For anyone with the slightest curiosity about travelling, or even if you've been, William Sutcliffe's tremendously funny Are You Experienced? will have you in stitches. The protagonist is Dave, a 19-year-old Londoner on a gap year before starting university. He had no intention of leaving Europe, until his best mate James, who's about to go on a trek through the Himalayas, challenges him. "Do you want to learn Fwench David? Something pwactical for your CV?" he taunts when he hears Dave is going to be a waiter at a Swiss ski resort.

Admitting his fears, ("Suffering, danger and poverty are all fine by me, but dirt and disease are two things I happen to hate") Dave is determined to prove he's not a coward and accepts an invitation to go to India with James's girlfriend Liz (in anticipation of consummating their burgeoning relationship). But by the time they get on the plane it all goes downhill. Bickering constantly, their adaption to India couldn't be more different. Liz embraces it--hugging beggars and wearing saris, while Dave's dry-humoured rants, scepticism and fear of the unknown eventually drive her away in search of her "centre".

The characters the pair meet along the way draw upon all the old hippy-traveller stereotypes, but there's also a few new ones in keeping with the times. There's Ranj--a British-born Indian who hates Indians; Jez--a public-school-educated undergraduate whose travels are being funded by daddy; and Caz and Fee who experience the side-effects of "Intimate Yoga".

While this story is ultimately a funny piece of fiction, it also addresses more serious considerations, such as cultural stereotypes, peer pressures and making life-changing decisions.

This book is irresistible and seasoned travellers will empathise with the situations Dave finds himself in, (his graphic description of a bout of Dehli-belly is guaranteed to make you feel sorry for him, and nauseous too). Be prepared to laugh out loud. --Angela Boodoo

Excellent Read, 13 Jun 2008
I read this book in January when the weather was poor and rattling against the window and there was not much to look forward too - it fair cheered me up - I could not put it down. It is well written, easy to relate to and easy to read. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and found it so entertaining I bought a copy for 3 of my friends. I have read several of his books since but nothing hits the mark like this one. Read it and enjoy!!

OK, nothing special, 18 May 2008
Amusing in places for sure, I'm not qute sure what age group this book is aimed at. If I'd read it aged 17-20 I'm sure it would have had me in stitches, but lets not forget that the author was only in his early twenties when he wrote this - making quite an ironic title for the book really.

Its good, but, probably best as a throwaway read on, holiday (sorry travelling) perhaps?

When in India..., 27 Oct 2007
I read this whilst backpacking in India and it did help kill the boredom on some long sweaty train journeys. But that's about all it's good for. Think 'Hale and Pace' trying to do Michael Palin. Exactly.

Great, 28 Sep 2007
Very very funny and insightful look at the world of young backpackers in India.Whether you have travelled there or not its well worth a read and makes for a great present.

Extremely amusing, 21 Mar 2007
I spent a significant amount of time laughing my way through this book. It was really, really funny. The main character was not particularly likeable (a bit of a prat really) but I felt a certain degree of admiration for him for his candid (and I suppose 'uncool') reactions to his first taste of travel outside of Europe. I loved the way he said whatever popped into his head, even though this resulted in distain from his fellow travellers; it certainly made for plenty of laughs from me.

As an older reader, this book satirically encapsulated the perception of student travel. After three months of travelling around India you got the impression that whilst Dave vaguely learnt something new about himself he certainly came back knowing only marginally more about India than when he left England. A light-hearted, funny, if not shallow tale.

Excellent Read, 13 Jun 2008
I read this book in January when the weather was poor and rattling against the window and there was not much to look forward too - it fair cheered me up - I could not put it down. It is well written, easy to relate to and easy to read. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and found it so entertaining I bought a copy for 3 of my friends. I have read several of his books since but nothing hits the mark like this one. Read it and enjoy!!

OK, nothing special, 18 May 2008
Amusing in places for sure, I'm not qute sure what age group this book is aimed at. If I'd read it aged 17-20 I'm sure it would have had me in stitches, but lets not forget that the author was only in his early twenties when he wrote this - making quite an ironic title for the book really.

Its good, but, probably best as a throwaway read on, holiday (sorry travelling) perhaps?

When in India..., 27 Oct 2007
I read this whilst backpacking in India and it did help kill the boredom on some long sweaty train journeys. But that's about all it's good for. Think 'Hale and Pace' trying to do Michael Palin. Exactly.

Great, 28 Sep 2007
Very very funny and insightful look at the world of young backpackers in India.Whether you have travelled there or not its well worth a read and makes for a great present.

Extremely amusing, 21 Mar 2007
I spent a significant amount of time laughing my way through this book. It was really, really funny. The main character was not particularly likeable (a bit of a prat really) but I felt a certain degree of admiration for him for his candid (and I suppose 'uncool') reactions to his first taste of travel outside of Europe. I loved the way he said whatever popped into his head, even though this resulted in distain from his fellow travellers; it certainly made for plenty of laughs from me.

As an older reader, this book satirically encapsulated the perception of student travel. After three months of travelling around India you got the impression that whilst Dave vaguely learnt something new about himself he certainly came back knowing only marginally more about India than when he left England. A light-hearted, funny, if not shallow tale.




Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

The New Boy of William Sutcliffe's hilariously touching debut novel causes a bit of a stir when he arrives at Mark's posh private school. For a start, Barry is devastatingly handsome and causes girls and boys to buckle at the knees. Mark is more than a little jealous, considering himself to be much less attractive. But he spots an ally in Barry and the two quickly become friends though Mark's feelings for Barry are often confused. For a start, he finds himself lusting after the boy in the showers but refuses to think it's because he is gay. Meanwhile, Barry is getting busy with most of the female population within a 50-mile radius, including an affair with one of his own teachers. Mark quickly realises that if he is ever going to be a hit with the opposite sex, he needs Barry's help. But he learns that Barry is hiding a few secrets of his own.

This wonderfully funny and engaging novel is a fast and captivating read, as Sutcliffe hits so many marks about the clichés of school life. The neurotic teachers, the geeky pupils and the rites of passage will all strike a chord within most readers, and the characters are effectively and warmly drawn. Mark and Barry's relationship is so wonderfully captured; their brief conversations are mainly populated with swearwords and degenerate into arguments by their end. There are examinations of both religion and, more importantly, homosexuality, and it's a comfort to see these issues treated with a respectful sense of humour. In the end though, New Boy isn't so much a novel about being gay, more about being who you want to be. --Jonathan Weir

Excellent Read, 13 Jun 2008
I read this book in January when the weather was poor and rattling against the window and there was not much to look forward too - it fair cheered me up - I could not put it down. It is well written, easy to relate to and easy to read. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and found it so entertaining I bought a copy for 3 of my friends. I have read several of his books since but nothing hits the mark like this one. Read it and enjoy!!

OK, nothing special, 18 May 2008
Amusing in places for sure, I'm not qute sure what age group this book is aimed at. If I'd read it aged 17-20 I'm sure it would have had me in stitches, but lets not forget that the author was only in his early twenties when he wrote this - making quite an ironic title for the book really.

Its good, but, probably best as a throwaway read on, holiday (sorry travelling) perhaps?

When in India..., 27 Oct 2007
I read this whilst backpacking in India and it did help kill the boredom on some long sweaty train journeys. But that's about all it's good for. Think 'Hale and Pace' trying to do Michael Palin. Exactly.

Great, 28 Sep 2007
Very very funny and insightful look at the world of young backpackers in India.Whether you have travelled there or not its well worth a read and makes for a great present.

Extremely amusing, 21 Mar 2007
I spent a significant amount of time laughing my way through this book. It was really, really funny. The main character was not particularly likeable (a bit of a prat really) but I felt a certain degree of admiration for him for his candid (and I suppose 'uncool') reactions to his first taste of travel outside of Europe. I loved the way he said whatever popped into his head, even though this resulted in distain from his fellow travellers; it certainly made for plenty of laughs from me.

As an older reader, this book satirically encapsulated the perception of student travel. After three months of travelling around India you got the impression that whilst Dave vaguely learnt something new about himself he certainly came back knowing only marginally more about India than when he left England. A light-hearted, funny, if not shallow tale.




Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Very Funny Indeed, 24 Jan 2008
I loved this book, every single side splitting page. Not giving this book its due credit because the main character is difficult to empathise with is madness. When I was at School in the same era, every one was a 'Mark'. I was reluctant to initially read the book assuming that it would honey comb school life like so many books do. This showed school life in all its nasty natural glory. Mark is extremely pitiful and funny all in the same breath. Though the ending was disappointing, for one who aches for a happy ending! It is a book I can recommend to all my friends. When you see painful and awkward films like 'Chuck and Larry' you can really appreciate this all out and out comic book with real laughs where its OK to be confused and lust over whatever gender, albeit reluctantly. We often laugh at the protagonist not with him i.e. line in the book 'Some guys would wait outside the girl's school for glimpses of girls' we all thought this was so gay. Life through the lens of a sexually confused homophobe who is not necessarily the nicest person you would meet is a fantastic read indeed. If the book had went where most people reading it thought it would go or would have liked it to then this fantastic book would be relegated to gay fiction and not enjoyed the success it has.

A good read, 07 Jan 2005
My mistake was going into this book with expectations of eventual events which, hertbreakingly never happened. Comming up to the end I was so dissappointed that Mark and Barry didn't get together - for some reason I thought that was what the blurb hinted at - dumb idea really. However, aside from that, this book was extremely witty with a very believable narrator - with a mind almost scarily like my own - and an excellent quality of writing.

New Boy, 03 Jul 2004
New Boy is a fantastic book which incorporates realistic characters, a fantastic and believable plot, with the odd twist and turn here and there. It chooses a topic not many authors like to deal with, watching someone elses "coming out" which is very different from many of the other books I have read, when the main character is the one doing the "coming out".

It's an easyily read book, without any stress or worry! Fantastic and I recomend it to everyone I talk to about books!

One of the best books I have ever read!, 18 Jun 2004
I read "New Boy" around two years ago and have just got around to reviewing it. I have never forgot reading this book, I read a few pages of my friends copy and knew I had to buy it. A boy struggling with his sexuality...he is fantastic. He is open and he is honest. The writter does a very good job explaining how he feels and why this might be. The other characters are very believable and overall it is very well written. Perfect for ages 14-19. Once you have read it you will never forget it!

Adrian mole meets South Parks - Very good, 25 Feb 2004
The politically incorrect thoughts of a sixth form Jewish Adrian Mole.
Ok, the narrator is a bit simpleminded sometimes and may not at all time be the best of choice as a friend but this makes a very good, funny, entertaining story; the end being at times touching.
It is not a gay novel, the caracter is just confused about is sexual identity, this is not the typical coming out story you could expect but all the better.
A rather unique book, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Excellent Read, 13 Jun 2008
I read this book in January when the weather was poor and rattling against the window and there was not much to look forward too - it fair cheered me up - I could not put it down. It is well written, easy to relate to and easy to read. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and found it so entertaining I bought a copy for 3 of my friends. I have read several of his books since but nothing hits the mark like this one. Read it and enjoy!!

