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Да свалиш луната
"Една разкошна, подривна, трагична приказка... която ме кара да се смея, дори когато би трябвало да съм тъжен."
Мол Пийт
Запознай се с Плъхчето: танцуващо, играещо футбол, гангстерско, прерийно хлапе. Когато бащата на Плъхчето умира, тя решава да замине за Ню Йорк. Какво друго може да направи по-големият й брат Боб, освен да я последва?
Мол Пийт
Запознай се с Плъхчето: танцуващо, играещо футбол, гангстерско, прерийно хлапе. Когато бащата на Плъхчето умира, тя решава да замине за Ню Йорк. Какво друго може да направи по-големият й брат Боб, освен да я последва?
367 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
34 people are currently reading
1413 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Hughes
9 books35 followersGot off to a bad start as a teenager. Expelled from school. That said I've had an okay life. I've had hundreds of different jobs. Ive done a lot of traveling and met a lot of good people along the way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 218 reviews
June 12, 2011
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
I can’t deal with this. This was supposed to be my happy place book post- Feed and Deadline. But wow… what a beautiful book.
High Point.
The fact that no one that I know has read it so it’s MINE ALL MINE. The Rat = possibly the cutest kid in the entire world. I want her to be my best friend and we can talk in accents together and sing Frank Sinatra and drink Mocha even though I don’t like coffee. Bob= the second cutest kid in the entire world and the best big brother EVER. We are family. Childhood innocence. Road trip= Canada to New York on a bicycle. Sorry Deadline… the new Best Supporting Cast Academy Award now goes to these guys. It’s up to you NEW YORK. Snort-inducing funnies. Originality. Vigilante justice. Unexpected gut-wrenching sadness that really knocked the wind out of me. I know that doesn’t sound like a high point… but I love books that make me stay like :-O < that for about five hours after I put the book down.
Low Point.
I honestly can’t think of one. I don’t even remember where I found out this book existed but I am SO glad I did. I just wish it was longer and I wish that The Rat and Bob never had to grow up and find out the world is a terrible, terrible place to live.
Heroine/Hero.
This book is narrated by Bob, twelve (nearly thirteen!) year old boy who lives in Winnipeg. Even though he is the narrator and we see this adventure from his eyes… I need to start with The Rat who made my thoughts of this book go from ‘Wow, this book is really cute and original and Bob is a great character’ to ‘MOVE OVER BOB, THE RAT IS BACK’.
Marie Claire Wazhashnoons DeBillier is a soccer playing, rap-music loving, “beeping” (because her Dad doesn’t like swearing), drama queening ("The Rat always spoke French when she was angry, she thought it was more dramatic”), paedophile-hating, dark sunglass donning, mocha-drinking, black & white film loving, master of every accent (except Jamaican) ten-year old with psychic tendencies and some of the funniest one-liners I have ever. She’s sweet, feisty, innocent, colourful but so wise beyond her years it’s ridiculous. Seriously, she has a better grasp on the way the world works than I do!
If it was possible to adopt a fictional child… I honestly would adopt The Rat and high five her all the time.
Bob, The Rat’s older brother and our narrator, is the perfect story teller of this magical tale. He has such a mature (if not slightly cynical) outlook on life and because of the things that happen to him and his sister, he is forced to grow up quickly so he can look after them both. Bob really comes into his element when he and The Rat are forced to travel from their home in Winnipeg to New York to find their drug dealing uncle. Hughes perfectly depicted the dichotomy of Bob’s struggle to deal with all the responsibility he is suddenly presented with and the contagious excitement that twelve year old boy who finds himself in New York with his little sister would feel.
When I first read that this book was told from the perspective of a twelve year old boy, I was a bit wary thinking that it was going to be really saccharine and clichéd. But, Bob is the coolest twelve year old kid ever, one of the most original and captivating narrators I’ve met and he has such an insightful perspective on things. By having Bob as a narrator, Hughes creates a magic out of the ordinary and scary things in life and I loved watching the adventure unfold through his eyes.
However, my favourite parts of Bob’s narration are his observations when it comes to his sister. He has such a dry sense of humour, but it is his off-hand comments about her and her eccentric and delightful ways that made this book for me. (“Don’t be shy!” she said like a seventies pimp. Then she turned into Little Lord Fauntleroy’s sister” / “I mean, there’s no doubt the Rat was a closet shoplifter and I’m sure she’ll be convicted of something someday.”
I learnt the hard way not to read this book in public… too many strange looks as I chortled to myself.
Supporting characters.
OK, I have no idea where to start. On their journey Bob and The Rat meet such an array of characters so colourful the brightest rainbow in existence would look at them in horror and shuffle off in embarrassment because it felt so inadequate in comparison.
I won’t go into them all because I want you to meet them and fall in love with them like I did but my favourites were Harold, The Rat’s boyfriend who has a dead-centre parting, always wears a shirt and tie and walks around on crutches. (He’s ten as well, by the way! Seriously, where are they getting all these cute kids from?!). Joey, the friendly neighbourhood drug dealer and Iceman, the rapper whose music the The Rat is obsessed with.
Theme Tune.
I have to agree with The Rat when she believes that everything sounds better in French.
Joe Dassin's Aux Champs Elysées (I couldn't find a better video!) is one of my favourite songs and I am happily going to allow it to be used for this book, because there is a verse which sums up what this book meant to me.
(Translation)
I trotted on the avenue my heart opened to the unknowns
I wanted to say hello to no matter whom
No matter whom, it could be you, I'd said anything to you
It was enough to speak to you, just to calm down.
To me anyway, this perfectly depicts the carefree attitude of The Rat, the way she sees the world and the relationship she shares with her brother… which after the of books I’ve read recently… I have to say is refreshingly normal!
Angst Scale.
9/10. The ending of this book made me feel how I imagine it would feel like to run through a glorious field of daffodils with lambs leaping next to me and butterflies dancing around my head only to have someone stick their foot out and trip me up.
That sounds negative but, honestly, it isn’t. It was a great ending, it’s just that it was unexpected and I didn’t want it to end like that. But I always say that I love books that affect me emotionally and this book really did.
Throughout the book there are a lot of issues hinted at (the ones that immediately spring to mind when you think of two children walking around the Bronx looking for a drug dealer) and when they come up, it’s really jarring, especially because they are so often juxtaposed with the hilarity of The Rat and Bob. This was such a beautiful book and I’m soo glad I found it.
Recommended for.
EVERYONE. People who have always wanted to go on a cross-country road trip on your bike, a freight train, in the back of a drug dealers car etc. People who love books that feel like there’s something magical within their pages. People who think their friends are awesome… because when you read this book you will realise that they are inferior to these guys. People who like to put on different accents just because they can. People who like to be awoken by their Dad singing Frank Sinatra at them. People who have always been a little crazy but don’t care. People who have always wondered what it would be like to hustle in Times Square.
You can also read the review for this book and others and a whole lot of other exciting stuff on my blog here.
I can’t deal with this. This was supposed to be my happy place book post- Feed and Deadline. But wow… what a beautiful book.
High Point.
