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Bearmouth
Life in Bearmouth is one of hard labour, the sunlit world above the mine a distant memory. Reward will come in the next life with the benevolence of the Mayker. Newt accepts everything - that is, until the mysterious Devlin arrives. Suddenly, Newt starts to look at Bearmouth with a fresh perspective, questioning the system, and setting in motion a chain of events that could destroy their entire world.
In this powerful and brilliantly original debut novel, friendship creates strength, courage is hard-won and hope is the path to freedom.
In this powerful and brilliantly original debut novel, friendship creates strength, courage is hard-won and hope is the path to freedom.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
52 people are currently reading
2834 people want to read
About the author
Liz Hyder
5 books306 followersLiz Hyder is a writer and creative workshop leader. In early 2018, she won The Bridge Award/Moniack Mhor Emerging Writer Award. Her debut novel for young adults, Bearmouth, was named The Times Children's Book of the Year in 2019, won the Waterstones Children's Book for Older Readers 2020 and the Branford Boase Award 2020. It was also shortlisted for the UKLA Awards and nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal. Her debut book for adults, The Gifts, published in hardback in February 2022 (UK and Commonwealth). Originally from London, she now lives in South Shropshire in a small medieval market town surrounded by hills, books and plants.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
November 16, 2025
Oh. My. Sweet Jesus.
So. The last time I DNF'ed a book was ~4 years ago.
My streak has been shattered today.
So please keep that in mind - I do not DNF lightly and a book truly needs to be extraordinary for me to even consider it.
I am trying to find some way to sugar-coat this...but honestly...this book was unreadable.
Why?
It was a hooked-on-phonics nightmare.
The MC is learning to read and write, and his diaries (aka this book) reflects that.
AND I really need to mention how ...incredibly...slow this book felt, mostly cause I spent SO MUCH DANG TIME trying to puzzle out the words (or should I say traig to pahssl owt the werdz).
It was frustrating at 10% through and maddening at 30%.
At 40% I skipped ahead to the end and while the number of misspelled words went down (from about 50% to 25%), the mere thought of having to slog through that many pages and still deal with sentences like this:
And the thing is, if most of the book was normal-speak with occasional direct depictions of his poorly written diary, I think I could've handled it.
I think it would've worked brilliantly...but that wasn't done.
At the bare minimum, I was intrigued by the story - it seems like the MC is gay and is crushing on a guy named Devlin and that possibly Devlin is the devil. And there's something happening in the mines - something haunting and dangerous.
Reading the book description gets me honestly fired up. It sounds great and like something I'd absolutely LOVE.
But as far as the actual book?
I'm just reeling by the writing and I haven't run across something like this in the entirety of my 400+ books reviewed for authors and publishers and if I never run into it again, I would feel blessed.
All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication.
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So. The last time I DNF'ed a book was ~4 years ago.
My streak has been shattered today.
So please keep that in mind - I do not DNF lightly and a book truly needs to be extraordinary for me to even consider it.
I am trying to find some way to sugar-coat this...but honestly...this book was unreadable.
Why?
It was a hooked-on-phonics nightmare.
But I kno I dunt dream it. Lyke I kno I dunt dream the shadow man neether.I am shocked and shooketh.
The MC is learning to read and write, and his diaries (aka this book) reflects that.
Pleased, I smyles at him, a smyle that goes from my tippy tose to the top o my head.And after the first few pages, I wanted to put it down cause it was such a headache to read.
AND I really need to mention how ...incredibly...slow this book felt, mostly cause I spent SO MUCH DANG TIME trying to puzzle out the words (or should I say traig to pahssl owt the werdz).
It was frustrating at 10% through and maddening at 30%.
At 40% I skipped ahead to the end and while the number of misspelled words went down (from about 50% to 25%), the mere thought of having to slog through that many pages and still deal with sentences like this:
Why he inherited it dunt he? The Maykers way that is. There ent nothing but silence. And then Devlin says one word. Why? Jack larfs to hisself. Why lad? Why? Well tis for the Mayker to answer that not for the lykes o us.Was enough to make me DNF it.
And the thing is, if most of the book was normal-speak with occasional direct depictions of his poorly written diary, I think I could've handled it.
I think it would've worked brilliantly...but that wasn't done.
At the bare minimum, I was intrigued by the story - it seems like the MC is gay and is crushing on a guy named Devlin and that possibly Devlin is the devil. And there's something happening in the mines - something haunting and dangerous.
Reading the book description gets me honestly fired up. It sounds great and like something I'd absolutely LOVE.
But as far as the actual book?
I'm just reeling by the writing and I haven't run across something like this in the entirety of my 400+ books reviewed for authors and publishers and if I never run into it again, I would feel blessed.
Thinkin is datngeruss, says Jack to me once.I received a free digital copy from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for a honest review
All quotes come from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change upon publication.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
August 8, 2020
So, this was interesting to say the least. I didn’t know what to expect when going into this novel and I suppose it turned out to be ok. As this book is told from the perspective of someone who is in the process of learning how to write, it is written in a way where many words, I’d say about a third, are all spelt incorrectly to reflect this. The spelling also improves slightly as the book progressed to show that his command of letters is improving.
Now, I personally couldn’t really get into this book solely because of the fact that words were purposely misspelt, as I had to take time to discern what is being said, and because of that, I felt that it took away from the ability to truly be sucked into the novel. This made me always feel quite distant from it instead of being truly emerged. This is largely a preference thing and I’m sure many people will actually enjoy the writing being like this. It is very evident that the author is a brilliant enough writer to go to lengths and the effort to do this as well as show gradual improvement. It was just a bit too much for me.
Because of the way that it was written and the fact that there is a unreliable narrator, I felt that it wasn’t very deep of a novel. I couldn’t really see the each of the characters for who there were properly or follow the events of the plot as well as I would have liked. The language used in this book is all pretty simply as well and if not for the occasional event that can be considered somewhat dark, like death, it almost felt like a middle-grade novel, solely from the way that it was written.
