- Paperback: 146 pages
- Publisher: Pan MacMillan (January 1992)
- ISBN-10: 0330273140
- ISBN-13: 978-0330273145
- Product Dimensions: 17.3 x 10.2 x 1.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 91 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Readers will find themselves quickly absorbed in this chilling epistolary novel. A correspondence between two contemporary Australian girls begins harmlessly enough, when Mandy ("I know what I won't do, and that's tell you my star sign, favourite group, favourite food, all about my sister and brother and the usual junk") answers a magazine ad for a pen pal, which has been placed by Tracey ("You write so well, much better than me"). As the letters become more intimate, dark truths surface and force both girls to confront personal demons. It soon becomes evident that Mandy's home life is frequently disrupted by violence, and that Tracey is not the pampered, carefree girl she pretends to be. Told entirely through letters, this psychological drama evokes the desperation of two trapped individuals who find a means of escape through their writing. Marsden ( So Much to Tell You ) clearly defines the voices, personalities and immediate conflicts of his characters; even so, the girls' fates remain hauntingly ambiguous. The heart-wrenching conclusion will exert its power long after this book is read. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 8 Up-A powerful book, set in Australia. Mandy answers Tracey's ad in a magazine and the girls, both going on 16, become pen pals. The fluff of their early letters depicts two teens who are almost indistinguishable from one another. Soon, before these lively yet innocuous exchanges become tedious, there are hints that Tracey is hiding something. She reveals that in truth, she is in a maximum security unit of a correctional institution for an unspeakable, unnamed crime. She is big, she is tough, and she is scared. The universal, brutal truths of young women living together behind bars is made perfectly clear by her blunt descriptions. Mandy's life, compared to her friend's, is almost idyllic. Her timid complaints about her brother's violent outbursts are easy to ignore. His poor academics, hot temper, and collections of weapons and Rambo posters are rationalized away by Mandy's loving but overworked parents, as are her fears of being in the house alone with him. Then, mysteriously, Mandy's letters stop. The story is over. The tragedy of this novel is that these bright young people are not hopeless. Their lives are salvageable, if only someone with the power to help would listen. Perhaps Marsden intends, through shock, to sensitize his readers to the real-life tragedies hidden behind white-picket fences and masks of toughness; perhaps therein lies the hope. Consisting entirely of the correspondence of the two girls for exactly one year, this book is also an anatomy of a friendship. It will draw its readers in completely and cut them off with a jolt. Purchase it, read it, recommend it to mature teens and to adults.
Margaret Cole, Oceanside Library,
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Margaret Cole, Oceanside Library,
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow...just wow,
By Willow (Michigan) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Letters from the Inside (Paperback)
I picked this up the other day at the library, not expecting much. But, I couldn't put it down! It is one of the best books I have ever read!Mandy and Tracey form a strange friendship ~ they've never actually met, they just write letters back and forth (pen-pals, I guess you could call it...though in the book Mandy clearly states she hates that phrase). Mandy tells Tracey all about her family, her friends, and her boyfriends. Tracey writes all about her rich family, her horses, her glorious vacations, etc. But - one of the girls isn't telling the truth. When Mandy and Tracey start getting into more serious, darker discussions, the book really, really gets interesting. One day, the letters from one of the girls (I won't say which one) stop, and are sent back to the other girl, marked "Return to Sender." What happens to Tracey and Mandy's friendship? I love this book, I've read it twice since I got it and its just amazing! The cliffhangre ending is a little annoying, but it's been said at least twice, read about Tracey's dreams and Mandy's last letter, I bet you can figure it out. Overall grade: A++
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome - I still think about it 7 years later,
By "aliceinwonderland22" (Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Letters from the Inside (School & Library Binding)
This book is deceptively amazing. I first read it when I was in year 5 or 6 and it has stayed with me ever since. John Marsden is such a talented writer, no teenager in Australia should grow up without reading one of his books. Originally i read it as an 11 year old, laughinhg at the superficial jokes but when i got to the ending i realised how powerful it was. There are so many things going on in this book, i think you have to be a little older to apprecaite all the little sub-themes and the hints. I read so much trash when i was younger and it has all been wiped from my brain except for this book. Keep at it - at first the characters appear to be your stereotypical, cliched teenagers but as you read on you see what amazing characters Marsden has evoked.I love this book! I have wanted to ask John Marsden about the ending for so long...i want to see if my theory is right! Americans, don't be put off by this Aussie writer - he is fantastic. I would also highly recommend the "Tomorrow When the War Began" series, they are also frightengly amazing.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely marvelous...,
By Sofia Hasbun (El Salvador) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Letters from the Inside (Paperback)
Have you ever had a pen pal? Well if you have you will enjoy this book called Letter from the inside. This book happens in present day, it's about two young girls who were completely strangers, and suddenly turn into wonderful close friends. They share their secrets, fears and moments of happiness.The characters of this book are Mandy and Tracey. Mandy is a girl whose family doesn't care about her and has a weird scary brother. Tracey, on the other hand, is completely different than Mandy; she has a great boyfriend and family. Mandy and Tracey share an incredible time sending letters to each other. This all started as a joke when Mandy, one day decided to joke around and put an ad in a magazine. She didn't expect to receive a response, but she did from Tracey. It started as a joke but ended with a great friendship of two. They tell each other about their love life, of how they hate school, they talk about boys and tell each other about something that happened to them. I really enjoyed this book, except it's ending, because this book ends from no where, I was reading when suddenly it was over, it has a sudden ending. I hope there is a second book, because it left me with a lot of questions. The author, John Marsden has a really good way of interpretating the girls feeling, actions and beliefs. I also think he has a good creativity. This is what the book Letters from inside, written by John Marsden is about. I really enjoyed reading this book, and recommend it to girls age 12 - 15, because it's a more juvenile book.
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