The Exchange [Hardcover]

Graham Joyce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 17, 2008

A taut, otherworldly thriller set in contemporary England.

Caz and her best friend Lucy have a secret. Late at night, they break into strangers? homes?not to steal anything, just for the rush. Then Caz gets caught in the act by elderly Mrs. Tranter, and before she knows it, the old woman has snapped a silver bracelet around her wrist. Caz can?t remove it, no matter what she does; and then it becomes part of her, sinking into her skin like a tattoo. Worst and most unsettling of all, it?s given her an unpredictable kind of ESP. She can see into people?s inner lives, whether she wants to or not. The Exchange is gritty magical realism with a sense of humor?just right for fans of Holly Black and Sonya Hartnett.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Caz and her best friend, Lucy, think that doing the creepy thing—breaking into elderly people’s homes as they are sleeping, just to see if they can do it—is an exciting rush. Then they creep into the house of Mrs. Tranter, who catches Caz as she touches her bedcovers and snaps a bracelet onto her arm. Although Caz tries everything, she is unable to remove the bracelet, which gradually fades from an object into a strange tattoo. When the local tattoo artist can’t remove the inked image, Caz finds herself back at Mrs. Tranter’s house, doing chores in exchange for more information about the strange bracelet. In the meantime, Caz slowly realizes that she has powers, including the ability to see what others are thinking, a skill she ultimately decides to use to help others. Joyce has crafted a bizarre, magically realistic tale of a young woman who grows into maturity despite terrifying complications. It’s a wild ride with subtly moralistic undertones and a surprisingly happy ending that will stay with readers. Grades 7-10. --Frances Bradburn

About the Author

Graham Joyce is the author of nine adult novels. He lives in Leicester, England.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (July 17, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670062073
• ISBN-13: 978-0670062072
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #361,574 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Embraced, April 25, 2010

By 

silver elves "silver elves" (honolulu, hi.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Exchange (Hardcover)

Graham Joyce...
dear lovers of magical realism,
... is a true master. We love his books. This is the fourth title of his we've read and he has yet to disappoint us. In this tale, fourteen year old Caz and her girlfriend love to sneak into people's homes and stand over them while they sleep, just for the adrenalin thrill. One night Caz gets more than she bargained for when a magical bracelet (more like a handcuff locking her to an unwanted fate) gets clamped on her wrist and her life and luck changes forthwith. She can't seem to get rid of it, and she doesn't know what to do about it, and the search for the answer leads her to revelations both about herself and others she encounters.
On to the next Graham Joyce novel. He's really good.
kyela,
the silver elves

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exchange Falsehood for Truth, October 1, 2008

By 

FYI (The West) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Exchange (Hardcover)

Graham Joyce continues to commit magic with his writing. His superb witchy novel "Limits of Enchantment" went beyond his "Dark Sister." "The Toothfairy" is wicked and delicious. And like his "T.W.O.C," or Laura Whitcomb's lyrical and insightful "A Certain Slant of Light," this poignant novel and its subject matter reaches beyond the intended age group. This is a wise, magical read for adults, poetic, capturing the angst of teenagers, and the need we all have challenge false boundaries. Surviving the stupidity and/or violence of the world, and becoming truly aware is rendered here is a unique way. Enjoy!

The Tooth Fairy: A Novel
The Limits of Enchantment
T.W.O.C.
A Certain Slant of Light

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, September 16, 2008

By 

Cierra Butler "Cie" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Exchange (Hardcover)

The story had potential, but it ended up kind of boring. Caz is the main character and Lucy is her best friend. Not sure why they were best friends, there really wasn't any evidence that they actually liked each other.

They have this odd game of breaking into old people's houses in the middle of the night and sneaking up on them while they slept. Just for the thrill of it. Caz says it is terrifying but exciting. I didn't get exciting at all. They called it the "Creepy Thing". Yep, it was creepy. Weird, creepy.

I didn't care about the characters - they just didn't feel real to me. The attempt at a romance seemed like an after-thought, no passion, no angst. I never did figure out why these 2 popular gorgeous boys wanted to hang out with these two freaky girls.

The story and events just felt forced. It did not feel as if the author really wanted to tell the story. Which was sad, because all the basics were there... it just didn't pan out.