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Why I Went Back
Nominated for the Carnegie Medal.
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award.
Aidan needs his bike to deliver all the mail his postman dad’s been hoarding since his mum was sectioned. But his bike’s just been stolen.
In the early morning, Aidan chases after the thieves, hellbent on getting it back. When he reaches the abandoned factory where they’ve stashed his bike, he has moments to grab it and escape. But he finds more than just stolen goods. There’s a mysterious prisoner chained to the floor.
This is the story of why Aidan goes back.
Recalling Alan Garner and Susan Cooper, Why I Went Back is a dark tale of magic, myth and undelivered mail.
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award.
Aidan needs his bike to deliver all the mail his postman dad’s been hoarding since his mum was sectioned. But his bike’s just been stolen.
In the early morning, Aidan chases after the thieves, hellbent on getting it back. When he reaches the abandoned factory where they’ve stashed his bike, he has moments to grab it and escape. But he finds more than just stolen goods. There’s a mysterious prisoner chained to the floor.
This is the story of why Aidan goes back.
Recalling Alan Garner and Susan Cooper, Why I Went Back is a dark tale of magic, myth and undelivered mail.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2016
2 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 11, 2016
(3.5)
When I was offered a chance to review this book, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. It sounded like a story that would be rich in magic and myth - just what I was looking for. Even though it wasn't quite what I was expecting, I loved the voice of the main character, as well as the writing and although it's not a new favorite, it is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.
Why I Went Back is centered around a fourteen year old boy called Aidan. A boy whose mother has been sectioned due to her battle with the voices inside of her head, a father that is lost within the labyrinth of his depression and a boy who has to wake up when the stars are still glinting above in order to supply mail to the inhabitants of his village that his father can't bring himself to deliver. When our feisty, lovable protagonist is about to start his early morning rounds of delivering mail, he spies two male figures stealing his bike - the bike he desperately needs in order to preserve his father's job - and he immediately sets off after them. However, when he arrives at the location where the thieves have hidden his bike, he stumbles upon something more sinister than he could have imagined. Within the confines of the warehouse lies a prisoner among dusty sheets, shackled and emaciated - Aidan wants nothing to do with the terrible things lurking in the shadows of the warehouse. However, he knows he has to do something - especially when the prisoner hints at being able to quiet the voices that live inside his mother's head. Aidan knows he needs to get away as far as possible from the sickening people inflicting this damage upon another but Aidan knows he has to help, he has to free the prisoner...and perhaps have a chance at freeing his mother too. This is Aidan's story of why he went back.
This is going to be one of those books that is incredibly hard to review, because although there were some aspects I loved there were quite a few things that stopped me from shrieking about my love for this book.
The one thing I really, really loved about this book was Aidan. I enjoyed the way the author portrayed him and the way the author introduced him. We're informed about his dismal home situation and we're informed about how hard he works at trying to prevent his father from losing the job that he's not actually doing, how difficult he's finding the hospitalisation of his mother, so from the very beginning of the book I found myself rooting for Aidan. I liked him from the first page. His direct way of speaking and the way he spoke to the reader, he's a likable character. He was misguided and struggling to find himself at times and because of that he made some bad decisions and whenever that happened I would inwardly groan because I just really wanted him to make the right choices in life. Aidan is a character can't help but root for. He also had excellent character development, he went from being a boy who was cynical, hopeless and afraid to a boy who was kinder and more hopeful and just better. Despite his awful situation that will have tears gathering in your eyes
Another character I loved was Daniel, a boy who attends Aidan's school, one who Aidan sometimes takes his hurt out on. Aidan manages to get Daniel involved in the mystery enshrouding the prisoner and over the course of the novel, the two boys strike up something like a friendship. Like I previously stated, I adore Daniel. He's such a kind-hearted, genuine, good person and despite the way Aidan treated him in the beginning of the novel, he still remained kind, he still treated Aidan with respect. I loved his character. I also liked how this book showed the wonderful, positive impact a kind heart can have on someone who is struggling in this journey called life.