OK, nothing special, 18 May 2008
Amusing in places for sure, I'm not qute sure what age group this book is aimed at. If I'd read it aged 17-20 I'm sure it would have had me in stitches, but lets not forget that the author was only in his early twenties when he wrote this - making quite an ironic title for the book really.

Its good, but, probably best as a throwaway read on, holiday (sorry travelling) perhaps?

When in India..., 27 Oct 2007
I read this whilst backpacking in India and it did help kill the boredom on some long sweaty train journeys. But that's about all it's good for. Think 'Hale and Pace' trying to do Michael Palin. Exactly.

Great, 28 Sep 2007
Very very funny and insightful look at the world of young backpackers in India.Whether you have travelled there or not its well worth a read and makes for a great present.

Extremely amusing, 21 Mar 2007
I spent a significant amount of time laughing my way through this book. It was really, really funny. The main character was not particularly likeable (a bit of a prat really) but I felt a certain degree of admiration for him for his candid (and I suppose 'uncool') reactions to his first taste of travel outside of Europe. I loved the way he said whatever popped into his head, even though this resulted in distain from his fellow travellers; it certainly made for plenty of laughs from me.

As an older reader, this book satirically encapsulated the perception of student travel. After three months of travelling around India you got the impression that whilst Dave vaguely learnt something new about himself he certainly came back knowing only marginally more about India than when he left England. A light-hearted, funny, if not shallow tale.




Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Very Funny Indeed, 24 Jan 2008
I loved this book, every single side splitting page. Not giving this book its due credit because the main character is difficult to empathise with is madness. When I was at School in the same era, every one was a 'Mark'. I was reluctant to initially read the book assuming that it would honey comb school life like so many books do. This showed school life in all its nasty natural glory. Mark is extremely pitiful and funny all in the same breath. Though the ending was disappointing, for one who aches for a happy ending! It is a book I can recommend to all my friends. When you see painful and awkward films like 'Chuck and Larry' you can really appreciate this all out and out comic book with real laughs where its OK to be confused and lust over whatever gender, albeit reluctantly. We often laugh at the protagonist not with him i.e. line in the book 'Some guys would wait outside the girl's school for glimpses of girls' we all thought this was so gay. Life through the lens of a sexually confused homophobe who is not necessarily the nicest person you would meet is a fantastic read indeed. If the book had went where most people reading it thought it would go or would have liked it to then this fantastic book would be relegated to gay fiction and not enjoyed the success it has.

A good read, 07 Jan 2005
My mistake was going into this book with expectations of eventual events which, hertbreakingly never happened. Comming up to the end I was so dissappointed that Mark and Barry didn't get together - for some reason I thought that was what the blurb hinted at - dumb idea really. However, aside from that, this book was extremely witty with a very believable narrator - with a mind almost scarily like my own - and an excellent quality of writing.

New Boy, 03 Jul 2004
New Boy is a fantastic book which incorporates realistic characters, a fantastic and believable plot, with the odd twist and turn here and there. It chooses a topic not many authors like to deal with, watching someone elses "coming out" which is very different from many of the other books I have read, when the main character is the one doing the "coming out".

It's an easyily read book, without any stress or worry! Fantastic and I recomend it to everyone I talk to about books!

One of the best books I have ever read!, 18 Jun 2004
I read "New Boy" around two years ago and have just got around to reviewing it. I have never forgot reading this book, I read a few pages of my friends copy and knew I had to buy it. A boy struggling with his sexuality...he is fantastic. He is open and he is honest. The writter does a very good job explaining how he feels and why this might be. The other characters are very believable and overall it is very well written. Perfect for ages 14-19. Once you have read it you will never forget it!

Adrian mole meets South Parks - Very good, 25 Feb 2004
The politically incorrect thoughts of a sixth form Jewish Adrian Mole.
Ok, the narrator is a bit simpleminded sometimes and may not at all time be the best of choice as a friend but this makes a very good, funny, entertaining story; the end being at times touching.
It is not a gay novel, the caracter is just confused about is sexual identity, this is not the typical coming out story you could expect but all the better.
A rather unique book, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Fantastic Read., 08 Sep 2005
I first read Are You Experienced and it was the first book to actually make me laugh aloud. After reading his other books I read his latest, Bad Influence, and it's the second book to have me laughing. It's so accurate and well written and funny I couldn't put it down and Ben is a great character. Thoroughly enjoyable, I can't wait to see what William comes up with next!

highly original, 02 Aug 2005
A quick, engrossing read - VERY different to his previous books but still highly wothwhile. Original and fscinating - horribly believable as you follow the chain of events to their surprising conclusion.

Bad Influence, Good Read, 27 Aug 2004
This is the first William Sutcliffe book I have read and what drew me to it was the front cover or, more specifically, the expression on the boy's face pictured on the cover: young, but not at all innocent, chilling even. And indeed Bad Influence is a truly chilling book, though initially it begins in a very humourous vein and I honestly can't remember having laughed out loud so much while reading a book.

