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Skallagrigg
Skallagrigg unites Arthur, a little boy abandoned many years ago in a grim hospital in northern England with Esther, a radiantly intelligent young girl who is suffering from cerebral palsy, and with Daniel, an American computer-games genius.
Skallagrigg - whatever the name signifies, whoever he is - will come to transform all their lives. And William Horwood's inspired, heart-rending story of rescue and redemptive love will undoubtedly touch your life too.
Skallagrigg - whatever the name signifies, whoever he is - will come to transform all their lives. And William Horwood's inspired, heart-rending story of rescue and redemptive love will undoubtedly touch your life too.
728 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
35 people are currently reading
1252 people want to read
About the author
William Horwood
43 books252 followersWilliam Horwood is an English novelist. His first novel, Duncton Wood, an allegorical tale about a community of moles, was published in 1980. It was followed by two sequels, forming The Duncton Chronicles, and also a second trilogy, The Book of Silence. William Horwood has also written two stand-alone novels intertwining the lives of humans and of eagles,
The Stonor Eagles and Callanish
, and The Wolves of Time duology. Skallagrigg, his 1987 novel about disability, love, and trust, was made into a BBC film in 1994. In addition, he has written a number of sequels to
The Wind in the Willows
by Kenneth Grahame.
In 2007, he collaborated with historian Helen Rappaport to produce Dark Hearts of Chicago, a historical mystery and thriller set in nineteenth-century Chicago. It was republished in 2008 as City of Dark Hearts with some significant revisions and cuts under the pen name James Conan.
In 2007, he collaborated with historian Helen Rappaport to produce Dark Hearts of Chicago, a historical mystery and thriller set in nineteenth-century Chicago. It was republished in 2008 as City of Dark Hearts with some significant revisions and cuts under the pen name James Conan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
January 4, 2018
Easily makes my top five
I have always been a prolific reader and sometimes have as many as five books on the go at any one time, picking up the one which most suits my mood.
This book is absolutely brilliant and so beautifully touches the emotions of the reader. It made me laugh and it made me cry. I cried often and long and deep.
It is clear that William Horwood has been close to cerebral palsy and his daughter, Rachel, does suffer from this condition.
The central figures are Arthur, a sufferer from the early part of the twentieth century, and Esther, a sufferer from the latter part of the same century. It explores the massive differences between the ways that they were perceived and the ways that they were treated because of those perceptions.
Esther embarks on a quest to find Skallagrigg, without knowing what it is, and you must read the book to find out if she succeeds and what it means.
The reader is drawn into the characters and I found myself living the roller-coaster emotional existence of both of them.
I am constantly recommending this book to friends and family. Many of them find it difficult to get into the story but I encourage them to persevere. Whilst I can understand their difficulty, I had no trouble whatsoever and was captured from the first paragraph.
If you are only ever going to read one more book in your life, it would have to be this one and no other. Trust me!
I have always been a prolific reader and sometimes have as many as five books on the go at any one time, picking up the one which most suits my mood.
This book is absolutely brilliant and so beautifully touches the emotions of the reader. It made me laugh and it made me cry. I cried often and long and deep.
It is clear that William Horwood has been close to cerebral palsy and his daughter, Rachel, does suffer from this condition.
The central figures are Arthur, a sufferer from the early part of the twentieth century, and Esther, a sufferer from the latter part of the same century. It explores the massive differences between the ways that they were perceived and the ways that they were treated because of those perceptions.
Esther embarks on a quest to find Skallagrigg, without knowing what it is, and you must read the book to find out if she succeeds and what it means.
The reader is drawn into the characters and I found myself living the roller-coaster emotional existence of both of them.
I am constantly recommending this book to friends and family. Many of them find it difficult to get into the story but I encourage them to persevere. Whilst I can understand their difficulty, I had no trouble whatsoever and was captured from the first paragraph.
If you are only ever going to read one more book in your life, it would have to be this one and no other. Trust me!
June 22, 2025
from memory with a guesstimate star rating...
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
it's been a while since I read this novel, or watched the TV dramatisation. I know the latter best, and loved it, especially when it first came out/aired on UK TV. tho I've watched it, and enjoyed it, again since. I think I read the novel between a couple of those watchings. I can't remember if the paperback was library borrowed or friendily lent, or briefly in my keeping. I remember it as good, dense in places (in, I think, mostly a rich way), and interesting 🙂
the story is layered - past and present, and worlds within worlds. the TV dramatisation didn't focus on the computer game aspects as much as the the novel does, but more on the story telling. I think the dramatisation knows, and adheres to, it's limits well. the novel is more expansive, and it dives deeper in more directions (I remember it being a mildly hefty tome, physically and mentally/intellectually at times) 🙂
both I like for their disabled characters; their history, herstory and theirstory story-telling; their social and political comment; what they reveal about the present, and what they hint at for the future(s).
and for their human relationships, past and present (and future🤞). and humane relationships - not perfect, but the characters try their best to understand and accommodate one another in different ways (and not just the ways you might assume).
and...
another aspect that stands out for me is that it felt very much a story about a young person coming into themself, and figuring out how to attempt and find their way forward in life (tho the Esther of the novel lives thru much more, into adulthood and later life, while the TV dramatisation stops mid-to-late teens). there's a fair bit of what would be considered typical teenage stuff... but it's also nuanced wrt the specifics of being a young disabled person/woman, who is also having to navigate a (to this day) institutionally ableist (and ofttimes explicitly prejudiced) society and environment.
♥
one of the things that I think I also love the television dramatisation for (yeah, I know this is supposed to be a review of the *book* 😉), is Time. that it is of its time (the book is perhaps slightly ahead of its time - tho more riding that curling front of the crest of a wave 🌊 not rolling in as a separate earlier wave), and how it reflects (and records) some UK disabled communities and UK disabled actors, and that it was the first bit of TV programming that featured *that* many disabled characters and disabled actors... and is still one of the few that does I think (besides 'Bad Boy Bubby', I can't think of another film that features more than a handful of disabled characters (played by disabled actors))(I also struggle to think of many novels that have a majority disabled cast 🤔 recommendations welcome in the comments 😉🙂🙏). and that it is of my time, screening shortly after I became physically disabled (as a young person) myself, and the story, situations, and I think communities felt more significant and personal to me for it... and I guess I was finding my way too, and it was somehow validating within that, awa providing me a sense of history and community as a disabled person.
♥
hmm, I notice I want to both watch the TV dramatisation again, and reread the novel 😊
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
read as a paperback book, way back in the somewhen... 🌀
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
it's been a while since I read this novel, or watched the TV dramatisation. I know the latter best, and loved it, especially when it first came out/aired on UK TV. tho I've watched it, and enjoyed it, again since. I think I read the novel between a couple of those watchings. I can't remember if the paperback was library borrowed or friendily lent, or briefly in my keeping. I remember it as good, dense in places (in, I think, mostly a rich way), and interesting 🙂
the story is layered - past and present, and worlds within worlds. the TV dramatisation didn't focus on the computer game aspects as much as the the novel does, but more on the story telling. I think the dramatisation knows, and adheres to, it's limits well. the novel is more expansive, and it dives deeper in more directions (I remember it being a mildly hefty tome, physically and mentally/intellectually at times) 🙂
both I like for their disabled characters; their history, herstory and theirstory story-telling; their social and political comment; what they reveal about the present, and what they hint at for the future(s).
and for their human relationships, past and present (and future🤞). and humane relationships - not perfect, but the characters try their best to understand and accommodate one another in different ways (and not just the ways you might assume).
and...
another aspect that stands out for me is that it felt very much a story about a young person coming into themself, and figuring out how to attempt and find their way forward in life (tho the Esther of the novel lives thru much more, into adulthood and later life, while the TV dramatisation stops mid-to-late teens). there's a fair bit of what would be considered typical teenage stuff... but it's also nuanced wrt the specifics of being a young disabled person/woman, who is also having to navigate a (to this day) institutionally ableist (and ofttimes explicitly prejudiced) society and environment.
♥
one of the things that I think I also love the television dramatisation for (yeah, I know this is supposed to be a review of the *book* 😉), is Time. that it is of its time (the book is perhaps slightly ahead of its time - tho more riding that curling front of the crest of a wave 🌊 not rolling in as a separate earlier wave), and how it reflects (and records) some UK disabled communities and UK disabled actors, and that it was the first bit of TV programming that featured *that* many disabled characters and disabled actors... and is still one of the few that does I think (besides 'Bad Boy Bubby', I can't think of another film that features more than a handful of disabled characters (played by disabled actors))(I also struggle to think of many novels that have a majority disabled cast 🤔 recommendations welcome in the comments 😉🙂🙏). and that it is of my time, screening shortly after I became physically disabled (as a young person) myself, and the story, situations, and I think communities felt more significant and personal to me for it... and I guess I was finding my way too, and it was somehow validating within that, awa providing me a sense of history and community as a disabled person.
♥
hmm, I notice I want to both watch the TV dramatisation again, and reread the novel 😊
🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
read as a paperback book, way back in the somewhen... 🌀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2009
Like no doubt many readers, I don't understand some aspects of the publishing industry. I'm not talking about the "who the %$#^&*!!!! thought printing this was a good idea?" reaction all readers have at one point or the other. What I really don't understand, what I really want someone to explain to me, is why some books are publishing in the UK, Canada, and Australia, but not here in the United States, and why sometimes we have to wait, especially when it is the same publishing company. It's not a translation issue; it doesn't occur with every book. But why did the United States get The Children's Book after everyone else? Why is The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein published later? Is this some subtle revenge for independence and the War of 1812 or the Hollywood farce of the United States getting the enigma machine during WWII?
More importantly, why isn't William Horwood published in the United States?
I first discovered Horwood in 1994 the summer I was in Rotterdam for a month. I was looking for any English book to read that wasn't published in the United States, and lo and behold I found Duncton Tales. I'm a Watership Down nut so of course, I had to buy it. I loved it. Within the next couple years, I had all his books, including one time having to special order from UK online bookstore.
I don't see Horwood in U.S. bookstores. Now and then in a used bookstore, but never, ever in a new bookstore. I don't understand why. I really don't understand why when it comes to Skallagrigg for it is just the type of book that would appeal to many people.
Skallagrigg tells the story of the disabled and society's treatment of them during the 1970s-1980s as well as 1920s-1960s. At times shocking, always poignant, the book tells the story of Arthur (Eddie) and Esther. Arthur is all the Skallagrigg stories that Esther is told, and she wants to find out if the stories are true, for the stories are told only among spastics. Horwood uses this format to examine the issues that families of the disabled and the disabled themselves face.
In America, most people who have finished all the way though high school have at some point read Flowers for Algernonin some way. While Skallagrigg is different it has that same type of appeal. Maybe it is the sex in the novel. I've seen more graphic descriptions, and it is quite clear that when the characters have sex, it really, truly is making love. But maybe that is why. Maybe publishers think Americans are too prudish? Nah, as Esther would say, after all look at the number of romance books that make the best seller list. Additionally, Skallagrigg is like The Speed of Dark. If you liked Dark and/or Algernon, you should seek out this book.
Who knows why this isn't published in the States? Not me, that's for sure.
Skallagrigg is worth seeking out. It is true that Horwood tends to overuse certain character types. Here, for instance, the character of Dilke in the Skallagrigg stories is very similar to a few of Horwood's "bad" moles. It is true that Horwood always comes back to themes of forgiveness and sacrifice. This is undoubtably what make him popular. While it is true that Horwood's Wolves of Time is anti-established religion (at least), Skallagrigg examines faith. Some characters believe; some don't. The faith here isn't just religion, but the human soul as well. Esther, the central character, isn't a saint. In fact, she is down right unlikable at times. She is human. Horwood constructs her in such a way that the reader doesn't feel pity for her, at least not pity that she has CP, but makes and lets the reader see Esther as a character. The CP becomes part of her characteristics, but the reader is taken far beyond that. Esther's father is also handled with a great deal of care. He's not perfect, but he's not a jerk either.
Horwood also develops or showcases how spastics talk among themselves. I don’t have a disabled family member, so I don’t know if Horwood’s portrayal of language is “spot on”, but he apparently does have a disabled daughter, so maybe it is. Regardless, Horwood shows readers a culture that they might not have seen before.
The book also contains wonderful use of the old, old, computer games. Does anyone remember Zork? Those types of computer games. The games where there were no graphics, just typing, and it was like playing D&D on the computer screen. (As an aside, I miss those. You could type in the stupidest things and get the craziest responses. You could be creative). Esther is a programmer. The game becomes central to the plot.
Skallagrigg is well worth seeking out for it is about what makes us human.
More importantly, why isn't William Horwood published in the United States?
I first discovered Horwood in 1994 the summer I was in Rotterdam for a month. I was looking for any English book to read that wasn't published in the United States, and lo and behold I found Duncton Tales. I'm a Watership Down nut so of course, I had to buy it. I loved it. Within the next couple years, I had all his books, including one time having to special order from UK online bookstore.
I don't see Horwood in U.S. bookstores. Now and then in a used bookstore, but never, ever in a new bookstore. I don't understand why. I really don't understand why when it comes to Skallagrigg for it is just the type of book that would appeal to many people.
Skallagrigg tells the story of the disabled and society's treatment of them during the 1970s-1980s as well as 1920s-1960s. At times shocking, always poignant, the book tells the story of Arthur (Eddie) and Esther. Arthur is all the Skallagrigg stories that Esther is told, and she wants to find out if the stories are true, for the stories are told only among spastics. Horwood uses this format to examine the issues that families of the disabled and the disabled themselves face.
In America, most people who have finished all the way though high school have at some point read Flowers for Algernonin some way. While Skallagrigg is different it has that same type of appeal. Maybe it is the sex in the novel. I've seen more graphic descriptions, and it is quite clear that when the characters have sex, it really, truly is making love. But maybe that is why. Maybe publishers think Americans are too prudish? Nah, as Esther would say, after all look at the number of romance books that make the best seller list. Additionally, Skallagrigg is like The Speed of Dark. If you liked Dark and/or Algernon, you should seek out this book.
Who knows why this isn't published in the States? Not me, that's for sure.
Skallagrigg is worth seeking out. It is true that Horwood tends to overuse certain character types. Here, for instance, the character of Dilke in the Skallagrigg stories is very similar to a few of Horwood's "bad" moles. It is true that Horwood always comes back to themes of forgiveness and sacrifice. This is undoubtably what make him popular. While it is true that Horwood's Wolves of Time is anti-established religion (at least), Skallagrigg examines faith. Some characters believe; some don't. The faith here isn't just religion, but the human soul as well. Esther, the central character, isn't a saint. In fact, she is down right unlikable at times. She is human. Horwood constructs her in such a way that the reader doesn't feel pity for her, at least not pity that she has CP, but makes and lets the reader see Esther as a character. The CP becomes part of her characteristics, but the reader is taken far beyond that. Esther's father is also handled with a great deal of care. He's not perfect, but he's not a jerk either.