The fact that no one that I know has read it so it’s MINE ALL MINE. The Rat = possibly the cutest kid in the entire world. I want her to be my best friend and we can talk in accents together and sing Frank Sinatra and drink Mocha even though I don’t like coffee. Bob= the second cutest kid in the entire world and the best big brother EVER. We are family. Childhood innocence. Road trip= Canada to New York on a bicycle. Sorry Deadline… the new Best Supporting Cast Academy Award now goes to these guys. It’s up to you NEW YORK. Snort-inducing funnies. Originality. Vigilante justice. Unexpected gut-wrenching sadness that really knocked the wind out of me. I know that doesn’t sound like a high point… but I love books that make me stay like :-O < that for about five hours after I put the book down.
Low Point.
I honestly can’t think of one. I don’t even remember where I found out this book existed but I am SO glad I did. I just wish it was longer and I wish that The Rat and Bob never had to grow up and find out the world is a terrible, terrible place to live.
Heroine/Hero.
This book is narrated by Bob, twelve (nearly thirteen!) year old boy who lives in Winnipeg. Even though he is the narrator and we see this adventure from his eyes… I need to start with The Rat who made my thoughts of this book go from ‘Wow, this book is really cute and original and Bob is a great character’ to ‘MOVE OVER BOB, THE RAT IS BACK’.
Marie Claire Wazhashnoons DeBillier is a soccer playing, rap-music loving, “beeping” (because her Dad doesn’t like swearing), drama queening ("The Rat always spoke French when she was angry, she thought it was more dramatic”), paedophile-hating, dark sunglass donning, mocha-drinking, black & white film loving, master of every accent (except Jamaican) ten-year old with psychic tendencies and some of the funniest one-liners I have ever. She’s sweet, feisty, innocent, colourful but so wise beyond her years it’s ridiculous. Seriously, she has a better grasp on the way the world works than I do!
If it was possible to adopt a fictional child… I honestly would adopt The Rat and high five her all the time.
Bob, The Rat’s older brother and our narrator, is the perfect story teller of this magical tale. He has such a mature (if not slightly cynical) outlook on life and because of the things that happen to him and his sister, he is forced to grow up quickly so he can look after them both. Bob really comes into his element when he and The Rat are forced to travel from their home in Winnipeg to New York to find their drug dealing uncle. Hughes perfectly depicted the dichotomy of Bob’s struggle to deal with all the responsibility he is suddenly presented with and the contagious excitement that twelve year old boy who finds himself in New York with his little sister would feel.
When I first read that this book was told from the perspective of a twelve year old boy, I was a bit wary thinking that it was going to be really saccharine and clichéd. But, Bob is the coolest twelve year old kid ever, one of the most original and captivating narrators I’ve met and he has such an insightful perspective on things. By having Bob as a narrator, Hughes creates a magic out of the ordinary and scary things in life and I loved watching the adventure unfold through his eyes.
However, my favourite parts of Bob’s narration are his observations when it comes to his sister. He has such a dry sense of humour, but it is his off-hand comments about her and her eccentric and delightful ways that made this book for me. (“Don’t be shy!” she said like a seventies pimp. Then she turned into Little Lord Fauntleroy’s sister” / “I mean, there’s no doubt the Rat was a closet shoplifter and I’m sure she’ll be convicted of something someday.”
I learnt the hard way not to read this book in public… too many strange looks as I chortled to myself.
Supporting characters.
OK, I have no idea where to start. On their journey Bob and The Rat meet such an array of characters so colourful the brightest rainbow in existence would look at them in horror and shuffle off in embarrassment because it felt so inadequate in comparison.
I won’t go into them all because I want you to meet them and fall in love with them like I did but my favourites were Harold, The Rat’s boyfriend who has a dead-centre parting, always wears a shirt and tie and walks around on crutches. (He’s ten as well, by the way! Seriously, where are they getting all these cute kids from?!). Joey, the friendly neighbourhood drug dealer and Iceman, the rapper whose music the The Rat is obsessed with.
Theme Tune.
I have to agree with The Rat when she believes that everything sounds better in French.
Joe Dassin's Aux Champs Elysées (I couldn't find a better video!) is one of my favourite songs and I am happily going to allow it to be used for this book, because there is a verse which sums up what this book meant to me.
(Translation)
I trotted on the avenue my heart opened to the unknowns
I wanted to say hello to no matter whom
No matter whom, it could be you, I'd said anything to you
It was enough to speak to you, just to calm down.
To me anyway, this perfectly depicts the carefree attitude of The Rat, the way she sees the world and the relationship she shares with her brother… which after the of books I’ve read recently… I have to say is refreshingly normal!
Angst Scale.
9/10. The ending of this book made me feel how I imagine it would feel like to run through a glorious field of daffodils with lambs leaping next to me and butterflies dancing around my head only to have someone stick their foot out and trip me up.
That sounds negative but, honestly, it isn’t. It was a great ending, it’s just that it was unexpected and I didn’t want it to end like that. But I always say that I love books that affect me emotionally and this book really did.
Throughout the book there are a lot of issues hinted at (the ones that immediately spring to mind when you think of two children walking around the Bronx looking for a drug dealer) and when they come up, it’s really jarring, especially because they are so often juxtaposed with the hilarity of The Rat and Bob. This was such a beautiful book and I’m soo glad I found it.
Recommended for.
EVERYONE. People who have always wanted to go on a cross-country road trip on your bike, a freight train, in the back of a drug dealers car etc. People who love books that feel like there’s something magical within their pages. People who think their friends are awesome… because when you read this book you will realise that they are inferior to these guys. People who like to put on different accents just because they can. People who like to be awoken by their Dad singing Frank Sinatra at them. People who have always been a little crazy but don’t care. People who have always wondered what it would be like to hustle in Times Square.
You can also read the review for this book and others and a whole lot of other exciting stuff on my blog here.
November 20, 2013
While I enjoyed this middle grade novel about a pair of orphans who go off in search of their long lost uncle, I did NOT enjoy it as a middle grade novel. There were entirely too many swear words, along with very adult themes that were dealt with in this book, that made it seem inappropriate for the recommended age level of 9 - 12. This is the second British children's book I have read where the expletive "goddamn" is thrown around by the kids. In this one they even go so far as to say it isn't swearing. Really? Since when?
If anything I would designate this book as YA, although I think it would make a perfectly lovely adult mystical realism novel.
If anything I would designate this book as YA, although I think it would make a perfectly lovely adult mystical realism novel.
January 6, 2017
Има нещо мистично, притегателно и омайващо в елегантната корица на „Да свалиш луната” от Грегъри Хюз (изд. "Студио Арт Лайн"). Една от онези книги, които просто изпъкват сред останалите в книжарницата и ви зоват да се потопите в тях. Най-хубавото обаче е, че нито предната, нито пък задната корица на книгата ви подготвят по какъвто и да било начин за историята, която не просто ще прочетете, но и ще съпреживеете. Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...
April 21, 2016
A finished copy was provided by the publisher for review.
Bob and his little sister Marie Clare live with their father in Winnipeg. When the unthinkable happens and their dad passes away, the two siblings go on a journey across several provinces to New York City to find their long-lost Uncle.
