Monotone Masquerade, Geroge Veck: a review

⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

TW: violence, swearing, drug use, alcohol consumption, child abuse, suicide

Not suitable for younger readers

Thank you to Voracious Readers Only and George Veck for the free copy!

Let me start this review by saying that I have never read a book like this before – I enjoy romance, and fantasy, and happy endings. There is none of that in Monotone Masquerade, and I really would recommend paying attention to the TWs because it touches on many sensitive subjects in real world scenarios that could potentially be upsetting to some readers.

The story follows Justin Billings, a football loving 15 year old who is desperate to find some independence from his scheming mother Wendy, who uses him as a pawn to gain money through ill-deserved disability benefits. You’ll be glad to know that Justin does earn his freedom, and escapes to Porth Y Graig, the local state foster home, though unfortunately his new life isn’t all too much better than his old one. Personally, I became really invested in Justin’s story, and found that I genuinely wanted him to have a happy ending. Though the storyline was not always clear, Veck does a phenomenal job making Justin a loveable, interesting main character who you will immediately connect with.

Alongside Justin, Veck introduces many other colourful characters who each have their own small storlines. Among these are Dafydd, Justin’s teacher who tries to help him achieve his dreams, and Darcy, Justin’s big crush and the most successful drug runner in the foster home. There are far more, but my personal favourite has to be Jenson, the head of the cartel and patriarch of the small band of misfits. It may not be glaringly obvious that he’s a caring guy, but much like an onion, Jenson has layers, and I am grateful for the ending he was given.

From reviews I’ve seen, I would compare this book to the TV series Top Boy (which Justin actually watches at one point). Set in Wales, Monotone Masquerade follows a group of young people whose rough backgrounds have driven them to the same path. Whilst there are tiny moments of happiness, particularly at the beginning of Justin’s quest for freedom, this book will leave you in despair, and possibly wondering why you decided to pick it up in the first place. It’s only 165 pages, so makes for a quick read which, admittedly, I did find very interesting and hard to put down – once I settled into the writing style and pace, that is. 

Let us know if you decide to read Monotone Masquerade, and if you do then we’d love to hear your thoughts! Make sure to follow our Instagram and Threads, @for_the_plot1814 for more regular updates, and check out our other blog posts if you haven’t already.

– Grace ❤