Horwood also develops or showcases how spastics talk among themselves. I don’t have a disabled family member, so I don’t know if Horwood’s portrayal of language is “spot on”, but he apparently does have a disabled daughter, so maybe it is. Regardless, Horwood shows readers a culture that they might not have seen before.
The book also contains wonderful use of the old, old, computer games. Does anyone remember Zork? Those types of computer games. The games where there were no graphics, just typing, and it was like playing D&D on the computer screen. (As an aside, I miss those. You could type in the stupidest things and get the craziest responses. You could be creative). Esther is a programmer. The game becomes central to the plot.
Skallagrigg is well worth seeking out for it is about what makes us human.
December 31, 2014
Roommates lending books they love can be a dicey proposition. It wasn’t that I was worried I would dislike Skallagrigg; I just worried I wouldn’t like it enough. This feeling stayed with me for the first part of the book, because it didn’t seem very straightforward at first. There was cryptic foreshadowing that would make sense towards the end. Thankfully, after the first few chapters, the book changes tack and becomes much easier to like. William Horwood deftly balances the excitement of the vista of 1980s computing with the challenges that being physically disabled presents (in any era). Skallagrigg is a canvas of hope and disappointment and all the states of being in between.
Esther Marquand has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. At first, her father, Richard, is unsure what to do with her. She is a reminder of losing his wife, and like most able-bodied people, he isn’t sure how to interact with her. For a while, he remains distant—but he can never bring himself to abandon her completely. That’s all she needs. Gradually, Richard takes a more active interest in Esther’s life and development, eventually purchasing a more suitable home and moving her out of the place that is caring for her. As they learn how to communicate, Richard and Esther’s relationship becomes more like that of any father and daughter, complete with the occasional conflict over Richard’s affections, Esther’s future, and grandparents. Horwood is very skilled at creating characters who are sympathetic because they are three-dimensional. Richard is nice; he loves Esther and has her best interest in heart. But he’s not perfect, and sometimes he doesn’t understand Esther’s choices. Similarly, Esther spends quite a bit of time being rude to Richard’s girlfriend, despite her grace and courtesy. It’s a typical rejection of someone she feels is usurping the affection that should be hers. While Horwood carefully depicts the challenges Esther faces, being dependent on others for the most basic necessities, he also makes it clear that, mentally and emotionally, she undergoes the same developments and changes that we all do.
Esther becomes interested in stories told by other people with CP. They describe a boy with CP, Arthur, and his experiences in a hospital. Over the years, a mythical character named the Skallagrigg repeatedly saves the day. Arthur and his friends never seem to meet the Skallagrigg directly, but they also credit him with the save. Esther becomes convinced that the Skallagrigg and Arthur are real people who might still be alive. She begins collecting the stories, searching for clues as to Arthur’s whereabouts. Her research takes her along a dark path into the history of Britain’s treatment of people with disabilities. It is not pretty. In this way, Skalligrigg exposes the inadequacies of Britain’s treatment of and education of people with disabilities. As I learnt, through Esther, how bad it really is, I felt a growing conviction that we have to do better; we have no excuse for not doing better. The idea that people with physical disabilities are mistakenly diagnosed with mental disabilities simply because we haven’t found a way of communicating with them is not just frustrating; it’s gobsmackingly negligent. It’s an indictment without being pedantic, because it all happens in service to this wonderful story.
Skallagrigg also captures the excitement present in 1980s computing, when having a personal computer meant one had to do a lot more programming than one does today. Richard owns a computing company that recognizes the importance of computing to businesses. He brings home a computer for Esther and her friend to try, and they become captivated by its possibilities. Esther finds the patterns and logic behind programming comforting; as a mathematician and programmer myself, I can relate. She also discovers, thanks to the help of a creative engineer, a way to communicate using a specialized keyboard that allows her to express herself like never before. Never underestimate the power of having voice.
Horwood uses gaming as a way for Esther to express the emotional impact of her research. She begins work on a game called Skallagrigg, which is a maze/puzzle adventure that asks its player difficult, non-obvious questions along the way. It’s this game that the narrator has played, in which he finds clues Esther scattered to bring him to this story. As someone who loves computers and understands their appeal in a way Esther does, I really enjoyed this part of the book. Even if you don’t, however, it remains a powerful metaphor: Esther is creating, she is taking control in a computer-based world because she has so little control in this world. It’s exciting and amazing, but at the same time one has to think about why she is making the game and what she puts into it. She doesn’t just pour in her wonder and appreciation for the Skallagrigg; she puts in her frustration with her disability, her disappointment in the system and its history, her depression and worry that her destiny is not in her own hands.
I blubbered quite a bit reading this book, never outright crying but definitely verging on tears. There were a few awkward train rides where I had to stop reading for a while until I could pull myself together. I think it’s fair to say that some of the scenes in Skallagrigg are sappy—but that works here. Horwood is able to tug the heartstrings because he creates something that is mostly believable. Esther is smart and capable but at a big disadvantage, physically. She is lucky in that she has a father who both cares about her and has the resources to help her, in stark contrast to Arthur, whose mother had no such recourse. Life isn’t fair, but it still seems like the tribulations Esther undergoes are more unfair than many people have to suffer. And this is all with an awareness that Esther is actually quite privileged. If countries like Britain can barely care for disabled people properly, imagine how less well-off countries fare.
I’ve chosen to label this book as science fiction, because it is. Firstly, as some of the footnotes reveal, it is set in the future (well, relative to when it was written)—2019 or later. Secondly, Horwood’s use of gaming and the Skallagrigg game itself are science-fiction set pieces. Science fiction doesn’t have to be set in the future, and it doesn’t have to involve any technology more advanced than what we already have. It just needs to take the technology we already have and look at it through a slightly different lens. Horwood does that here; he asks how a very carefully-created, complex text-adventure game might be used to communicate across generations and speech impediments. He is somewhat ahead of his time in recognizing how monumental video games will be as ways of transmitting stories and memes. For these reasons, Skallagrigg is science fiction—more along the lines of Atwood than Asimov, though, and therefore such a label is no reason to avoid it.
No, the only reason one might want to avoid this book is to avoid the tears that might be spilt over its pages. I can promise, though, that some of those tears will be of joy. It’s not a depressing book, just a starkly realistic one. Horwood doesn’t pull punches, but at the same time he rewards the reader for sticking through it. Like all great literature, Skallagrigg simultaneously tells a story while also making the reader think, and think not just about the issues the book raises but about their own beliefs and convictions. Because it’s one thing to read books, and it’s another to have the courage to let books change you.
Esther Marquand has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. At first, her father, Richard, is unsure what to do with her. She is a reminder of losing his wife, and like most able-bodied people, he isn’t sure how to interact with her. For a while, he remains distant—but he can never bring himself to abandon her completely. That’s all she needs. Gradually, Richard takes a more active interest in Esther’s life and development, eventually purchasing a more suitable home and moving her out of the place that is caring for her. As they learn how to communicate, Richard and Esther’s relationship becomes more like that of any father and daughter, complete with the occasional conflict over Richard’s affections, Esther’s future, and grandparents. Horwood is very skilled at creating characters who are sympathetic because they are three-dimensional. Richard is nice; he loves Esther and has her best interest in heart. But he’s not perfect, and sometimes he doesn’t understand Esther’s choices. Similarly, Esther spends quite a bit of time being rude to Richard’s girlfriend, despite her grace and courtesy. It’s a typical rejection of someone she feels is usurping the affection that should be hers. While Horwood carefully depicts the challenges Esther faces, being dependent on others for the most basic necessities, he also makes it clear that, mentally and emotionally, she undergoes the same developments and changes that we all do.