Sutcliffe introduces us to Ben, the main character. Ben is ten and Sutcliffe's portrayal of Ben's life, emotions and actions are amazingly accurate. The humour in this book comes from the fact that we can all identify with Ben and what is was like to be ten and think the thoughts of a ten year old. One example being where Ben describes his best friend being taken away as like someone "confiscating your legs", followed by the admission "It's not really like that. If someone pulled off your legs, you'd bleed to death." Many of the initial anecdotes ring so true; many of them, particulary regarding Ben's siblings, actually happened to me!

But Sutcliffe doesn't only capture the funny side of being ten, he also portrays a realistic picture of the chilling side too. I doubt any reader will fail to identify with the peer pressure Sutcliffe so honestly and brutally subjects his main character to. The need to fit in, the need to be the best friend, the jealousy, the pride, the pain of rejection, the lengths children will go to to be accepted. Bad Influence has it all, and while the majority of readers won't have gone to the extremes of the main characters in this book, I believe that every reader will have experienced each and every emotion within Bad Influence.

This is a powerful book, delightful, humourous, touching, brutal and ultimately shocking. Never before have I felt that a writer has so accurately stepped into the shoes of a child's mind and heart. Buy this book - you won't regret it.

A brilliant look at peer pressure., 24 Jun 2004
William Sutcliffe has done it once more, with a cracking read about childhood identity. He lets us back into a world we've left behind and reminds us of those irrational fears that we may become social outcasts if we don't keep up with the pack - however dangerous the ground they are walking becomes. This book starts as funny and ends as chilling, but is always well paced and brilliantly written. For an equally skilled, but very different, take on peer-pressure and child crime, read Jonathan Trigell's Boy A. Well done again to Sutcliffe.

Clever and funny, 21 Apr 2004
I found this book very entertaining and also touching. It convincinglyconveys the complicated feelings that I remember as a pre-teen boy whenthe world of my friends, and that of my family collided, smashing mebetween them. The way the hero, Ben, provokes his elder sister and hiselder brother are delightfully funny and true to life. But the bookoffers much more than just humour. There is, for example, the agonisingstress of the ordeal that Ben allows himself to be submitted to in orderto prove that he is no coward. What makes young males everywhere, fromnorth London to west Baghdad, incline to the moral standards of theirpeers rather than those of their parents? This book gives some insightinto the reasons. Read, enjoy, and get some new understanding of howyoung boys function!

Excellent Read, 13 Jun 2008
I read this book in January when the weather was poor and rattling against the window and there was not much to look forward too - it fair cheered me up - I could not put it down. It is well written, easy to relate to and easy to read. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and found it so entertaining I bought a copy for 3 of my friends. I have read several of his books since but nothing hits the mark like this one. Read it and enjoy!!

OK, nothing special, 18 May 2008
Amusing in places for sure, I'm not qute sure what age group this book is aimed at. If I'd read it aged 17-20 I'm sure it would have had me in stitches, but lets not forget that the author was only in his early twenties when he wrote this - making quite an ironic title for the book really.

Its good, but, probably best as a throwaway read on, holiday (sorry travelling) perhaps?

When in India..., 27 Oct 2007
I read this whilst backpacking in India and it did help kill the boredom on some long sweaty train journeys. But that's about all it's good for. Think 'Hale and Pace' trying to do Michael Palin. Exactly.

Great, 28 Sep 2007
Very very funny and insightful look at the world of young backpackers in India.Whether you have travelled there or not its well worth a read and makes for a great present.

Extremely amusing, 21 Mar 2007
I spent a significant amount of time laughing my way through this book. It was really, really funny. The main character was not particularly likeable (a bit of a prat really) but I felt a certain degree of admiration for him for his candid (and I suppose 'uncool') reactions to his first taste of travel outside of Europe. I loved the way he said whatever popped into his head, even though this resulted in distain from his fellow travellers; it certainly made for plenty of laughs from me.

As an older reader, this book satirically encapsulated the perception of student travel. After three months of travelling around India you got the impression that whilst Dave vaguely learnt something new about himself he certainly came back knowing only marginally more about India than when he left England. A light-hearted, funny, if not shallow tale.




Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Very Funny Indeed, 24 Jan 2008
I loved this book, every single side splitting page. Not giving this book its due credit because the main character is difficult to empathise with is madness. When I was at School in the same era, every one was a 'Mark'. I was reluctant to initially read the book assuming that it would honey comb school life like so many books do. This showed school life in all its nasty natural glory. Mark is extremely pitiful and funny all in the same breath. Though the ending was disappointing, for one who aches for a happy ending! It is a book I can recommend to all my friends. When you see painful and awkward films like 'Chuck and Larry' you can really appreciate this all out and out comic book with real laughs where its OK to be confused and lust over whatever gender, albeit reluctantly. We often laugh at the protagonist not with him i.e. line in the book 'Some guys would wait outside the girl's school for glimpses of girls' we all thought this was so gay. Life through the lens of a sexually confused homophobe who is not necessarily the nicest person you would meet is a fantastic read indeed. If the book had went where most people reading it thought it would go or would have liked it to then this fantastic book would be relegated to gay fiction and not enjoyed the success it has.

A good read, 07 Jan 2005
My mistake was going into this book with expectations of eventual events which, hertbreakingly never happened. Comming up to the end I was so dissappointed that Mark and Barry didn't get together - for some reason I thought that was what the blurb hinted at - dumb idea really. However, aside from that, this book was extremely witty with a very believable narrator - with a mind almost scarily like my own - and an excellent quality of writing.

