Martha is different. She longs to have friends and to be accepted by her class-mates. But her parents belong to a strict religious group. They have rules that mean no computers, no TV, no trendy clothes … and no friends. Martha also has a secret. Its name is Abomination and it must never be discovered. But when Scott makes friends with Martha, she has a choice to make.
Should she tell him about her terrible secret? Shows the danger posed by the over zealous religious fanatics on the defenceless and innocent. Abomination novel. File:Robert Swindells - Abomination. Home Groups Talk Explore Zeitgeist. Have you checked out SantaThing , LibraryThing's gift-giving tradition? I Agree This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising.
Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms. Abomination by Robert Swindells. Members Reviews Popularity Average rating Mentions 5 , 3. No TV. No computer. No cool clothes. Especially no friends. It's all because of her parents. Strict members of a religious group, their rules dominate Martha's life. No current Talk conversations about this book. Over the years I have read a lot of books by Robert Swindells, and have often found them somewhat disturbing. I Finished this book because I'm on the lookout for a book To read with my students and this seemed like a good choice.
Actual rating is more like 3. Scott has a pretty normal life for a kid living in Britain. Martha, however, has a very different life with her parents who are part of a rather radical religious group known as the Righteous.
The Righteous are a rather extreme Christian group. As a result her mother makes Martha conservative clothes complete with long skirts, the heat and el Actual rating is more like 3. As a result her mother makes Martha conservative clothes complete with long skirts, the heat and electricity are off for the first half of every Sunday, which is devoted to prayer, sermons, and fasting. Martha's sister Mary referred to as Jezebel by her parents if they mention her at all refuses to conform and was thrown out of their house at 16 years old.
Anyhow, Scott doesn't like how the kids at school pick on Martha and tries to step in a little and help her out, which instantly paints a target on his back. As a result, he becomes friends with Martha after she finds a way to stop the kids from kicking the tar out of him after school. Martha isn't supposed to be friends with him, it's against her father's rules, but starved for some sort of connection she does so and starts breaking the family rules.
It's nothing mind blowing. She talks to him at school, he hangs out at the grocery store to hang out with her while she does her family's shopping and generally do things normal preteens would do. Things get hairy when Scott decides to push the limits and shows up at her home while her parents are both working. No one can know about the abomination hiding in the cellar. That's when she decides to be brave and her parents reveal just how far they are willing to go to hide their secret from the outside world and their Righteous peers.
This is a super fast read that definitely was interesting enough, though I don't necessarily agree with how everything ended.
It's pretty true that having one person who supports you and is willing to share some of your burdens with can really ease the stress and provide a mental and emotion relief of sorts.
If you suspend your disbelief well enough, this could even be a 4 star read. I'm just not that good at it today. Scott solves all Martha's problems using the power of the internet. Now maybe Martha just wasn't aware of what was happening because her sister was just that good at hiding it all, but I highly doubt it considering how smart Martha is, as this book leads you to believe.
Abomination comes off as a fast paced, high interest, low comp read that is written in British terminology buckle up for some crisps, stuff, choc bars, scoff the lot, pogged, etc. It's interesting enough and doesn't take long to read.
Could definitely be a gateway book for kids interested in books containing extreme religion cults? Oct 31, Staphysagria rated it liked it. A fascinating book, giving rise to many discussion topics ranging from religious fanatism to child abuse.
Told in diary - style from alternating viewpoints it swiftly draws the reader into the minds of two teenagers coming from opposite social backgrounds. The girl's family belongs to a sect called "the righteous" whose holier - than - thou attitude is a contradiction in itself to the cruelty and callousness they exert towards their weakest members, their children.
The boy is from a near atheist A fascinating book, giving rise to many discussion topics ranging from religious fanatism to child abuse. The boy is from a near atheist household but grows up in a loving environment and is sure about what's right and what's wrong. This attitude leads him to defend the socially outcast girl from the bullies rendering him their next target.
The two outsiders form a friendship and the girl is tempted to share her secrets with him, including the one dreadful secret that has overshadowed or more appropriately named "undermined" her past. The characters, the writing and all deserve 5 stars, BUT there are some fundamental inconsistencies in the plot that annoy me enough to take 2 stars off again. Mar 18, Katy Kelly rated it it was amazing.
An early Swindells with a shocking storyline, some admirable young characters and a lot to think about Martha is an outcast at school, in homemade uniform and different to the others in her Year 8 class. Scott is a new boy who, at first, joins in with the taunting, but soon wants to know more about the girl in his class who doesn't react, who doesn't speak out. It's a story that's now been covered a few times since this was written - a family living as part of a religious sect, and Martha and Scot An early Swindells with a shocking storyline, some admirable young characters and a lot to think about Martha is an outcast at school, in homemade uniform and different to the others in her Year 8 class.
It's a story that's now been covered a few times since this was written - a family living as part of a religious sect, and Martha and Scott begin to trust and like each other, as Martha gradually lets her new friend into her secret home life. For young readers, this may be an eye-opener. I loved the portrayal of Martha, her development as a young woman finding her voice is well drawn.