What a story! It starts off a bit slow, but I can understand that Hughes is setting up the environment that they're used to living. Once they're on the road, it becomes a huge difference from their sheltered life. The pacing is great once they hit New York. I loved the main characters. I was entrapped by the Rat's vivacious personality and charming demeanor. Never have I read about such a character with a larger than life personality. It was almost like she was in her own little world. And Bob who narrates the story is such a protective older brother. He's at that awkward stage where girls are becoming pretty and less cootie-inducing. I enjoyed their banter the most. The secondary characters they meet add to the fun. And I get how Rat had a second opinion about everyone. It was almost a mystery to me as to why she had so many premonitions.
Then the ending just broke my heart. You knew it would be serious and even though it ended on such a positive tone, I couldn't help but want a happier ending.
Bob and his little sister Marie Clare live with their father in Winnipeg. When the unthinkable happens and their dad passes away, the two siblings go on a journey across several provinces to New York City to find their long-lost Uncle.
What a story! It starts off a bit slow, but I can understand that Hughes is setting up the environment that they're used to living. Once they're on the road, it becomes a huge difference from their sheltered life. The pacing is great once they hit New York. I loved the main characters. I was entrapped by the Rat's vivacious personality and charming demeanor. Never have I read about such a character with a larger than life personality. It was almost like she was in her own little world. And Bob who narrates the story is such a protective older brother. He's at that awkward stage where girls are becoming pretty and less cootie-inducing. I enjoyed their banter the most. The secondary characters they meet add to the fun. And I get how Rat had a second opinion about everyone. It was almost a mystery to me as to why she had so many premonitions.
Then the ending just broke my heart. You knew it would be serious and even though it ended on such a positive tone, I couldn't help but want a happier ending.
December 17, 2013
I am really starting to wonder what I am looking for in a book anymore. Unhooking the Moon is getting rave reviews and I really just didn't care for it. I understand that it is a kid's book and I am an adult, but I try to read with 11 year old eyes so I can recommend books to the triplets across the street and I just can't imagine any of them liking this book. If I had to like someone in the book it would be the narrator - Bob - whose name was somehow jarring and unnatural. It seems I was supposed to adore Rat, but I really just did not like her at all. She was irritating and obnoxious (not in a ten year old way) and had too many convenient visions. Too many coincidences and lucky breaks altogether for two young children making their way from Canada to NYC on their own. Who was the guy with the cigarette? And if Rat's condition could not be diagnosed, how was it suddenly revealed that Bob knew she would eventually deteriorate? I really wanted to like this book but it was disappointing.
November 7, 2014
Acabo de terminar este libro y recién lo estoy digiriendo.
¿Qué decir? ¿Por dónde empezar? Tengo muchos sentimientos revoloteando dentro de mi pecho, y es que este libro me hizo experimentar un montón de sensaciones; felicidad, adrenalina, alegría, desilusión, tristeza, impotencia... ¡uf! tantas sensaciones juntas...
La historia es narrada por Bob, quien, junto a Marie Claire (la Rata), protagonizan el libro.
Bob y la Rata son dos hermanos que vivían felices y tranquilos junto con su padre en una pradera a las afueras de la ciudad de Winnipeg (Canadá). Un día, los hermanos encuentran a su padre muerto en el suelo de la cocina y es a partir de aquí en que sus vidas dan un giro de 180°. Bob y la Rata no quieren que la policía se de por enterada de su situación porque, de hacerlo, podrían llevaros a un orfanato, lugar al que la Rata se niega a ir. Es entonces cuando averiguan que tienen un tío adinerado (Jerome) que vive en Nueva York, y deciden ir solos en busca de quien sería su única salvación.
Con ayuda de sus amigos, Bob y la Rata emprenden su viaje hacia Estados Unidos. A lo largo del recorrido se encuentran con diversos personajes que actuarán como obstáculos y otros tantos que se dispondrán a ayudarlos en su búsqueda. Tal es el caso de sus nuevos extraños amigos, Joey -un contrabandista de droga-. Ice -un rapero reconocido, ídolo de la Rata- y Tommy -un ex abogado que está en la ruina-. Juntos, revolverán todo Nueva York para cumplir el objetivo de los hermanos y hallar de una vez por todas al Tío Jerome.
La Rata es una niña de 10 años, muy carismática, aventurera y divertida a la que le gusta jugar al fútbol. Le gusta mucho socializar con las personas, ayudar a los demás y hacer locuras. Nunca dice malas palabras porque su papá nunca se lo permitió, en vez de eso, reemplaza todo insulto por un ¡pip! (esto me hizo reír muchísimo durante todo el libro, jaja). Es adorable y bondadosa, pero odia a los pedófilos desde que uno asesinó a su mejor amiga Felicia. Su mayor sueño es ser una famosa actriz y bailarina de ballet.
Bob es un chico de 12 años cuya debilidad es su hermanita menor. Desde que murió su padre, intenta tomar el papel de hombre valiente, por lo que protege y cuida con su vida a la Rata. Más sabiendo que su hermana tiene una "enfermedad" (aunque los médicos nunca hayan sabido diagnosticar nada) que hace que le den, cada tanto, ataques similares a la epilepsia, y que la podría estar marchitando poco a poco...
Me gustó mucho este libro. Es fácil de leer y muy entretenido. Es una literatura infantil, o eso es lo que todos dicen en sus reseñas, pero la verdad es que yo rescato muchas cosas lindas que pueden gustar sin importar la edad o la maduración. Este libro me hizo soltar carcajadas y creo que hasta al ser más amargado podría hacerle sonreír. Además, tiene ciertas partes que pareciera como si las palabras te atravesaran el pecho y te tocaran el alma y el corazón.
Recomiendo leer esta historia a quien quiera acompañar a Bob y la Rata en su búsqueda, que no sólo los marcará por ser una excitante experiencia, sino que los unirá y les enseñará a mantenerse unidos a pesar de las circunstancias.
¿Estás dispuesto a acompañar a los hermanos en este viaje?
Frases que me gustaron del libro:
"Si todos miraran las estrellas con mayor frecuencia, comprenderían qué inmenso es el universo y qué pequeños somos en él, y entonces sus problemas no les parecerían tan grandes".
"No me importa para nada si estoy loca -dijo la Rata-. Porque soy feliz. Y es preferible ser feliz y loca que loca y desdichada".
"Aférrate a los sueños, pues si los sueños mueren, la vida es un ave de alas rotas que no puede volar":
"Así es la vida. Andamos dando vueltas como ratones ciegos en busca de aquello que queremos encontrar. De ratones a hombres tristes, de la poesía de nuestra infancia a las tinieblas de la maldita muerte, jamás dejamos de buscar. ¿Por qué no nos limitamos a existir?"
¿Qué decir? ¿Por dónde empezar? Tengo muchos sentimientos revoloteando dentro de mi pecho, y es que este libro me hizo experimentar un montón de sensaciones; felicidad, adrenalina, alegría, desilusión, tristeza, impotencia... ¡uf! tantas sensaciones juntas...
La historia es narrada por Bob, quien, junto a Marie Claire (la Rata), protagonizan el libro.