Esther becomes interested in stories told by other people with CP. They describe a boy with CP, Arthur, and his experiences in a hospital. Over the years, a mythical character named the Skallagrigg repeatedly saves the day. Arthur and his friends never seem to meet the Skallagrigg directly, but they also credit him with the save. Esther becomes convinced that the Skallagrigg and Arthur are real people who might still be alive. She begins collecting the stories, searching for clues as to Arthur’s whereabouts. Her research takes her along a dark path into the history of Britain’s treatment of people with disabilities. It is not pretty. In this way, Skalligrigg exposes the inadequacies of Britain’s treatment of and education of people with disabilities. As I learnt, through Esther, how bad it really is, I felt a growing conviction that we have to do better; we have no excuse for not doing better. The idea that people with physical disabilities are mistakenly diagnosed with mental disabilities simply because we haven’t found a way of communicating with them is not just frustrating; it’s gobsmackingly negligent. It’s an indictment without being pedantic, because it all happens in service to this wonderful story.
Skallagrigg also captures the excitement present in 1980s computing, when having a personal computer meant one had to do a lot more programming than one does today. Richard owns a computing company that recognizes the importance of computing to businesses. He brings home a computer for Esther and her friend to try, and they become captivated by its possibilities. Esther finds the patterns and logic behind programming comforting; as a mathematician and programmer myself, I can relate. She also discovers, thanks to the help of a creative engineer, a way to communicate using a specialized keyboard that allows her to express herself like never before. Never underestimate the power of having voice.
Horwood uses gaming as a way for Esther to express the emotional impact of her research. She begins work on a game called Skallagrigg, which is a maze/puzzle adventure that asks its player difficult, non-obvious questions along the way. It’s this game that the narrator has played, in which he finds clues Esther scattered to bring him to this story. As someone who loves computers and understands their appeal in a way Esther does, I really enjoyed this part of the book. Even if you don’t, however, it remains a powerful metaphor: Esther is creating, she is taking control in a computer-based world because she has so little control in this world. It’s exciting and amazing, but at the same time one has to think about why she is making the game and what she puts into it. She doesn’t just pour in her wonder and appreciation for the Skallagrigg; she puts in her frustration with her disability, her disappointment in the system and its history, her depression and worry that her destiny is not in her own hands.
I blubbered quite a bit reading this book, never outright crying but definitely verging on tears. There were a few awkward train rides where I had to stop reading for a while until I could pull myself together. I think it’s fair to say that some of the scenes in Skallagrigg are sappy—but that works here. Horwood is able to tug the heartstrings because he creates something that is mostly believable. Esther is smart and capable but at a big disadvantage, physically. She is lucky in that she has a father who both cares about her and has the resources to help her, in stark contrast to Arthur, whose mother had no such recourse. Life isn’t fair, but it still seems like the tribulations Esther undergoes are more unfair than many people have to suffer. And this is all with an awareness that Esther is actually quite privileged. If countries like Britain can barely care for disabled people properly, imagine how less well-off countries fare.
I’ve chosen to label this book as science fiction, because it is. Firstly, as some of the footnotes reveal, it is set in the future (well, relative to when it was written)—2019 or later. Secondly, Horwood’s use of gaming and the Skallagrigg game itself are science-fiction set pieces. Science fiction doesn’t have to be set in the future, and it doesn’t have to involve any technology more advanced than what we already have. It just needs to take the technology we already have and look at it through a slightly different lens. Horwood does that here; he asks how a very carefully-created, complex text-adventure game might be used to communicate across generations and speech impediments. He is somewhat ahead of his time in recognizing how monumental video games will be as ways of transmitting stories and memes. For these reasons, Skallagrigg is science fiction—more along the lines of Atwood than Asimov, though, and therefore such a label is no reason to avoid it.
No, the only reason one might want to avoid this book is to avoid the tears that might be spilt over its pages. I can promise, though, that some of those tears will be of joy. It’s not a depressing book, just a starkly realistic one. Horwood doesn’t pull punches, but at the same time he rewards the reader for sticking through it. Like all great literature, Skallagrigg simultaneously tells a story while also making the reader think, and think not just about the issues the book raises but about their own beliefs and convictions. Because it’s one thing to read books, and it’s another to have the courage to let books change you.
September 11, 2010
Undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read. Intriguing, emotive, harrowing, truthful and ultimately uplifting. In places it is astonishingly brutal but, believe me, the brutality is not exaggerated but par for the course in the old institutions - I worked in some of them in their final days and they were dreadful, hellish places.
The blurb on the books cover talks about it being a life changing book and I think it is, few books have had such an emotional impact on me as this one.
I have read several of Willaim Horwood's books and they are always enjoyable reads but with Skallgrigg he excelled himself, dooming all his other books to take an inferior place beside it. Quite why this book is not a widely know and revered masterpiece I just don't know. It should be a set book in schools, the basis of a great cinematic adaption (as opposed to the one inferior TV attempt) and so on. As it is, I stumbled across it by accident, never having heard of it before. No justice sometimes!
The blurb on the books cover talks about it being a life changing book and I think it is, few books have had such an emotional impact on me as this one.
I have read several of Willaim Horwood's books and they are always enjoyable reads but with Skallgrigg he excelled himself, dooming all his other books to take an inferior place beside it. Quite why this book is not a widely know and revered masterpiece I just don't know. It should be a set book in schools, the basis of a great cinematic adaption (as opposed to the one inferior TV attempt) and so on. As it is, I stumbled across it by accident, never having heard of it before. No justice sometimes!
July 24, 2012
As a mother of a CP daughter I was unsure whether to read this book.Society even today can maginalise and ridicule disabled people.But Horwood handles the subject with such thoughtfulness and love that I was won over.The box of tissues were needed often.Parts of my life were echoed on the pages and my conflicting emotions of the past 30 years were brought back to me.
How fortunate it is that my daughter was born in this day and age.Although communication is difficult she has a machine like Esther that allows her to interact with the world.I shudder with horror if she had been born 50 years ago and had found herself in Arthur's community.
This book encourages the reader to look beyond the shell of the disabled body and search for the true personality that lurks at the heart of every CP person.
Although reluctant to read this book I put this book at the top of my best ever list.
How fortunate it is that my daughter was born in this day and age.Although communication is difficult she has a machine like Esther that allows her to interact with the world.I shudder with horror if she had been born 50 years ago and had found herself in Arthur's community.
This book encourages the reader to look beyond the shell of the disabled body and search for the true personality that lurks at the heart of every CP person.
Although reluctant to read this book I put this book at the top of my best ever list.
April 7, 2007
I do realize the folly of typing "even better than Duncton Wood !" which is another book nobody has read, but this novel takes the magic and the heartbreak of Duncton Wood and transposes the secret and the power onto the world of humans. Horwood has an eye for the untold beauty of the oddity, and the language to translate both oddness and beauty into a story the reader can follow, without falling into tired clichés or making you feel you've read this one a thousand times before. In fact, probably, you have come across stories similar to this one - unsuspected heroism and brilliance in an unlikely frame, the struggle to rise above adversity - but I doubt you've read anything quite like this.
