Sam North (1)

The Unnumbered follows the intertwining stories of several first- and second-generation immigrants to the UK. The story centres around the relationship between Mila, the 15-year-old daughter of Romanian gypsies, and Nio, a second-generation Greek. Their romance is threatened by Lucas Tooth, a sociopathic conman and serial rapist, who gradually draws every character in the book together.
This was a compelling story, and beautifully told. I really cared about all the characters, particularly Mila and Nio, and found it difficult to put the book down as I wanted to know how it would turn out. The only reason I gave this book 3.5 stars instead of four was that, on a personal level, I found some parts of the book quite disturbing to read. There are a couple of rape scenes: these were necessary to the story, so I didn't think they were gratuitous, but they were pretty graphic. If you have experienced rape or sexual assault before, then these scenes could be triggering so I would advise you to avoid this book.
Other than that, I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. It portrays a side of British life that is not often recognised, and gives faces and voices to those who are too often ignored.… (meer)