Bob y la Rata son dos hermanos que vivían felices y tranquilos junto con su padre en una pradera a las afueras de la ciudad de Winnipeg (Canadá). Un día, los hermanos encuentran a su padre muerto en el suelo de la cocina y es a partir de aquí en que sus vidas dan un giro de 180°. Bob y la Rata no quieren que la policía se de por enterada de su situación porque, de hacerlo, podrían llevaros a un orfanato, lugar al que la Rata se niega a ir. Es entonces cuando averiguan que tienen un tío adinerado (Jerome) que vive en Nueva York, y deciden ir solos en busca de quien sería su única salvación.
Con ayuda de sus amigos, Bob y la Rata emprenden su viaje hacia Estados Unidos. A lo largo del recorrido se encuentran con diversos personajes que actuarán como obstáculos y otros tantos que se dispondrán a ayudarlos en su búsqueda. Tal es el caso de sus nuevos extraños amigos, Joey -un contrabandista de droga-. Ice -un rapero reconocido, ídolo de la Rata- y Tommy -un ex abogado que está en la ruina-. Juntos, revolverán todo Nueva York para cumplir el objetivo de los hermanos y hallar de una vez por todas al Tío Jerome.
La Rata es una niña de 10 años, muy carismática, aventurera y divertida a la que le gusta jugar al fútbol. Le gusta mucho socializar con las personas, ayudar a los demás y hacer locuras. Nunca dice malas palabras porque su papá nunca se lo permitió, en vez de eso, reemplaza todo insulto por un ¡pip! (esto me hizo reír muchísimo durante todo el libro, jaja). Es adorable y bondadosa, pero odia a los pedófilos desde que uno asesinó a su mejor amiga Felicia. Su mayor sueño es ser una famosa actriz y bailarina de ballet.
Bob es un chico de 12 años cuya debilidad es su hermanita menor. Desde que murió su padre, intenta tomar el papel de hombre valiente, por lo que protege y cuida con su vida a la Rata. Más sabiendo que su hermana tiene una "enfermedad" (aunque los médicos nunca hayan sabido diagnosticar nada) que hace que le den, cada tanto, ataques similares a la epilepsia, y que la podría estar marchitando poco a poco...
Me gustó mucho este libro. Es fácil de leer y muy entretenido. Es una literatura infantil, o eso es lo que todos dicen en sus reseñas, pero la verdad es que yo rescato muchas cosas lindas que pueden gustar sin importar la edad o la maduración. Este libro me hizo soltar carcajadas y creo que hasta al ser más amargado podría hacerle sonreír. Además, tiene ciertas partes que pareciera como si las palabras te atravesaran el pecho y te tocaran el alma y el corazón.
Recomiendo leer esta historia a quien quiera acompañar a Bob y la Rata en su búsqueda, que no sólo los marcará por ser una excitante experiencia, sino que los unirá y les enseñará a mantenerse unidos a pesar de las circunstancias.
¿Estás dispuesto a acompañar a los hermanos en este viaje?
Frases que me gustaron del libro:
"Si todos miraran las estrellas con mayor frecuencia, comprenderían qué inmenso es el universo y qué pequeños somos en él, y entonces sus problemas no les parecerían tan grandes".
"No me importa para nada si estoy loca -dijo la Rata-. Porque soy feliz. Y es preferible ser feliz y loca que loca y desdichada".
"Aférrate a los sueños, pues si los sueños mueren, la vida es un ave de alas rotas que no puede volar":
"Así es la vida. Andamos dando vueltas como ratones ciegos en busca de aquello que queremos encontrar. De ratones a hombres tristes, de la poesía de nuestra infancia a las tinieblas de la maldita muerte, jamás dejamos de buscar. ¿Por qué no nos limitamos a existir?"
January 25, 2015
Bob is weak. The Rat crazy. She leads, he follows. What you get is a pretty irresponsible journey filled with adoration from Bob for the actions of his (what I saw as) very spoilt sister. We were supposed to love her; everybody loved her, but I couldn't. Because of that I could not anchor myself into the story at all.
Sorry Bob. Glad you love your sister though, that's really nice of you.
Sorry Bob. Glad you love your sister though, that's really nice of you.
September 24, 2013
Báječná knížka. Vtipná, dobrodružná, dojemná... A Krysa je prostě číslo.
July 9, 2014
This is so hard to review - I loved it, and then I wanted to kick something at the end. The main characters, a brother and sister in Canada, lose their father early in the tale, and are left alone in the world. In order to avoid being sent to a home they decide to travel to the US to find their drug dealer uncle. This one has bits of magical realism, and is often unbelievable, but you root for the characters so much that you're willing to suspend disbelief and keep going. A misfit cast of characters come together to help them along the way. Themes include: Canadian lit, First Nations, disability, magical realism and loss of parent. Juvenile lit, this would be best for older readers in that age range. There is some language (frequent use of "g-d"), and discussion of pedophiles (to be avoided, and often the term is used as a catchall for a bad guy).
September 6, 2025
"Да свалиш луната" е книга, която не прилича на никоя друга. В нея е събрана толкова широка палитра от емоции, за които не съм сигурна, че ще ми стигнат думите да ги опиша.
Плъхчето и Боб остават сам сами на Земята, когато един ден се прибират от училище и намират баща си мъртав на пода в кухнята. И да, макар Плъхчето да знаеше, че това предстои, и макар да беше предупредила Боб за надвисналото събитие, все пак той беше съкрушен...
И да, Плъхчето знае много неща. Плъхчето е доста мъдра за възрастта си. Също така е и смела, и умна (говори свободно един куп езици), и малко ината, и много забавна, и винаги, абсолютно винаги, готова за приключения.
А те тепърва предстоят!
"Да свалиш луната" е книга, която може да те разтопи. Може да те накара да се смееш с глас, късно вечер докато разгръщаш страниците жадно една след друга, за да "прочетеш само още една глава", но може и да те разплаче, когато видиш, че отвъд една забавна история за две деца се крие нещо много повече... Може обаче и да те научи - на това какво е приятелство, какво е обич и как все пак за някои хора си струва дори да свалиш луната...
Плъхчето и Боб остават сам сами на Земята, когато един ден се прибират от училище и намират баща си мъртав на пода в кухнята. И да, макар Плъхчето да знаеше, че това предстои, и макар да беше предупредила Боб за надвисналото събитие, все пак той беше съкрушен...
И да, Плъхчето знае много неща. Плъхчето е доста мъдра за възрастта си. Също така е и смела, и умна (говори свободно един куп езици), и малко ината, и много забавна, и винаги, абсолютно винаги, готова за приключения.
А те тепърва предстоят!
"Да свалиш луната" е книга, която може да те разтопи. Може да те накара да се смееш с глас, късно вечер докато разгръщаш страниците жадно една след друга, за да "прочетеш само още една глава", но може и да те разплаче, когато видиш, че отвъд една забавна история за две деца се крие нещо много повече... Може обаче и да те научи - на това какво е приятелство, какво е обич и как все пак за някои хора си струва дори да свалиш луната...
January 26, 2013
Star parts: OK where to start. Well for a start the book made me laugh out loud. And what were the bits that made me laugh the most, well probably the bits that should have had you crying such as the funeral scene. And the climax, which involves some pretty awful people, and is totally exciting, and still hysterically funny.
The characterisation is great, the Rat and Bob really come alive, their voices are authentic and they way Bob deals with his sister is, in my mind, really realistic.
