No Way Back

Moving On Trilogy #1

by Linda Newbery

No Way Back by Linda Newbery is about Ellie's first term in Year 9, and the problems she encounters with fellow schoolmates. It is a gentle, even slight tale about dealing with friends who seem to grow up faster than you, misplaced loyalties and realising that the world isn't always a fair place. Newbery has written her story sensitively and with attention to detail, but Ellie isn't a character to immediately catch the imagination--doing well at school, but not brilliantly; always doing her homework on time and sometimes enjoying it; likes helping out at the local stables but can't afford a horse of her own; has a crush on her best friend's brother but ultimately shy with boys--as is a made clear, a bit of a goody-two-shoes who is keen to hold onto her childhood. However, she is likable and although her ordinary story (with accompanying ordinary cosy nuclear family and ordinary comprehensive-school lessons) does not offer exciting horizons and aspirations it does offer a sense of familiarity, with the minutiae of school life taking up most of the narrative. Newbery attempts to draw a comparison between the involuntary plight of Ellie's friend Amanda's older brother and Ellie's own reaction to a girl's self-imposed situation at school, making that comparison the crux, or perhaps lesson, of the novel. But the ending feels anticlimactic and the events of the past months fade into the past as quickly as they happened so that one is left wondering if life will carry on as ordinarily as it always has done for Ellie. --Olivia Dickinson

224 pages, Paperback

First published July 26, 2001

About the author

Linda Newbery's latest novel for adults is THE ONE TRUE THING. She has published widely for readers of all ages, and is a Costa Prize category winner with SET IN STONE, a young adult Victorian mystery. She has twice been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, with THE SHELL HOUSE and SISTERLAND.

With friends Adele Geras and Celia Rees, Linda hosts the literary blog WRITERS REVIEW, which features reviews, recommendations, interviews with authors and insights from booksellers.

Linda is an active campaigner on animal and environmental issues and has published a guide to compassionate living: THIS BOOK IS CRUELTY FREE - ANIMALS AND US.

She lives in rural Oxfordshire.

Reviews

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book, wasn't too gripping or anything, there was nothing to make me read on and on (and on, and on) I just did, because all the way through I was just thinking, this is Linda Newbery, she's like, an award-winning medallist, there's going to be some spectacular ending I haven't been expecting, but there wasn't any of that, which was a bit of a disappointment, but from any other author, I suppose it would have been what I'd be expecting. (Phew that was a long sentence!) I know this is the first part of a trilogy, and to be honest, there was nothing that stirred a burning desire within me to buy the second book the second it hit the shops (like for instance, the Circles Trilogy, the Inheritance Trilogy, His Dark Materials Trilogy, the Inkheart trilogy. For those, as soon as I reached the last page, I just wanted to start the second book within that millisecond, the endings were that intriguing and cliffhanger-y. For this book, there was nothing like that, for me.) But all in all, a good-ish read. :)

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellie and Amanda are best friends but in year 9 things start to change. Natalie arrives at their school and while she gets on with Amanda she makes it clear she doesn't like Ellie. Also she somehow manages to create trouble wherever she goes.

I quite enjoyed this book about the toils and tribulations of adolescence. It explores how people change and how you will quickly discover who your friends are as they stick by you no matter what gossip is going round.

A nice easy read with no massive plot thriller but that was fine by me.