Hideaway

by Ruth Thomas

Three children are kidnapped and driven across the country and dumped right in the middle of Dartmoor. Here in the wilderness they must learn to survive against a backdrop of desolate country and mounting personal conflict.

Genres: Young Adult

260 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Librarian note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

Ruth Thomas was an English author of children's fiction.

Reviews

[Vera Viselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,7 ⭐

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this book for 20p when I was around 10 years old in my local library. It is an all time favourite: a story about 3 children who are kidnapped and find themselves stranded and fending for themselves in a caravan miles away from home. Thomas effectively presents the great sense of adventure that comes with adolescence, as well as the darker side of solitude outside of the parental grip.

[Woff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The themes of Ruth Thomas's books were very appealing to me as a child. Abductions and abandonments and secrets. And always a realistic sort of portrayal of kids' priorities - ie proving yourself to a cool kid is just as important as saving someones life lol.

I liked how awful they all were to each other in Hideaway. Kids' books can be so preoccupied with "having a good message" and "presenting positive role models" that characters turn into pious little martyrs that save the day by giving the bad guy a hug. Characters who are conflicted about doing the right thing and confused about what the right thing even is, and who ultimately make a bunch of bad decisions are a lot more interesting to read about and teach you a more effective moral lesson anyway!

That said, some of Jack's actions were pretty messed up and his remorse seemed rather disproportionate! What an asshole!