Then there was Haxforth, the mysterious stranger chained in the warehouse. Haxforth was a character that I thought really needed more development. He didn't feel three dimensional and I didn't really form any kind of connection to him and I think it's important that the reader does form a bond with him. There's not much I can say about him as he was just there really and I never felt like I knew him. Perhaps that was to add to the magical atmosphere surrounding him but I just didn't form an emotional attachment to him. Which brings me to my next point:
I was quite disappointed with where this novel went in terms of Haxforth and magic. I enjoyed the first half and I was intrigued the majority of the way through but I felt the ending was quite disappointing and the plot of this book was anticlimactic in general. There weren't plot twists or a confrontation between the main character and the antagonists, there was just a lack of important things happening. I'm still confused about this, surely there would have been a dispute between Aidan and Christy? I was left scratching my head once I'd finished this book as I can't believe that Aidan never had a run in with the people involved with Haxforth's imprisonment? It just didn't seem realistic enough and I feel like there should have been a resolved conclusion even though there was nothing to conclude but it feels like there should have been...does that even make sense? There wasn't anything that made me feel shocked or an event that implanted a fierce desire to speed through the pages. The blurb promised magic and myth however it didn't deliver that. We're told where Haxforth is from (which became quite obvious at a certain point in the novel) and there's about two or three pages of something otherworldly in this book but that's it. I felt cheated in some sense as there wasn't an epic revelation or scenes of magic and myth and even the myth that was mentioned wasn't explained properly and I was quite flummoxed as to how this was meant to add anything to the story. The majority of contemporary setting with the few scenes of magic weren't connected seamlessly together which made the contents of the book seem to be two wrong-fitting puzzle pieces.
I did, however, like that this book was diverse in the sense that it featured mental illness and showed the turmoil that people with mental illness experience as well as the damaging effect it can have on the victim's family. I also loved the writing in this book. I adored the way the author wrote, as if Aidan was speaking to us, I loved the insightful quotes and I loved how smoothly the writing flowed.
Why I Went Back was a novel that I was expecting to be filled with magic and enchantment, however, it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Despite that, I loved the cast of characters who were authentic and complex, I loved the message of hope infused throughout this book, the message that no matter how tumultuous life can get, things can and will improve. The writing in this book was gorgeous. It was conversational, inviting and had a delectable quality to it. Why I Went Back has fragments of fantasy and reality collide to bring this original tale of hope and freedom.
When I was offered a chance to review this book, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. It sounded like a story that would be rich in magic and myth - just what I was looking for. Even though it wasn't quite what I was expecting, I loved the voice of the main character, as well as the writing and although it's not a new favorite, it is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.
Why I Went Back is centered around a fourteen year old boy called Aidan. A boy whose mother has been sectioned due to her battle with the voices inside of her head, a father that is lost within the labyrinth of his depression and a boy who has to wake up when the stars are still glinting above in order to supply mail to the inhabitants of his village that his father can't bring himself to deliver. When our feisty, lovable protagonist is about to start his early morning rounds of delivering mail, he spies two male figures stealing his bike - the bike he desperately needs in order to preserve his father's job - and he immediately sets off after them. However, when he arrives at the location where the thieves have hidden his bike, he stumbles upon something more sinister than he could have imagined. Within the confines of the warehouse lies a prisoner among dusty sheets, shackled and emaciated - Aidan wants nothing to do with the terrible things lurking in the shadows of the warehouse. However, he knows he has to do something - especially when the prisoner hints at being able to quiet the voices that live inside his mother's head. Aidan knows he needs to get away as far as possible from the sickening people inflicting this damage upon another but Aidan knows he has to help, he has to free the prisoner...and perhaps have a chance at freeing his mother too. This is Aidan's story of why he went back.
This is going to be one of those books that is incredibly hard to review, because although there were some aspects I loved there were quite a few things that stopped me from shrieking about my love for this book.