New Boy, 03 Jul 2004
New Boy is a fantastic book which incorporates realistic characters, a fantastic and believable plot, with the odd twist and turn here and there. It chooses a topic not many authors like to deal with, watching someone elses "coming out" which is very different from many of the other books I have read, when the main character is the one doing the "coming out".

It's an easyily read book, without any stress or worry! Fantastic and I recomend it to everyone I talk to about books!

One of the best books I have ever read!, 18 Jun 2004
I read "New Boy" around two years ago and have just got around to reviewing it. I have never forgot reading this book, I read a few pages of my friends copy and knew I had to buy it. A boy struggling with his sexuality...he is fantastic. He is open and he is honest. The writter does a very good job explaining how he feels and why this might be. The other characters are very believable and overall it is very well written. Perfect for ages 14-19. Once you have read it you will never forget it!

Adrian mole meets South Parks - Very good, 25 Feb 2004
The politically incorrect thoughts of a sixth form Jewish Adrian Mole.
Ok, the narrator is a bit simpleminded sometimes and may not at all time be the best of choice as a friend but this makes a very good, funny, entertaining story; the end being at times touching.
It is not a gay novel, the caracter is just confused about is sexual identity, this is not the typical coming out story you could expect but all the better.
A rather unique book, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Fantastic Read., 08 Sep 2005
I first read Are You Experienced and it was the first book to actually make me laugh aloud. After reading his other books I read his latest, Bad Influence, and it's the second book to have me laughing. It's so accurate and well written and funny I couldn't put it down and Ben is a great character. Thoroughly enjoyable, I can't wait to see what William comes up with next!

highly original, 02 Aug 2005
A quick, engrossing read - VERY different to his previous books but still highly wothwhile. Original and fscinating - horribly believable as you follow the chain of events to their surprising conclusion.

Bad Influence, Good Read, 27 Aug 2004
This is the first William Sutcliffe book I have read and what drew me to it was the front cover or, more specifically, the expression on the boy's face pictured on the cover: young, but not at all innocent, chilling even. And indeed Bad Influence is a truly chilling book, though initially it begins in a very humourous vein and I honestly can't remember having laughed out loud so much while reading a book.

Sutcliffe introduces us to Ben, the main character. Ben is ten and Sutcliffe's portrayal of Ben's life, emotions and actions are amazingly accurate. The humour in this book comes from the fact that we can all identify with Ben and what is was like to be ten and think the thoughts of a ten year old. One example being where Ben describes his best friend being taken away as like someone "confiscating your legs", followed by the admission "It's not really like that. If someone pulled off your legs, you'd bleed to death." Many of the initial anecdotes ring so true; many of them, particulary regarding Ben's siblings, actually happened to me!

But Sutcliffe doesn't only capture the funny side of being ten, he also portrays a realistic picture of the chilling side too. I doubt any reader will fail to identify with the peer pressure Sutcliffe so honestly and brutally subjects his main character to. The need to fit in, the need to be the best friend, the jealousy, the pride, the pain of rejection, the lengths children will go to to be accepted. Bad Influence has it all, and while the majority of readers won't have gone to the extremes of the main characters in this book, I believe that every reader will have experienced each and every emotion within Bad Influence.

This is a powerful book, delightful, humourous, touching, brutal and ultimately shocking. Never before have I felt that a writer has so accurately stepped into the shoes of a child's mind and heart. Buy this book - you won't regret it.

A brilliant look at peer pressure., 24 Jun 2004
William Sutcliffe has done it once more, with a cracking read about childhood identity. He lets us back into a world we've left behind and reminds us of those irrational fears that we may become social outcasts if we don't keep up with the pack - however dangerous the ground they are walking becomes. This book starts as funny and ends as chilling, but is always well paced and brilliantly written. For an equally skilled, but very different, take on peer-pressure and child crime, read Jonathan Trigell's Boy A. Well done again to Sutcliffe.

Clever and funny, 21 Apr 2004
I found this book very entertaining and also touching. It convincinglyconveys the complicated feelings that I remember as a pre-teen boy whenthe world of my friends, and that of my family collided, smashing mebetween them. The way the hero, Ben, provokes his elder sister and hiselder brother are delightfully funny and true to life. But the bookoffers much more than just humour. There is, for example, the agonisingstress of the ordeal that Ben allows himself to be submitted to in orderto prove that he is no coward. What makes young males everywhere, fromnorth London to west Baghdad, incline to the moral standards of theirpeers rather than those of their parents? This book gives some insightinto the reasons. Read, enjoy, and get some new understanding of howyoung boys function!

Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Excellent Read, 13 Jun 2008
I read this book in January when the weather was poor and rattling against the window and there was not much to look forward too - it fair cheered me up - I could not put it down. It is well written, easy to relate to and easy to read. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and found it so entertaining I bought a copy for 3 of my friends. I have read several of his books since but nothing hits the mark like this one. Read it and enjoy!!

OK, nothing special, 18 May 2008
Amusing in places for sure, I'm not qute sure what age group this book is aimed at. If I'd read it aged 17-20 I'm sure it would have had me in stitches, but lets not forget that the author was only in his early twenties when he wrote this - making quite an ironic title for the book really.

Its good, but, probably best as a throwaway read on, holiday (sorry travelling) perhaps?

When in India..., 27 Oct 2007
I read this whilst backpacking in India and it did help kill the boredom on some long sweaty train journeys. But that's about all it's good for. Think 'Hale and Pace' trying to do Michael Palin. Exactly.

