When I read the blurb of Tim Lott's first YA novel, I was desperate to get started: brave young girl attempts to overthrow cruel institution single-handedly; a 21st century fable; a dark but hopeful tale - tick, tick, tick. I was also curious about a successful novel-writer's first offering to a younger audience, and about the fact that it's been packaged for adult and child audiences separately, which made me the tiniest bit suspicious because I don't think 'crossover' is something you can always predict and I wondered if the author had set out to achieve this in the first place or whether it was an afterthought from the marketing department.

I suspect he did set out to produce a crossover novel, or was encouraged in that direction, because despite my enthusiasm at the start I was really disappointed in the book.

Fearless is set in the City Community Faith School, where 1000 girls live a life of hard labour, punishment and rules. Even beyond the walls, rules are everything and the majority of people have become unable to think for themselves, under the spell of a government that spins the truth and the 'vidscreen' that tells them everything they need to know (ie. a bunch of propaganda).

But one girl, Little Fearless, refuses to accept the regime at the school and promises her friends that she'll escape and let everyone know what disgusting conditions they're living under. She cons one of the prefect-types, Stench - who is in charge of the rubbish tip at the institution - to let her out in the rubbish van, and tries to find someone who will listen to her story.

The people are so brainwashed that Little Fearless is unsuccessful on her first trip - and as a result of her escape all the girls are punished by having their hair shorn; another way of sucking away their precious identity, which is all they have left.

Little Fearless never gives up, and her bravery is an inspiration to her shy friend, Stargazer, and eventually to Stench, who both join the fight against the institution: but is it too late?

Even as I write out the summary I know I should have loved this book. But I felt from the start that the author was at pains to describe this world. I didn't enjoy the way he tried to sneak in a fundamental detail at the wrong moment, and got tired of being told all about the regime rather than seeing it through the eyes of the characters, none of whom really came to life for me, though I did warm to Stench. I wanted to fall in love with Little Fearless, but for me she was a rather forced vehicle and not a real character.

As to audience, I felt I was reading a story that was very self-consciously being made for young people to understand with one hand, while at pains to make an older audience appreciate it with the other. The concept is great, and the ideas within the 'fable' aspect of it are excellent ingredients, but I was surprised by how unmoved I was at the sad events. The writing itself just didn't do it for me; the concept seemed to have elbowed everything else out of the way.

Sadly, this was a heartfelt effort that failed to touch me.

Thanks for this interesting review. I have seen this book in Waterstones, and it did look like the kind of thing I'd enjoy. I will probably have a flick through at some point when I have a chance - but some adult writers can write children's fiction very well, and some can't - maybe Tim Lott is just the latter.

Cheers, Leila, I'd be very interested to know your reaction to it.