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Declan Kelly #1
Taking Flight
‘Beyond the fence everything is dark, but in here is our own lit-up world. Just me and Flight. Our breath snakes into the night like the aftermath of a firework.’ The only riding fifteen-year-old Declan has ever done is joyriding. When he’s forced to stay with his snobby cousin ‘Princess’ Vicky on the other side of Belfast, he’s shocked to find himself falling in love with horses. Vicky would do anything to keep Declan out of her already perfect life and away from her precious showjumper, Flight, no matter who gets hurt… Moving from a harsh Belfast housing estate to the glamour of the showjumping ring, Taking Flight is a fast-paced story full of conflict, jealousy and courage.
- GenresHorsesYoung AdultAnimals
310 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
98 people want to read
About the author
Sheena Wilkinson
20 books46 followersDescribed in The Irish Times as 'one of our foremost writers for young people', Sheena Wilkinson is the author of eight acclaimed YA novels. She has won many awards for these, and for her short fiction. Her first adult novel, Mrs Hart's Marriage Bureau, a historical romantic comedy, is published by HarperCollins Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 22, 2023
Actually really enjoyed this book. It has normal people vibes but horsey edition.
March 22, 2015
It's a long time since I've read a pony book. I had forgotten . . . but now I'm starting again.
And yes, I loved this one. It took me a little while to get into the opposing viewpoints of Vicky and Declan, the two main characters who each tell the story and drive the narrative. But I did get right inside them then, with all their strengths and weaknesses. Their weaknesses are really interesting.
I'm not going to include a spoiler. I will only say that there is a point in the tale, the point from which the book's title draws double resonance, where I was so shocked and horrified (I was reading the book on the train) that I gasped out loud OH NO! and lifted the book so it was over my eyes and I couldn't see what was happening.
Which is quite ridiculous when you think about it. Other people on the train clearly thought I had lost my marbles. But it was a powerful moment in the book, and a testament to a tale well told.
And yes, I loved this one. It took me a little while to get into the opposing viewpoints of Vicky and Declan, the two main characters who each tell the story and drive the narrative. But I did get right inside them then, with all their strengths and weaknesses. Their weaknesses are really interesting.
I'm not going to include a spoiler. I will only say that there is a point in the tale, the point from which the book's title draws double resonance, where I was so shocked and horrified (I was reading the book on the train) that I gasped out loud OH NO! and lifted the book so it was over my eyes and I couldn't see what was happening.
Which is quite ridiculous when you think about it. Other people on the train clearly thought I had lost my marbles. But it was a powerful moment in the book, and a testament to a tale well told.
February 4, 2011
3.5
Declan and Vicky are cousins but live in two different worlds. Their mothers grew up together in an area of gritty estate developments in Belfast. Vicky's mother studied hard in school and left; Declan's mother stayed. Now, after a suicide attempt lands Declan's alcoholic mother a stint in rehab, Declan has to go stay with his aunt and "Princess Vicky", a slightly spoiled girl whose life is wrapped around the expensive show-jumping horse bought for her by her lawyer father. Told in alternating first person in the voices of Declan and Vicky, Taking Flight is a highly engrossing novel about the tensions that arise from this situation, especially Vicky's jealousy of Declan which becomes acute when it turns out that he is, unexpectedly, "a natural" with horses. Thanks to a week of work experience at the stable, he seems to develop a closer bond to Vicky's horse, Flight of Fancy, than Vicky has herself.
Despite the grim urban setting and the coarse language in the parts of the story that Declan narrates, and the mentions of cell phones and the internet, the story had a slightly old-fashioned (ie second half of the 20th century) feel to me. I was reminded of both Michelle Magorian and K.M. Peyton, the former because of her compelling stories of the struggles of ambitious working class youngsters, the latter because so much of the book is about the redemptive power of shoveling horse manure. I kind of wish the book had left it at that, but somewhere past the two thirds point, events takes a rather ghastly, potentially tragic, turn, and I was quite angry at Sheena Wilkinson for doing that to the characters I'd come to care very much about, and had to take a break of a couple days from the book. The ending, when I got back to it, I found to be slightly less realistic than the rest of the book, and felt a little rushed, but the book as a whole was quite a journey, and one I'm glad to have taken. Published in Ireland, Taking Flight may be hard for Americans to find (the copy I read was loaned to me by a friend who is a friend of the author), but it's certainly worth seeking out. Especially recommended to horse-lovers who like their reading a bit on the harrowing side.
