The Mountain

by Ian King Hamilton, Mister Hope (Illustrator), Jeanette Hamilton (Editor)

The Mountain is based in 1989 in a run-down northern English town and tells the story of Nigel Charon, a young teacher in his first job and Anna Lomas, a troubled girl who is a selective mute as well as being in constant trouble with the authorities. It is clear from day one that Charon does not fit in and is unwilling to play the game. Anna has a troubled home life and Charon takes her under his wing. But in looking after her is he overstepping the boundaries? The novel is generally comic but with dark undercurrents. The Eighties were not all frilly cuffs, ra-ra skirts and Wham! ? the gloomy setting is enhanced by frequent references to The Smiths, with whom Anna is obsessed.

212 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 2012

Reviews

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic. It took me back to school days, the author even described the smells of school that I had long since forgot and when he described it I thought yes that was it exactly.
It was perfectly by accident that I realised after I had bought this book that the author actually used to be my French teacher.
I was very amused with Dr. White's character as it reminded me of a certain head teacher at my school.
My 14 yr old son also loved this book and said school is still pretty much the same nowadays. Great read

[Christine DeLange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading the passages you can feel, hear and even smell what's happening. The chapters are skillfully written. The first two chapters kept me engaged, however the third chapter was less interesting.
The author is giving us an inside look of the characters who think differently when he takes Anna under his wings. Is he overstepping his boundaries?

See below for a more extended review

http://postdoos.blogspot.ie/2013/04/b...