The one thing I really, really loved about this book was Aidan. I enjoyed the way the author portrayed him and the way the author introduced him. We're informed about his dismal home situation and we're informed about how hard he works at trying to prevent his father from losing the job that he's not actually doing, how difficult he's finding the hospitalisation of his mother, so from the very beginning of the book I found myself rooting for Aidan. I liked him from the first page. His direct way of speaking and the way he spoke to the reader, he's a likable character. He was misguided and struggling to find himself at times and because of that he made some bad decisions and whenever that happened I would inwardly groan because I just really wanted him to make the right choices in life. Aidan is a character can't help but root for. He also had excellent character development, he went from being a boy who was cynical, hopeless and afraid to a boy who was kinder and more hopeful and just better. Despite his awful situation that will have tears gathering in your eyes
Another character I loved was Daniel, a boy who attends Aidan's school, one who Aidan sometimes takes his hurt out on. Aidan manages to get Daniel involved in the mystery enshrouding the prisoner and over the course of the novel, the two boys strike up something like a friendship. Like I previously stated, I adore Daniel. He's such a kind-hearted, genuine, good person and despite the way Aidan treated him in the beginning of the novel, he still remained kind, he still treated Aidan with respect. I loved his character. I also liked how this book showed the wonderful, positive impact a kind heart can have on someone who is struggling in this journey called life.
Then there was Haxforth, the mysterious stranger chained in the warehouse. Haxforth was a character that I thought really needed more development. He didn't feel three dimensional and I didn't really form any kind of connection to him and I think it's important that the reader does form a bond with him. There's not much I can say about him as he was just there really and I never felt like I knew him. Perhaps that was to add to the magical atmosphere surrounding him but I just didn't form an emotional attachment to him. Which brings me to my next point:
I was quite disappointed with where this novel went in terms of Haxforth and magic. I enjoyed the first half and I was intrigued the majority of the way through but I felt the ending was quite disappointing and the plot of this book was anticlimactic in general. There weren't plot twists or a confrontation between the main character and the antagonists, there was just a lack of important things happening. I'm still confused about this, surely there would have been a dispute between Aidan and Christy? I was left scratching my head once I'd finished this book as I can't believe that Aidan never had a run in with the people involved with Haxforth's imprisonment? It just didn't seem realistic enough and I feel like there should have been a resolved conclusion even though there was nothing to conclude but it feels like there should have been...does that even make sense? There wasn't anything that made me feel shocked or an event that implanted a fierce desire to speed through the pages. The blurb promised magic and myth however it didn't deliver that. We're told where Haxforth is from (which became quite obvious at a certain point in the novel) and there's about two or three pages of something otherworldly in this book but that's it. I felt cheated in some sense as there wasn't an epic revelation or scenes of magic and myth and even the myth that was mentioned wasn't explained properly and I was quite flummoxed as to how this was meant to add anything to the story. The majority of contemporary setting with the few scenes of magic weren't connected seamlessly together which made the contents of the book seem to be two wrong-fitting puzzle pieces.
I did, however, like that this book was diverse in the sense that it featured mental illness and showed the turmoil that people with mental illness experience as well as the damaging effect it can have on the victim's family. I also loved the writing in this book. I adored the way the author wrote, as if Aidan was speaking to us, I loved the insightful quotes and I loved how smoothly the writing flowed.
Why I Went Back was a novel that I was expecting to be filled with magic and enchantment, however, it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Despite that, I loved the cast of characters who were authentic and complex, I loved the message of hope infused throughout this book, the message that no matter how tumultuous life can get, things can and will improve. The writing in this book was gorgeous. It was conversational, inviting and had a delectable quality to it. Why I Went Back has fragments of fantasy and reality collide to bring this original tale of hope and freedom.
October 10, 2018
This was a fun, interesting and wonderful read. It was full of such great characters, good plot lines and even had a theme of mental illness and magic in there too.
I really liked Aidan (the main character) right from the start. His life at home, his curiosity, his strength and his development through the book made him into a character who every reader could fall in love with. His hope of helping his mentally ill mother also made him the kind of person that everyone wants to root for.