Declan and Vicky are cousins but live in two different worlds. Their mothers grew up together in an area of gritty estate developments in Belfast. Vicky's mother studied hard in school and left; Declan's mother stayed. Now, after a suicide attempt lands Declan's alcoholic mother a stint in rehab, Declan has to go stay with his aunt and "Princess Vicky", a slightly spoiled girl whose life is wrapped around the expensive show-jumping horse bought for her by her lawyer father. Told in alternating first person in the voices of Declan and Vicky, Taking Flight is a highly engrossing novel about the tensions that arise from this situation, especially Vicky's jealousy of Declan which becomes acute when it turns out that he is, unexpectedly, "a natural" with horses. Thanks to a week of work experience at the stable, he seems to develop a closer bond to Vicky's horse, Flight of Fancy, than Vicky has herself.
Despite the grim urban setting and the coarse language in the parts of the story that Declan narrates, and the mentions of cell phones and the internet, the story had a slightly old-fashioned (ie second half of the 20th century) feel to me. I was reminded of both Michelle Magorian and K.M. Peyton, the former because of her compelling stories of the struggles of ambitious working class youngsters, the latter because so much of the book is about the redemptive power of shoveling horse manure. I kind of wish the book had left it at that, but somewhere past the two thirds point, events takes a rather ghastly, potentially tragic, turn, and I was quite angry at Sheena Wilkinson for doing that to the characters I'd come to care very much about, and had to take a break of a couple days from the book. The ending, when I got back to it, I found to be slightly less realistic than the rest of the book, and felt a little rushed, but the book as a whole was quite a journey, and one I'm glad to have taken. Published in Ireland, Taking Flight may be hard for Americans to find (the copy I read was loaned to me by a friend who is a friend of the author), but it's certainly worth seeking out. Especially recommended to horse-lovers who like their reading a bit on the harrowing side.
September 21, 2010
Compelling story . .couldn't put it down ...engrossed from the end of the first chapter. Characters are believable and draw you into their world and to caring what happens to them. Identifiable teen emotions. Although the author is a friend after the first chapter I ceased to think of it as "Sheena's book" and just became absorbed in what happened next. Taunt pace .. shifts compelling from plot line to plot line and back again. Although set in a "horsey" backdrop you don't need to love or even know much about horses to follow along. Some local dialect but nothing that should disuade an international reader!
September 11, 2016
loved this. I loved Declan's change throughout the story, the really sad parts made me cry a little though, which just proved how much I liked this book, because I usually don't cry for books. As a horse rider my self, I wanted more on Declan riding. I think Vicky should have changed more, as she was kind of the main antagonist, with Declan's mom. Other than that, this was a great read and I'm looking forward to read the next one, Grounded!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2017
Terrific characters - Declan and Vicky are very different people with very different lives and their reactions to each other are very well described. A great young adult novel, I really liked the way the story unfolded from both their perpectives. Quite a page turner.
July 11, 2022
Loved this book. There are so few teen Equestrian fiction books and this one is great. The split viewpoint of the two main characters makes it a really gripping read as you get to see how both of them view the same situations. I'd love to read it, and its sequel, again.
May 11, 2019
Good book
October 9, 2022
it was such a sweet book, read it a few years ago
March 7, 2024
The story of how two cousins from totally different worlds are brought together through the love of horses.
June 7, 2011
Sheena Wilkinson, a college lecturer in Belfast has always had a passion for writing. “Friends in the Fourth” was her first published book which was based on her doctoral research into the ‘crossover’ genre for the girls’ school story and was published in 2007. Both before and after this book was published Sheena has also had many short stories published, the first of which “Amputees” won the Brian Moore award in 2006.