Great, 28 Sep 2007
Very very funny and insightful look at the world of young backpackers in India.Whether you have travelled there or not its well worth a read and makes for a great present.

Extremely amusing, 21 Mar 2007
I spent a significant amount of time laughing my way through this book. It was really, really funny. The main character was not particularly likeable (a bit of a prat really) but I felt a certain degree of admiration for him for his candid (and I suppose 'uncool') reactions to his first taste of travel outside of Europe. I loved the way he said whatever popped into his head, even though this resulted in distain from his fellow travellers; it certainly made for plenty of laughs from me.

As an older reader, this book satirically encapsulated the perception of student travel. After three months of travelling around India you got the impression that whilst Dave vaguely learnt something new about himself he certainly came back knowing only marginally more about India than when he left England. A light-hearted, funny, if not shallow tale.




Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Very Funny Indeed, 24 Jan 2008
I loved this book, every single side splitting page. Not giving this book its due credit because the main character is difficult to empathise with is madness. When I was at School in the same era, every one was a 'Mark'. I was reluctant to initially read the book assuming that it would honey comb school life like so many books do. This showed school life in all its nasty natural glory. Mark is extremely pitiful and funny all in the same breath. Though the ending was disappointing, for one who aches for a happy ending! It is a book I can recommend to all my friends. When you see painful and awkward films like 'Chuck and Larry' you can really appreciate this all out and out comic book with real laughs where its OK to be confused and lust over whatever gender, albeit reluctantly. We often laugh at the protagonist not with him i.e. line in the book 'Some guys would wait outside the girl's school for glimpses of girls' we all thought this was so gay. Life through the lens of a sexually confused homophobe who is not necessarily the nicest person you would meet is a fantastic read indeed. If the book had went where most people reading it thought it would go or would have liked it to then this fantastic book would be relegated to gay fiction and not enjoyed the success it has.

A good read, 07 Jan 2005
My mistake was going into this book with expectations of eventual events which, hertbreakingly never happened. Comming up to the end I was so dissappointed that Mark and Barry didn't get together - for some reason I thought that was what the blurb hinted at - dumb idea really. However, aside from that, this book was extremely witty with a very believable narrator - with a mind almost scarily like my own - and an excellent quality of writing.

New Boy, 03 Jul 2004
New Boy is a fantastic book which incorporates realistic characters, a fantastic and believable plot, with the odd twist and turn here and there. It chooses a topic not many authors like to deal with, watching someone elses "coming out" which is very different from many of the other books I have read, when the main character is the one doing the "coming out".

It's an easyily read book, without any stress or worry! Fantastic and I recomend it to everyone I talk to about books!

One of the best books I have ever read!, 18 Jun 2004
I read "New Boy" around two years ago and have just got around to reviewing it. I have never forgot reading this book, I read a few pages of my friends copy and knew I had to buy it. A boy struggling with his sexuality...he is fantastic. He is open and he is honest. The writter does a very good job explaining how he feels and why this might be. The other characters are very believable and overall it is very well written. Perfect for ages 14-19. Once you have read it you will never forget it!

Adrian mole meets South Parks - Very good, 25 Feb 2004
The politically incorrect thoughts of a sixth form Jewish Adrian Mole.
Ok, the narrator is a bit simpleminded sometimes and may not at all time be the best of choice as a friend but this makes a very good, funny, entertaining story; the end being at times touching.
It is not a gay novel, the caracter is just confused about is sexual identity, this is not the typical coming out story you could expect but all the better.
A rather unique book, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Fantastic Read., 08 Sep 2005
I first read Are You Experienced and it was the first book to actually make me laugh aloud. After reading his other books I read his latest, Bad Influence, and it's the second book to have me laughing. It's so accurate and well written and funny I couldn't put it down and Ben is a great character. Thoroughly enjoyable, I can't wait to see what William comes up with next!

highly original, 02 Aug 2005
A quick, engrossing read - VERY different to his previous books but still highly wothwhile. Original and fscinating - horribly believable as you follow the chain of events to their surprising conclusion.

Bad Influence, Good Read, 27 Aug 2004
This is the first William Sutcliffe book I have read and what drew me to it was the front cover or, more specifically, the expression on the boy's face pictured on the cover: young, but not at all innocent, chilling even. And indeed Bad Influence is a truly chilling book, though initially it begins in a very humourous vein and I honestly can't remember having laughed out loud so much while reading a book.

Sutcliffe introduces us to Ben, the main character. Ben is ten and Sutcliffe's portrayal of Ben's life, emotions and actions are amazingly accurate. The humour in this book comes from the fact that we can all identify with Ben and what is was like to be ten and think the thoughts of a ten year old. One example being where Ben describes his best friend being taken away as like someone "confiscating your legs", followed by the admission "It's not really like that. If someone pulled off your legs, you'd bleed to death." Many of the initial anecdotes ring so true; many of them, particulary regarding Ben's siblings, actually happened to me!

But Sutcliffe doesn't only capture the funny side of being ten, he also portrays a realistic picture of the chilling side too. I doubt any reader will fail to identify with the peer pressure Sutcliffe so honestly and brutally subjects his main character to. The need to fit in, the need to be the best friend, the jealousy, the pride, the pain of rejection, the lengths children will go to to be accepted. Bad Influence has it all, and while the majority of readers won't have gone to the extremes of the main characters in this book, I believe that every reader will have experienced each and every emotion within Bad Influence.

This is a powerful book, delightful, humourous, touching, brutal and ultimately shocking. Never before have I felt that a writer has so accurately stepped into the shoes of a child's mind and heart. Buy this book - you won't regret it.

A brilliant look at peer pressure., 24 Jun 2004
William Sutcliffe has done it once more, with a cracking read about childhood identity. He lets us back into a world we've left behind and reminds us of those irrational fears that we may become social outcasts if we don't keep up with the pack - however dangerous the ground they are walking becomes. This book starts as funny and ends as chilling, but is always well paced and brilliantly written. For an equally skilled, but very different, take on peer-pressure and child crime, read Jonathan Trigell's Boy A. Well done again to Sutcliffe.

Clever and funny, 21 Apr 2004
I found this book very entertaining and also touching. It convincinglyconveys the complicated feelings that I remember as a pre-teen boy whenthe world of my friends, and that of my family collided, smashing mebetween them. The way the hero, Ben, provokes his elder sister and hiselder brother are delightfully funny and true to life. But the bookoffers much more than just humour. There is, for example, the agonisingstress of the ordeal that Ben allows himself to be submitted to in orderto prove that he is no coward. What makes young males everywhere, fromnorth London to west Baghdad, incline to the moral standards of theirpeers rather than those of their parents? This book gives some insightinto the reasons. Read, enjoy, and get some new understanding of howyoung boys function!

Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Excellent Read, 13 Jun 2008
I read this book in January when the weather was poor and rattling against the window and there was not much to look forward too - it fair cheered me up - I could not put it down. It is well written, easy to relate to and easy to read. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and found it so entertaining I bought a copy for 3 of my friends. I have read several of his books since but nothing hits the mark like this one. Read it and enjoy!!

OK, nothing special, 18 May 2008
Amusing in places for sure, I'm not qute sure what age group this book is aimed at. If I'd read it aged 17-20 I'm sure it would have had me in stitches, but lets not forget that the author was only in his early twenties when he wrote this - making quite an ironic title for the book really.

Its good, but, probably best as a throwaway read on, holiday (sorry travelling) perhaps?

When in India..., 27 Oct 2007
I read this whilst backpacking in India and it did help kill the boredom on some long sweaty train journeys. But that's about all it's good for. Think 'Hale and Pace' trying to do Michael Palin. Exactly.

Great, 28 Sep 2007
Very very funny and insightful look at the world of young backpackers in India.Whether you have travelled there or not its well worth a read and makes for a great present.

Extremely amusing, 21 Mar 2007
I spent a significant amount of time laughing my way through this book. It was really, really funny. The main character was not particularly likeable (a bit of a prat really) but I felt a certain degree of admiration for him for his candid (and I suppose 'uncool') reactions to his first taste of travel outside of Europe. I loved the way he said whatever popped into his head, even though this resulted in distain from his fellow travellers; it certainly made for plenty of laughs from me.

As an older reader, this book satirically encapsulated the perception of student travel. After three months of travelling around India you got the impression that whilst Dave vaguely learnt something new about himself he certainly came back knowing only marginally more about India than when he left England. A light-hearted, funny, if not shallow tale.




Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Very Funny Indeed, 24 Jan 2008
I loved this book, every single side splitting page. Not giving this book its due credit because the main character is difficult to empathise with is madness. When I was at School in the same era, every one was a 'Mark'. I was reluctant to initially read the book assuming that it would honey comb school life like so many books do. This showed school life in all its nasty natural glory. Mark is extremely pitiful and funny all in the same breath. Though the ending was disappointing, for one who aches for a happy ending! It is a book I can recommend to all my friends. When you see painful and awkward films like 'Chuck and Larry' you can really appreciate this all out and out comic book with real laughs where its OK to be confused and lust over whatever gender, albeit reluctantly. We often laugh at the protagonist not with him i.e. line in the book 'Some guys would wait outside the girl's school for glimpses of girls' we all thought this was so gay. Life through the lens of a sexually confused homophobe who is not necessarily the nicest person you would meet is a fantastic read indeed. If the book had went where most people reading it thought it would go or would have liked it to then this fantastic book would be relegated to gay fiction and not enjoyed the success it has.

A good read, 07 Jan 2005
My mistake was going into this book with expectations of eventual events which, hertbreakingly never happened. Comming up to the end I was so dissappointed that Mark and Barry didn't get together - for some reason I thought that was what the blurb hinted at - dumb idea really. However, aside from that, this book was extremely witty with a very believable narrator - with a mind almost scarily like my own - and an excellent quality of writing.

New Boy, 03 Jul 2004
New Boy is a fantastic book which incorporates realistic characters, a fantastic and believable plot, with the odd twist and turn here and there. It chooses a topic not many authors like to deal with, watching someone elses "coming out" which is very different from many of the other books I have read, when the main character is the one doing the "coming out".

It's an easyily read book, without any stress or worry! Fantastic and I recomend it to everyone I talk to about books!

One of the best books I have ever read!, 18 Jun 2004
I read "New Boy" around two years ago and have just got around to reviewing it. I have never forgot reading this book, I read a few pages of my friends copy and knew I had to buy it. A boy struggling with his sexuality...he is fantastic. He is open and he is honest. The writter does a very good job explaining how he feels and why this might be. The other characters are very believable and overall it is very well written. Perfect for ages 14-19. Once you have read it you will never forget it!

