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Trash

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

Raphael is a dumpsite boy. He spends his days wading through mountains of steaming trash, sifting it, sorting it, breathing it, sleeping next to it.

Then one unlucky-lucky day, Raphael's world turns upside down. A small leather bag falls into his hands. It's a bag of clues. It's a bag of hope. It's a bag that will change everything.

Soon Raphael and his friends Gardo and Rat are running for their lives. Wanted by the police, it takes all their quick-thinking, fast-talking to stay ahead. As the net tightens, they uncover a dead man's mission to put right a terrible wrong.

And now it's three street-boys against the world...

© Andy Mulligan 2010 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

 Action & Adventure Depression & Mental Health Difficult Situations Family & Relationships Friendship Homelessness, Runaways & Poverty Literature & Fiction Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Self Esteem & Self Image Thrillers & Suspense Survival Fiction

Critic reviews

One of the most exciting and original novels of the year . . . It's a tight, thrilling story, told from various characters' perspectives and has a Slumdog, feel-good pulse beating through it. A genuine treasure find (Sally Morris)
One of my favourite novels of 2010, now in paperback with a new cover look. Reminiscent of Slumdog Millionaire, three dumpsite boys take on the world in this gripping and intensely moving story . . . Harrowing, exhilarating, humbling and quite brilliant (Fiona Noble)
Outstanding, hotly anticipated thriller . . . an exceptionally satisfying plot (Amanda Craig)
Great stuff: taut, plausible and thought-provoking (Toby Clements)
Trash is a thriller with moral weight and a complex structure . . . Without ever moralising, Mulligan raises issues of corruption, poverty, waste and excess in an exciting, but also grimly sad tale (Suzi Feay)
Wonderful - an exciting story with engaging characters told in a clever way with spare but lyrical prose . . . Trash comes highly recommended by me, and I don't have time to say any more about it because I'm off to read it again. And after that, I might read it again. And then again. You read it too
A superbly original tale (Natasha Harding)
This is a highly entertaining and very satisfying book which should be recommended to all. It needs to be read. (Marilyn Brocklehurst)
Harrowing, exhilarating, humbling and quite brilliant
Headlong and heart-stopping, this is an adventure you just can't put down (Julia Eccleshare)
All stars
Most relevant
I liked everything it is a great book and I really enjoyed it. And the narrators were amazing!

It was a great book and really fun to listen to

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Characters and setting authentic. I found it gripping. I am so glad I read this book.

Memorable, thought provoking story.

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Like the story that meaningful reason why taking 6m,helping poorty and the 3boys curious

Appendix

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The Audible version stays faithful to the original novel, but the voice actors used lacked any energy and enthusiasm in their delivery. Their performance was halting and I found it nearly impossible to keep any semblance of concentration on the interminably monotone reading. I can not recommend this audio book.

Performance lacks energy and fluency.

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The story was about 45 minutes, the rest was pointless gibberish.
And plaa plaa to get 15 word minimum.

trash

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