The overall plot is decent, if not slightly predictable at times, although there was this one thing around the one third to forty percent mark that did catch me completely off guard. This twist could have only been done because of the unreliable narrator and I do think the author managed to use that well in this novel. However, as the narrator is not unaware of many things, there are limited descriptions and worldbuilding as to the actual mine and the characters current situation, as it is only seen in the lens of the narrator. I would have liked a lot more worldbuilding so that not everything feels very faint and, in the background, instead of actually being the place the characters spend the entire book in. It was also sort of hard to picture the setting of the mine and everything it encompassed as we aren’t given much information on it.
I largely thought it was fine, though couldn’t really get into the way that the book was written and ended up finding it to be distracting. 5/10
Now, I personally couldn’t really get into this book solely because of the fact that words were purposely misspelt, as I had to take time to discern what is being said, and because of that, I felt that it took away from the ability to truly be sucked into the novel. This made me always feel quite distant from it instead of being truly emerged. This is largely a preference thing and I’m sure many people will actually enjoy the writing being like this. It is very evident that the author is a brilliant enough writer to go to lengths and the effort to do this as well as show gradual improvement. It was just a bit too much for me.
Because of the way that it was written and the fact that there is a unreliable narrator, I felt that it wasn’t very deep of a novel. I couldn’t really see the each of the characters for who there were properly or follow the events of the plot as well as I would have liked. The language used in this book is all pretty simply as well and if not for the occasional event that can be considered somewhat dark, like death, it almost felt like a middle-grade novel, solely from the way that it was written.
The overall plot is decent, if not slightly predictable at times, although there was this one thing around the one third to forty percent mark that did catch me completely off guard. This twist could have only been done because of the unreliable narrator and I do think the author managed to use that well in this novel. However, as the narrator is not unaware of many things, there are limited descriptions and worldbuilding as to the actual mine and the characters current situation, as it is only seen in the lens of the narrator. I would have liked a lot more worldbuilding so that not everything feels very faint and, in the background, instead of actually being the place the characters spend the entire book in. It was also sort of hard to picture the setting of the mine and everything it encompassed as we aren’t given much information on it.
I largely thought it was fine, though couldn’t really get into the way that the book was written and ended up finding it to be distracting. 5/10
October 23, 2020
Bearmouth was one of the books recommended to my students by our Book PenPal Holly Race, so I couldn't resist reading it before I passed my copy round to those interested.
When I began reading I, like a number of other readers, took time to adjust to the phonetic style of writing used to mimic our main character's voice. Initially this meant the reading felt slower than I'd like, but it certainly became one of the features of the book that I really enjoyed. The voice of Newt changed as they developed in confidence, and I enjoyed seeing the shifting patterns of language as they grew in awareness of the world around them.
Our first encounter with Newt was intriguing. We are told, very early on, that Newt is 'not a boy nor yet a wimmin' and though this becomes important later, it is their life in the Bearmouth mine that grips us. Newt has worked in the mine for many years, and is looked after by his team. There's a grim sense of camaraderie to the team as they risk their lives on a daily basis to dig for coal, and to earn a living for others.
From the outset Newt points out the harshness of their life underground. We quickly come to realise the superstitions that bind these men and boys, and the injustice that they face on a daily basis as someone else controls their every move.
As the story progressed we learn more about Newt and their unease surrounding the appearance of new boy Devlin. With the arrival of the new face comes a sense of growing awareness of the injustice of their existence, and a slow-burning plan to change things.
While most of the reviews I've read of this focus on the writing style, I was also struck by the brutality of their lives underground and the grudging acceptance of death in its many guises. There are a couple of scenes that I think I will need to advise some of my students of and give them the decision as to whether or not to read, but I feel the situation that prompts Newt to develop a social conscience is sympathetically presented and Hyder should be applauded for not shying away from the less salubrious elements of their lives.
Throughout the book I was rooting for some form of happy ending and though this is rather more ambiguous than you might like in a stand-alone read, I felt our ending offered enough to leave me satisfied with Newt's choices and their consequences.
When I began reading I, like a number of other readers, took time to adjust to the phonetic style of writing used to mimic our main character's voice. Initially this meant the reading felt slower than I'd like, but it certainly became one of the features of the book that I really enjoyed. The voice of Newt changed as they developed in confidence, and I enjoyed seeing the shifting patterns of language as they grew in awareness of the world around them.
Our first encounter with Newt was intriguing. We are told, very early on, that Newt is 'not a boy nor yet a wimmin' and though this becomes important later, it is their life in the Bearmouth mine that grips us. Newt has worked in the mine for many years, and is looked after by his team. There's a grim sense of camaraderie to the team as they risk their lives on a daily basis to dig for coal, and to earn a living for others.
From the outset Newt points out the harshness of their life underground. We quickly come to realise the superstitions that bind these men and boys, and the injustice that they face on a daily basis as someone else controls their every move.
As the story progressed we learn more about Newt and their unease surrounding the appearance of new boy Devlin. With the arrival of the new face comes a sense of growing awareness of the injustice of their existence, and a slow-burning plan to change things.
While most of the reviews I've read of this focus on the writing style, I was also struck by the brutality of their lives underground and the grudging acceptance of death in its many guises. There are a couple of scenes that I think I will need to advise some of my students of and give them the decision as to whether or not to read, but I feel the situation that prompts Newt to develop a social conscience is sympathetically presented and Hyder should be applauded for not shying away from the less salubrious elements of their lives.
Throughout the book I was rooting for some form of happy ending and though this is rather more ambiguous than you might like in a stand-alone read, I felt our ending offered enough to leave me satisfied with Newt's choices and their consequences.
September 20, 2019
Thank you @pushkin_press for sending me a free copy of Bearmouth, a debut YA novel by Liz Hyder! This book made me remember how dark young adult fiction can get actually, I liked that she didn’t shy away from tackling difficult topics!
.
It’s an interesting world Hyder’s set up, and a unique style she’s written it in. Bearmouth is a mine, where men and boys are forced to live, work and sleep in exchange for measly wages that barely cover their living costs. I come from an area with a very strong mining heritage, so it was interesting to see that used as a YA premise!
