A short novel, just over 150 pages by a debut author. This is raw, shocking, intense, disturbing yet compelling, passionate and very very moving. At first the dialect is difficult, the novel is written just as Precious, the illiterate main character would speak, be warned that the language is very explicit, any reader easily shocked should know this before they start to read. However, the language is not used as a shock tactic, it is integral to the story and is true to life and just the way that people in Precious' situation would and do speak. The story of Precious short life so far is full of abuse, anger and the inhumanity of people around her, yet Precious is a beautifully crafted character. She is only 16, yet is expecting her second child - her own father is the father of both of her children. Precious has not just been abused by her father, but by her mother too. There were times when I found it so hard to keep reading this story, yet Precious kept on - she found the courage to take hold of her life and better herself, I found myself willing her along the way. There are some jaw-dropping, shocking moments - yet also hope. This is a brilliant story, told by a brilliant author, so much packed into such a short book. The movie based on Push is released in the UK at the end of January, titled; Precious ; based on the novel Push by Sapphire and has been nominated for 3 Golden Globe awards.