Daniel is another fantastic character. He is so genuine, kind and caring and really helped make Aidan into a better person. They were a great pair together and their friendship was so lovely to read about and feel a part of.
I do think Haxworth should've been a bit more of a bigger character. I feel like he wasn't really present that much in the book and he was sort of just following the boys around in the scenes. That could just be one of his character traits but we only ever really learn about him in his final scene which was a shame.
But I did enjoy the whole mentally ill part of the plot and how it showed how it affects the lives of the family members as well as the one who is directly affected. Seeing the dad's reactions to his wife's illness was very powerful and it was nice to see that it was Aidan who helped him get better. The ending was lovely and really hopeful for the future.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked Aidan (the main character) right from the start. His life at home, his curiosity, his strength and his development through the book made him into a character who every reader could fall in love with. His hope of helping his mentally ill mother also made him the kind of person that everyone wants to root for.
Daniel is another fantastic character. He is so genuine, kind and caring and really helped make Aidan into a better person. They were a great pair together and their friendship was so lovely to read about and feel a part of.
I do think Haxworth should've been a bit more of a bigger character. I feel like he wasn't really present that much in the book and he was sort of just following the boys around in the scenes. That could just be one of his character traits but we only ever really learn about him in his final scene which was a shame.
But I did enjoy the whole mentally ill part of the plot and how it showed how it affects the lives of the family members as well as the one who is directly affected. Seeing the dad's reactions to his wife's illness was very powerful and it was nice to see that it was Aidan who helped him get better. The ending was lovely and really hopeful for the future.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2016
I received a digital copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Aidan's mum has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is languishing in a psychiatric hospital while his dad has given up the ghost as a postal worker and is letting undelivered mail pile up in their garden shed. When Aidan tries to recover his stolen bike in the middle of the night, he discovers a secret that threatens to overshadow even the terrible cloud hanging over his family.
Comparisons to David Almond’s Skellig will be obvious after reading this book, given the whole “troubled boy discovers ancient being in an abandoned warehouse” plotline, but there is plenty to enjoy about Why I Went Back on its own merits. For a start, while the plots might be similar in some ways, Clammer’s narrative is a lot edgier, featuring a young lad who isn’t afraid to get into a bit of trouble, provided it gets him where he needs to go. Aidan is an immediately likeable character, in that while he does indulge in some dodgy behaviour to achieve certain ends, he also has insight into why he’s doing what he’s doing and takes on the responsiblity to make changes in his own life.
The book swings a bit between totally mundane problems, such as Aidan coping with a mother in a psychiatric ward and a father who has checked out of his own life, and problems of a more mystical variety, such as what to do with the strange old man Aidan discovers being held prisoner in a warehouse by a group of local thugs. I found this to be quite a satisfying blend of story threads that kept the narrative moving and allowed Aidan’s story, and his friendship with Daniel, to be revealed in layers.
The ending neatly ties up the loose ends and provides a bit of hope for the future, using a juxtaposition of ancient magic and good old fashioned hard work. I’d recommend this one for readers of YA looking for an edgy, sometimes dark, sometimes funny story with a believable male protagonist and a touch of the old magic to shake things up.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Aidan's mum has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is languishing in a psychiatric hospital while his dad has given up the ghost as a postal worker and is letting undelivered mail pile up in their garden shed. When Aidan tries to recover his stolen bike in the middle of the night, he discovers a secret that threatens to overshadow even the terrible cloud hanging over his family.
Comparisons to David Almond’s Skellig will be obvious after reading this book, given the whole “troubled boy discovers ancient being in an abandoned warehouse” plotline, but there is plenty to enjoy about Why I Went Back on its own merits. For a start, while the plots might be similar in some ways, Clammer’s narrative is a lot edgier, featuring a young lad who isn’t afraid to get into a bit of trouble, provided it gets him where he needs to go. Aidan is an immediately likeable character, in that while he does indulge in some dodgy behaviour to achieve certain ends, he also has insight into why he’s doing what he’s doing and takes on the responsiblity to make changes in his own life.