.
Told from the POV of Newt, the language takes some getting used to. Newt is only just learning their letters, and it’s written out with sort of phonetic spellings - it’s confusing for the first three pages but then your brain does adjust and it’s no harder to read than a regular book - and it’s fun to see Newt’s learning progress throughout.
.
I thought it stalled a bit around the middle section, but the ending picked up. I also would have liked a bit more exploration of the mine setting - what was the world above like? Why are they all down there? Is it the same all over the world or just this one town/village?
.
But Hyder does a great job with the relationships, there’s no sickly insta love, or even love at all that isn’t friendship or like that between parents and children. I think if young adult me had read this one, I would have loved it, and as it is I did enjoy it despite some questions!
.
It’s an interesting world Hyder’s set up, and a unique style she’s written it in. Bearmouth is a mine, where men and boys are forced to live, work and sleep in exchange for measly wages that barely cover their living costs. I come from an area with a very strong mining heritage, so it was interesting to see that used as a YA premise!
.
Told from the POV of Newt, the language takes some getting used to. Newt is only just learning their letters, and it’s written out with sort of phonetic spellings - it’s confusing for the first three pages but then your brain does adjust and it’s no harder to read than a regular book - and it’s fun to see Newt’s learning progress throughout.
.
I thought it stalled a bit around the middle section, but the ending picked up. I also would have liked a bit more exploration of the mine setting - what was the world above like? Why are they all down there? Is it the same all over the world or just this one town/village?
.
But Hyder does a great job with the relationships, there’s no sickly insta love, or even love at all that isn’t friendship or like that between parents and children. I think if young adult me had read this one, I would have loved it, and as it is I did enjoy it despite some questions!
September 15, 2019
I really, really enjoyed this book. At first I thought I wasn’t going to - it’s not my kind of thing, I guess. But I ended up loving the voice and the style, it lent so much to the feel of the piece. I was so caught up in the story by the end I was ripping through it. Having been caving and been down some old mine shafts, the descriptions evoked that sense of claustrophobia so clearly. It was tense, atmospheric and I honestly have never read anything like it. Awesome. It was brutal for YA though, definitely 13+ for
September 4, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
3.5*
This was definitely a very different sort of book! The first thing you'll notice in Bearmouth is the writing style- it's written as Newt assumes words are spelled, in a phonetic way, which does take some getting used to. We're told the story of the mine through Newt's perspective, one that has seen quite a few atrocities. So let's dive into what worked for me and what didn't!
Yays:
► The atmosphere was very on point. The book is set in an underground cavern, and yep, you absolutely feel it. You also feel how isolating and just flat out depressing the whole environment is.
►I love when characters are able to fight back against their circumstances. These characters could have easily just accepted their lot and no one would have blamed them. But instead, they fought hard against their oppressors, even when they knew it could cost them everything- even their very lives.
►Speaking of, the stakes were obviously high. We see from the very start of the book that this mine is brutal. Newt and the rest of the bunk sees loss constantly, to the point that it's seemingly commonplace.
►Newt and the rest of the group are certainly sympathetic. While I didn't fully connect with them (see below), I still liked them! And you cannot help but root for Newt, especially after seeing the horrors that take place in the mine. No one deserves that, but we're talking mere children in some cases, and it's brutal.
Nays:
►I know that it was purposeful and I appreciate it, but I also can't pretend that the writing style wasn't very hard to read. Because not only did I have to read it, but it was like I was on-the-fly translating as well, and so it took a long time to read, basically.
►I don't know if it was because of the writing style, or if it just happened this way, but I had a bit of a hard time connecting to the characters. I absolutely felt sympathetic toward them, but beyond being in really a really horrible situation, I didn't know much else about them.
►I feel like this may have been purposeful, but I wanted more worldbuilding. I am just too curious a person to not know. And I didn't, at all. Why were these people subjected to this place? (Though I will say, I enjoyed the author's note, perhaps that will help you as it did me!) What other horrors were happening in the world around them? Because it takes place all in this one hellish mine, we don't really get an idea of the outside.
Bottom Line: A unique story that manages to be at once bleak but hopeful.
3.5*
This was definitely a very different sort of book! The first thing you'll notice in Bearmouth is the writing style- it's written as Newt assumes words are spelled, in a phonetic way, which does take some getting used to. We're told the story of the mine through Newt's perspective, one that has seen quite a few atrocities. So let's dive into what worked for me and what didn't!
"I am diffrent see. I am not one thing or the uvver. They call me YouNuck for I am not a boy nor yet a wimmin an they hold no truck for gels down here so I must by all akkounts be a YouNuck. Not one thing or the uvver. Thomas dunt lyke them calling me that tho so he calls me Newt."
Yays:
► The atmosphere was very on point. The book is set in an underground cavern, and yep, you absolutely feel it. You also feel how isolating and just flat out depressing the whole environment is.
►I love when characters are able to fight back against their circumstances. These characters could have easily just accepted their lot and no one would have blamed them. But instead, they fought hard against their oppressors, even when they knew it could cost them everything- even their very lives.
►Speaking of, the stakes were obviously high. We see from the very start of the book that this mine is brutal. Newt and the rest of the bunk sees loss constantly, to the point that it's seemingly commonplace.
►Newt and the rest of the group are certainly sympathetic. While I didn't fully connect with them (see below), I still liked them! And you cannot help but root for Newt, especially after seeing the horrors that take place in the mine. No one deserves that, but we're talking mere children in some cases, and it's brutal.
Nays:
►I know that it was purposeful and I appreciate it, but I also can't pretend that the writing style wasn't very hard to read. Because not only did I have to read it, but it was like I was on-the-fly translating as well, and so it took a long time to read, basically.
►I don't know if it was because of the writing style, or if it just happened this way, but I had a bit of a hard time connecting to the characters. I absolutely felt sympathetic toward them, but beyond being in really a really horrible situation, I didn't know much else about them.