Taking Flight is Sheena’s first novel and what a novel to open with. It is interesting, heart breaking and sadly for some, a well known story. Declan and Vicky are cousins who have absolutely nothing in common. Declan is used to living in a grotty estate where he seems to constantly get into trouble and Vicky loves nothing more than to enter shows with her beauty of a horse Flight. While their mothers grew up together in Belfast they too have very different stories. Vicky’s mother studied hard in order to get away from the life she hated so much, while Declan’s mother stayed in place and after the tragedy of her husband’s death sought comfort in alcohol. After a tragic overdose which landed Declan’s mother in a rehab facilitation Declan finds himself sharing a house with Princess Vicky. Just when he thought they truly had nothing in common Declan finds himself falling in love with Vicky’s horse Flight which Vicky has a huge problem with. As Vicky does everything in her power to keep Declan away from her show jumping beauty Declan can’t help but try and get that little bit closer.
This debut novel by Sheena Wilkinson is truly captivating; the characters are both engaging and believable with a fast paced plot that makes the book turn the pages all by itself. You definitely do not need to have any interest in horses to like this book and for those who do it will mean all the more. Sheena Wilkinson recently won the Honour Award for Fiction in the Bisto Book of the Year Awards which was well deserved. I am looking forward to the sequel to this wonderful debut and I know we will be seeing great things from this fantastic writer in the future.
Taking Flight is Sheena’s first novel and what a novel to open with. It is interesting, heart breaking and sadly for some, a well known story. Declan and Vicky are cousins who have absolutely nothing in common. Declan is used to living in a grotty estate where he seems to constantly get into trouble and Vicky loves nothing more than to enter shows with her beauty of a horse Flight. While their mothers grew up together in Belfast they too have very different stories. Vicky’s mother studied hard in order to get away from the life she hated so much, while Declan’s mother stayed in place and after the tragedy of her husband’s death sought comfort in alcohol. After a tragic overdose which landed Declan’s mother in a rehab facilitation Declan finds himself sharing a house with Princess Vicky. Just when he thought they truly had nothing in common Declan finds himself falling in love with Vicky’s horse Flight which Vicky has a huge problem with. As Vicky does everything in her power to keep Declan away from her show jumping beauty Declan can’t help but try and get that little bit closer.
This debut novel by Sheena Wilkinson is truly captivating; the characters are both engaging and believable with a fast paced plot that makes the book turn the pages all by itself. You definitely do not need to have any interest in horses to like this book and for those who do it will mean all the more. Sheena Wilkinson recently won the Honour Award for Fiction in the Bisto Book of the Year Awards which was well deserved. I am looking forward to the sequel to this wonderful debut and I know we will be seeing great things from this fantastic writer in the future.
July 1, 2018
This is such a heartwarming book that I received for my birthday approximately 2 years ago and I dont know why I never read it. Also, this book was written by a local author and I live nearby to where the novel was set. This book tells the story from both the perspectives of Vicky and Declan. Declan lives in one of the rough estates and Belfast and lives with his mum who suffers from substance abuse. When Declan's mum attempts suicide and is admitted to a unit, he must stay with his Aunt Colette and cousin Vicky. Vicky and Declan have their differences but slowly they become accustomed to each other. However, when an accident occurs they vow to never speak to each other again, but when Declan gets into trouble with his mum's abusive boyfriend, Vicky proves she will forgive Declan in order to help him. Throughout this novel, I tended to feel sympathy for Vicky just as much as Declan as she was indignant to any problems others may face as she is so wrapped up with her own perfect life that she fails to care about those around her. It is such a heartwarming book about conflict, mental illness and the problems people may face behind closed doors without other people realising. Would definitely recommend!
April 3, 2012
I really did like this book. It's a lovely read from start to finish. I just got bothered by two minor things. The first being how irish it is, and the terms used. All the slang. I don't know why, but there's that, and also how often the term 'wee' is used. Maybe it's because I don't live up north but I never hear people saying 'wee man', and I do know Northeners. So. There's that too. Still, all in all I did like it a lot. My complaints are very minor.
October 9, 2010
Given the subject matter, the story could have easily descended into maudlin, preachy territory, but did not. It was beautifully descriptive, the characters were nuanced and believable and the book was hard to put down.
June 19, 2013
It was a slow starter. I didn't like the start but I really got into it after that. It got good when the horses were in the story.
November 26, 2014
It was an amazing book,truly inspiring and one of my favourite books of all time
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews