Laura Danes, a happy, perfectly normal, happy young lady who had dreams and ambitions to become a successful filmmaker. And she was talented and dedicated enough to be able to pull this off.
That was until one night outside a lonely railway station she was subjected to an attack from a gang who, when they chose to throw acid in her face, destroying her looks and, apparently, destroying her future.
Three months later and Laura is facing a number of severe issues such as trying to make sense of what had happened to her and why it had happened. Why had she been targeted by the gang?
Of course, Laura has the full support of her mother, but Laura doesn't see any cause for joy in her life. Not with the pain, her ruined features and her wrecked future.
But then the unthinkable happens. Jake, a member of the gang who attacked her, reaches out to Laura and pleads for her forgiveness.
When Jake contacts her, this sets off a spark within Laura. As a filmmaker, shouldn't she want to learn more about the gang culture where Jake and others like him, come from?
Laura again starts to become interested in her life. She learns that perhaps she should start taking risks again, and prove to people that a dreadful event shouldn't, ideally, have the power to influence or control the rest of your life.
This book is a triumphant novel that has several important messages for young adults. It will make you cry, it will make you smile, but it will also make you think.
It's a wonderful tribute to the writing prowess of Nasser Hashmi and his widow, Shabina, who made sure that it was published.
It was long listed for the Peggy Chapman-Andrews award and the Bath Novel Prize, 2017.
It's published by Matador at £9.99.
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