Alone - DJ Brazier

Published by Anderson Press: London, 2016.

Alone leaps straight into the action. Thirteen year old Sam survives a plane crash and is swimming through the stormy night trying to escape the scene. Soon he finds that he is stranded alone in the Amazonian jungle, and must learn how to survive his ordeal.

The book doesn't mince words or pull punches. Diarrhea, leeches in hard to reach crevices, eating maggots, slicing hands open... all of these episodes are a little gross to read, and as the book progresses Sam's run of bad luck does occasionally veer into the ridiculous level - if anything good happens there is bound to be another episode of pain or sickness around the corner.

This makes it somewhat unsettling when Sam befriends a young otter, particularly when that otter faces life-threatening situations by being around Sam. Will it all end well?

Enjoyable on the whole. Probably won't read again.

Completed 12 February 2021.

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