►I feel like this may have been purposeful, but I wanted more worldbuilding. I am just too curious a person to not know. And I didn't, at all. Why were these people subjected to this place? (Though I will say, I enjoyed the author's note, perhaps that will help you as it did me!) What other horrors were happening in the world around them? Because it takes place all in this one hellish mine, we don't really get an idea of the outside.
Bottom Line: A unique story that manages to be at once bleak but hopeful.
December 10, 2019
A compelling, strange and utterly unique YA with an unforgettable narrator. It's like nothing else I've read this year - a mix of dystopian and historical, dark and fascinating and very special. (12+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. If you use it in any marketing material, online or anywhere on a published book without asking permission from me first, I will ask you to remove that use immediately. Thank you!*
March 3, 2025
If this had been marketed as adult fiction / dystopia, it might have been able to find it's audience. As it is, a book with a complex writing style that features mentions of rape and descriptive depictions of sexual assault, feels mismarketed as a teen book.
April 7, 2020
What a remarkable book. It's a combination between true labour history of the horrors of children (and adult) labour in the coal mines and some kind of fantasy, although it's not really fantasy, just alternate reality. The alternate spelling is fun though it may be tricky if English isn't your first or second language. I liked it a lot, although the ending was a bit strange. It didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book. But do read it. I guarantee that you'll find it different from anything you've read.
December 12, 2020
Holy shit, what a brilliant book.
September 17, 2019
I was very kindly sent an ARC of this book from the publishers Pushkinpress to read and review, but as always all views are my own!
Well this book truly blew me away!, for me when i read the first page or so i was a little hesitant about it due to the writing style (i won't go into this because if you do pick yourself up a copy i want you to be surprised like i was!) but once i read on a tiny bit more i just adored it! such a unique style and it added to much to the overall book and telling of the story! it was so engaging and just so cleverly done.
I am a big YA fan, and even more so i am a fan of when YA doesn't feel like typical YA that people expect. I like them when they are a bit darker and quite bold, well this one did not let me down at all! this for me just feels like such a breathe of fresh air and such a huge deal, i hope this book gets the love and attention it deserves, because it really does have everything it needs to be on the bookshelves next to some of the YA big popular books that are much loved by many.
For me the characters were just so great!, i loved the whole group dynamics and how they felt like such a unit! a little family that were full of heart and had eachothers backs. Similar to much loved characters from maybe The maze runner series i would compare them to, but also they are very strong and believeable on their own too without comparisons. Main character Newt stole my heart! as we followed their journey and learnt some quite big reveals about them, my adoration just grew, and i was really rooting for them!.
The atmosphere is brilliant here! you really get that closed in , and closed off, claustrophobic feel and i loved it! it was creepy and it was daunting too. Reading at the very end of the book about the research and reading the Author did to achieve that feeling really added to it as well, and i really felt like it paid off massively!
While reading this book i really could not believe it was a debut! it certainly didn't read like one, it seemed as if she has many books under her belt, so learning it was the first was very exciting because i can now really look forward to the next!.
And with all brilliant reads that i , well and anyone, enjoys , you want that perfect ending don't you? well this delivered for me with that , there were lines said that brought a tear to my eye, and a smile to my face. I thought it all wrapped up really well and was a satisfying end.
This is automatically in my top reads of the year (which is getting longer and longer!) , if i could award it more stars i would. So unique , so interesting and just a brilliant page turner for me in every way.
Just a heads up to anyone who likes to know about trigger warnings, this book is dark and does have a scene involving sexual assault and an attempted rape. So please bare that in mind before reading this if that is something you will not want to be faced with.
Well this book truly blew me away!, for me when i read the first page or so i was a little hesitant about it due to the writing style (i won't go into this because if you do pick yourself up a copy i want you to be surprised like i was!) but once i read on a tiny bit more i just adored it! such a unique style and it added to much to the overall book and telling of the story! it was so engaging and just so cleverly done.
I am a big YA fan, and even more so i am a fan of when YA doesn't feel like typical YA that people expect. I like them when they are a bit darker and quite bold, well this one did not let me down at all! this for me just feels like such a breathe of fresh air and such a huge deal, i hope this book gets the love and attention it deserves, because it really does have everything it needs to be on the bookshelves next to some of the YA big popular books that are much loved by many.
For me the characters were just so great!, i loved the whole group dynamics and how they felt like such a unit! a little family that were full of heart and had eachothers backs. Similar to much loved characters from maybe The maze runner series i would compare them to, but also they are very strong and believeable on their own too without comparisons. Main character Newt stole my heart! as we followed their journey and learnt some quite big reveals about them, my adoration just grew, and i was really rooting for them!.
The atmosphere is brilliant here! you really get that closed in , and closed off, claustrophobic feel and i loved it! it was creepy and it was daunting too. Reading at the very end of the book about the research and reading the Author did to achieve that feeling really added to it as well, and i really felt like it paid off massively!
While reading this book i really could not believe it was a debut! it certainly didn't read like one, it seemed as if she has many books under her belt, so learning it was the first was very exciting because i can now really look forward to the next!.
And with all brilliant reads that i , well and anyone, enjoys , you want that perfect ending don't you? well this delivered for me with that , there were lines said that brought a tear to my eye, and a smile to my face. I thought it all wrapped up really well and was a satisfying end.
This is automatically in my top reads of the year (which is getting longer and longer!) , if i could award it more stars i would. So unique , so interesting and just a brilliant page turner for me in every way.
Just a heads up to anyone who likes to know about trigger warnings, this book is dark and does have a scene involving sexual assault and an attempted rape. So please bare that in mind before reading this if that is something you will not want to be faced with.
Read
January 13, 2021all i remember is that i read this last year
March 1, 2022
Na začátku jsem si zvykala na styl psaní, ale ve výsledku se mi to moc líbilo. Pomohlo mi to vžít se víc do hlavní postavy a postupem času se její gramatika zlepšovala i s tím, jak se vyvíjela. Autorka se moc nebála zabíjet postavy (když umřel Tobe tak jsem brečela jak želva, Tomášova smrt mně taky dostala a při smrti Walshe jsem cítila tak akorát úlevu, že už tam konečně není), takže jsem se o Žabku dost bála (i když o Devlina daleko víc, protože kdo by to pak vyprávěl, kdyby Žabka umřela). To, že Žabka je holka? Bylo tam plno nápověd, ale úplně jsem je ignorovala a když to tam bylo řečeno, všechno dávalo smysl. Byla to hrozně silná, chytrá a statečná postava. Tahle kniha vás donutí přemýšlet o tom, co je správné a co si jen myslíte, že je správné.
