Time Bomb

by Nigel Hinton

Set in post-war London, in the summer of 1949, 11-year-old Andy and his three best friends make a thrilling an unexploded bomb from World War II left buried and forgotten in the bomb site where they ride their bikes. Their decision to keep the bomb a secret will change their lives forever. This explosive coming of age story follows the four friends as they confront the issues that have set their country, their community and their lives ablaze.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 6, 2005

About the author

Nigel Hinton was born and educated in London. After two years in advertising, he worked as an English teacher for nine years. His first novel, Collision Course (winner of the Dutch Silver Pen Award) was written as a result of a challenge from one of his pupils. He began teaching part-time and also worked as a professional actor before concentrating on his writing.

Nigel is the ever-popular author the Beaver Towers series of stories for primary school readers (which has been adapted for TV), and, for secondary school readers, he wrote the Buddy trilogy. His novel The Finders won him the Federation of Children’s Book Groups Award.

Reviews

[Luke S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very good, and it was the best historical book that I've read this year. It dealt with a lot of subjects that I'm interested in, and the book was very good at being entertaining and suspenseful. The author did a very good job of building up the characters and the story lines, and I wish that he would have written more books. One thing that I though he should change was to let Cap live, but it would have been a good book either way.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the UK in my time frame so it rang bells but for others it may be harder to follow.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work of historical fiction is a very good read. The characters are well developed! Kudos to Nigel Hinton, the author, for being able to put down on paper the thoughts and behaviors of several 11 to 12 year old boys, a misguided teen and several parents, teachers, etc. It's set in London right after WWII.
The novel starts and finishes with the secret these 4 boys shared from one summer playing near a bomb site. I was hooked right away and I wanted to keep reading the whole way through. The ending has fruition as well as suspense for what will happen to Andy, who narrates (speaking in first person).
I enjoyed this book so much I would read it a second time!

[Maile · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an avid historical fiction reader, I was very excited to read this book when I saw it at my local library. I found the summary of the plot to be interesting. From a distance, I thought that a book about four young, middle school aged boys after World War II period struggling with disappointments from adults finding an unexploded bomb would make one heck of a great book. And at first, I wasn't disappointed. The beginning was great. I loved how the theme was introduced from the very first piece of rising action: an adult not believing Eddie.

However, as the plot began to progress, I found myself beginning to detest the book more and more. The first times the boys were put down by adults, or not believed, or angered, it was okay. But when they found the bomb, and decided to bottle their anger up there, well, let's just say I was done with it, although I still had to finish it for an English assignment.

Besides the plot full of too much anger for my taste, there were major flaws in the age range. The book was written for middle school aged students, but there was a huge innapropriate part of the book that was an essential part to the climax. Not to mention the excessive swearing, even if it was British.

So I give this book 2 stars, because at first the plot is appealing, and it shows how hard life could be after World War II. It also showed how sometimes, life throws disappointments at us, however, the book was a bad example of how to deal with those disappointments. I also didn't enjoy the occasional inappropriate parts, as it was aimed for middle school aged students.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four life-long friends share a secret about the summer of 1949 in England. Andy, Bob, Manny, and Eddie find an unexploded bomb from the war in their favorite stomping ground. As their teenage angst, hostility at adults, and hormones rage, they fantasize about the bomb killing off their 'enemies'. Along comes Cap, an odd, slightly mixed-up young man, who both infuriates them and mesmerizes them with his stories. When Cap belittles Manny, who happens to be Jewish, and locks Bob in an underground prison for punishment, the boys turn their fantasizing hatred on Cap. Then the unthinkable happens...and the boys bond over a blood oath that no one will tell what happened on the fateful day in 1949.

Time Bomb is full of British witticisms and language, which is hard at times to get through. But, the actions and language of teenage boys is the same all over the world, no matter what the time period. An eye-opening tale of revenge.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This made for a great book discussion with lots of parallels between the kids personal lives and the aftermath of World War II. The central theme of trust and keeping secrets was particularly fun to talk about and our middle school students could easily relate to the main character's transition from primary school to secondary school. An excellent choice for historical fiction for students middle school or high school. Clearly demonstrates the lasting impact of war on individuals and families. Even though it is told from the perspective of a grown man looking back on his childhood, all of Hinton's young characters (and old!) are realistic and believable.

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in my primary school for World Book Day. It was for having the best costume :P ^_^

This book is quite good. The action takes place in Summmer 1949. It is about 4 boys leaving primary schol for ever. They are looking forward to a glorious summer of freedom, playing on the old bomb site. On the last day of school, Eddie gets into serious trouble. It's unfair, and he wants o get his own back, but you can't do anything against adults and win. Then, one day they find an unexploded bomb...

...I think I have told you too much already. ^_^

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

when i was younger i HATED to read and i read this book in the summer of 7th grade going into 8th grade and it took me 3 days because it was soo amazing and it changed my whole out-look on reading. before this book you couldn't pay me to read and this book sparked my LOVE for books. Now i always am reading a book of some sort. This book was an incredible novel full of the bonds betweens friends and the impact of our choices. The books sadness aided the impact of the story on me. Truely this is a great book!!!!

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all the books I had to read for my set of Beehive Book Award nominees, I liked this one the best. It was an interesting take on post-WWII London and 13 year old boys dealing with all the adults in their lives disappointing them. This would work well for junior high aged kids needing to read a historical fiction.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was depressing. It reminded me of my childhood. My anger toward my dad and everything that was related to him.
Resemblance suffocated me.

But I couldn't stop reading.

Not a book to read if your looking for a funny and entertaining book.
And definitely not the book it you don't want to feel like you want to beat someone up and then kill yourself.

[Nate Rawdon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though the story-line was promising, I felt an inability to properly get into this book, and consequently failed to enjoy the overall read. I felt the characters were decent, though their execution in the story-line was disappointing. Having been a while after reading it, I find myself unable to accurately remember much of the story's premise.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would say that this book was best aimed at 9-13 year olds, though I still enjoyed it as an adult

I found that the book had peaks and troughs, there were times when I couldn't put it down but then other times when I struggled to keep my concentration.

[Cyra Sadowl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the increasing number of books that give a glimpse at events surrounding major points in our history. Time Bomb tells of four friends one summer after WWII, when they face harsh realities of a flawed world, beginning with their beloved teacher betraying their faith in her.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A post war story aimed at pre-teens/teenagers. A nice story of 4 friends in post-war Britain.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting history look at a summer in a boys life. The way it was written it reads like an adult memoir though not a young adult novel. In addition it has no real theme.

[Kobie Schnitman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's good but not as good as hunger games sires

[Joshua · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amazing Book! But I would give it 4 out of 5 stars because it was really good, just not my sort of book.

[Rebecka · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I had a hard time getting into the book but then I just wanted to read all the time! Great book, although I was so mad when Cap talked about how Hitler was “right”. I got SO mad! Really!