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Thursday 5 July 2012

A Review for Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley + Author Interview + UK/IRE Giveaway

Graffiti MoonPosted by Donna
UK Release Date: July 5th, 2012
Finished Date: April 15th, 2012
Publishers: Hodder Children's Books
Source: ARC For Review
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 272
Buy : Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

"Let me make it in time. Let me meet Shadow. The guy who paints in the dark. Paints birds trapped on brick walls and people lost in ghost forests. Paints guys with grass growing from their hearts and girls with buzzing lawn mowers."


It’s the end of Year 12. Lucy’s looking for Shadow, the graffiti artist everyone talks about. His work is all over the city, but he is nowhere. Ed, the last guy she wants to see at the moment, says he knows where to find him. He takes Lucy on an all-night search to places where Shadow’s thoughts about heartbreak and escape echo around the city walls. But the one thing Lucy can’t see is the one thing that’s right before her eyes.


The Review:“I kept dreaming of this spot she had on her neck, this tiny country. I wanted to visit, to paint a picture of what I found there, a wall with a road map of her skin.”
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I just knew I was going to love Graffiti Moon when I finally got my hands on it, because all I’d heard before I started was how fantastic it is, and honestly, it really is a heart-warming, loveable and beautiful book! 
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Luce is a high school student who is addicted to art. She loves everything about it, but mainly she loves Shadow, a mysterious artist whose art she follows. Shadow paints complex pieces on walls, under trains – anywhere he can and it’s all over the City. Because of Luce’s connection to Shadow’s art, she believes their meant for one another and she sets out to find him. But every time she gets close, she misses him just by a few seconds. When a friend of hers, a boy called Ed, claims he can take Luce to Shadow, so they go on an all-night search to find Shadow. But to find Shadow, Luce needs to a look a little closer because he might be someone she’s known all along. 
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Graffiti Moon is truly an amazing and eye-opening read. I have to admit I’ve never really been a fan of but what this book did for me was open me up to the world of art. And now because I’ve seen it through Luce’s and Shadow’s point of view, I have more of an understanding for it. I have to take my hat off to Cath Crowley because while she was describing Shadow’s pieces, it was done so beautifully that the pieces became very vivid. It was almost like I was there with the characters and I loved that. 
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I absolutely adored all the characters. Both Luce and Ed were amazing and I felt very connected to them. I loved watching their romance grow because it wasn’t an instant thing, despite their past relationship with each other. They’re both totally in love with each other despite how much they fight it and I was dying for that first kiss. I was very disappointed that didn’t happen but the author still did a fantastic job with their relationship.
The secondary characters were second to none. I loved how we got Poet’s chapters too. His poems were very in-depth, thoughtful and full of meanings. It was beautiful to read. 
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Overall, Graffiti Moon was everything I expected this book to be and more. I cannot wait to read more from this author in the near future.
Thumbnail photo of children's and young adult author Cath Crowley

Author Interview with Cath Crowley

How did you come up with idea for the book? Are the characters inspired by anyone?
The idea for Graffiti Moon came from a few places.
Shadow and Lucy, the main characters, connect through art. So the conversations that they have are inspired by the artists I love - Mark Rothko, Sam Leach, Rosemary Laing, Jeffrey Smart, Pablo Picasso, Johannes Vermeer, Michael Zavros, Rosalie Gascoigne, Bethany Wheeler, Ghostpatrol and Miso. I wanted to write about two people who speak through images as well as words.

I met a boy, one night in park who, told me he was a nighttime poet. I met a girl who told me she was psychic. I met a boy who told me he knew someone who had blue haloed on his hands. I met a boy who had egged his girlfriend and then she’d dumped him.

But all of those things were just the initial sparks. Then I made the characters.

The strange thing is I can’t remember getting the idea for Lucy chasing a Shadow she’d never met. I remember being in the car talking to a friend about it, but I can’t remember how the idea arrived. I like that there’s some mystery to its arrival. It suits the book.

How long did it take to write?
It took about two years to work out the novel, to write a draft that I thought was all wrong. And then about two months to write a version that worked. Plus, there was a lot of editing. I guess, all up, thinking, writing, wrong turns and editing, about three years. I write very slowly.

The book is based around art, are you a fan of art and do you draw yourself?
I don’t draw, but I do love art.
I like most ways that people tell stories or convey emotion – poetry, songs, visual art, dance.

What do you like most about Lucy & Ed?
I like that Lucy and Ed are passionate about art. I like that they connect because of this passion. I like the way they talk to each other – there’s a spark and a play to their language. And I like that they’re both willing to change how they see the other person. I think that’s a hard thing to do.

 What was the biggest challenge when writing this book?
My biggest challenge is always the structure. I know the characters a long time before I’ve worked out what happens to them. I loop around in circles and then eventually give in and ask someone to help me.

 Who would play your dream cast if Graffiti Moon was optioned for a film?
I don’t know about all the characters – to be honest, I’ve never met anyone who fitted Lucy or Ed. But I think George Clooney could play Al quite nicely. And perhaps Taylor Kitsch could be Poet. Clearly, I’ve just watched Friday Night Lights.