April 3, 2020
One of my all time favourites, I forget how many times I've read it
April 26, 2013
For years I used to puzzle over my choice, should the inevitable happen, and I was invited onto Desert Island Discs to select my one book to take with me to while away my days.
A lifetime of solitude for me, would be my ultimate test of self and I always believed that I could never pick a single book (Bible and The Complete Works of Shakespeare a given)that would act as my humanitarian surrogacy.
Across music, film, entertainment and until now literature, I have always been a fence-sitter. Not because I struggle with opinion but the fact that I have such wide taste and take pleasure from so many varied forms that to choose one that eclipses all others is an impossibility.
......until i read this masterpiece.
And my flag was well and truly pinned to the Skallagrigg pole.
How apt that it was a professional storyteller who happened to wander into my store one day and, after chatting about film for sometime, talk moved to the subject of books, discussions about what makes a good story and the premise that all stories are based on just 7 plots which although debatable, fascinated me.
After chewing the cud for a while, we finished up the conversation and she bid a farewell and made for the door before turning and in a parting comment to end all parting comments uttered those immortal words that would forever change my life - "Have you heard of Skallagrigg?". And that was that.
Discovering that the book was out of print added to the intrigue and so, two months later when i sat down with my amazon delivered second hand copy, I started reading with the highest of hopes.
For those who have read the book those words "Have you heard of Skallagrigg? take on an even greater significance and have led to my crusade to spread the book far and wide. I joined this site based on my constant craving to find those who have experienced the same moment of discovery - the 'Skallagrigg epiphany'.
Addiction takes many forms but the chief characteristic is the inability of the addict to stop doing something despite their best intentions.
Putting this book down physically hurt.
On completing the book, I experienced genuine symptoms of grief.
For those who have not read it I will not spoil it.
My advice is just this;
DO NOT prejudge the book's themes of love, disability, abuse, the journey to adulthood or even references to computer games and development. You will be gravely mistaken. This book is for you, whoever you are!
It makes you appreciate your life and want to be that little more considerate to others.
I have always thought what I would say to William Horwood if I ever met him. I'm not sure I have the eloquence necessary to express my thanks.
5 stars is wholly inadequate.
A lifetime of solitude for me, would be my ultimate test of self and I always believed that I could never pick a single book (Bible and The Complete Works of Shakespeare a given)that would act as my humanitarian surrogacy.
Across music, film, entertainment and until now literature, I have always been a fence-sitter. Not because I struggle with opinion but the fact that I have such wide taste and take pleasure from so many varied forms that to choose one that eclipses all others is an impossibility.
......until i read this masterpiece.
And my flag was well and truly pinned to the Skallagrigg pole.
How apt that it was a professional storyteller who happened to wander into my store one day and, after chatting about film for sometime, talk moved to the subject of books, discussions about what makes a good story and the premise that all stories are based on just 7 plots which although debatable, fascinated me.
After chewing the cud for a while, we finished up the conversation and she bid a farewell and made for the door before turning and in a parting comment to end all parting comments uttered those immortal words that would forever change my life - "Have you heard of Skallagrigg?". And that was that.
Discovering that the book was out of print added to the intrigue and so, two months later when i sat down with my amazon delivered second hand copy, I started reading with the highest of hopes.
For those who have read the book those words "Have you heard of Skallagrigg? take on an even greater significance and have led to my crusade to spread the book far and wide. I joined this site based on my constant craving to find those who have experienced the same moment of discovery - the 'Skallagrigg epiphany'.
Addiction takes many forms but the chief characteristic is the inability of the addict to stop doing something despite their best intentions.
Putting this book down physically hurt.
On completing the book, I experienced genuine symptoms of grief.
For those who have not read it I will not spoil it.
My advice is just this;
DO NOT prejudge the book's themes of love, disability, abuse, the journey to adulthood or even references to computer games and development. You will be gravely mistaken. This book is for you, whoever you are!
It makes you appreciate your life and want to be that little more considerate to others.
I have always thought what I would say to William Horwood if I ever met him. I'm not sure I have the eloquence necessary to express my thanks.
5 stars is wholly inadequate.
November 23, 2010
Wonderful book (hard to get hold of but worth the effort). I'll let a guy called Paul Silver do the spadework for me - he reviewed the
Horwood's own daughter had this disability and was the inspiration for the book.
Recommended without reservation, you just need to suspend your disbelief that you could ever enjoy a book about "spastics" for 20-30 pages."
Horwood's own daughter had this disability and was the inspiration for the book.
Recommended without reservation, you just need to suspend your disbelief that you could ever enjoy a book about "spastics" for 20-30 pages."
February 27, 2017
One of those books...once read, never forgotten.
October 11, 2022
Plot summary is in the second paragraph
Honestly, the only feeling I have after reading this book is disappointment. I LOVED the beginning. This was going to be new favorite book! I was going to take books off my favorites list because this one was so good! But then. . . it just didn't do what I wanted it to do. I know, I know, maybe I had unrealistic expectations, or read into something that wasn't actually there, but the beginning of this book lead me to believe that it was going to be an ARG-like search for answers. I thought Martin was going to be the main character, and Esther was just the person who seeded the clues that Martin would follow. Hell, even the subtitle says "A compelling search"! I thought Martin would be the one searching for the Skallagrigg, finishing the mystery that Esther and Arthur had started. But no. This book would have been so much better if it had done away with Martin entirely and - I never thought I would say this - done what the movie did. Yeah, I just said that. I want this book to cut out the parts that the movie cut out.
Whew! I can't say that this book didn't have a complex enough plot. To be honest, I think the plot was a little too complex, or at least there were to many characters. To remember everyone, you would have to be the most attentive reader on the planet, and the way characters come in and out of the plot, coupled with the length of the book, makes it really confusing whenever an apparently new character shows up. I had to constantly think back to the far reaches of the novel to remember who is talking anytime someone says something, and sometimes I even had to flip back through the book and look for mentions of the characters name. Doesn't exactly keep you invested in the story. Speaking of the books length, this book was way to long. The plot often rambles and the pacing is ridiculous. I get that this book was written in the 70's and people now have the attention span of a goldfish, but you would have to have the attention span of an elephant to make it through this book without skimming a few paragraphs. I feel like with a good editor, this book could have easily been cut down to 500 or less pages just by removing the sections were LITTERALLY NOTHING is happening.
On the topic of writing, I do want to say that I feel like the writing style of the book almost devolved as it progressed. In the beginning, it was funny and interesting, and the breaking the fourth wall was cool. Once it cuts to Esther's story, however, it reads almost like a biography, which may have been the intention, but it was not fun to read. Also, I actually had to look up whether some of these characters were real or not! I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but the amount of detail in the writing of this book was astounding! This contributed to the biographical feel, but I can't help being impressed. For example, one character begins to program a game, and the book actually has an footnote telling you when and by whom the game was published! Again, I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not that I have to pause my reading and go Google things every few chapters, but it was definitely different!
Now, onto my main problem with this book. The beginning section of narration by Martin leads you to believe that he is the main character and the book will be about him trying to find the Skallagrigg. I thought that Esther would just be a creative programmer who brought the Skallagrigg stories to the public, and left clues inside the game to where and how these stories originated. Maybe this was just me jumping to conclusions, but when the narrative cut to Esther and stayed with her for the majority of the book, I was profoundly disappointed. At first, I thought the Esther part would just be about her childhood, so we have some backstory for some other plot element involving Martin, but no. We remain with her for another 500 pages, and while it isn't the worst thing I've ever read, it wasn't the amazing story of physical and mental discovery that the beginning chapters prepared me for. Again, maybe I just jumped to conclusions too fast, but it was definitely disappointing. I probably would have liked this book a lot more if it had just eliminated the Martin arc and chronicled Esther's search for the Skallagrigg.
