This first book in The Mug Trilogy tells the story of Jersey-born Mug, a troubled teen from a recently broken home. It covers her experiences as a sixteen year-old girl at the Isle of Wight Music Festival in 1970, the same year that she followed a guru. It follows her tumultuous years as an art student in Coventry where she lived with David, a fellow art student. Dramatic events follow on from the evening they meet, when Mug saves him from a very public suicide attempt.
Excerpt
Only a couple of hours after eventually arriving at the vast festival, Mug’s pounding feet felt like they no longer belonged to her jet-propelled body. ‘This is it! I’m going to die falling over the edge of this bloody cliff!’ she thought as she hurtled at breakneck speed past the thousands of colourful festival goers, who were making a more sedate descent after a peace march up the steep cliff. Two mischievous, muscle bound teenage boys had thought it hilarious to turn her round and start running with her, the long hair of all three flowing out behind them. As her legs were longer than theirs, she left the two idiots, plus Vanessa and Christine looking on in horror, in her dusty wake as she rocketed ever closer to the cliff edge, narrowly avoiding collision with several alarmed peace marchers. Far below, she could see huge boulders lying at the base of the treacherous cliff. Death would be certain and messy if she tumbled through the air. Luckily, she fell heavily a few yards from the edge of the precipice, ripping both knees out of her sage green, cord flares, revealing bloodied skin beneath. If she had not been wounded, she would have kicked herself for even trying to walk up the steep hill against the flow of the hundreds of marchers strolling down. After eventually catching up with their injured, stunned, companion, Vanessa and Christine carried her into a candle-lit St John’s ambulance tent.
‘Your mum would have killed us if you’d fallen over the cliff. We’re supposed to be keeping you out of harm’s way,’ said Christine, trying to keep the blood off her long, Indian skirt.
Professional Reviews
An energetic flight through the 70s
A very easy read as you get sucked into the world of' Mug'. through the eyes of an art student.A vivid and lively description of the times(isle of Wight festival,IRA,sit-ins)? ,but mostly the fly on the wall observations of a girl in her first throws of independence and how she deals with life. Upbeat but touchingly honest.
A rewarding trip down memory lane.
A rewarding trip down memory lane.
By Ray Burston on 25 Sept. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
“A Slice Of The Seventies” is the first part of Joy Mutter’s semi-autobiographical account of a teenage girl’s passage into womanhood. Part I of the trilogy chronicles her university years, including the ups-and-downs of her first long-term relationship. As such, it is a subject that will probably appeal to women more than men. However, the author has a breezy, witty style that made this a fun read for this guy even so. In particular, she has a sharp eye for all those little details of life in early 1970s Britain that makes it a rewarding trip down memory lane, as well as an illuminating study of what it meant to be a student during those heady sex-and-drug addled years.
5.0 out of 5 stars. Student life
5.0 out of 5 stars Student life
By John Thys on 20 Sept. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
A good insight into student life in the seventies if it’s true that this is a partly true story then this authoress has had plenty of trials and tribulations a good read as well may I add another two more books I understand in this series will look forward to reading them
We Will Stone Him is a raw, unfiltered trauma memoir about surviving childhood abuse, emotional manipulation, and the lifelong wounds that follow. This true story marks the beginning of the Rising From The Ashes Trilogy, John Gambacorta and his survi
She never felt safe at home as a young girl, and didn't understand why when she finally escaped she wasn't safe in the big wide world either ...effectively jumping out of the frying pan into the fire!