Scott, I sometimes found spoke in a voice too mature for a year old boy, but I really liked the portrayal of their relationship. It could have been a much darker book, with some scenes more graphically represented for older readers, but there is just enough detail for the target audience without it becoming too adult. Martha's parents are sketchily drawn as stereotypical religious types, but it is clear to the reader just who they are and how they control Martha.
Despite this book feeling quite out of date now Blur is the 'in' band, you dial up using a modem to access the Internet , this world is within the grasp of contemporary teens. I sped though this, at only pages. With the short chapters alternating between Martha and Scott, it moves quickly and to a tense climax. It's almost a Barrington Stoke Quick Read and may appeal to their 'reluctant reader' base.
Excellent choice for class reading and discussion, no unsuitable language or graphic violence. A wonderful completing ending as well, satisfying. One for ages This is a quite fast paced thriller aimed at a teenage audience. The story is told in first person by the two central characters Martha and Scott - who are both 12 - with them telling their version of events in mostly alternating chapters. I really loved both of them and their bond. I correctly guessed the Abomination.
Religion that causes th This is a quite fast paced thriller aimed at a teenage audience. Religion that causes this outcome and their attitudes makes me so angry. Really glad I read this though, be interested to see what else the author has done. Apr 30, Taran rated it really liked it.
One of my all time favourite books from my childhood. Still good now, and as exciting as I remember! Martha is a sweet but troubled girl, plagued by her own parents in a horrendous crime. Which makes her sad. She is also bullied and victimised and the abomination is a very closely guarded secret. Scott is a friend, and her only friend. She wears raggedy old clothes but for Martha it's her normal, until she learnt it wasn't and families don't have secrets.
For Martha, leaving her family home is a One of my all time favourite books from my childhood. For Martha, leaving her family home is a dream.
Nov 28, Adrian Brereton rated it really liked it. A short, but engaging read. Moral dilemmas abound in this mysterious and moving storyline. How did you deal with the Raggedy Ann at your school? How do we deal with social pariahs today? Some soul searching required me thinks! Excellent book to get kids engaged in moral debate, and to discuss social differences. However, be on guard as religious prejudice may skew the opinions and conclusions drawn.
Mar 19, Liwsi rated it really liked it. This book is so dark but at the same time it made me want to read it more and I'm not the scary type, usually the scariest I'll go is Harry Potter and that's not scary at all!
It's written with two passages of text or diary entries from two people who eventually meet. I don't want to give it all away! Sep 05, Caroline Roberts rated it liked it. A quick YA read. A girl brought up by strictly religion parents keeps their secret of the 'abomination' in the cellar. Mercilessly bullied at school she is befriended by a new boy who helps her break free of the oppression she is living under and becomes her first love to boot. This was a quick enjoyable read.
I remember my girls reading it in school around Year 9 and it would be a good recommendation for that sort of age range. Dec 22, Faye Bradshaw rated it really liked it. Had I read this book myself, I would think it to be average However, I chose it as my class novel to teach to a high ability year 7 set and they adored it. They loved it. Jan 25, Dan Allbery rated it liked it. A good read for young adults that weaves together conservative religion, bullying, and a mysterious revelation at the end of the book.
I did find the ending weak and rushed. Swindells did such a great job building to the end and then abruptly finished as if he had a word count limit. Jun 25, Niamh rated it really liked it.
My grade 7 teacher read this to us and I remember she covered the cover with paper so we wouldn't see the picture that hinted what the book was about. I really enjoyed the book, I felt awful for the girl with all the things that happened. But it was a very good book. Dec 07, Georgia Johnson rated it it was amazing.
I remember reading this at school when I was around Loved every second of this book - the tension Swindles creates is amazing with regards to the mystery of what abomination is, where it comes from and why her parents are so secretive over it. Bravo Swindles, Bravo. Readers also enjoyed. Young Adult. About Robert Swindells. Robert Swindells. Robert Swindells was born in Bradford in , the eldest of five children.
He left the local Secondary Modern School at fifteen to work as a copy holder on the local newspaper. At seventeen he enlisted in the RAF and served for three years, two in Germany.
On being discharged he worked as a clerk, engineer and printer until when he entered college to train as a teacher having obtained five ' Robert Swindells was born in Bradford in , the eldest of five children.
On being discharged he worked as a clerk, engineer and printer until when he entered college to train as a teacher having obtained five 'O' levels at night-school. His first book ' When Darkness Comes ' was written as a college thesis and published by Hodder and Stoughton in In he gave up teaching to write full time. He likes travelling and visits many schools each year, talking and reading stories to children. He is the secutatry of his local Peace Movement group.
Brother in the Land is his first book for Oxford University Press. He is married with two grown-up daughters and lives in Bradford. Author description taken from Brother in the Land. Books by Robert Swindells. Related Articles. When it comes to writing, Jocelyn Johnson is about that life.
The Virginia native—born, bred, and wed—has had aspirations of being a Read more Trivia About Abomination. If you would like to provide a video review please sign up to our video panel. Robert Swindells is one of the most respected authors in the UK today. After serving in the RAF he taught for eight years before beginning to write full time. He first won the Children's Book Award in for Brother in the Land, going on to win three more times. He was awarded the Carnegie Medal in for the novel Stone Cold.
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