Speaking of Esther, and I in no way mean this to be offensive to anyone with a disability, it was quite difficult to relate to her as an able-bodied person. Some of her struggles were, of course, the same as anyone else's, but others seemed exclusive to someone who had no muscle control. Again, not trying to offend anyone in any way.
Lastly, the ending. I'm going to be honest here - it sucked. In all regards, the ending was terrible. It didn't bring a sense of closure, it didn't wrap up the plot very well, and overall didn't inspire the emotions that a good ending should. It didn't make me sad necessarily (this is more to do with the writing than what happened to the characters), it didn't make me happy, it just left me with a sense of bewilderment and confusion at why and how what happened happened. I'm am trying to keep this spoiler free, so let's just leave it at that.
Anyway, when a book makes you wish it was like the movie, you know that it has some serious problems. Really the only redeeming qualities of this book were it's interesting writing style at the beginning, the lengths the author went to to add detail, and the intricacy of the plot. Other than that, the pacing, relatability, characters, plotting, ending, and pretty much everything else were just not good. The only emotion this book left me with is disappointment over what could have been a great read had it been executed correctly.
Honestly, the only feeling I have after reading this book is disappointment. I LOVED the beginning. This was going to be new favorite book! I was going to take books off my favorites list because this one was so good! But then. . . it just didn't do what I wanted it to do. I know, I know, maybe I had unrealistic expectations, or read into something that wasn't actually there, but the beginning of this book lead me to believe that it was going to be an ARG-like search for answers. I thought Martin was going to be the main character, and Esther was just the person who seeded the clues that Martin would follow. Hell, even the subtitle says "A compelling search"! I thought Martin would be the one searching for the Skallagrigg, finishing the mystery that Esther and Arthur had started. But no. This book would have been so much better if it had done away with Martin entirely and - I never thought I would say this - done what the movie did. Yeah, I just said that. I want this book to cut out the parts that the movie cut out.
Whew! I can't say that this book didn't have a complex enough plot. To be honest, I think the plot was a little too complex, or at least there were to many characters. To remember everyone, you would have to be the most attentive reader on the planet, and the way characters come in and out of the plot, coupled with the length of the book, makes it really confusing whenever an apparently new character shows up. I had to constantly think back to the far reaches of the novel to remember who is talking anytime someone says something, and sometimes I even had to flip back through the book and look for mentions of the characters name. Doesn't exactly keep you invested in the story. Speaking of the books length, this book was way to long. The plot often rambles and the pacing is ridiculous. I get that this book was written in the 70's and people now have the attention span of a goldfish, but you would have to have the attention span of an elephant to make it through this book without skimming a few paragraphs. I feel like with a good editor, this book could have easily been cut down to 500 or less pages just by removing the sections were LITTERALLY NOTHING is happening.
On the topic of writing, I do want to say that I feel like the writing style of the book almost devolved as it progressed. In the beginning, it was funny and interesting, and the breaking the fourth wall was cool. Once it cuts to Esther's story, however, it reads almost like a biography, which may have been the intention, but it was not fun to read. Also, I actually had to look up whether some of these characters were real or not! I'm not sure if that's good or bad, but the amount of detail in the writing of this book was astounding! This contributed to the biographical feel, but I can't help being impressed. For example, one character begins to program a game, and the book actually has an footnote telling you when and by whom the game was published! Again, I'm not sure if it's a good thing or not that I have to pause my reading and go Google things every few chapters, but it was definitely different!
Now, onto my main problem with this book. The beginning section of narration by Martin leads you to believe that he is the main character and the book will be about him trying to find the Skallagrigg. I thought that Esther would just be a creative programmer who brought the Skallagrigg stories to the public, and left clues inside the game to where and how these stories originated. Maybe this was just me jumping to conclusions, but when the narrative cut to Esther and stayed with her for the majority of the book, I was profoundly disappointed. At first, I thought the Esther part would just be about her childhood, so we have some backstory for some other plot element involving Martin, but no. We remain with her for another 500 pages, and while it isn't the worst thing I've ever read, it wasn't the amazing story of physical and mental discovery that the beginning chapters prepared me for. Again, maybe I just jumped to conclusions too fast, but it was definitely disappointing. I probably would have liked this book a lot more if it had just eliminated the Martin arc and chronicled Esther's search for the Skallagrigg.
Speaking of Esther, and I in no way mean this to be offensive to anyone with a disability, it was quite difficult to relate to her as an able-bodied person. Some of her struggles were, of course, the same as anyone else's, but others seemed exclusive to someone who had no muscle control. Again, not trying to offend anyone in any way.
Lastly, the ending. I'm going to be honest here - it sucked. In all regards, the ending was terrible. It didn't bring a sense of closure, it didn't wrap up the plot very well, and overall didn't inspire the emotions that a good ending should. It didn't make me sad necessarily (this is more to do with the writing than what happened to the characters), it didn't make me happy, it just left me with a sense of bewilderment and confusion at why and how what happened happened. I'm am trying to keep this spoiler free, so let's just leave it at that.
Anyway, when a book makes you wish it was like the movie, you know that it has some serious problems. Really the only redeeming qualities of this book were it's interesting writing style at the beginning, the lengths the author went to to add detail, and the intricacy of the plot. Other than that, the pacing, relatability, characters, plotting, ending, and pretty much everything else were just not good. The only emotion this book left me with is disappointment over what could have been a great read had it been executed correctly.
February 11, 2025
I'm not sure how to even tackle this review. The book is an epic, spending many of the first chapters flashing around between different stories and characters and seeming intent on creating an air of mystery, but it was so disconnected that I almost checked out early. I didn't care who or what the Skallagrigg was, and even by the end of the whole book I still didn't care about its regular symbolic usage. Once the story landed on sticking with the character Esther, it became a much more straightforward tale about her life. Sadly, especially as she entered her teenage years, she became regularly unlikable -- which made it difficult to keep reading at times. She joins up with another character during the ending chapters in a book who is just as unlikable, and at that point I probably would've just stopped reading -- but by golly, I was already hundreds of pages in, and only a short bit to go, so I might as well finish it out.
While I may not have loved the two main characters (though, fully acknowledge they're well-written and realistically human), the supporting cast was made up of a lot of wonderful characters: Tom (above all else!), Brian, Margaret, Helen, Marion, and more. Arthur was mostly weird and uninteresting, but it was curious how my preferences shifted; at points I hated the book drifting into more strange Arthur stories and just wanted to get on with Esther's life, but then at others I was totally uninterested in Esther's storyline and wanted to read more about Arthur. The book is enjoyably written, and there are plenty of really sweet moments, some bittersweet moments, and there are plenty of dark, sad, and tragic moments as well. In the end, as other less-than-glowing reviews here have mentioned, the book could have benefited from being trimmed down... by a LOT. Hundreds of pages could have been cut, I imagine, without much story being removed; simply cutting down on some of the repetitive ideas and long-winded prose would have done a lot.
I do not regret reading this book, though, for one very important reason: it showed me that a book could make me cry.
