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Gang Girl - Gang Girl 1
Genres: Commercial Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
Age Groups: 12-15, 18+
Formats: Ebook, Audio, Paperback
The Gang stole her childhood. She won’t let them claim the rest of her life.
New Zealand, 1970. Born into the gang, Alicia longs to escape the misery of her childhood. The daughter of a notorious gang leader, her dream of freedom falls apart when she’s pledged in blood to her cousin Mickey.
Happiness seems further away than ever once Mickey grows into a ruthless gangster—until a chance meeting with a hotshot business executive promises Alicia a new life away from the gang.
Immediate reprisals plunge Alicia into a deadly war. Shot down at her wedding ceremony and fighting for her life, she despairs that Mickey will ever let go.
Can Alicia break free from her brutal past, or is she destined for a legacy of bloodshed? The only person Alicia can turn to is a Māori diviner … who has a message she doesn’t want to hear.
David Whittet’s gripping story of love, betrayal and redemption is set on New Zealand’s spectacular West Coast. Gang Girl will capture the hearts of readers who love books featuring strong women determined to take charge of their own destiny.
Reviews
IndieReader
GANG GIRL is the gripping story of toxic relationships and confused loyalties within a New Zealand multigenerational gang family, where betrayal, retaliation, and greed create an ambiguous sense of solidarity and respect among its members.
Alicia resents being born into a notorious New Zealand gang leader’s family where she and her mother live in constant fear of her father who regularly physically and mentally abuses them. Especially unnerving for her is having to witness savage rituals performed on young boys who are ceremoniously initiated into the gang by having their faces brutally tattooed with the Godzone Gorillas gang symbol. Alicia’s father attempts to groom her for a destined subservient role with a yet-to-be-determined gangster husband, but her mother thinks she’s worth more than that.
Mickey is Alicia’s first cousin and is a critical but often confusing ally in her life. He is the son of Alicia’s father’s twin brother, a man for whom her father has deep-seeded hatred. Alicia and Mickey are drawn to each other at a young age and commiserate over the harrowing lives they have with their abusive fathers. They are warned to stay away from each other but manage to periodically rendezvous at the nearby Roaring Creek Falls where they often talk about leaving the gang. Alicia sees two sides of Mickey who is torn between being loyal to his gang family and wanting to leave this life for one that is more righteous and less dangerous. When Alicia’s father announces her upcoming arranged marriage to Mickey, she is initially thrilled, but this feeling comes crashing down when she discovers Mickey wants nothing to do with her.
An interesting assortment of characters in David Whittet’s GANG GIRL—deftly painted, multilayered, and unique—are certain to keep readers invested in the story as the plot unfolds. One particularly intriguing character is Katerina, an eccentric fortune teller whose predictions are usually on point and whose wisdom often proves to be invaluable. Whittet skillfully uses Katerina’s insight into the past, present, and future to enhance certain aspects of the story line.
GANG GIRL is a well written and memorable tale filled with enough drama, conflict, and intrigue to keep readers fully engaged. Intense pacing and clever plot twists and turns work collectively to unravel a complex story that is woven together in a coherent manner with just the right balance of action, description, dialogue and exposition to make this book an extraordinary read.
~Florence Osmund for IndieReader