The book swings a bit between totally mundane problems, such as Aidan coping with a mother in a psychiatric ward and a father who has checked out of his own life, and problems of a more mystical variety, such as what to do with the strange old man Aidan discovers being held prisoner in a warehouse by a group of local thugs. I found this to be quite a satisfying blend of story threads that kept the narrative moving and allowed Aidan’s story, and his friendship with Daniel, to be revealed in layers.
The ending neatly ties up the loose ends and provides a bit of hope for the future, using a juxtaposition of ancient magic and good old fashioned hard work. I’d recommend this one for readers of YA looking for an edgy, sometimes dark, sometimes funny story with a believable male protagonist and a touch of the old magic to shake things up.
February 4, 2017
It was okay . . .
I'm not sure about the ending, it all seemed quite pointless once I had finished it. The thing that earned this book three stars was its unique and interesting writing style as well as some parts of the story that had me gripped to its pages. The story, at moments, was either dull or gripping - and that never keeps me interested in a book. The ending confused me slightly, but barely seemed relevant once the moment had passed. I don't feel anything now that I have finished this book - only slightly deflated and disappointed - compared to the usual verbal-diarrhea and excitement I get after reading a good book.
As I said, it was only okay . . .
I'm not sure about the ending, it all seemed quite pointless once I had finished it. The thing that earned this book three stars was its unique and interesting writing style as well as some parts of the story that had me gripped to its pages. The story, at moments, was either dull or gripping - and that never keeps me interested in a book. The ending confused me slightly, but barely seemed relevant once the moment had passed. I don't feel anything now that I have finished this book - only slightly deflated and disappointed - compared to the usual verbal-diarrhea and excitement I get after reading a good book.
As I said, it was only okay . . .
October 28, 2017
This book teaches readers that sometimes it's hard to hold a family together, but it's so important to do. Fourteen-year-old Aidan has to get up at 4:30 a.m. to deliver the mail that his father is bringing home from the Post Office rather than delivering himself. He knows that if anyone finds out that his father is stealing the mail rather than doing his mailman job, he could be arrested and get jail time. Meanwhile, Aidan's mother is in a hospital to deal with her mental illness, which means it's up to Aidan to also do the shopping, cleaning, and caring for his dad who seems to be in a deep depression without her. Add an accidental run-in with a criminal who is holding an old man hostage, and Aidan's life quickly becomes more complicated than he can deal with. Luckily, he decided to trust someone else who helps him do what he can to manage all these moving pieces so he can get his life back.
This was a very "British" book, set in a small English town. It used British terms like "jumpers" for "sweaters", and talked of "chips" and "lorries". They drank a lot of tea. I enjoyed that British flavor after reading so many American books.
This was a very "British" book, set in a small English town. It used British terms like "jumpers" for "sweaters", and talked of "chips" and "lorries". They drank a lot of tea. I enjoyed that British flavor after reading so many American books.
February 17, 2017
(3.5) No Spoilers
The sentences were constructed rather lazily when the book started off. I thought it consisted of way too much conjunctions. There were no use of italics to signify the protagonist's thoughts either. About zero humour and jokes were used and the whole magic part wasn't even on my blurb.
Apart from that, the story itself was definitely well constructed. Some characters were kind of left out though. It was really interesting to read and even hard to put down at some points. Great uses of imagery and personification.
The sentences were constructed rather lazily when the book started off. I thought it consisted of way too much conjunctions. There were no use of italics to signify the protagonist's thoughts either. About zero humour and jokes were used and the whole magic part wasn't even on my blurb.
Apart from that, the story itself was definitely well constructed. Some characters were kind of left out though. It was really interesting to read and even hard to put down at some points. Great uses of imagery and personification.
June 7, 2016
Despite feeling a bit too YA for me throughout (It's a YA book; I have only myself to blame), Why I Went Back held my attention throughout and I found it really charming. Protagonist Aidan is key to the story - I don't think it's so unusual for a central character to be struggling, outcast and desperately worried about their home life, but Aidan is totally believable as both a bully and the sustainer of a decaying family home.