That is actually how I found this book. I was in search of stories that folks said were emotional, and saw this title recommended somewhere. I love movies, I love music, and both can easily bring me to tears -- but aside from Charlotte's Web, I'd never read anything that brought about the same level of emotion. I'm writing my own books now, so I had to know that a book could make me feel the way a movie could -- I had to know that my stories could still be done justice in book form in a way that I found satisfying. Thankfully, I can say, that though it was only once (spoiler: ), Skallagrigg pulled off what I wasn't sure possible in an adult fiction book. While I may not have loved this story, I can say that I am forever grateful for this experience that it gave me.
While I may not have loved the two main characters (though, fully acknowledge they're well-written and realistically human), the supporting cast was made up of a lot of wonderful characters: Tom (above all else!), Brian, Margaret, Helen, Marion, and more. Arthur was mostly weird and uninteresting, but it was curious how my preferences shifted; at points I hated the book drifting into more strange Arthur stories and just wanted to get on with Esther's life, but then at others I was totally uninterested in Esther's storyline and wanted to read more about Arthur. The book is enjoyably written, and there are plenty of really sweet moments, some bittersweet moments, and there are plenty of dark, sad, and tragic moments as well. In the end, as other less-than-glowing reviews here have mentioned, the book could have benefited from being trimmed down... by a LOT. Hundreds of pages could have been cut, I imagine, without much story being removed; simply cutting down on some of the repetitive ideas and long-winded prose would have done a lot.
I do not regret reading this book, though, for one very important reason: it showed me that a book could make me cry.
That is actually how I found this book. I was in search of stories that folks said were emotional, and saw this title recommended somewhere. I love movies, I love music, and both can easily bring me to tears -- but aside from Charlotte's Web, I'd never read anything that brought about the same level of emotion. I'm writing my own books now, so I had to know that a book could make me feel the way a movie could -- I had to know that my stories could still be done justice in book form in a way that I found satisfying. Thankfully, I can say, that though it was only once (spoiler: ), Skallagrigg pulled off what I wasn't sure possible in an adult fiction book. While I may not have loved this story, I can say that I am forever grateful for this experience that it gave me.
May 26, 2017
I hold this book dear because it was one of the first books I read in English, shortly after it was published in 1987. On re-reading it, I was surprised it is not at all outdated, in fact the computer game that plays a big part in the book, could set the story easily in the current time. Skallagrigg is the heartbreaking story of a non-verbal boy with cerebral palsy, Arthur, in the beginning of the 20th century who is not recognised as highly intelligent. Taken from a loving environment he enters a gruesome institution where children like him are left at the mercy of the sometimes cruel staff. The children spend most of their time in bed in a cold windowless room, with nothing to do and a minimum of personal care. Arthur gets sick and close to dying but what pulls him through is the image of 'Skallagrigg' who one day will come and take him away. Arthur starts telling these stories to the others, through his friend Frank, who is the only one who can understand Arthur. The myths of Skallagrigg turn into a special, secret narrative that children with a disability tell each other for generations long. Untill Esther Marcant, a young woman with cp herself, starts researching the origins of the stories with the conviction that the stories have something important to tell. While Arthur's story portrays the appalling consequences of a lack of understanding and compassion for so called 'cripples' in the first half of the 20th century, it reads like a fairy tale with a happy ending. It's beautifully intertwined with and contrasted to the story of Esther, who comes from a privileged background, has the opportunity to study and pursue her ambitious goals but nevertheless struggles to accept her inadequate body and her place in society. Even though I didn't always find her character very likeable, I totally understood how the implications of her condition impacted on her relations with other people and on her own sense of self. The second time around, I found that the most impressive part of this book.
March 3, 2011
Wow - this book had me hooked. Not the normal style I read but it met me where I was at, and took me on what seemed like multiple adventures - only to discover that in reality the themes, story lines, and emotions were all interwoven like coloured patterns and echoes of patterns within a giant tapestry or piece of material of a loom... At first it all just looks like a giant mess - but at the end the intracacies are beautifully surprising, subtle, and so well thought through...
An insight into the challenges of disability, the misconceptions, and the effects it has upon those near and dear. I felt this book truly tackled the full range of human emotion and communicated it so transparently. Such tender moments through to pain and angst. My only critiscism could be maybe the male author didn't quite manage to capture what it is to be a female teenager however, it was very very close. The merit's of his writing ability here however are truly revealed in his ability to communicate the spoken and the willed, the spoken in sign, and the spoken in heart. Not an easy subject to write - speaking fully for those who cannot "technically" speak, or with speech impairments, and conveying it in black and white. Yet somehow, it was so clear what was said allowed, what was signed, and what was communicated in other ways, without loosing the flow of the text, or the drama of the story. Impressive. I'm left with a lasting impression of just how much 'yeh' and 'nah' can really mean. Of the shy undertones, and angry overtones, of the pleading helplessness, and the jubilant celebration, each of which i could hear being spoken out in those words in my mind. Stunning.
Highly recommended. Puzzles within puzzles, layers within layers, stories within stories, similarities, patterns you would never have guessed at and a wierd social commentary upon the medical and educational institutions, and the differences developments in computing made to the economy and society as a whole!
An insight into the challenges of disability, the misconceptions, and the effects it has upon those near and dear. I felt this book truly tackled the full range of human emotion and communicated it so transparently. Such tender moments through to pain and angst. My only critiscism could be maybe the male author didn't quite manage to capture what it is to be a female teenager however, it was very very close. The merit's of his writing ability here however are truly revealed in his ability to communicate the spoken and the willed, the spoken in sign, and the spoken in heart. Not an easy subject to write - speaking fully for those who cannot "technically" speak, or with speech impairments, and conveying it in black and white. Yet somehow, it was so clear what was said allowed, what was signed, and what was communicated in other ways, without loosing the flow of the text, or the drama of the story. Impressive. I'm left with a lasting impression of just how much 'yeh' and 'nah' can really mean. Of the shy undertones, and angry overtones, of the pleading helplessness, and the jubilant celebration, each of which i could hear being spoken out in those words in my mind. Stunning.
Highly recommended. Puzzles within puzzles, layers within layers, stories within stories, similarities, patterns you would never have guessed at and a wierd social commentary upon the medical and educational institutions, and the differences developments in computing made to the economy and society as a whole!
January 8, 2015
Moving story of a CP girl's life and her search for Arthur, the source of the Skallagrigg stories, passed around and told by institutionalised disabled people to each other, about how the Skallagrigg aids Arthur when he is in trouble. No matter how dark it is (& you do get to see early 20th century institutions at their worst), the stories provide hope, optimism, courage and faith.
I found out about this book when I interviewed a student counsellor for a blog post. She said that it was a story of courage and inspiration to change things for the better. it's a heart rending & moving novel that often had me in tears. Without giving too much away, I think the key elements of he story are the importance of friendship, family and hope. it also effectively underlines differences in care and attitudes towards disability in two halves of the 20th century through greater understanding and better technology.
All this is put together in an epic & interweaving narrative from a third person narrator who joins the evidence and notes together, about three decades later. The main character, Esther is highly intelligent, driven, determined and gifted, who through the support of her family, school and eventually Daniel Schuster, becomes a computer games whizzkid and creates a highly complex, multilayered game based on the Skallarigg stories that takes the player on a spiritual journey through helplessness & despair.
Although a little dated, I'm still thinking and reeling about this book a few days after reading it. There hasn't been much fiction featuring key disabled characters, but I think William Horwood packs enough emotional and literary punches to create a highly compelling and thought provoking story.
I found out about this book when I interviewed a student counsellor for a blog post. She said that it was a story of courage and inspiration to change things for the better. it's a heart rending & moving novel that often had me in tears. Without giving too much away, I think the key elements of he story are the importance of friendship, family and hope. it also effectively underlines differences in care and attitudes towards disability in two halves of the 20th century through greater understanding and better technology.
All this is put together in an epic & interweaving narrative from a third person narrator who joins the evidence and notes together, about three decades later. The main character, Esther is highly intelligent, driven, determined and gifted, who through the support of her family, school and eventually Daniel Schuster, becomes a computer games whizzkid and creates a highly complex, multilayered game based on the Skallarigg stories that takes the player on a spiritual journey through helplessness & despair.
Although a little dated, I'm still thinking and reeling about this book a few days after reading it. There hasn't been much fiction featuring key disabled characters, but I think William Horwood packs enough emotional and literary punches to create a highly compelling and thought provoking story.
November 18, 2020
I first read "Skallagrigg" in 1988 and believe that it is the finest novel by an author I consider to be one of the greatest english writers of the latter part of the twentieth century.It is the ultimate "quest" novel: not only does it tell the immensely moving story of Esther's inspired search for the abandoned Arthur, but at a deeper psychological and spiritual level it also challenges us to search for the meaning and identity of the Skallgrigg for ourselves. Although it moved me to tears, its celebration of the redemptive power of love was matched by an unflinching recognition of the appalling way we have until very recently in this country (and sadly still elsewhere) treated those who suffer from disabilities like Esther's and Arthur's.A treatment so vividly expressed in the evil and everlooming presence of the character, Dilke. I have given almost 50 copies of this wonderful book to friends and only two have failed to contact me to convey their joy at reading it.The film which was made of it could not sadly begin to penetrate the depths to which Horwood's imagination compels us.
March 15, 2012
"I'm four chapters in and I can already tell that this is going to be one of the best books I have ever read. It is extraordinary."
Clearly, I was impressed enough to write the above statement almost immediately after starting this book. It really is an astounding achievement. The writing style is so natural that I forgot I was reading and that for me is the mark of a great writer. The descriptive passages never felt pretentious or flowery, the dialogue was rarely stilted or awkward. And it kept me up to way past a time that was good for me!
It is sad at times, warm, compassionate, uplifting and thoughtful. It is probably the most complete story I have ever read. It will stay with me for a long time. Definitely in my top 10 reads. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Clearly, I was impressed enough to write the above statement almost immediately after starting this book. It really is an astounding achievement. The writing style is so natural that I forgot I was reading and that for me is the mark of a great writer. The descriptive passages never felt pretentious or flowery, the dialogue was rarely stilted or awkward. And it kept me up to way past a time that was good for me!
It is sad at times, warm, compassionate, uplifting and thoughtful. It is probably the most complete story I have ever read. It will stay with me for a long time. Definitely in my top 10 reads. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
March 16, 2008
This is just beautiful. All of Horwood's books generally are, but he leaves the alliteration behind here to craft something more. To create the world of disabled children and the world of Skallagrigg as utopia was just inspired. The book follows the deeply moving story of Esther's search for the abandoned Arthur, but at a deeper psychological and spiritual level it also challenges us to search for the meaning and identity of the Skallgrigg for ourselves. I can't recommend this book - or this author - enough.
September 25, 2008
Fantastic book. Really hard to explain. About the world of disabled people who can not communicate in normal ways and the way the world treats them. Several story lines about the nature of true and convoluted friendships along the way and a sad indictment on British Institutionalism (not that its unique to Britain). One of the best books I've ever read.
I've read some of William Horwood's animal fantasy. The Stonor Eagles would be my favourite.
For a bio and book info go to my link text
I've read some of William Horwood's animal fantasy. The Stonor Eagles would be my favourite.
For a bio and book info go to my link text
April 21, 2014
Horwood's master work. Set in the world of cerebral palsy and historical mental asylums, it sounds a very unattractive read. But it is wonderful, magical and powerful. Life-changing, or at the very least, eye-opening.
April 1, 2011
This is one of the best books I have read. I do not think it an understatement to say that this book taught me what love is, not the sappy romantic kind, but real genuine love for another person.
September 23, 2014
Great book
May 14, 2015
This is one of my all time favourite books. William Horwood weaves the two stories together with a seamless beauty. The emotion he evokes is so raw it left me in tears more than once.
December 20, 2020
I read this book many years ago, when it was first published. It’s one of my favourites , I never lend it to anyone as I do other books, it’s too precious for that.
January 26, 2021
amazing book...read years ago and it is still in my heart. i would read the 700+ pages again. so so good.
April 16, 2011
Amazing book...I cried. As upsetting as a burst teabag.
June 15, 2021
I very rarely post about books while I'm still reading them, but for this book I had to, because I felt, and still feel it is criminal that this is book is not that well known. It should be in the pantheon of novels that get read my millions each year. However, I doubt given its obscurity that this is the case.
This story is so much more than its basics of being an exploration of disability. Though as someone with a disability it did bring home to me how much my life could have been different if I had been born in a different era - but also, how far society has yet to travel. It's as much a story about the human spirit and the importance of wholeness. To be honest, there are many levels one could read this book. If one has the tearducts strong enough, I am sure it's the kind of book that a reread would give even greater insight than the first read through. I first picked this up in the early 2000's, and for various reasons never finished a complete read through until now. But it was definitely one of those books that kept calling me back, and I'm so glad it did!
If you can get hold of a copy, it really is a must read!
This story is so much more than its basics of being an exploration of disability. Though as someone with a disability it did bring home to me how much my life could have been different if I had been born in a different era - but also, how far society has yet to travel. It's as much a story about the human spirit and the importance of wholeness. To be honest, there are many levels one could read this book. If one has the tearducts strong enough, I am sure it's the kind of book that a reread would give even greater insight than the first read through. I first picked this up in the early 2000's, and for various reasons never finished a complete read through until now. But it was definitely one of those books that kept calling me back, and I'm so glad it did!
If you can get hold of a copy, it really is a must read!
September 14, 2024
I first read this book in my early teens lent to me by my Nan. I’ve not read it again since and was surprised how little I remembered upon rereading. The book made me well up with tears on so many occasions but as an observer reviewer said they’re not tears of pity but tears of redemption. You can not help but feel for these people judged only by what they could not do and never given the chance to show the intelligence that was within them. They were treated worse than animals and the fact that this was true and not just made up for a book made it really hard to comprehend. As someone with mental health issues I would’ve been a patient in the asylums along with them had I been born in that time period. I liked that they made Esther and Arthur and Tom and other people with disabilities characters well rounded. There were times when they did wrong, acted wrong, were stubborn, even unkind because they are people too and not perfect. I think everyone should read this book once. It certainly gave me a new sense of being happy with all that I have because some people will never have it. And things could always be worse.
February 5, 2022
Recommended by a wise friend, this book has become an instant favourite. I gather it's not a genre the author is noted for, but it's hard to pin down in which genre this fits. It's certainly an epic adventure, but there's little in the way of fantasy. Instead there are closely observed family relationships, and a plot that snakes its way through generations and keeps you guessing, particularly about the identity of Skallagrigg. I got chills of recognition and suspense, and I'm not ashamed to say shed tears several times. The story is told masterfully and as if from a deep well of affection for the characters. Horwood's empathy effectively draws the reader in to considering how disabled people might feel, and what an ideal relationship with them might look like. Not to mention the struggles, dilemmas and hardships along the way. At 700+ pages it could have been a chore, but it was anything but. Not sure when I will next read a book as satisfying as this. Perhaps something else by Horwood.......
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