This is a cleverly written book in three parts. Gwain aka Wain is in a new school, his dad was lost in the Falklands war and his brother Lancelot aka Lance, is a bit of a thug, one of the senior boys in the school.
In the edition I read the text is in three different colours to reflect the three different stories being written here. The first that comes up is Black on White. It's a series of letters to a non-existent penpal about coming to terms with senior school, the second is red on white, where he talks as he would really like to to the penpal about the realities of his life and the reaction of the teacher to the first set. The last part is blue on white, his fantasy story that he's writing to get away from it all.
During the story it deals with life and loss and the struggle to fit in. Wry and well written it's a touching story. Although dated much of it is quite eternal.