A novel about bullying, prejudice and the problems of being a teenager.
“Oi! You four-eyed freak!”
Jerry is bullied for wearing glasses. When he realises his short-sightedness is not a disability, but a different way of perceiving and understanding the world around him, he begins to see things from a new, unique perspective.
He even starts to believe he mighthave super-powers, but soon learns a great deal about himself and about the boy who is making his life such a misery.
As he becomes alienated from his girlfriend and best mate, both victims of racism, Jerry realises he needs to think hard and put his plan into action.
Has Jerry discovered a new way of dealing with prejudice?
Myopia is a novel about bullying, friendship and learning the hard way.
Professional Reviews
Engaging and compelling
An engaging and compelling book, right from the outset. It's impossible not to warm to Jerry and smile as he moves from certainty to uncertainty on a regular basis - something we can all remember as teens. The story deals with bullying and other important issues, all the time seeming realistic and peaking your empathy and curiousity until the final page.
A great novel for YA and adults alike. I read it quickly, wanting to get to the end so I could have the satisfaction of knowing how the bullies might get their comeuppance. Highly recommended.
'Perhaps short-sightedness was not a disability after all, but rather a way of seeing the world in a different way.'
Jerry is being bullied at school. Those who pick on him target the fact that he wears glasses, and he suffers their cruel taunts and physical attacks. However, Jerry also begins to experience some unusual effects as a result of his short-sightedness, sometimes giving him a different, special way of seeing his world.
`He couldn't explain the weird phenomena caused by his myopia, but one thing did occur to him: perhaps short-sightedness was not a disability after all, but rather a way of seeing the world in a different way.'
This book deals honestly with bullying and friendship, with prejudice and coming to terms with difficult situations. Jerry sadly considers the way the bullies have treated him: `What goes through a person's head to think it's okay to make another human being feel so worthless and humiliated?' I think the author dealt with these important themes extremely well within his novel; this is an insightful story. The bullies are realistic and the bullying harsh, but the bullies are real characters, not stereotypes. Importantly, whether seemingly good or bad, the story illustrates that there is always more to a person than meets the eye.
I liked several of the characters; in particular the marvellous, innovative and supportive school deputy head, Mr Quincy Finn. Whilst other teachers do little to support Jerry, Mr Finn takes pride in making the school a better, safer place, and in empowering Jerry himself to be a big part of that change.
The author takes the subject of short-sightedness and makes it feel positive for Jerry; when he has his eyesight checked and is told of his myopia, he compares the sound of the word to another word, utopia, and imagines myopia as a place that he can visit only because of his particular eyesight.
This young adult novel is an intelligent, skillful and well-written treatment of a serious subject that sadly affects all too many children and indeed adults, with an admirable main character and a little feeling of fantasy and magic at times. Despite the central topic, it is not without touches of humour and romance, and it is definitely enjoyable and rewarding as an adult read too.
A triumphant roar against the blind stupidity of bullying
Myopia is a YA novel of exceptional quality. The setting, story and characters sing out with an unflinching and audacious authenticity. Gardiner tackles the complex issue of bullying with sensitivity, skill and a kind of wisdom that beats a defiant and persistent rhythm from within the heart of the book. His detailed, and at times challenging depictions of teenage anger and cruelty reminded me of the glory days of Grange Hill, but also classic films such as Kes or Gus Van Sant's Elephant. That's not to say that it makes for a depressing read, far from it. The tone is pitched just right, with careful and clever juxtapositions of high drama and laugh-out-loud humour. The central protagonists are also extremely well drawn, and as the story progressed, I developed a great fondness for Jerry and the friends, family and classmates that he encounters during his often treacherous journey to self-empowerment.
One of Gardiner's great strengths as a writer is his ability to communicate directly to the reader through the mind's eye of a teenager, and throughout the book, his distinct and true voice shines from the page. I particularly enjoyed the way in which the novel flirts with elements of fantasy and surrealism to help illustrate and define Jerry's real and imagined world, and the reader is left sometimes to ponder where fantasy ends and reality begins. I read most of the book in one sitting on a train, and by the end I was blubbering like a big blabbering baby, much to my own embarrassment and the delight of my fellow passengers.
Myopia is a poignant, beautiful and heart-wrenching story that resonates with truth, hope and above all, the immeasurable power of human compassion . Thoroughly recommended.
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