The Traz by Eileen Schuh

The Traz is a YA book and part of the BackTracker series that explores the good choices and bad choices that young people can sometimes make. Katrina gets herself involved with a biker gang and witnesses things no young girl should. The man mountain Shrug, one of the bikers, takes her under his wing but for what reason? Does he have an ulterior motive? Is Katrina in over her head and who will protect her? Is Shrug even all he appears? And, who is the new mysterious biker Chad? Well worth a read!

I liked this book, despite it not being something I would usually read. It has many messages for young people within the story and explores issues such as drugs, murder, sexual vulnerability and grief. The book offers important lessons to its readers and explores the consequences a particular course of action may lead to. I liked the way the book also had a Discussion and Teaching guide at the end. As a social worker I am always interested in any teaching guides that open up areas for discussion with young people. The characters in the book are very complex. Part of me felt sorry for Katrina yet part of me disliked her manipulative side a little too. In contrast, another part of me was saddened by her vulnerability. She tends to illicit a whole range of emotions in the reader and reminded me at times of a young version of the character Lisbeth Salander from the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books.

There were times during the book when I felt a little uncomfortable that Katrina, whilst essentially still a child, was very savvy with regards to how she could exploit men using her sexuality. However, that said, being a social worker I have come across such young women and this is the reality of life. The book was extremely well written. It ended, I felt quite abruptly and I found myself shouting at the Kindle desperate to find out what happened next! This is a very clever piece of writing, making the reader desperate for more in the series which I shall look out for with interest.

 

  

                                               
Also available on Amazon.com