Hard Cash

Publishers Weekly

In this first, slickly produced installment of a trilogy, a British teen, tired of being poor, gets seduced by a taste of money and glamour. When the head of an ad agency shows interest in his art, the protagonist (ironically named Rich) suddenly finds himself with expensive clothes, going to glitzy events and snogging his dream girl. However, he has precariously hitched his future to the hope of being signed to an account, risks failing out of school and leaves home after a huge fight with his dad. Readers won't be taken by surprise by the plot's trajectory, nor will they find Rich's sudden rise particularly believable (Nick, the agency boss, hands him wads of money, invites him to parties and even gives him a place to live). Many of the characters also seem unoriginal, from the snooty Portia, who's beautiful but shallow and forever on her "mobile," to Huw, the offbeat art teacher who warns Rich that he's wasting his talent. There are some great moments, such as a tender scene between Rich and his mom after he's moved out ("You know you can come home, don't you, Richard," she asks) and some funny spots, such as when Portia plays up the drama in their trysts ("She yanks away, and rushes off, like we're in a spy movie or something"). In the end, though, the novel is too formulaic, and may not excite much interest in the next episode, Shacked Up, due in April 2004. Ages 16-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

Rich, a college student in England, is a broke and struggling art student. He is also head over heals for a girl who will not give him the time of day. When Rich finally finds a job at a design firm, his luck begins to change. Rich finally has the money to buy nice clothes, a round of beers for his friends at the local pub, and date the girl of his dreams. The money and lifestyle changes cause conflict in his family and Rich has to find a resolution. Needless to say, Rich does not always make wise choices, but his new set of friends help guide him in the right direction. This novel is the first in an edgy new trilogy. What makes this book edgy? It is filled with teenage drinking, foul language, and a quest for sex. At the heart of the story, the main character is trying to grow up and make his way in a competitive world. The book's pace is quick and entertaining, and it is easy to forget that the story is about a teenager and not a college student. 2003 (orig. 2000), Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster, Ages 15 up.
— Louise Parsons

KLIATT

Persistently broke Rich quests for some cash by methods that are sometimes distasteful, and always amusing. Rich is an art student at sixth-form college (which corresponds to the last two years of American high school, and is optional, pre-university schooling). He never turns in assignments and rarely goes to class, and survives at school mostly because his art teacher thinks his talent is impressive. He has no money, and his father keeps pushing him to get a job. Moreover, he's in love with poseur Portia. When a styling bloke from an ad agency sees his work and gets excited about using it for a new account, Rich's world seems to be looking up. Nick the ad man gives Rich wads of cash to spend on clothes, art supplies, and Portia. But when everything comes crashing down around Rich's over-confident ears, he must dig himself out of the mess he's in. To do so, he must determine which of his friends are worth keeping. Well-written with an enjoyable voice, and a protagonist who's likable once he gets his head out of his rear end. KLIATT Codes: S-Recommended for senior high school students. 2000, Simon & Schuster, 328p., Ages 15 to 18.
— Deborah Kaplan

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-What 17-year-old Rich needs more than anything is cash: for art supplies, for new clothes, and to take the hottest girl on campus out on a date. Day in and day out, he obsesses over all things financial-from the cheap cut of meat his mom serves for dinner to bumming a few pounds off his best friend to pay for half a pint at the pub. When Rich finally gets his break from a swaggeringly successful ad executive, he learns that wealth comes with a price, namely selling (out) his macabre paintings for an Alcopop commercial. Cann captures Rich's money obsession with almost annoying clarity as the teen first struggles with poverty and later fights to keep a lid on spending once fortune finally does arrive. And although Cann's unique voice is full of Briticisms, her dead-on characterization and high-speed pacing add up to a cleverly realistic, nondidactic, and sarcastic first novel in a new series about money, materialism, and their effects on the teenage psyche.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.