Top Girl

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This is a harrowing story of how failure by the school, the police and social services drives people further into the abusive dangerous lives they have become involved with. It shows how protection and safety seem more guaranteed with a gang than with the organisations that are supposed to help you. In the end Danielle is helped to leave but even then it only works because she has the intelligence to see that the agencies task to help her are only going to do a half arsed job and she must rely on the skills she has to get herself all the way there.

It is an incredibly moving , powerful testimony to a woman who has lived a life. She has lived, survived, and sets out her experiences without flinching, without pity, just putting it out there which accentuates how courageous she is, to this reader's mind. I finished this book in tears, and in awe, wanting to applaud this woman for her strength and the way that she continues to use her experiences to contribute to a justice system which is deeply flawed and not fit for purpose.' * Rachel Read It, blogger *Losing my son was the worst moment of my life, it completely changed the path I was hoping to take – to just be a mum,” says Marin. “I think that situation alone pushed me to be like, f**k the world. The only thing I can do now is make some money.” Not everyone has someone in their corner, and you listen to your teen daughters telling you about their deeply hurting school mates, their mental health issues, the struggles that they are having, we are clearly letting our kids down. And when we do, there are people lurking, waiting to take advantage of this. They aren't always the people you are warned about, the ones in cars who want you to see their puppies or offering you a ride home 'because your mother sent me'. Top Girl is a non-fiction, candid account of Danielle Marin, a grammar school girl turned county lines drug dealer. Danielle gives a powerful, raw, no holds barred account of life as a gang member and drug dealer. It isn't a glamorous story, in fact it's an ugly one, but it's also an important one, as it shows how bad choices, mixing with the wrong crowd can lead someone down a dark and dangerous path where violence is the everyday norm. A turning point comes when Danielle is arrested and - with the help of a probation officer - she begins to question whether she really is 'top girl' after all. But after five years deep in the high-earning street hustle, can she really leave it all behind?

Its raw and honest. It isn't a glamorous or a pretty story but I really liked 'D' and the honesty with which she told her story. I liked that she took responsibility for her own actions and didn't try to play the pity card and even though in a lot of ways she was a victim she didn't play the victim either. This is the true-life account of Danielle Marin, "a smart grammar school student turned county line drug dealer." Hard-hitting, addictive, and thought-provoking, I 100% agree with the publishers when they said: "This book should be on the National Curriculum." It definitely needs to be studied by the younger generation, as Danielle's brutal honesty leaves nothing to the imagination. Despite the dark side to this tale, there is also a lighter side, where Danielle spreads the message that no matter what mistakes are made, there is always a way out, and there can be sunshine after the rain. Heartbroken, Danielle spirals deeper into gang life and becomes a key player in a sprawling county lines operation, running drugs to satellite towns all over the UK from the gang’s London HQ. The Harrods shopping sprees, designer handbags and hedonistic lifestyle are the envy of her friends, but the good times and cash mask the grim realities of her life. Positive News is helping more people than ever to get a balanced and uplifting view of the world. While doom and gloom dominates other news outlets, our solutions journalism exists to support your wellbeing and empower you to make a difference towards a better future. And as Positive News’ audience and impact grows, we’re showing the rest of the media that good news matters.

Featured Reviews

I tried hard to empathizes with Danielle, but I just became frustrated with her manner towards anyone who was not in her immediate circle. She later enrolled at university and graduated with a 1st. She has since advocated within the criminal justice Thank you NetGalley and Ab Lib Publishers for a gifted copy of this book, in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own.** Danielle's searingly honest book is a horrifying insight into gang violence and county lines culture.' The Sun Top Girl is the tell-all, true story of a grammar school girl turned drug dealer. Danielle grew up in London with first generation immigrant parents, she was accepted into a grammar school,

This was a gritty and revealing tell all about a girl's insidious drift into gangs. Growing up on council estate, academically able Danielle leaves her peers behind and goes to grammar school, where she never quite fits. Attracted always to the naughty kids, aged 12 Danielle meets a cool older guy who is a drug dealer. Through him she meets others and gradually becomes embroiled into a normality involving drugs and ganglife. I think this would be a useful read for those working with young people, if nothing else but to remind that despite appearances and behaviours, children are children. If I was to raise a criticism it would be that at times found some of the language used, the dialect a bit jarring and I think often 'slang' talks struggles to be translated to the written word, but this was a minor point and at times this served to give voice to the author.Betrayed by the police, she finds protection under the wing of organised criminals and falls in love with the local ‘top boy’. However, her allegiances bring terror to her doorstep when gun-toting rivals target her flat – and the authorities answer by taking away her child. There are considerable trigger warnings for this book including severe violence, guns, weapons, prison, drugs, rapes, sexual assault, statutory rape and police misconduct but it is a searing, eye opening, hard hitting and vividly insightful story that I simply couldn’t put down. Her bravery in getting out of drug dealing, rebuilding her life and in telling her story needs to be applauded.