Runner

by Robert Newton

Charlie's father is dead, and although his mother insists he stay in school, Charlie has no patience for the classroom. All he wants is to make money, to give his mother and baby brother a better life. So when he catches the eye of Squizzy Taylor, a notorious mobster, and is offered a job as Squizzy's courier, it doesn't take Charlie long to accept—even if he has to go against his own mother's wishes.

At first, the job's a thrill—running with messages, illegal liquor, whatever Squizzy orders. It fills Charlie with power. But then come the not-so-savory parts of the job. Collecting Squizzy's debts. Dodging Squizzy's enemies. The very real dangers of the streets. And at some point Charlie has to ask himself—how long before running for a better life means cutting his life short?


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: School, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Crime, Australia

224 pages, Library Binding

First published May 30, 2005

About the author

Robert Newton works as a full-time firefighter with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. His first novel, My Name is Will Thompson, was published in 2001. Since then he has written four other novels for young people, including Runner, which was published by Penguin in 2005. He lives in Melbourne with his wife and three daughters.

Reviews

[Millie May · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book, fascinating because I loved reading about my home town in the 1920s. Clever story line - with elements of real aspects of history.

I am doing Charlie Feehan as my drama solo for this year so I am very very excited!!

[drbeaniepatcat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than 'Trash' but I think the story ends kinda abruptly and there are many loose ends that haven't been tied nicely. I liked it to an extent

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me feel like such an American Puritan. While I don’t think children should be ridiculously sheltered, Runner crossed a line for me.

Whenever I read children’s books, one question I continually circle back around to is: Would I be comfortable recommending this to a friend's child? The answer for Runner is an unequivocal no. I could overlook the swear words (and not mild ones) after giving a parent a head’s up, but the handful of scenes featuring fairly explicit violence are a step too far for me. Honestly, one of the scenes is such that, if someone gave me that scene with no other context, I’d assume it was from a murder mystery for adults.

Yes, children – too, too many – see gruesome acts of violence every day. And children play violent videogames. And watch violent movies. For that matter, there are some great studies about why children act out violent scenarios (which is, I’d like to point out, an entirely different beast than passively observing someone else’s violent story).

But I’m not convinced a lot of the violence was necessary in Runner (and the language definitely wasn’t). Perhaps more to the point: the story isn’t that great. If it were, I’d likely be more OK with the somewhat grown-up stuff in a children’s book.

Here’s the thing: Runner is two different stories and genres (the criminal underworld and sports) awkwardly forced together. This is on top of some very weird decisions about the characters and their relationships. I had Charlie, the protagonist, pegged at about eleven or twelve. Turns out he’s sixteen. That made me wonder why this book wasn’t marketed to the YA audience, where the violence and swearing would be much less of an issue. But also: why Charlie was written like he was very much a child?

Runner is one of those books that has me scratching my head as to the decisions that went into its publication. Yes, it has potential, but the end result is a mess. Not recommended.

[John Kidman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good I just read it entirely in one late session. I was grabbed from page 1 and couldn’t put it down until I had finished it. I’m old enough to have some idea of early hardships through oral history of elders having not been born until the early forties. A ripper of a read for adults.

[Amity Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 ⭐️

This book was oddly heartwarming which came as a real surprise, after all I was forced to read it for school.

[Rosalie Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an ok book. The plot was good, however would have been more interesting if it was a bit longer and certain points and topics were touched on a bit more. Three characters weren’t that complex, but overall it was an ok read.

[Isobel Diviny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this book. I had to read it for school and it’s one of the most boring books I have ever read. I wouldn’t recommend this book at all

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

if i could describe this book in one word it would be: dumb

[Sean Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

Runner was a very enjoyable novel set in Melbourne, Richmond 1919. Throughout the story, we see the transition of Charlie Feehan from a care-free 15 year old boy into a man. From the moment his father succumbed to the Spanish Flu, Charlie is thrust into the role of man-of-the-house. He has to look after his baby brother and mother. Charlie compromises the values of his upbringing to 'run' for the Notorious Gangster, Squizzy Taylor when his mum thinks his in the classroom. Now Charlie faces new dangers and threats. But a sordid life of crime doesn't sit well with Charlie. He summons his courage and his talent and with the support of family and friends finds a more noble path to becoming not just a man, but a good man.

[Troy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was on my sons year 7 reading list and he find it 'quite good', which is in fact high praise from a teenager.

It's a nicely paced novel set in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond early 20c at the time of notorious gangster Squizzy Taylor's rule. It's a nice tie in to the poor family trying to make good story.

Our hero is charlie who has a gift for running. He has great neighbors.

There are themes of poverty and domestic violence, a taste of the underworld, of young love and redemption.

A solid YA book suited for early to mid teens.

3 stars.

