George Veck takes us on a dark coming of age journey with emotional punch in Monotone Masquerade! Fifteen year old Justin Billings faces psychological abuse and extortion at the hands of his single mother Wendy. But when Justin breaks free of Wendy and enters the north Wales care system, his life becomes anything but simple. Veck doesn’t hold back in his emotional punches with Monotone Masquerade, but that’s what makes this story so compelling! I felt for Justin and the hard things he had to go through, and despised the various villains of the story. Despite all the hardships, the novel doesn’t fall into cynicism and manages to have a positive message to walk away with. If you’re looking for a coming of age story that paints a very real picture of what some youth must walk through, definitely join Justin on his journey to find real love and care in Monotone Masquerade!