All the book covers for Graffiti Moon each represent something from the book, do you have a favourite cover?
I love them all for different reasons. I love the bird on the UK cover. I think it’s gorgeous.

What’s your favourite quote from the book?
Maybe this one - “Open skies painted above painted doorways and painted birds skimming across bricks trying to fly away. Little bird, what are you thinking? You come from a can.” 
And the marshmallow one makes me laugh because I can’t remember writing it.“I guess love's kind of like a marshmallow in a microwave on high. After it explodes it's still a marshmallow. but, you know, now it's a complicated marshmallow.” 

Can you tell us what you’re working on next? 
I’m working on a book called The Howling Boy. It’s told from the perspectives of Audrey and Crow, both seventeen. It’s a mystery and a love story.

Fun Questions:
Hot or Cold? 
Hot.
Cake or Pie? 
Cake. But apple pie would tempt me away from cake.
Chocolate or Sweets? 
Chocolate.
Walk or Car? 
Walk
Day or Night? 
Really early in the morning or really late in the night. Sunrise or the stars.
Favourite Movie? 
One of my favourites is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. But one I re watch a lot is High Fidelity. And I can watch anything with John Cusack.
Favourite Country?
I like living in Australia, but I’d like to visit Finland again.
Favourite Seasonal Holiday? 
Anywhere I could be warm swim, and read every day.

Thank you so much for joining us Cath!

Giveaway!
Hodder Childrens Books have kindly donated one copy of Graffiti Moon to one lucky UK/IRE winner. 
So want to enter?  Fill in the rafflecopter form below.
Giveaway ends on July 15th Extra entries are available but of course are optional. UK/IRE only.

** A huge thank you to Hodder Childrens Books for donating this prize**
a Rafflecopter giveaway

27 comments:

nat cleary said...

Thanks for the giveaway. I love the Graffiti on the front and the way the name is :) 

Mel S said...

I have to admit I love thethe colours on the cover - so many books are in primary colours these days it's noice to see lighter shades can stand out as much! :-)

areadersdevotion said...

The graffiti on the front. I think it looks really good.

Tyler-Rose Neath said...

I love the fact that the graffiti chosen matches the title perfectly - beautiful model also! Great giveaway!

Carly Chambers said...

Great review, Donna! :) This is on my wishlist, so I would love to win it! Really interesting interview, thanks for sharing! I love the graffiti & the colours of it on the front, it is really different & interesting. Thanks for the giveaway :)

Suzanne @ Paranormal Book Fan said...

I like the colouring on the UK cover but to be honest, I prefer the US cover with the guy and the girl :0  Great review and interview. And thank you for the UK and Ireland giveaway, its so rare to see that :)

Litttlestar 300 said...

 Thanks for the giveaway! I love the colours and the graffiti

Erin Taylor said...

Awesome review!  I've been undecided whether to read this for a while now, but now my mind is made up! I like the brighter colours on the cover, and green is my fav colour so anythng green is always good :)

Sam @ Realm of Fiction said...

Oh I love the marshmallow quote! That's a favourite of mine too. :) Great interview guys and lovely review, Donna! I'm glad you enjoyed this book! 

I really like the bird on the UK cover. I don't think I ever noticed it before Cath mentioned it! Thanks for the giveaway. :)

gaby891 said...

What I love about hardcovers is that they don't ruin as easily and the paperbacks do :)

gaby891 said...

Oops just entered this but I thinks it's only for UK sorry :(

Allie said...

I like the cover because it's so unusual! The colours and the design are both perfect for the story.

cypriotbutterfly said...

I like the colours that were chosen. Blues and greens so well together I think.  Thanks for the giveaway!

Mist_BookaholicsBookClub said...

Sounds great! I love John Cusack to :)

caroline.taylor078 said...

I know it sounds really lame and obvious but its the graffiti I love on the cover, especially the colours! 

Viki Sloboda said...

It's not one of my favorites - sorry.

whnbstihwsoft said...

I love the graffiti and colours used :), and thanks for the giveaway!.

Becki Weston said...

Great review! It sounds like a really interesting book. I also enjoyed the interview :)

Iona English said...

I have to say I prefer the US cover because that just looks like a night full of promises but I think the UK cover is also pretty great because it includes some awesome graffiti which the US cover could have done with.

Leona Naan said...

I love that background for it! It works well with the title! Thanks for the giveaway! :)

Yvonne Leacy said...

Great review. Thanks for the giveaway. I have to admit I prefer the US cover with the girl and the boy. I think it's more eye catching and the title is really cool looking with the smeared paint effect. 

leoni lees said...

I like the graffiti background and the colour scheme used. 

Rebecca said...

Sounds interesting...I think I'll read this is the future but for now I'm working my way through all the books on my shelf! Lovely review :)

Tasnim Sheikh said...

I love the title on the cover :)

Kim Niewiadomski said...

The cover is pretty. The colors are so vibrant.

Lea Krnjeta said...

Great review :) I wanted to read Graffiti Moon for months because it seems so interesting and unique.

Tayte Hunter said...

This book sounds very cute. And the hidden identity of Shadow, clever. :D It sounds like a book to read. :D

 
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