Written by Mark Haysom

I loved it! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Published by	Piatkus (22 Sept. 2015)
Genre	Contemporary Fiction
Pages	42
ASIN	B014DUSKCM

I downloaded this free short story after reading Oscar Oliver's Christmas last week - well, what's one more book to add to my already overflowing library? And as you can see, I was rather keen to read it.

The blurb:

For the 'back to school' crowd, this is a touching and poignant short story about triumph over adversity in regards to the 'system', and a celebration of first love.

The Test is perfect tie-in to some of the themes explored in Mark Haysom's new novel, Imagine, available now in ebook and publishing in print in December 2015.

Visit Mark's website at: http://mark-haysom.co.uk/ to read an extract from the opening of Imagine and to read about Mark's other work, including Love, Love Me Do which is available now in print and ebook.

Short Stories Contemporary Fiction

My thoughts:

The Test is a short story about an unfulfilled love. Tom Pushman and Charlie Clarke are good friends in Junior school. Theirs is the kind of friendship that could develop into much more as they get older. They come from similar social backgrounds, and are both clever enough to get into a grammar school. However, Tom's life falls apart just as they are due to sit 'the test', and the results mean Charlie gets her place in a grammar school and Tom does not.

Although their paths occasionally cross through the years, this separation of schools has driven a wedge between them, and their friendship becomes a distant memory. Many years later, Charlie's mother's funeral brings these two together again, and they realise that neither of their lives have not worked out the way they had planned.

What a powerful and thought-provoking story! I love Haysom's writing style and I found myself quickly and completely absorbed into this story. It took me back to my fourth year in Junior school - today that would be Year 6. I was never aware at that time that this single test would influence my entire life. However, looking back now, I can see that it did.

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Read online at Mark Haysom's web site