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Punch
Wrong place. Wrong time. A boy on the run.
THE MARKET’S ON FIRE. FIRE! FIRE! THE BOY DID IT!
Smoke belches out through the market entrance.
And me?
I turn and run.
Inverness 1889.
When 12-year-old Phin is accused of a terrible crime, his only option is to flee. In the unlikely company of an escaped prisoner and a group of travelling entertainers, he enters a new world of Punch and Judy shows and dancing bears.
But will Phin clear his name?
And what can he do when memories of a darker, more terrible crime begin to haunt him?
PUNCH is good proper storytelling, packed with colourful characters, shifting settings and real tension. Like Punch's nose I was hooked and with Phineas every fleeing, hiding, performing page of the way.
Janis MacKay
Vivid, exhilarating, and heartwarming; a dramatic and colourful tale of life on the run.
John K Fulton
THE MARKET’S ON FIRE. FIRE! FIRE! THE BOY DID IT!
Smoke belches out through the market entrance.
And me?
I turn and run.
Inverness 1889.
When 12-year-old Phin is accused of a terrible crime, his only option is to flee. In the unlikely company of an escaped prisoner and a group of travelling entertainers, he enters a new world of Punch and Judy shows and dancing bears.
But will Phin clear his name?
And what can he do when memories of a darker, more terrible crime begin to haunt him?
PUNCH is good proper storytelling, packed with colourful characters, shifting settings and real tension. Like Punch's nose I was hooked and with Phineas every fleeing, hiding, performing page of the way.
Janis MacKay
Vivid, exhilarating, and heartwarming; a dramatic and colourful tale of life on the run.
John K Fulton
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2017
6 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 25, 2022
This is not a new book, it was published in 2017. I discovered it by chance, having seen a different book on Twitter and following a link to the publisher’s website (@cranachanbooks https://www.cranachanpublishing.co.uk/ ). Being Scottish, with a fascination for Victorian times and also Punch and Judy, I obviously ordered it. I also ordered some other books, but that is for another blog.
Punch tells the story of Phineas, an orphan living in 1889 Inverness under the volatile guardianship of his “Uncle” Ewan. He is sent on a nighttime errand, which ends with the town market halls being set on fire. Falsely accused and justifiably scared of the reaction of his guardian and the police, Phineas goes on the run.
He forms unlikely alliances with an escaped prisoner and a family of travelling entertainers on his journey, which includes encounters with a dancing bear and Queen Victoria. He learns new skills, including becoming a puppeteer. He also has a bounty on his head, wanted for arson. Can he clear his name? Can he resolve his issues with his turbulent past? How he became orphaned is haunting him. This and way he was treated by his guardian means he struggles with trusting his new companions. Are they on his side or biding their time to turn him in for the money?
Barbara Henderson has written a gripping story based on a true event (the market halls in Inverness did burn down). The strength of this story is in the characters: their backstory, their relationships with each other, how they support each other to make sense of what has happened to them and how they finally resolve misunderstandings of their own and other people.
Themes of broken families, living with a bullying adult, friendship and trust run through the story, as does compassion, hope and love. When I took a break from reading, I was thinking of Phineas and his predicament and I wanted to get back to it as soon as possible…the sign of a very good book. I plan to read more of Barbara’s books.
The cover art, which I love, is by Corinna Bahr.
Punch tells the story of Phineas, an orphan living in 1889 Inverness under the volatile guardianship of his “Uncle” Ewan. He is sent on a nighttime errand, which ends with the town market halls being set on fire. Falsely accused and justifiably scared of the reaction of his guardian and the police, Phineas goes on the run.
He forms unlikely alliances with an escaped prisoner and a family of travelling entertainers on his journey, which includes encounters with a dancing bear and Queen Victoria. He learns new skills, including becoming a puppeteer. He also has a bounty on his head, wanted for arson. Can he clear his name? Can he resolve his issues with his turbulent past? How he became orphaned is haunting him. This and way he was treated by his guardian means he struggles with trusting his new companions. Are they on his side or biding their time to turn him in for the money?
Barbara Henderson has written a gripping story based on a true event (the market halls in Inverness did burn down). The strength of this story is in the characters: their backstory, their relationships with each other, how they support each other to make sense of what has happened to them and how they finally resolve misunderstandings of their own and other people.
Themes of broken families, living with a bullying adult, friendship and trust run through the story, as does compassion, hope and love. When I took a break from reading, I was thinking of Phineas and his predicament and I wanted to get back to it as soon as possible…the sign of a very good book. I plan to read more of Barbara’s books.
The cover art, which I love, is by Corinna Bahr.
October 23, 2017
Punch by Barbara Henderson is the story of Phineas, or Phin for short, who lives and works in Victorian Inverness with his “Uncle” Ewan, a cruel man with “hands the size of spades” who treats Phin like a slave. When Phin is sent to the market after hours to fetch some sausages from the ice box, an incident with a dog and a watchman leads to disaster, and he’s accused of setting the market on fire – so he runs. Runs from the fire, runs from the accusations, runs from Uncle Ewan.
He falls in first with an escaped prisoner, John Robertson, and then with Merriweather Moffat, his wife Alice, and daughter Ishie, a travelling band of entertainers, whose Punch and Judy show is a hit with audiences across the country. Slowly Phin finds a new family with John and the Moffats, meeting new people, making friends with animals, and learning new skills.
But the hidden misery of his history isn’t far from the surface, and he can never truly leave it behind. Eventually a figure from his previous existence comes back into his life, and gives him an opportunity to stop running and face his past once and for all.
