Bang, Bang You're Dead by Narinder Dhami

'Bang, Bang, You're Dead!'

Mia’s twin brother, Jamie, has always protected her. Until now. Mia and Jamie seem to be growing apart.  It’s all to do with their mum’s illness; it causes her to have mood swings. There are pills that could help her but their mum stopped taking them after grandpa died. With their mum refusing to see a doctor and Mia terrified of social services splitting her and her twin up and of anyone at school finding out it seems Mia and Jamie are stuck. Mia knows none of this is her mum’s fault, however Jamie has less sympathy. He’s fed up of trying to make things right. Recently he’s been threatening to do something drastic. Something to show their mum how this is affecting them, and he won’t tell Mia what it is……………

When rumours start about a man in school with a gun and Jamie’s no where to be seen Mia knows something bad is going to happen. Then she remembers the gun she and her twin found when they were little. Mia knows she has to stop this. The only problem is the man’s not Jamie, and it seems that Jamie died the day he was born. Soon Mia discovers she is Jamie and all the things she thought Jamie had done, had been her……..

I really enjoyed this book as it was different and unusual. Also, it showed me what life could be like for other people. However, I found it a bit confusing when Jamie turns out not to be real.  It is written in Mia’s point of view and I would recommend it to anyone over the age of ten as it can be quite upsetting.

First published at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/childrens-books-site/2011/oct/03/bang-bang-you-re-dead-narinder-dhami?INTCMP=SRCH