and when
the stunning
looking Gabe takes an interest in her at a party (another conquest?)
she falls
for him. But after their one night stand he doesn’t call and won’t
return
her messages. On top of all that she finds herself pregnant! Soon Helen
is out
of her home and living in a boarding home working as a dish washer to
make ends
meet. When Raphael is born things certainly change for Helen and in a
time of
desperation she takes Raphael to Gabe’s home leaving him with a note
for the
weekend…
I
loved the characters in One Night and the way the
story was structured. The characters each
had their own demons and issues to sort out…but with the warmth of
Wild’s
words were able to get through the tough times. One
Night is certainly not a pessimistic teen issues story; rather it
is one of
rich characters and a happy resolution for all characters. This book
adds
another strong title to the growing number of verse novels. Highly
recommended
for Year 9 and 10 students.
Stephen, Canberra, Australia
‘The
parties were Bram’s idea – calculated, sophisticated, daring. For a
long
time they were the best-kept secret in the city. They ended one night
when Al
nearly killed Raphael.’
One
Night by
Margaret Wild is a verse novel, which concentrates on teen issues and
general
issues that are a major problem in present society.
Gabe,
Bram and Al are best friends, organising parties around the city
together,
holding them in secret, leaving no traces behind. Gabe ‘collects the
girls’,
Bram organises the house, and Al… just goes along for the ride. Gabe is
a
gorgeous young man, who can’t keep hold or track of his relationships.
He
lives with his father, stepmother Sara and his very strange
half-brother Luke on
the south side of town, and attends the local public high school. Helen
is a
girl who considers herself to be ugly on the outside, even though her
rich
parents paid for plastic surgery. She and her best friend Barb attend
one of
Gabe, Bram and Al’s parties, and she and Gabe meet for the first time.
As they
dance, she sees Gabe’s emptiness and tries to fill it up.
After
the party, Helen’s life changes forever – she becomes mother to Gabe’s
son. She takes him to Gabe’s house, expecting he’ll be safe. But it all
goes
wrong that one night…
This
amazing novel covers issues such as teen pregnancy and drug abuse –
very good
topics to touch on for intended readers. The characters are very
strong, and it
is easy to become emotionally attached to them, especially to Gabe and
Helen,
the two main characters.
One
Night is an
excellent book – I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it! I’d
never
read a verse novel before this one, and I’m glad it was my first. I
recommend
it to anyone 13 years and over, although mainly to those aged 15 to 19.
Reem, age 15, Canberra, Australia
The
book One Night is based on the very different lives of Gabe and
Helen.
Gabe, who is a very attractive young man, has a lot of one night stands
with
girls that he meets at parties. He lives in the suburbs with his
father,
step-mother Sarah and strange younger brother, Luke.
Helen
is a content girl in the belief that she resembles somewhat a pig
although she
has had plastic surgery that her wealthy parents had paid for. She
lives with
her mother, her father; a dull, predictable, controlling man, and
younger sister
Celeste in a well-established uptown neighborhood.
Helen
and Gabe meet one night at one of the infamous parties thrown by Gabe
and his
two friends Bram and Al who both have a personality of their own. This
night
proves to be more than what they bargained for when Helen finds out
that she has
fallen pregnant to Gabe.
This
book deals with some of the tough issues faced by a lot of teenagers,
in
particular unexpected pregnancies and the book raises awareness to
those reading
the novel. It is relevant in today’s society and sympathises with the
trouble
of becoming a young mother or father. It is an emotional story that
easily draws
in the reader to the difficult and troublesome lives of Helen and Gabe.
The book
is an easy read but very captivating and expresses a lot in just a few
words.
Overall I really enjoyed the book and pretty much finished reading it
in one
night. I recommend this book to
anyone 14 and above, as it would be easier for them to relate to the
kind of
situations faced throughout the book.
Kim, Year 10,
Canberra, Australia
I read the
book One Night and I liked it a lot!
It’s good because it shows what happens in some teenagers lives.
One Night
is a young adult verse novel, which focuses on and around the issue of
teen
pregnancy, and how it affects the lives of not only the parents but all
the
people around them. This book
captures your attention and doesn’t let go, because you want to find
out what
happens next. Will Gabe accept that
he is now a father? Will Helen keep
Raphael? Will Raphael ever know his
father? All up, what will happen?
The
author describes the life of both Gabe and Helen, before and after the
party
where they met. After Helen finds out that she is pregnant her life
falls to
ruins. She ends up having to move
out of home because her parents wouldn’t/couldn’t accept the fact that
their
little girl was pregnant. She also
drops out of school and during the time before the birth she finds
herself a job
and a place to stay. She makes new
friends and is beginning to get some order back into her life.
Something happens and Helen needs to leave Raphael with
Gabe for a few
days. She leaves Raphael on the
front door step with a note explaining everything.
If you want to find out what happens next read the book.
I
really liked this book because it is fairly realistic the way that
people
reacted to the pregnancy, and the way Helen handled it.
Another thing that I liked about it is if you didn’t know
what sort of
reaction you may get in that situation it explains it a little.
I also liked the way the author described things because
you can picture
most of the scenes that are visited in the book.
I
would recommend this novel to anyone who likes realistic stories.
It is a good read and won’t take very long to read through.
It is a great novel for teenagers 14+, and people in Year
9 to 10.
Sheradyn, Year 10, Canberra, Australia