I love any book that nails the run-down corners of Britain and this one is particularly comfortable in that setting, the effect of the supernatural peeking into a realistic, grotty town works beautifully, at least for me.
Given that the book's average length, focus on present-day characters, and quick pace is key to its effectiveness, my only gripe will be a bit unfair, but still: Haxforth and whatever this weird stuff is that's going on never feels sufficiently fleshed out. There is some explanation of where he came from and hints at where he's been, but in a book about a magic entity changing people's lives, where everything feels totally grounded in reality, it does feel like the author has waved a hand at centuries-old magic and left it at that. I guess Haxforth is just tired af because he doesn't have anything really substantial to say for himself.
I come out of reading WIWB pretty satisfied about the emotional core of the story, but feeling like I know more about Royal Mail disciplinary procedures and the modes of transport preferred by 14-year-old boys than I do about millennia-old entities and ancient magic.
I love any book that nails the run-down corners of Britain and this one is particularly comfortable in that setting, the effect of the supernatural peeking into a realistic, grotty town works beautifully, at least for me.
Given that the book's average length, focus on present-day characters, and quick pace is key to its effectiveness, my only gripe will be a bit unfair, but still: Haxforth and whatever this weird stuff is that's going on never feels sufficiently fleshed out. There is some explanation of where he came from and hints at where he's been, but in a book about a magic entity changing people's lives, where everything feels totally grounded in reality, it does feel like the author has waved a hand at centuries-old magic and left it at that. I guess Haxforth is just tired af because he doesn't have anything really substantial to say for himself.
I come out of reading WIWB pretty satisfied about the emotional core of the story, but feeling like I know more about Royal Mail disciplinary procedures and the modes of transport preferred by 14-year-old boys than I do about millennia-old entities and ancient magic.
March 24, 2016
The main character of the story is a teenager called Aidan. Aidan is having a tough time in his life right now as his mother has been admitted into a psychiatric unit and his father has taken it bad by failing at his postman job by taking the post home . This all terrifies Aidan and he lives in fear on a daily basis that he will be put into care. When pushed to the limit one day when something happens to him he does not hesitate to go and try and sort the problem out but it manages to add to his problems . If you like a feel good story about friendship , family and hope then this is the story for you.
I received this book for review from the lovely people over at Lovereading4kids.
April 8, 2016
This book really crept up in me. The early chapters were a bit of a slow burner, but it really got under my skin and I had to read on. The great thing about it is the mixture of gritty realism, the fact that Aiden's family seems to be disintegrating, and the growing sense of the otherworldly and the culmination of an ancient story.
Haxforth is a great character and slow reveal of his story kept me hooked.
This really is a great YA book and a great debut.
Haxforth is a great character and slow reveal of his story kept me hooked.
This really is a great YA book and a great debut.
July 10, 2016
I was pleased to have won this book in a recent Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
This was an enjoyable book with a great storyline. One of my favourite books that I have read so far this year. I do recommend and do hope to read more books in the near future by this author.
This was an enjoyable book with a great storyline. One of my favourite books that I have read so far this year. I do recommend and do hope to read more books in the near future by this author.
August 25, 2018
A young adult novel from a very different perspective. Enjoyable.
June 7, 2016
3.5 stars.
Read
July 11, 2018Ummmm an unusual read. But an easy one...
July 15, 2018
Why I Went Back
written by James Clammer
published by Andersen Press 2016
288 pages in paperback
read on Kindle via NetGalley
a dark tale of magic, myth and undelivered mail . . .
Summary from Andersen Press website
Aidan needs his bike to deliver all the mail his postman dad’s been hoarding since his mum was sectioned. But his bike’s just been stolen.
In the early morning, Aidan chases after the thieves, hellbent on getting it back. When he reaches the abandoned factory where they’ve stashed his bike, he has moments to grab it and escape. But he finds more than just stolen goods. There’s a mysterious prisoner chained to the floor.
This is the story of why Aidan goes back.
James Clammer says:
A few years ago my daughter’s bike was stolen from outside our house. It was a small, pink, girl’s bike – my daughter was still very young. Who could have taken such a thing, I wondered? How much could they have got for it? Around the same time, the Staffordshire Hoard, recently discovered, went on display at the British Museum. We had also received a spate of junk mail addressed to the house’s previous owner. From those three elements — a stolen bike, a pile of junk mail, and some ancient artefacts — I made this novel.
***
Shortlisted for the Grampian Children’s Book Awards 2017.
Nominated for the Carnegie Medal
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award
***
Any book which a respected publisher says recalls Susan Cooper and Alan Garner has my attention – and when there’s a hint of humour in the strapline, I’m in.
At first glance, it’s a confessional crime thriller for teens and older readers – tense, fast-paced and with a not-entirely-likeable protagonist. I don’t do spoilers – but the way you get to know Aidan from many angles gives real depth. Written from his point of view, we wait eagerly for the ‘crazy, scary ancient magic’ he promises – while the world goes to pot around him.
This takes some time coming, but it’s worth it. All the more disturbing for being unexplained, it has elements of Dark Age mythology and some truly powerful images. And yet, there’s real heart in this tale. Not just the character-based humour and a friendship across class divides, but a strange punch-the-air-and-go-‘yes!’ resolution.
It could almost be the novelisation of a 70s teen folk horror serial if it were not for the contemporary voice. I’d love to see it as a TV show ( I do in my head). It’s not a conventional book. It’s probably hard for booksellers to shelve but if you fancy a darkly funny tale with a whiff of the Anglo-Saxon, give it a go.
NB I have found out nothing about the cover. Sorry.
written by James Clammer
published by Andersen Press 2016
288 pages in paperback
read on Kindle via NetGalley
a dark tale of magic, myth and undelivered mail . . .
Summary from Andersen Press website
Aidan needs his bike to deliver all the mail his postman dad’s been hoarding since his mum was sectioned. But his bike’s just been stolen.
In the early morning, Aidan chases after the thieves, hellbent on getting it back. When he reaches the abandoned factory where they’ve stashed his bike, he has moments to grab it and escape. But he finds more than just stolen goods. There’s a mysterious prisoner chained to the floor.
This is the story of why Aidan goes back.
James Clammer says:
A few years ago my daughter’s bike was stolen from outside our house. It was a small, pink, girl’s bike – my daughter was still very young. Who could have taken such a thing, I wondered? How much could they have got for it? Around the same time, the Staffordshire Hoard, recently discovered, went on display at the British Museum. We had also received a spate of junk mail addressed to the house’s previous owner. From those three elements — a stolen bike, a pile of junk mail, and some ancient artefacts — I made this novel.
***
Shortlisted for the Grampian Children’s Book Awards 2017.
Nominated for the Carnegie Medal
Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award
***
Any book which a respected publisher says recalls Susan Cooper and Alan Garner has my attention – and when there’s a hint of humour in the strapline, I’m in.
At first glance, it’s a confessional crime thriller for teens and older readers – tense, fast-paced and with a not-entirely-likeable protagonist. I don’t do spoilers – but the way you get to know Aidan from many angles gives real depth. Written from his point of view, we wait eagerly for the ‘crazy, scary ancient magic’ he promises – while the world goes to pot around him.
This takes some time coming, but it’s worth it. All the more disturbing for being unexplained, it has elements of Dark Age mythology and some truly powerful images. And yet, there’s real heart in this tale. Not just the character-based humour and a friendship across class divides, but a strange punch-the-air-and-go-‘yes!’ resolution.
It could almost be the novelisation of a 70s teen folk horror serial if it were not for the contemporary voice. I’d love to see it as a TV show ( I do in my head). It’s not a conventional book. It’s probably hard for booksellers to shelve but if you fancy a darkly funny tale with a whiff of the Anglo-Saxon, give it a go.
NB I have found out nothing about the cover. Sorry.
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