Kniha plná naděje a přátelství, se skvělými postavami a prostředím na jedničku.
5/5*
Kniha plná naděje a přátelství, se skvělými postavami a prostředím na jedničku.
5/5*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2020
Newt is a young miner, described early on as “not a boy nor yet a wimmin,” who lives and works in a mine named Bearmouth. All the boys and men there are trapped by low wages, cruel management, and a draconian religion, thus dooming them to a life of servitude. The miners develop a family underground with Newt being especially close to Thomas, who is teaching the young miner to read. When a new worker named Devlin is added to their crew, Newt is wary yet drawn to him. Devlin begins to plant seeds of revolution in Newt’s mind, so when a secret is revealed and their way of life is challenged, Newt’s eyes are opened to how very trapped they all are. Debut author Hyder gives Newt a distinctive voice. The prose is written phonetically, as if Newt is sharing the story with what little knowledge of writing they have. It’s a challenge to get into the rhythm of this writing style, which may be off putting to readers, but the world-building is strong, as life in the claustrophobic mines seems to be a cross between a dystopian future and the Victorian era. There is a scene with the threat of sexual assault. Physical appearance isn’t often described, though Devlin is white and Thomas has brown skin.
A unique story that will take readers a while to get used to. This book might be a hard sell to teens, but for those who are ready for a fresh narrative, this gripping story of hope, friendship, and revolution will be worth it.
I reviewed this book for the School Library Journal magazine and the review can be found at: https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=bea...
A unique story that will take readers a while to get used to. This book might be a hard sell to teens, but for those who are ready for a fresh narrative, this gripping story of hope, friendship, and revolution will be worth it.
I reviewed this book for the School Library Journal magazine and the review can be found at: https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=bea...
October 17, 2019
Thank you Pushkin press for sending me a reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Newt is neither girl nor boy but a young child who has only ever known life in the mine as they have been there since as long as they can remember. Newt is trying to learn there letters with Thomas, a slightly more learned miner and friend. As the book is written from Newts perspective it has been written with spelling that reflects this and I found it really added to the story by bringing Newt alive. Life down the mine is pretty harsh, the conditions are poor, they live down there so never see daylight and have very little food or pay. The masters keep the miners under control with fear and religion and quell any possibilities of rebellion pretty quickly. When a new boy called Devlin turns up things might just be changing as he speaks words of revolution and sows the seeds of another life on the surface where there is daylight.
This is a fantastic story for anyone who likes a great character driven novel and likes to read about injustice and rebellion, I literally raced through this and can't recommend it highly enough!
Newt is neither girl nor boy but a young child who has only ever known life in the mine as they have been there since as long as they can remember. Newt is trying to learn there letters with Thomas, a slightly more learned miner and friend. As the book is written from Newts perspective it has been written with spelling that reflects this and I found it really added to the story by bringing Newt alive. Life down the mine is pretty harsh, the conditions are poor, they live down there so never see daylight and have very little food or pay. The masters keep the miners under control with fear and religion and quell any possibilities of rebellion pretty quickly. When a new boy called Devlin turns up things might just be changing as he speaks words of revolution and sows the seeds of another life on the surface where there is daylight.
This is a fantastic story for anyone who likes a great character driven novel and likes to read about injustice and rebellion, I literally raced through this and can't recommend it highly enough!
February 14, 2020
I read this in a state of high tension, finding myself unable to put it down as I became increasingly worried about what was going to happen to our main character, Newt. Newst is a unique and immediately-engaging protagonist as s/he introduces you to the dark and claustrophobic world of Bearmouth mine, where men work for years without ever seeing the light of the sun or going aboveground. Humans are being punished by the Mayker, destined to stay underground until there is a sign that they are forgiven and can come back up to the surface. Life in Bearmouth is tough, full of the tension between people forced to live in close quarters, unexpected cave-ins and illnesses caused by inhaling the coal dust.
This is unlike anything else I have read before and I was completely gripped!
Thank you to Pushkin Press for my review copy.
This is unlike anything else I have read before and I was completely gripped!
Thank you to Pushkin Press for my review copy.
February 10, 2021
I couldn't put this down. I had seen reviews about how people had been unable to finish this, but I listened on the audiobook, which I think made a massive difference.
The world was so beautifully crafted through the eyes of Newt, and I wanted to know more. I think it was a story about not judging a book by its cover and how learning and education can help open a person's eyes even in the darkest of places.
I loved the story arc for Newt, from the pious scared child to the leader of a rebellion. I'm so glad that I gave this a go and added Newt to my favourite character list. They will stay with me for a long time.
The world was so beautifully crafted through the eyes of Newt, and I wanted to know more. I think it was a story about not judging a book by its cover and how learning and education can help open a person's eyes even in the darkest of places.
I loved the story arc for Newt, from the pious scared child to the leader of a rebellion. I'm so glad that I gave this a go and added Newt to my favourite character list. They will stay with me for a long time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2021
Dark, brutal and haunting yet full of hope and friendship and bravery. What an astonishing book!
December 10, 2024
never wanted to be a miner but….perhaps…..
revolushun!
revolushun!
August 27, 2023
A very well fleshed out story with a great setting and system. Really connected to all the characters. There were too many open questions!
The ending was too sudden, I would have liked to know more of the aftermath of the events and I really would have liked to know how the main characters fared after the revolution how they adjusted to their new life at the end. Also the history of the characters and their families? Do they ever meet their families again? How did they end up imprisoned in the mine to begin with? There really should have been an epilogue. Especially cause I really liked the characters.