The story also carries you away. You want the kids to succeed and you want everything to turn out alright for them, even though I knew that at every turn things could go so dreadfully wrong. Each time they pull through something completely ridiculous happens, yet the story is so well written that it doesn't matter what Hughes comes up with next.
Black clouds:: The thing is, that it's not a black cloud. There are no faults with the book, it's just that it didn't end the way I wanted it to end. In the end despite the far out situations these kids go through, the ending isn't Disney saccharine sweet, it's realistic. I'm not saying I like Disney endings, I just grew to love these characters all of them, the Rat, Bob, the con man, the rap star, the Italian. I just wanted them all to be alright and in real life, that doesn't always work out, does it?
Do I recommend it:: Well first of all, a little back story. I read this to see if it was suitable for a 5th grade class. The Rat is always going on about 'goddamn pedophiles', and the books deals with some pretty hardcore issues, so I sent the book along to the high school library as it seemed very YA to me. Now if you find it in the high school library read it, because it's brilliant. And if you don't have access to our library, just get hold of it and read it anyway.
December 28, 2010
Winner of the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2010, and I can see why.
Basically this book is about Bob and his sister Marie Claire. Marie Claire is an amazing character, she's very unique, has visions of the future, speaks loads of languages and knows everyone in their village in Canada and loves drinking a mocha coffee.
But after their Dad dies Marie Claire (or the Rat as she's known!) convinces Bob to travel to New York to find their only living relative there, their drug dealer uncle. The book is about their adventures in New York and the people that fall under the spell of the Rat, narrated by Bob, her brother.
It's a breath taking, heart warming book, and I loved it and yes I did cry like a baby at the end of it. Probably one of, if not the best book I read in 2010!
Basically this book is about Bob and his sister Marie Claire. Marie Claire is an amazing character, she's very unique, has visions of the future, speaks loads of languages and knows everyone in their village in Canada and loves drinking a mocha coffee.
But after their Dad dies Marie Claire (or the Rat as she's known!) convinces Bob to travel to New York to find their only living relative there, their drug dealer uncle. The book is about their adventures in New York and the people that fall under the spell of the Rat, narrated by Bob, her brother.
It's a breath taking, heart warming book, and I loved it and yes I did cry like a baby at the end of it. Probably one of, if not the best book I read in 2010!
August 18, 2015
Только вчера узнала о существовании жанра middle grade, и уже сегодня прочитала именно такую книжку. Книжка про брата и сестру, про провинциальную Канаду и кипучий Нью-Йорк, про поиски пропавших родственников и множество приятных и безумных людей, которые помогают детям в этих поисках. Авантюрно, современно и не без ругательного слова "педофилы" — вероятно, этим сейчас как раз интересуются двенадцатилетние.
Read
March 6, 2014Wow.. Que puedo decir? Este libro me hizo experimentar de todo... La rata (Uno de los personajes principales) definitivamente se ha convertido en uno de mis personajes preferidos de libros. Es tan.. única. Por un momento me sentí como ella, por otros simplemente quería ser como ella.
Es una historia muy conmovedora de la que jamas me arrepentiría de volver a releer una y mil veces.
Es una historia muy conmovedora de la que jamas me arrepentiría de volver a releer una y mil veces.
September 28, 2023
Необовʼязкове читання. Починалося непогано, а потім пішло якось казково і засолодко, ну то ж young adult(
June 8, 2011
Meet Bob and his sister, the Rat. They are prairie kids from Winnipeg, a land “so flat you can watch your dog run away for three days”. When their father dies (after one of the Rat’s curiously accurate premonitions), the Rat decides they should go to New York, to find their long-lost (drug dealer) uncle Jerome DeBillier. So the two set off on a road trip of sorts to New York. What follows is one of the quirkiest of traveler’s tales, with the two of them meeting conmen, hustlers, rap idols, etc.
Unhooking the Moon is one of those rare novels that just seem to come out of the blue (it is Gregory Hughes’ debut novel). The originality of this little novel comes from 2 distinct points. At first there’s the character of the Rat (Marie Claire). She’s a bit of everything, carefree, witty, wise, fearless…, and even her brother Bob hasn’t quite figured her out: a 10-year-old who loves to play soccer, who puts on different accents, who speaks French and Spanish fluently, who is into Native culture and myth, who literally beeps out her swearwords, who’s not afraid to shoplift, who has strange fits and premonitions, … the Rat could be quite gorgeous and mysterious at times, yet everyone seemed to fall under her spell as soon as they met her.
Second, the point of view and writing style is what makes this novel both different and endearing. I can understand people who say they found this book hard to get into. The style of the novel is fairly magical. In fact, I’d say the entire story reads like a fairy tale, a bit akin to a lot of Neil Gaiman’s award-winning writing. Gregory Hughes himself says: “I thought it would be a great thing to write a book that anyone could read. I never toned down the language, I wrote it on my voice, in just the way I speak. I was taught that you should never try to make the language flowery or show off to impress the reader and I talk kind of basic anyway, I don't use big words so the language I was using, an 11 or 12-year-old would not have to strain themselves to understand it.” The childlike wonder and the innocence in the language and behavior of the characters is definitely present in the novel. And when a grownup reader tries to look with their grownup eyes at the deceptively simple and basic language that Bob – still only a 12-year-old himself – uses and the type of roadside adventures the two end up in, you might feel a bit uncomfortable when you read this book.
However, if you let yourself discover the child within you and you let the words of the book absorb you completely, this is a gem of a novel. Despite this being a “children’s book”, there’s no embellishing of things. From the beginning you know this will not be your typical happy ending fairy tale. Of course, fairy tales in themselves might end well, but they also play on the most basic and primal fears of a society – something that I would argue Gregory Hughes is also doing in Unhooking the Moon. Though a lot of the scenes are incredibly fun, you’re always left to wonder what’s lurking in the shadows.
Unhooking the Moon won the 2010 Booktrust Teenage prize, a prize which has a bit of history of celebrating truly original and creative writing. Well, they’re truly original and creative books to me in any case, and definitely books with an appeal to more than their so-called target audience: Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, and my absolute favorite in their list of winners Patrick Ness’ The Knife of Never Letting Go… Unhooking the Moon is not so much a book that you have to read, but experience.
Meet Bob and The Rat. The Rat could be full of surprises sometimes.
Unhooking the Moon is one of those rare novels that just seem to come out of the blue (it is Gregory Hughes’ debut novel). The originality of this little novel comes from 2 distinct points. At first there’s the character of the Rat (Marie Claire). She’s a bit of everything, carefree, witty, wise, fearless…, and even her brother Bob hasn’t quite figured her out: a 10-year-old who loves to play soccer, who puts on different accents, who speaks French and Spanish fluently, who is into Native culture and myth, who literally beeps out her swearwords, who’s not afraid to shoplift, who has strange fits and premonitions, … the Rat could be quite gorgeous and mysterious at times, yet everyone seemed to fall under her spell as soon as they met her.