Adrian mole meets South Parks - Very good, 25 Feb 2004
The politically incorrect thoughts of a sixth form Jewish Adrian Mole.
Ok, the narrator is a bit simpleminded sometimes and may not at all time be the best of choice as a friend but this makes a very good, funny, entertaining story; the end being at times touching.
It is not a gay novel, the caracter is just confused about is sexual identity, this is not the typical coming out story you could expect but all the better.
A rather unique book, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Fantastic Read., 08 Sep 2005
I first read Are You Experienced and it was the first book to actually make me laugh aloud. After reading his other books I read his latest, Bad Influence, and it's the second book to have me laughing. It's so accurate and well written and funny I couldn't put it down and Ben is a great character. Thoroughly enjoyable, I can't wait to see what William comes up with next!

highly original, 02 Aug 2005
A quick, engrossing read - VERY different to his previous books but still highly wothwhile. Original and fscinating - horribly believable as you follow the chain of events to their surprising conclusion.

Bad Influence, Good Read, 27 Aug 2004
This is the first William Sutcliffe book I have read and what drew me to it was the front cover or, more specifically, the expression on the boy's face pictured on the cover: young, but not at all innocent, chilling even. And indeed Bad Influence is a truly chilling book, though initially it begins in a very humourous vein and I honestly can't remember having laughed out loud so much while reading a book.

Sutcliffe introduces us to Ben, the main character. Ben is ten and Sutcliffe's portrayal of Ben's life, emotions and actions are amazingly accurate. The humour in this book comes from the fact that we can all identify with Ben and what is was like to be ten and think the thoughts of a ten year old. One example being where Ben describes his best friend being taken away as like someone "confiscating your legs", followed by the admission "It's not really like that. If someone pulled off your legs, you'd bleed to death." Many of the initial anecdotes ring so true; many of them, particulary regarding Ben's siblings, actually happened to me!

But Sutcliffe doesn't only capture the funny side of being ten, he also portrays a realistic picture of the chilling side too. I doubt any reader will fail to identify with the peer pressure Sutcliffe so honestly and brutally subjects his main character to. The need to fit in, the need to be the best friend, the jealousy, the pride, the pain of rejection, the lengths children will go to to be accepted. Bad Influence has it all, and while the majority of readers won't have gone to the extremes of the main characters in this book, I believe that every reader will have experienced each and every emotion within Bad Influence.

This is a powerful book, delightful, humourous, touching, brutal and ultimately shocking. Never before have I felt that a writer has so accurately stepped into the shoes of a child's mind and heart. Buy this book - you won't regret it.

A brilliant look at peer pressure., 24 Jun 2004
William Sutcliffe has done it once more, with a cracking read about childhood identity. He lets us back into a world we've left behind and reminds us of those irrational fears that we may become social outcasts if we don't keep up with the pack - however dangerous the ground they are walking becomes. This book starts as funny and ends as chilling, but is always well paced and brilliantly written. For an equally skilled, but very different, take on peer-pressure and child crime, read Jonathan Trigell's Boy A. Well done again to Sutcliffe.

Clever and funny, 21 Apr 2004
I found this book very entertaining and also touching. It convincinglyconveys the complicated feelings that I remember as a pre-teen boy whenthe world of my friends, and that of my family collided, smashing mebetween them. The way the hero, Ben, provokes his elder sister and hiselder brother are delightfully funny and true to life. But the bookoffers much more than just humour. There is, for example, the agonisingstress of the ordeal that Ben allows himself to be submitted to in orderto prove that he is no coward. What makes young males everywhere, fromnorth London to west Baghdad, incline to the moral standards of theirpeers rather than those of their parents? This book gives some insightinto the reasons. Read, enjoy, and get some new understanding of howyoung boys function!

Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.

Funny in places..., 24 Jun 2008
I read this because it had been well reviewed and I had enjoyed Are You Experienced? It's a quick easy read, with some entertaining lines and scenes, but it's somehow not as satisfying as the earlier book. Most of the characters are stereotypical, there aren't many surprises or plot twists and it seems to me to be fairly forgettable.

My main comment, I think, is that someone should mention to the editorial team at Bloomsbury that 'bored of' is incorrect, it should be 'bored by' or 'bored with'. I'm surprised they don't already know this. It's what I remember most about this book!

enchanting summer comedy, 08 May 2008
There are so many bad comic novels out on the shelves that a really good one deserves flagging up. This has the simplest of ideas - three unmarried men in their thirties have mothers who are all friends. Discussing their sons, and agreeing that something has gone wrong with their lives, they descend for one week to sort them out.

One son works on a lad mag called BALLS, obsessed with women's breasts and designer gadgets, and is living the life of an urban bachelor. His horrified mother discovers not just dust but kinky S&M gear under his bed, and not only sets about to cleaning the shag-pad but crashes a launch party of a new aftershave and tries to set him up with a nice girl instead of a teenager....Another son hasn't yet come out to his mum, and lives in a gay commune where he is outed within minutes....The third has moved to Edinburgh to try and get over Erin, the love of his life whom he lost by not wanting children. Yet the mothers all have some growing up of thier own to do, and it's in depicting them with sympathy and warmth that Sutcliffe's novel rises above the hilarity of his early work. He seems to understand much more than the preoccupations of his generation, and in consequence women in their fifties and sixties will I think get as many laughs and sighs of recognition as those of us with young sons.

I began reading this in a foul mood, with rain lashing down etc etc and by the first chapter it felt as if the sun had come out. Although it's mostly dialogue, the passages of descriptive writing are excellent, and the ending perfectly judged. It would make a lovely film.