The ending was too sudden, I would have liked to know more of the aftermath of the events and I really would have liked to know how the main characters fared after the revolution how they adjusted to their new life at the end. Also the history of the characters and their families? Do they ever meet their families again? How did they end up imprisoned in the mine to begin with? There really should have been an epilogue. Especially cause I really liked the characters.
August 13, 2025
I actually couldn’t put this down. Love me a lil’ revolushun story.
February 18, 2021
Bearmouth is quite a compact story about a young person's experiences living and working in a coal mine. It should perhaps come with a disclaimer about the phonetic writing style (see below) but if you can get past that, it's quite a page turner.
There is little to pin down the narrative to an exact place or time period, except that we know electricity has been invented (though not fully adopted), and the protagonist is learning to write English. That there is a crude, unfamiliar religion practiced, and no trade union to speak of, establishes Bearmouth as a more speculative, dystopian story and allows Liz Hyder to focus on her characters' shared trauma rather than giving a historical account. Indeed, a major theme of the book is the oppression, exploitation, and brainwashing of workers, and though the author makes it clear in her acknowledgements that she was inspired by true experiences, if not quite true events, the premise what if the miners lived down the mine too? is a thought-provoking one.
As I mentioned above, the book is written using phonetic spelling, since the POV character is in the process of learning to write properly. This certainly distracted me from the narrative initially, and took a lot of getting used to. Whilst I admire the author's effort in improving Newt's grasp of written English as the book progresses, I also have a lot of sympathy for readers, particularly those with less patience than myself. At best, this choice makes Bearmouth an especially demanding YA novel, but at worst potentially ableist, since I imagine it would be more difficult to follow as a dyslexic, depending on exactly how their learning difference is expressed. Conversely, the phonetic spelling might actually suit some dyslexics. In any case the style is certainly divisive. At least the tagline serves as a transparent warning - It only taykes one person to start a revolushun.
Hyder maintains an oppressive, claustrophobic atmosphere throughout, and evokes pathos for her characters' suffering. As the pace and tension build, mounting tragedies and injustices fan the flames of revolution. As a microcosm of larger-scale civil unrest and uprisings, Bearmouth is a harrowing and compelling story, neatly told. The smallness of Newt's world is therefore fitting, though it didn't stop me longing for a wider lens at times.
A word of warning about the "midway reveal"...
Overall, and with the caveats mentioned above, Bearmouth is an absorbing dystopia with a unique voice, but not one to read tired!
Content Warnings
There is little to pin down the narrative to an exact place or time period, except that we know electricity has been invented (though not fully adopted), and the protagonist is learning to write English. That there is a crude, unfamiliar religion practiced, and no trade union to speak of, establishes Bearmouth as a more speculative, dystopian story and allows Liz Hyder to focus on her characters' shared trauma rather than giving a historical account. Indeed, a major theme of the book is the oppression, exploitation, and brainwashing of workers, and though the author makes it clear in her acknowledgements that she was inspired by true experiences, if not quite true events, the premise what if the miners lived down the mine too? is a thought-provoking one.
As I mentioned above, the book is written using phonetic spelling, since the POV character is in the process of learning to write properly. This certainly distracted me from the narrative initially, and took a lot of getting used to. Whilst I admire the author's effort in improving Newt's grasp of written English as the book progresses, I also have a lot of sympathy for readers, particularly those with less patience than myself. At best, this choice makes Bearmouth an especially demanding YA novel, but at worst potentially ableist, since I imagine it would be more difficult to follow as a dyslexic, depending on exactly how their learning difference is expressed. Conversely, the phonetic spelling might actually suit some dyslexics. In any case the style is certainly divisive. At least the tagline serves as a transparent warning - It only taykes one person to start a revolushun.
Hyder maintains an oppressive, claustrophobic atmosphere throughout, and evokes pathos for her characters' suffering. As the pace and tension build, mounting tragedies and injustices fan the flames of revolution. As a microcosm of larger-scale civil unrest and uprisings, Bearmouth is a harrowing and compelling story, neatly told. The smallness of Newt's world is therefore fitting, though it didn't stop me longing for a wider lens at times.
A word of warning about the "midway reveal"...
Overall, and with the caveats mentioned above, Bearmouth is an absorbing dystopia with a unique voice, but not one to read tired!
Content Warnings
February 19, 2021
Aventurez-vous « à l'aveugle » dans cette mine aux couloirs labyrinthiques où vivent des hommes qui n'ont plus vu la surface de la terre depuis une éternité. Condamnés à trimer comme des brutes contre un salaire de misère, ils ont souvent été vendus ou expédiés contre leur gré dans cet enfer.
L'entraide entre les gars est cependant réelle - ça se serre les coudes, ça protège les plus jeunes, ça partage son savoir et ça apprend à lire et écrire. C'est d'ailleurs le petit Crapouille qui nous raconte son histoire : sa routine la semaine, son jour du Seigneur, ses leçons avec Thomas, son amitié avec Tobie.
Et puis un jour, un nouveau débarque - Desmond et ses yeux noirs qui expriment une colère froide. Crapouille pense au démon en entendant son prénom. Le garçon n'est pas comme les autres car il parle de révolution. Le début des embrouilles. Désormais les questions se bousculent face aux inégalités de plus en plus invivables.
Et là, ça fait BOUM dans votre tête. Vous, lecteur sourcilleux et attentif à comprendre le charabia du gamin - bravo à la traductrice pour son travail remarquable. Il faut décoder et polir cette langue râpeuse et maladroite. Ensuite il faut s'échapper de cette sensation d'étouffement qui se dégage du roman. Il y a une telle intensité derrière les chapitres qui s'enchaînent. L'action est lente mais la pression enfle dangereusement.
Je vous le dis : cette lecture m'a franchement bluffée. J'étais agrippée aux pages de mon bouquin que j'ai dévoré d'une traite. C'était incroyable. Tellement âpre et angoissant avec cette intuition qu'on nous roule mais qu'on ne sait pas où ça mène. Remarquable, vraiment.
L'entraide entre les gars est cependant réelle - ça se serre les coudes, ça protège les plus jeunes, ça partage son savoir et ça apprend à lire et écrire. C'est d'ailleurs le petit Crapouille qui nous raconte son histoire : sa routine la semaine, son jour du Seigneur, ses leçons avec Thomas, son amitié avec Tobie.
Et puis un jour, un nouveau débarque - Desmond et ses yeux noirs qui expriment une colère froide. Crapouille pense au démon en entendant son prénom. Le garçon n'est pas comme les autres car il parle de révolution. Le début des embrouilles. Désormais les questions se bousculent face aux inégalités de plus en plus invivables.
Et là, ça fait BOUM dans votre tête. Vous, lecteur sourcilleux et attentif à comprendre le charabia du gamin - bravo à la traductrice pour son travail remarquable. Il faut décoder et polir cette langue râpeuse et maladroite. Ensuite il faut s'échapper de cette sensation d'étouffement qui se dégage du roman. Il y a une telle intensité derrière les chapitres qui s'enchaînent. L'action est lente mais la pression enfle dangereusement.
Je vous le dis : cette lecture m'a franchement bluffée. J'étais agrippée aux pages de mon bouquin que j'ai dévoré d'une traite. C'était incroyable. Tellement âpre et angoissant avec cette intuition qu'on nous roule mais qu'on ne sait pas où ça mène. Remarquable, vraiment.
September 20, 2020
Thank you to Norton Young Reader for an ARC.
Where to start with this book? I guess we'll start in the most obvious place - the misspelled words. I'm generally fine with dialect or misspelled words in books. I love how it can give a character or story depth. However, here, the entire book depends on you getting hooked into this way of telling the story. It falls short for me because, ultimately, the misspelled words would make sense only if Newt was writing a journal of the entire experience. Because the reader never learns what the manuscript you're reading is, the misspelled words ultimately feel like a gimmick that couldn't find any solid ground.
Since most of the author's effort goes into the words, the plot is woefully underdeveloped. I normally forgive tropes, but the whole story is easy to figure out from about six pages in. Bearmouth, the mine, itself could have been an amazing character or setting in of itself, but it's never given the chance. The author could have grounded the book better by giving the reader more glimpses into the outside world. The author mentions Victorian mines that inspired the novel, but honestly most of the plot just seems like a random chain of events with nothing to anchor it.
Where to start with this book? I guess we'll start in the most obvious place - the misspelled words. I'm generally fine with dialect or misspelled words in books. I love how it can give a character or story depth. However, here, the entire book depends on you getting hooked into this way of telling the story. It falls short for me because, ultimately, the misspelled words would make sense only if Newt was writing a journal of the entire experience. Because the reader never learns what the manuscript you're reading is, the misspelled words ultimately feel like a gimmick that couldn't find any solid ground.
Since most of the author's effort goes into the words, the plot is woefully underdeveloped. I normally forgive tropes, but the whole story is easy to figure out from about six pages in. Bearmouth, the mine, itself could have been an amazing character or setting in of itself, but it's never given the chance. The author could have grounded the book better by giving the reader more glimpses into the outside world. The author mentions Victorian mines that inspired the novel, but honestly most of the plot just seems like a random chain of events with nothing to anchor it.
April 12, 2022
4.5 stars. It took me a few chapters to get into this story, but once it grabbed me, I went back to the start and listened from the beginning. The accent of the narrator, Kit Griffiths, is lovely, a broad northern English accent, and beautifully narrated.
This is a harrowing story of child miners, living their lives in the dark coal mines. The description states it is suitable for ages s 13+ but i think 11+ mature readers would enjoy it. But this is also absolutely suitable for adult readers.
This is a harrowing story of child miners, living their lives in the dark coal mines. The description states it is suitable for ages s 13+ but i think 11+ mature readers would enjoy it. But this is also absolutely suitable for adult readers.
July 18, 2021
I really loved this book. Maybe you didn’t like the writing of it, I get that. It took me a bit of time to get used to but it was totally worth it all. The ending had me totally hooked and I finished it about 4 months ago but still think about it to this day. I liked the setting and found the backround of the book interesting.
October 18, 2019
A claustrophobic, intense and uncomfortable read. Newt is a brilliant character; the writing style takes some getting used to, but after 50 pages I didn't really notice the phonetic spelling and creative punctuation.
October 6, 2020
The writing style is deliberately difficult to read at first, but it gets a bit better as the main character learns how to spell, which is a neat gimmick. The story is worth persevering for.
December 12, 2020
Don't be intimidated by the weird dialect. You'll sink right into it and find a fast-paced, suspenseful, story of revolution.
February 1, 2022
3.5
Boccadorso è stato un libro molto difficile da leggere.
Non tanto per le sue tematiche o per le atrocità subite in miniera, ma perché è l’incubo dei grammar-nazi. Seriamente, pensavo di piangere sangue all’inizio della lettura.
La storia è narrata sotto forma di diario da Newt, un ragazzino che ha passato buona parte della sua breve vita nei meandri di Boccadorso e sta imparando a leggere e a scrivere. Ergo, il testo è impregnato di tutti gli errori ortografici del caso.
Considerando che questo libro è destinato ai ragazzi, non so quanto sia utile per l’apprendimento dell’italiano… e non voglio saperlo.
Mettendo da parte questo grosso problema logistico, la storia in sé non è così malvagia. Per riassumere la trama in una frase si potrebbe definire come: “cosa sarebbe successo se Katniss Everdeen fosse finita a lavorare in miniera invece di offrirsi volontaria per gli Hunger Games.” E il paragone con Katniss non è messo a caso.
Boccadorso è un romanzo claustrofobico e crudele data l’ambientazione, colmo di lavoratori sfruttati e deperiti che vivono in condizioni atroci. Spremuti fino all’ultima goccia d’energia, vengono tenuti sotto il torchio del Signore, padrone della miniera che viene paragonato in continuazione a Dio. Hanno il divieto d’assemblea, devono pagare per poter usufruire degli strumenti che servono per il lavoro e la vita scorre così, cadenzata tra morti ed esplosioni.
Newt non ha prospettive migliori, perché la miniera è l’unica cosa che conosce, ma tutto cambierà con l’arrivo Devlin. Dapprima restio a sopportare il nuovo arrivato, Newt si sentirà stranamente attratto da lui e dalle sue idee tant’è che s’installerà una scintilla pericolosa: la speranza.
E vai con la ribellione!
Ma non sarà un percorso facile e privo di rischi.
Tra controllo, favoritismi, morti, stupri, violenza e chi ne ha e più ne metta, Boccadorso non ci va leggero con i traumi fisici ed emotivi che soffrono i personaggi nel quotidiano. Per quanto crudele, il realismo ci piace. Inoltre, ho apprezzato molto l’elemento religioso presente nella trama. A prima vista sembrerebbe quasi scontato, ma in realtà è uno dei modi più spregevoli con cui il Signore ha pieno controllo della miniera e dei suoi operai. È stato un buon tocco di classe per una storia che di classe non ha nulla.
Questa tematica va a scontrarsi con l’operato di Thomas, il più meritevoli di tutti. È proprio lui a insegnare a Newt e agli altri ragazzini l’importanza dell’alfabetizzazione e delle storie. Motivo per cui ho davvero apprezzato il suo personaggio. Un uomo erudito dall’inizio alla fine. Aggiungo anche l’ottima l’evoluzione del personaggio di Newt, ma per motivi di spoiler non approfondisco.
Per concludere, credo che il problema principale del libro sia stata proprio la narrazione. Certo, lo distingue dagli altri per la sua peculiarità (e il risparmio di editing), ma a mio avviso non è riuscita a creare l’empatia necessaria per trattenere il lettore verso la fine del romanzo. Mi aspettavo molto di più date le premesse (e più effetti pirotecnici), lo ammetto, ma sopratutto mi è dispiaciuto che non ci sia stato il giusto impatto alla morte di alcuni personaggi. Non di tutti, sia chiaro, perché sono rimasta basita diverse volte per come gli avvenimenti hanno preso una piega più che cruda.
Ciononostante si è rivelata una “piacevole” avventura, una di quelle che nel loro piccolo possono essere ricordate nel tempo. Se riuscite a schivare lo scoglio della grammatica, potrebbe essere un spunto per una lettura diversa dal solito.
Boccadorso è stato un libro molto difficile da leggere.
Non tanto per le sue tematiche o per le atrocità subite in miniera, ma perché è l’incubo dei grammar-nazi. Seriamente, pensavo di piangere sangue all’inizio della lettura.
La storia è narrata sotto forma di diario da Newt, un ragazzino che ha passato buona parte della sua breve vita nei meandri di Boccadorso e sta imparando a leggere e a scrivere. Ergo, il testo è impregnato di tutti gli errori ortografici del caso.
Considerando che questo libro è destinato ai ragazzi, non so quanto sia utile per l’apprendimento dell’italiano… e non voglio saperlo.
Mettendo da parte questo grosso problema logistico, la storia in sé non è così malvagia. Per riassumere la trama in una frase si potrebbe definire come: “cosa sarebbe successo se Katniss Everdeen fosse finita a lavorare in miniera invece di offrirsi volontaria per gli Hunger Games.” E il paragone con Katniss non è messo a caso.
Boccadorso è un romanzo claustrofobico e crudele data l’ambientazione, colmo di lavoratori sfruttati e deperiti che vivono in condizioni atroci. Spremuti fino all’ultima goccia d’energia, vengono tenuti sotto il torchio del Signore, padrone della miniera che viene paragonato in continuazione a Dio. Hanno il divieto d’assemblea, devono pagare per poter usufruire degli strumenti che servono per il lavoro e la vita scorre così, cadenzata tra morti ed esplosioni.
Newt non ha prospettive migliori, perché la miniera è l’unica cosa che conosce, ma tutto cambierà con l’arrivo Devlin. Dapprima restio a sopportare il nuovo arrivato, Newt si sentirà stranamente attratto da lui e dalle sue idee tant’è che s’installerà una scintilla pericolosa: la speranza.
E vai con la ribellione!
Ma non sarà un percorso facile e privo di rischi.
Tra controllo, favoritismi, morti, stupri, violenza e chi ne ha e più ne metta, Boccadorso non ci va leggero con i traumi fisici ed emotivi che soffrono i personaggi nel quotidiano. Per quanto crudele, il realismo ci piace. Inoltre, ho apprezzato molto l’elemento religioso presente nella trama. A prima vista sembrerebbe quasi scontato, ma in realtà è uno dei modi più spregevoli con cui il Signore ha pieno controllo della miniera e dei suoi operai. È stato un buon tocco di classe per una storia che di classe non ha nulla.
Questa tematica va a scontrarsi con l’operato di Thomas, il più meritevoli di tutti. È proprio lui a insegnare a Newt e agli altri ragazzini l’importanza dell’alfabetizzazione e delle storie. Motivo per cui ho davvero apprezzato il suo personaggio. Un uomo erudito dall’inizio alla fine. Aggiungo anche l’ottima l’evoluzione del personaggio di Newt, ma per motivi di spoiler non approfondisco.
Per concludere, credo che il problema principale del libro sia stata proprio la narrazione. Certo, lo distingue dagli altri per la sua peculiarità (e il risparmio di editing), ma a mio avviso non è riuscita a creare l’empatia necessaria per trattenere il lettore verso la fine del romanzo. Mi aspettavo molto di più date le premesse (e più effetti pirotecnici), lo ammetto, ma sopratutto mi è dispiaciuto che non ci sia stato il giusto impatto alla morte di alcuni personaggi. Non di tutti, sia chiaro, perché sono rimasta basita diverse volte per come gli avvenimenti hanno preso una piega più che cruda.
Ciononostante si è rivelata una “piacevole” avventura, una di quelle che nel loro piccolo possono essere ricordate nel tempo. Se riuscite a schivare lo scoglio della grammatica, potrebbe essere un spunto per una lettura diversa dal solito.
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