Second, the point of view and writing style is what makes this novel both different and endearing. I can understand people who say they found this book hard to get into. The style of the novel is fairly magical. In fact, I’d say the entire story reads like a fairy tale, a bit akin to a lot of Neil Gaiman’s award-winning writing. Gregory Hughes himself says: “I thought it would be a great thing to write a book that anyone could read. I never toned down the language, I wrote it on my voice, in just the way I speak. I was taught that you should never try to make the language flowery or show off to impress the reader and I talk kind of basic anyway, I don't use big words so the language I was using, an 11 or 12-year-old would not have to strain themselves to understand it.” The childlike wonder and the innocence in the language and behavior of the characters is definitely present in the novel. And when a grownup reader tries to look with their grownup eyes at the deceptively simple and basic language that Bob – still only a 12-year-old himself – uses and the type of roadside adventures the two end up in, you might feel a bit uncomfortable when you read this book.
However, if you let yourself discover the child within you and you let the words of the book absorb you completely, this is a gem of a novel. Despite this being a “children’s book”, there’s no embellishing of things. From the beginning you know this will not be your typical happy ending fairy tale. Of course, fairy tales in themselves might end well, but they also play on the most basic and primal fears of a society – something that I would argue Gregory Hughes is also doing in Unhooking the Moon. Though a lot of the scenes are incredibly fun, you’re always left to wonder what’s lurking in the shadows.
Unhooking the Moon won the 2010 Booktrust Teenage prize, a prize which has a bit of history of celebrating truly original and creative writing. Well, they’re truly original and creative books to me in any case, and definitely books with an appeal to more than their so-called target audience: Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, and my absolute favorite in their list of winners Patrick Ness’ The Knife of Never Letting Go… Unhooking the Moon is not so much a book that you have to read, but experience.
Meet Bob and The Rat. The Rat could be full of surprises sometimes.
January 10, 2011
I found this book impressive and much better than many books by established children's authors. I finished it in one reading. Hughes makes you care about the characters in a tale that compresses more harsh realities in its pages than any child should have to experience. After their father dies, the two kids aged ten and twelve, journey from Winnipeg to New York to find a long lost Uncle , their only know relative, despite the fact that they believe he is involved with drugs. The Canadian scenes set the backdrop of their early lives. Hughes uses home life, schoolfriends, teachers, Native Canadians, food and love to set the scene. Dad lives outside of conventional society and raises his kids alone after his wife dies in a car accident when the kids are very young. He gets drunk but always provides and makes wonderful meals. The heart of the book is rooted in a dark reality of street life among the poor and dispossessed of New York. But the kids get to meet shady characters who turn out to have heart, and also their favourite Rapper, the world famous 'Iceman' whose empathy with them comes from his own experience of life which is slowly being expunged by celebrity and riches. The protagonist, a girl child called 'Rat', aged ten is the bravest and feistiest character I have ever come across in children's fiction or fiction of any kind, and she is marked by psychic abilities, disturbed dreams, fits, which mark her out as not only unusual but a character of transcendant spirit. She meets evil head on. She says and does things that you would want people to say who are rebellious and strong. She defies convention and stands up to wickedness. Anger at injustice and cruelty enables her to shut down fear. This is the true voice of the child who has learned to fight back against personal injury against herself and All children, by shutting down caution, hence her fight against paedophilia which she knows about and is implacably devoted to fight against. She is at one and the same time innocent and without innocence. The voice that Hughes' uses is authentic and flows well and is reminiscent of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn, also written from the perspective of a boy telling a story in the first person. The love the boy has for his remarkable courageous and feisty sister (the Rat) seeps through every page. Bob and Rat respond to others and circumstances in a way that thrills. Their story is edgy and dark from the outset but lightened by good characters-some teachers, or characters who are often from the margins of society. Difficult to say what audience Hughes is writing for-he just wrote it knowing that kids understand 'reality' more than a lot of adults would like to admit. The story could have been cut in parts without losing anything-but it is a great book.
Want to read
March 22, 2024I read this when I was 13… I can’t believe I finally found this book again ten years later!!!
April 16, 2014
1. I decided to read this book because the book cover appealed to me and I thought the blurb was quite interesting.
2.A character that I found interesting was Marie Claire nicknamed the Rat. I thought it was funny she was called the Rat because she had ears that were pointy and mousy blond hair but all of that added to her character. I thought she was interesting and enjoyed her character because she was a very lively, confident and sociable.She was also the type of character that thinks about things that we usually would not really notice or bother ourselves about.
3.My favourite quote from the book was, "If people looked at the stars more often, they'd see how big the universe is and how small we are in it and then their troubles wouldn't seem so large.." I thought this quote was very true and it made me think about how we are so absorbed in our everyday life and when faced with some small problems we usually make a big deal out of it. Maybe not everyone, but I certainly do. After thinking about the quote, it made me realise that we should not really fuss over minor problems and all we have to do is to just take a moment to think about it and take one step at a time to solve the problem. Relating back to the quote, if we looked around us and saw how big this world is, we will see that our problems are a small part of it.
4.Something new I learnt or thought about more deeply was the relationship between a family especially between siblings. In this book, Marie Claire and her brother, Bob travel all the way to New York from Winnipeg,Canada to find their Uncle Jerome after their father died. It made me think about how the Rat and her brother,Bob worked together to find their uncle and looked out for each other a lot. I also asked myself, whether I would do that for my siblings and showed me that we should really be kind and treat our families and siblings properly because if we have any problems, our family are the ones that we turn to because we trust them and they would do anything to help us.
2.A character that I found interesting was Marie Claire nicknamed the Rat. I thought it was funny she was called the Rat because she had ears that were pointy and mousy blond hair but all of that added to her character. I thought she was interesting and enjoyed her character because she was a very lively, confident and sociable.She was also the type of character that thinks about things that we usually would not really notice or bother ourselves about.
3.My favourite quote from the book was, "If people looked at the stars more often, they'd see how big the universe is and how small we are in it and then their troubles wouldn't seem so large.." I thought this quote was very true and it made me think about how we are so absorbed in our everyday life and when faced with some small problems we usually make a big deal out of it. Maybe not everyone, but I certainly do. After thinking about the quote, it made me realise that we should not really fuss over minor problems and all we have to do is to just take a moment to think about it and take one step at a time to solve the problem. Relating back to the quote, if we looked around us and saw how big this world is, we will see that our problems are a small part of it.
4.Something new I learnt or thought about more deeply was the relationship between a family especially between siblings. In this book, Marie Claire and her brother, Bob travel all the way to New York from Winnipeg,Canada to find their Uncle Jerome after their father died. It made me think about how the Rat and her brother,Bob worked together to find their uncle and looked out for each other a lot. I also asked myself, whether I would do that for my siblings and showed me that we should really be kind and treat our families and siblings properly because if we have any problems, our family are the ones that we turn to because we trust them and they would do anything to help us.
May 9, 2014
Gregory Hughes has written an extraordinary and heart warming story that captured all of my emotions. In many parts of the story I laughed out loud, and other times I would find myself tearing up. The book took myself and the characters on a journey unlike any other, as we discovered another part of the world while venturing off on our own.
The characters in this book are very unique with original personalities. Ten year old Marie Claire, or is also known as “The Rat” to her older brother Bob, is a brave, fearless and a soccer-loving young girl, who suffers from health problems. Marie Claire’s older brother Bob who is thirteen is the protector of The Rat and is always there for her. Together they live in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba in a house on the prairies of the city. “The land that is so flat you can watch your dog run away for three days”.