The setting is vivid, the story dramatic, and Phin’s relationships and decency are heartwarming, especially Phin’s sympathy for the mining children for whom the travellers put on a show: “My world is a rainbow. His is a shadow.” Victorian Scotland comes brilliantly to life, from the depiction of 19th century Inverness to Phin’s travels across the country, from snow-bound Edinburgh to an encounter with royalty at Balmoral.
An excellent follow-up to Henderson’s brilliant debut Fir for Luck. Highly recommended.
He falls in first with an escaped prisoner, John Robertson, and then with Merriweather Moffat, his wife Alice, and daughter Ishie, a travelling band of entertainers, whose Punch and Judy show is a hit with audiences across the country. Slowly Phin finds a new family with John and the Moffats, meeting new people, making friends with animals, and learning new skills.
But the hidden misery of his history isn’t far from the surface, and he can never truly leave it behind. Eventually a figure from his previous existence comes back into his life, and gives him an opportunity to stop running and face his past once and for all.
The setting is vivid, the story dramatic, and Phin’s relationships and decency are heartwarming, especially Phin’s sympathy for the mining children for whom the travellers put on a show: “My world is a rainbow. His is a shadow.” Victorian Scotland comes brilliantly to life, from the depiction of 19th century Inverness to Phin’s travels across the country, from snow-bound Edinburgh to an encounter with royalty at Balmoral.
An excellent follow-up to Henderson’s brilliant debut Fir for Luck. Highly recommended.
April 13, 2018
Phin is accused of setting the Inverness Market place on fire. Fleeing from the grip of his cruel Uncle Ewan and the wrath of the townspeople, he meets a giant of a man. Mr Robertson, in all the commotion of the fire, has escaped from prison and wants to use Phin to help him hide from the police.
The pair join up with and enjoy the protection of the travelling entertainer, Merriweather Moffat, his wife Alice and their daughter, Ishie.
Phin begins to lead a very different life to his previous one as a butcher boy. He helps out with the Punch and Judy act, makes friends with Ishie and slowly builds a relationship with the quiet Mr Robertson.
Over time and through many exciting adventures including performing for Queen Victoria and catching Merriweather’s escaped dancing bear, the travelling companions become a tight-knit group who look out for one another. Phin begins to feel that finally he is once more part of a family.
Once again, using Scottish history as a very effective backdrop, Barbara Henderson has written an enjoyable, fast paced drama.
The characters are engaging and right from the start we are willing everything to turn out fine for Phin. There is laughter and tears, villians and goodies, and plenty of animals too! Once I started this book, I didn’t want to put it down.
The pair join up with and enjoy the protection of the travelling entertainer, Merriweather Moffat, his wife Alice and their daughter, Ishie.
Phin begins to lead a very different life to his previous one as a butcher boy. He helps out with the Punch and Judy act, makes friends with Ishie and slowly builds a relationship with the quiet Mr Robertson.
Over time and through many exciting adventures including performing for Queen Victoria and catching Merriweather’s escaped dancing bear, the travelling companions become a tight-knit group who look out for one another. Phin begins to feel that finally he is once more part of a family.
Once again, using Scottish history as a very effective backdrop, Barbara Henderson has written an enjoyable, fast paced drama.
The characters are engaging and right from the start we are willing everything to turn out fine for Phin. There is laughter and tears, villians and goodies, and plenty of animals too! Once I started this book, I didn’t want to put it down.
November 15, 2017
When Phineas is accused of setting the local market in Inverness alight he's forced to flea and a life of adventure begins. This is a really absorbing story, set in various locations across Victorian Scotland that will appeal to anyone who likes heart-stopping, heart-warming adventure. As Phin meets an escaped convict and a troupe of Punch and Judy players he travels the country always trying to keep one step ahead of the authorities on his tail. There's plenty of fun along the way and a really vibrant sense of the time and place where the story is set. When I sat down to read the final bit of the book it was with a real sense of anticipation that I was about to spend a really enjoyable hour - and I wasn't disappointed!
December 5, 2017
I loved this book. The characters are beautifully drawn, and the Victorian era is conjured vividly up with great care and detail. The plot races along, and there are lots of moments of genuine tension or excitement, but this never compromises the human story and heartwarming depictions of love and friendship at its core. Beautiful, skilful writing. Highly recommended for young readers and their adults!
January 16, 2018
Ever thought about running away and joining the circus? If you did read Punch! Not quite a full circus but still a very exciting story with a righteous and just ending. A strong feeling of love between unlikely characters runs through the book too. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to ages 8 or 9 up depending on how strong their reading ability is.
April 4, 2023
Picked this up as I recognised the author. I was not disappointed.
Wonderful storytelling. Phineas is a young boy who runs away/is kidnapped. This encounter, which should be traumatic actual shows him the kindness of strangers and the real meaning of family.
Set in Victorian Scotland. It's a quiet, enjoyable gem.
Wonderful storytelling. Phineas is a young boy who runs away/is kidnapped. This encounter, which should be traumatic actual shows him the kindness of strangers and the real meaning of family.
Set in Victorian Scotland. It's a quiet, enjoyable gem.
March 7, 2018
I read this with my two sons, age 8 and 9 (we took turns reading it) and we absolutely loved it. Exciting story, fabulous engaging characters and lots of interesting events and suspense. I would highly recommend this book and we are all looking forward to Barbara's third book!
October 26, 2017
Full review to follow.
June 18, 2018
A lovely, unusual MG book, full of larger than life characters, very atmospheric and which zipped along. Victorian travelling life brought to life
July 22, 2019
Wonderful, immersive writing. The voice is so strong and the details so consistent, it's clear how much research went into the book. Read it in just a couple of sittings!
October 5, 2021
Good fun
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews