The Yellow Room by Jess Vallance

Book of the Week: 13 November 2016

An easy-going and witty writing style is used to tell this unsettling story about sixteen-year-old Anna, who learns that the father she hasn’t seen for years has died suddenly.

Anna lives with her mum, a researcher who is totally consumed by her work and whom Anna feels treats her like an inconvenience. One morning, whilst walking to school with her friend Sienna, she is given a letter by the postman not only telling her father has died but that his girlfriend Edie wants to meet her and give her something important – something her father wanted her to have. Whilst Anna is talking over what she should do with Sienna and their friend George, they are interrupted by Leon Jakes-Field who can only be described as Anna’s stalker. Leon is a horribly compelling character. His mother is a famous writer and he has literary aspirations himself which he is only to happy to share. He is patronising, unaware, intense and creepy but Anna is too kind-hearted to send him packing.

This is a book about relationships and secrets and the destructive effects they can have on our lives. If you are wondering why it is called The Yellow Room it only becomes clear towards the end of the book.

The Yellow Room is Jess Vallance’s second book; her first was Birdy.