When Bob was young his mother was killed in a car crash, he is now thirteen with a ten year old sister and now their dad has passed away from a heart attack. Bob and Marie Claire are left orphaned with no family left except for their Uncle Jerome Dibiller that they have never met, who is said to be a drug dealer that lives in New York City. They decide to adventure off in search of their uncle and on the way meeting friends who assist them on their mission but also running into many dangers along the way.
I would recommend this book to ages thirteen and up because of some coarse language that is found throughout the book and also some violent scenes in the story. Although, the book can also teach some valuable lessons to kids. The book shares an amazing story that can teach people what family and friendship truly is and that even though sometimes things get in the way, they will always be there for you.
The characters in this book are very unique with original personalities. Ten year old Marie Claire, or is also known as “The Rat” to her older brother Bob, is a brave, fearless and a soccer-loving young girl, who suffers from health problems. Marie Claire’s older brother Bob who is thirteen is the protector of The Rat and is always there for her. Together they live in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba in a house on the prairies of the city. “The land that is so flat you can watch your dog run away for three days”.
When Bob was young his mother was killed in a car crash, he is now thirteen with a ten year old sister and now their dad has passed away from a heart attack. Bob and Marie Claire are left orphaned with no family left except for their Uncle Jerome Dibiller that they have never met, who is said to be a drug dealer that lives in New York City. They decide to adventure off in search of their uncle and on the way meeting friends who assist them on their mission but also running into many dangers along the way.
I would recommend this book to ages thirteen and up because of some coarse language that is found throughout the book and also some violent scenes in the story. Although, the book can also teach some valuable lessons to kids. The book shares an amazing story that can teach people what family and friendship truly is and that even though sometimes things get in the way, they will always be there for you.
March 7, 2012
Sometimes life hands you a gentle lesson. My wise and courageous preteen daughter guided me to 'Unhooking the Moon' two weeks into her first year at High School. I didn't realise at the time that she was giving me a little bit of herself. The Rat - the heroine of Unhooking - is a wise and courageous preteen too and I can see why my 'rat' connected so well.
Rat and her brother Bob travel to New York from Canada after the sudden death of their sad sole father in a quest to find his drug dealing brother, Jerome - their only living relative. While the premise is simple, country orphans look for long lost uncle in the concrete jungle, Hughes's realisation of Bob, the narrator drags the reader over every bump and around every twist and turn. New York provides the assortment of rap stars, hustlers and spivs that help and hinder Bob and Rat on their journey and the culmination of the story has surprises and reveals to rival the best page turners. I won't say more or I would be giving too much away....
What could be just a rollicking ride and a tale of high adventure is rendered true and real by Hughes's sophisticated and sensitive portrayal of Rat and Bob. You're hooked on Rat by page two and walking in Bob's shoes by page ten. Hughes reminds us oldies that children can be, and often are, bold and witty and insightful and brave and able to overcome great adversity when they need to.
I hope that Gregory Hughes writes again, and soon. In the meantime I can only thank him for opening another window to my daughter on the eve of her teenage years and for awakening the bold, brave and happy child within her father.
Rat and her brother Bob travel to New York from Canada after the sudden death of their sad sole father in a quest to find his drug dealing brother, Jerome - their only living relative. While the premise is simple, country orphans look for long lost uncle in the concrete jungle, Hughes's realisation of Bob, the narrator drags the reader over every bump and around every twist and turn. New York provides the assortment of rap stars, hustlers and spivs that help and hinder Bob and Rat on their journey and the culmination of the story has surprises and reveals to rival the best page turners. I won't say more or I would be giving too much away....
What could be just a rollicking ride and a tale of high adventure is rendered true and real by Hughes's sophisticated and sensitive portrayal of Rat and Bob. You're hooked on Rat by page two and walking in Bob's shoes by page ten. Hughes reminds us oldies that children can be, and often are, bold and witty and insightful and brave and able to overcome great adversity when they need to.
I hope that Gregory Hughes writes again, and soon. In the meantime I can only thank him for opening another window to my daughter on the eve of her teenage years and for awakening the bold, brave and happy child within her father.
March 13, 2011
The Rat has to be one of the best fictional characters I've read about in a long while. She reminds me of a modern-day Anne Shirley -- garrulous, bluntly honest, good-hearted, and with a very individual outlook on life. I loved the beeping and her obsession with bringing down paedophiles, haha. And of course I'm a huge fan of what I call Incidental Magic, which is when there are supernatural elements in an otherwise ordinary, set-in-real-life story (think: The Time-Traveler's Wife).
I thought the story became very weak in the last quarter, though, and the ending was unsatisfying. Also, I don't know what this guy's editor was paid to do but I wanted to write SPAG! in the margin several times. I get that he wanted it to sound as if a 12-year-old actually wrote this book, but the random switching between tenses drove me crazy. And I'm a stickler for things like punctuation and little mistakes like missing a word out.
But! I'll leave you with an excerpt from page 13 which I actually lol'd at:
The Rat put her hands on her hips, looked up into that big ugly face, and said, "If you go near my father again, I'll go to the cops and tell them you put your hand up my dress."
I near fell off the goddamn bike!
"That's not true!" said Pluto taking a step back.
"So what!" said the Rat taking a step forward. "Who are the cops going to believe? Me or an ex-con like you?"
I thought the story became very weak in the last quarter, though, and the ending was unsatisfying. Also, I don't know what this guy's editor was paid to do but I wanted to write SPAG! in the margin several times. I get that he wanted it to sound as if a 12-year-old actually wrote this book, but the random switching between tenses drove me crazy. And I'm a stickler for things like punctuation and little mistakes like missing a word out.
But! I'll leave you with an excerpt from page 13 which I actually lol'd at:
The Rat put her hands on her hips, looked up into that big ugly face, and said, "If you go near my father again, I'll go to the cops and tell them you put your hand up my dress."
I near fell off the goddamn bike!
"That's not true!" said Pluto taking a step back.
"So what!" said the Rat taking a step forward. "Who are the cops going to believe? Me or an ex-con like you?"
March 11, 2011
'Unhooking The Moon' won the Booktrust Teenage Prize last year and in my view, this was a very worthy winner.
Gregory Hughes has written an extraordinary story of a brother and sister from Winnipeg, USA. Bob and his younger sister Marie-Claire - AKA The Rat are orphans. Their mother died many years ago and they have spent the last few years being cared for by their Father. When their Father dies quite suddenly, the two of them are determined that they will not be put in a home so they set off to New York to find their Uncle. They know little about this uncle, other than that they think he is a drug dealer.
There follows an epic adventure across Winnipeg, stowing away on trains and exploring New York on their BMX bikes. Along the way they meet some really colourful characters including Tommy the Hustler and Iceman - a celebrity rapper.
Although the story is fast paced, full of adventure and never boring, it is the characters that really make this book such a winner for me. Nobody will fail to fall in love with The Rat - she is precocious, funny, cheeky, fearless and totally captivating. At times the story is incredibly sad, both The Rat and Bob are having a tough time of life, but other parts made me smile widely.
A wonderfully original debut novel - aimed at teenagers, but will be enjoyed by adults just as much.
