Review: My Side of the Diamond by Sally Gardner

Publication Date: October 5th 2017
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Source: Review copy from publisher

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Blurb :

An extraordinary tale about the search for love from the acclaimed Costa and Carnegie winning novelist Sally Gardner.

Jazmin has been shunned ever since her best friend Becky disappeared. But Becky didn't just disappear - she jumped off a tall building and seemingly never reached the ground. It was as if she simply vanished into thin air. Did Jazmin have something to do with her disappearance? Or was it more to do with Icarus, so beguiling and strangely ever youthful, with whom Becky became suddenly besotted . . .

 Thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me a copy of this novel n exchange for my full and honest review. I have previously read some novels by Sally Gardner including The Door That Led To Where, Tinder and Maggot Moon. I had loved some of her previous novels and really disliked others. So I was interested to see how I would feel about this one. 

After loving The Fallen Children which also featured alien YA fun, I was interested to see how this would shape up. I didn't know much about this novel before going into it which I feel was the best idea. The novel was overall a good novel but I don't think I would re-read it any time soon. 


The novel is told in a really interest format- through short interviews. I found this to be a really interesting way to tell the story and made it feel as if you are reading a lot quicker. Another aspect to the novel which I enjoyed were the illustrations, which were designed by Nat Barlex.  I found the illustrations really added to the story.

The characters in the story were although unique, still somewhat boring. I felt a little disconnected from them at times although I was interested in the plot. I felt the novel did a good job of introducing all of the characters but still felt the beginning of the novel was very slow. Some of the characters could have been developed a lot more, especially Becky who I felt was not very well expanded upon at all. I would have loved to have read a chapter or two which featured more on her. 

I think because of the complex cross over nature of the characters relations with others, I got very confused at times as to how everyone was connected to each other. I also felt the end of the novel coud have been better paced as I didn't feel that excitement that you usually feel when getting to the climax of the novel. I felt the end of the novel could have been better constructed and paced as there were some exciting plot points there. 

Overall the novel was interesting but not overly impressive. I enjoyed reading the novel but overall would not re-read it. I feel sally Gardner has become a hit or miss author for me, as I have not loved her most recent novels but loved Maggot Moon. So if you are looking to buy a Sally Gardner novel, I'd recommend that one.