One Night, by Margaret Wild

Three boys – Bram, Al and Gabe – are drawn together by their common lack of wholeness. Bram plans incredible parties which take place in various houses – wherever there is a parentless house for the weekend. The parties are wild and amazing, planned to precision. Bram even takes preparty photographs to make sure the house is returned to the state in which it was found.

One night, Helen comes to one of the parties. She is not the sort of girl Gabe likes – her face is deformed. But she sees through him and sees the void where his heart should be. She is drawn to him and they connect.

Helen’s life is changed irrevokably by that meeting, but Gabe’s continues on as before. Until one night the secret world he shares with his two friends tumbles down.

One Night is an incredible novel in verse by Margaret Wild. The free verse style lends a bare-bones feel – fluff and fill have been excluded, leaving the raw emotion of youth for the reader to access and experience.

This is Wild’s second verse novel. The first Jinx was shorlisted for a swag of awards. One Night is sure to meet similar acclaim.

One Night, by Margaret Wild
Allen & Unwin, 2003