Gregory Hughes has written an extraordinary story of a brother and sister from Winnipeg, USA. Bob and his younger sister Marie-Claire - AKA The Rat are orphans. Their mother died many years ago and they have spent the last few years being cared for by their Father. When their Father dies quite suddenly, the two of them are determined that they will not be put in a home so they set off to New York to find their Uncle. They know little about this uncle, other than that they think he is a drug dealer.
There follows an epic adventure across Winnipeg, stowing away on trains and exploring New York on their BMX bikes. Along the way they meet some really colourful characters including Tommy the Hustler and Iceman - a celebrity rapper.
Although the story is fast paced, full of adventure and never boring, it is the characters that really make this book such a winner for me. Nobody will fail to fall in love with The Rat - she is precocious, funny, cheeky, fearless and totally captivating. At times the story is incredibly sad, both The Rat and Bob are having a tough time of life, but other parts made me smile widely.
A wonderfully original debut novel - aimed at teenagers, but will be enjoyed by adults just as much.
July 23, 2012
It took me ages to get into this story, it wasn’t until Bob and his little sister, The Rat, were on their journey to New York that I started to care.
Unhooking the Moon is all about The Rat, Bob might be the narrator but everything that happens is because of Marie Claire (aka The Rat). She is one of the most complex, confusing and wise characters I have ever read and she is a real pain. Maybe if Gregory Hughes has made The Rat more plain this story would have been easier to enjoy but if he had then it wouldn’t have turned into the amazing book it was at the end.
The fact that the ending made me love this book might seem odd but all the things that irritated me about Marie Claire make what happens to Bob and her that much more powerful.
The New York that Bob and sister experience is vibrant and surreal, the friends they make and the adventures they have captivate the reader and as I became more used to Marie Claire I could appreciate what a truly amazing book Gregory Hughes has written.
Unhooking the Moon is all about The Rat, Bob might be the narrator but everything that happens is because of Marie Claire (aka The Rat). She is one of the most complex, confusing and wise characters I have ever read and she is a real pain. Maybe if Gregory Hughes has made The Rat more plain this story would have been easier to enjoy but if he had then it wouldn’t have turned into the amazing book it was at the end.
The fact that the ending made me love this book might seem odd but all the things that irritated me about Marie Claire make what happens to Bob and her that much more powerful.
The New York that Bob and sister experience is vibrant and surreal, the friends they make and the adventures they have captivate the reader and as I became more used to Marie Claire I could appreciate what a truly amazing book Gregory Hughes has written.
April 23, 2011
Central character Rat is a fascinating 10 year old. The author has created a typical youngster playful, naughty, but also very feisty. In some respects she seems the one with the most sense the best judge of character leaving her elder brother Bob behind in so many ways.
This novel is written from Bob's point of view, he admires his sister worries about her, not only her recklessness but also her health particularly her state of mind.
He follows her through a series of adventures that would make your proverbial hair curl, particularily if you are a parent. You find yourself cringing and silently thinking you can't do that, you can't go there and you're mad to trust " him".
As the novel unfolds many attributes of both children are revealed, love, loyalty, bravery and at times, sadness.
I would recommend this novel it's worth reading, but an ending you wouldn't expect that leaves you wishing the story would continue
This novel is written from Bob's point of view, he admires his sister worries about her, not only her recklessness but also her health particularly her state of mind.
He follows her through a series of adventures that would make your proverbial hair curl, particularily if you are a parent. You find yourself cringing and silently thinking you can't do that, you can't go there and you're mad to trust " him".
As the novel unfolds many attributes of both children are revealed, love, loyalty, bravery and at times, sadness.
I would recommend this novel it's worth reading, but an ending you wouldn't expect that leaves you wishing the story would continue
October 29, 2020
While this story mixes wild and crazy scenarios to make the book fast-moving and easily readable, my biggest issue is how terribly mis-categorized it is as juvenile fiction. I'm disturbed, but not overly shocked, that the author, publishers and ALA library catalog authorities mistook what I feel is a story unequivocally geared for an adult audience and designated it as for a juvenile audience. They fell for the trap that having a pre-teen protagonist narrator and younger sibling as the primary characters predetermines that the primary target audience must be the same.
The periods of realistic violence (even the "bleeped" stanza of rap lyrics in the first pages), along with the challenging-to-deal-with treatment of pedophilia, and need for the reader to be able to process subjects with sophisticated nuance all make this book something I could never imagine being appropriate for a juvenile audience.
The periods of realistic violence (even the "bleeped" stanza of rap lyrics in the first pages), along with the challenging-to-deal-with treatment of pedophilia, and need for the reader to be able to process subjects with sophisticated nuance all make this book something I could never imagine being appropriate for a juvenile audience.
Read
November 28, 2010Booktrust Teenage Prize
After their father dies, the hapless 12YO Bob and his psychic 10YO precocious-to-the-max sister Marie Claire, a.k.a The Rat, leave Winnipeg by hopping a freight--with their bikes--cross the border with the help of Joey the cigar smuggler and bike into NYC to find their uncle the drug dealer (yes and no) with the help of cigar Joey, a street hustler and their new best friend and famed rapper-of-the-moment, Ice. Far-fetched in spades (though no more than say, Hunger Games), but loved the oddball characters, the snappy dialog and oh, what a ride.
Mature themes: Middle school/YA
After their father dies, the hapless 12YO Bob and his psychic 10YO precocious-to-the-max sister Marie Claire, a.k.a The Rat, leave Winnipeg by hopping a freight--with their bikes--cross the border with the help of Joey the cigar smuggler and bike into NYC to find their uncle the drug dealer (yes and no) with the help of cigar Joey, a street hustler and their new best friend and famed rapper-of-the-moment, Ice. Far-fetched in spades (though no more than say, Hunger Games), but loved the oddball characters, the snappy dialog and oh, what a ride.
Mature themes: Middle school/YA
Read
August 7, 2011This is actually a childrens title but just as suitable for adults (as many books are). I am not sure their adventure could be described as 'funny' as the back cover describes but certainly poignant amd gripping (you really do want them to succeed in finding their father etc); there are little comic moments but they are actually quite touching too
August 15, 2011
i thought this book was AMAZING!!! and i didn't expect the ending. but it is truly magical the way it's written. Gregory Hughes brings the charaters to life, especially the Rat. at the beginning i didn't know how they were going to just get to NYC but it just flowed right the way through. Plus I made my mum read it to. she loved it like i did.
December 7, 2013
Páni... plakala jsem. Přečtěte si to. Fakt jo!
„Pamatuješ na tu starou francouzskou písničku, co nám vždycky zpíval táta? Pořád dokola zpíval ten verš o tom, jak z nebe sundává měsíc. A ty jsi mu říkala, že si to špatně přeložil. On ti na to namítl, že to nevadí. Udělal bych pro vás, děti, cokoli. I ten měsíc bych vám sundal z nebe.
„Pamatuješ na tu starou francouzskou písničku, co nám vždycky zpíval táta? Pořád dokola zpíval ten verš o tom, jak z nebe sundává měsíc. A ty jsi mu říkala, že si to špatně přeložil. On ti na to namítl, že to nevadí. Udělal bych pro vás, děti, cokoli. I ten měsíc bych vám sundal z nebe.
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