Junk, known as Smack in the U.S., is a realistic novel for young adults by the British author Melvin Burgess, published in 1996 by Andersen in the U.K. Set on the streets of Bristol, England, it features two runaway teens who join a group of squatters, where they fall into heroin addiction and embrace anarchism. Both critically and commercially it is the best received of Burgess' novels. Yet it was unusually controversial at first, criticized negatively for its "how-to" aspect, or its dark realism, or its moral relativism.

Burgess won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's outstanding children's book by a British author. For the 70th anniversary of the Medal in 2007 Junk was named one of the top ten winning works, selected by a panel to compose the ballot for a public election of the all-time favourite. Junk also won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, a similar award that authors may not win twice. It is the latest of six books to win both awards.

From Wikipedia

Very good, this book gave a good insight into the way drug-addicts think or act - quite sad, but I think very realistic too.

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I've known of this book for a long time, probably since it came out, and had a view of what it would be like so it was interesting to actually read it and find out for myself.
What I really liked is the moral ambiguity, it wasn't just a simple 'drugs are bad' story, although this message definitely came through. The characters were not just one-dimensional, and had very human and relatable personality flaws.
Overall, the subject matter made it hard to say I enjoyed it, but it was definitely a story that drew me in and will stay with me long after reading.

On the bookshelf to the left of the gates.