The Rig - Joe Ducie

The Rig by Joe Ducie

 

Review by Little M

Joe Ducie won the Hot Key Young Writers Prize for 2012 with his novel The Rig. I think this is a brilliant winner.

The Rig is about a prison where no one can escape from it, maybe not even Will Drake. Will Drake is a 15 year old boy who was sent to prison for stealing. He has been kept in many prisons, however, not one of them have successfully been able to contain him for more than a few weeks or a month. So now he has been put on the Rig. The Rig is an old oil rig which was changed into a rehabilitation centre for youths. It is based in the middle of the ocean with shark infested waters around it. Will is determined to escape and no one can keep him locked up.

Overall, I really liked this novel because the plot details are different to some of the books I normally read. I also really enjoyed the mystery aspect to it. I really liked the novel up until a certain sci-fi element came into it and I thought it didn't really need it.

This novel contains action, sci-fi and a lot of mystery! The Hot-Key Key Ring for this says 1/4th action, 1/4th friendship, 1/4th prison break and 1/4th mystery. I agree with all of them.

I think this novel will appeal to both boys and girls. It worked for me, and anyway I have a boy as the main character for once, not a Katniss or a Tris!

Publication details: Hot-Key Books, London, 2013, paperback

This copy: received for review from the publisher