[ceilidh ۫ ꣑ৎ · Rating 1 out of 5]

i found this book really hard to understand because of the way they talk. i didnt really understand the story and i feel like it was way too fast and things happened too quickly without enough description, and some things were very random too.

the only good thing about this book is the ending, which i thought was pretty wholesome

i wouldn’t recommend this book, especially to a younger audience, and there is no chance i will be rereading this.

[Mieke dodd · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting story and a lovely read, plus the author is Australian.

[Ashley Sikai · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hello shit book

[Cara · Rating 1 out of 5]

i really didnt enjoy the book. it was unengaging and boing. i dont suggest reading it unless you have to for something like school.

[Elyse Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was good however the book did get boring at some points. This was a good book overall through.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1919 in Richmond, Melbourne. A story of 14 year old Charlie who decides to leave school and be a runner for Squizzy Taylor the Richmond crime boss. A story of poverty and struggle and how people made ends meet. Charlie started running to keep warm during the winter months and was soon spotted by Squizzy's minders as a fast runner and potential sly grog deliverer. Charlie eventually left the employ of Squizzy taylor and made some money using his gift of running.

The story reminded me somewhat of Ruth Parks stories of poverty in Sydney back in the day, although for this reader, nothing can compare to the quality of Parks writing.

Author's notes informs us that Squizzy Taylor was a real person and leader of his co-hort in Richmond and in continual armed disagreement with the Fitzroy gangs. Such was life back in the early 1900s.

[Soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book for school and I thought it was a really interesting and good book. I really liked how it incorporated Melbournes history but it also had a really nice moral.

[Erin O'Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Paul Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable book and a good one to teach. I found it to be stylistically inconsistent. The opening chapters were rich in literary devices - particularly simile, metaphor and personification - but this dropped away significantly, only to return again a little bit later in the book.

The novel hints at the underbelly of crime in Melbourne without becoming overly confronting. In some ways, the violence of notorious gangsters is glossed over in preference for detailed descriptions of the thuggery of the book's bully, a character by the name of Barlow, but curiously, there is no resolution to this character's arc which seemed like an oversight. Some characters get short shrift - I was curious to know more about minor players such as the prostitute Daisy.

Newton does a terrific job of detailing Richmond, and to a lesser extent Fitzroy, but it's as if Melbourne were only comprised of two suburbs at the time. The protagonist is a likeable but flawed character who is rewarded for his recklessness at the end.

[Yasmine Asmar · Rating 1 out of 5]

My goddd I hated this. Twas simply painful to get through and such a classic example of a book written by a man for men/boyss :))) I read this for tutoring and somehow this novel was prescribed for Year 7's at an all girls school .... WOMEN in this freaking book are literally just props in the background that men interact with. Idk what they were thinking. but Charlie's mom is literally sexually assualted and all Charlie thinks about is that she no longer smiles. Nothing is adressed and bold of me to say, but I could care less about a boy running...

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story. Smart, funny and clever. Think Jasper Jones in Richmond in '20s.

Read a second time in a single sitting. Better the second time around. Running, footy, beer, whisky, boxing and gambling. It was as if it was written for me.

[Tilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was really good

[Cheynee · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was sucky, read it for school

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm just rating it anywhere between 2.5 and 3.5 ☆, but I'm not quite sure. I do know that it doesn't deserve the 4 ☆ because of the misleading blurb (in my eyes) and the writing style. I'd envisioned more of a chase when Charlie 'takes the money and runs,' however, I guess it's kinda accurate looking back on it. There was a slow build-up over the course of the book, and it was not slow as in tense, but just purely slow. It didn't feel like it was going anywhere in particular, and the end was unexpected and disappointing. Speaking of tension, WHERE WAS IT??? In those moments that needed the tension, it was nowhere. I had high hopes after the first part of the book, where Charlie races for the spot under Squizzy Taylor's employ (not a spoiler if it's in the blurb), but the rest of the book left me feeling underwhelmed.
Despite all this, though, the reason I rated it around 3 ☆, was the time appropriate references and the lack of density throughout the book. It may have been an unsatisfying read, but at least it wasn't too hard to read. Though I definitely think there are so many books that are better with being historically accurate and a good read, Runner isn't the worst.

PS. I had to read this for school, and I completely understand why it was chosen, but I also don't, and they need to make some better choices. It was better than Trash, but if you want a book for the context around where we live, can you please choose something better, like At the Foot of the Cheery Tree, so beautiful, even as someone who doesn't really like romance, yet I STILL LOVED IT. It checks all the boxes - the historical side of things while still being a good book. PLEASE HIGHSCHOOLS, FIX THIS PROBLEM

[Argo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was fine but I found some of the premise misleading. The blurb’s final line mentions Charlie taking the money and running, in the context of the blurb heavily carrying the expectation that he’s stolen money from Squizzy. However, this is not the case. He uses his own earnings to bet on himself in a race. This is still an interesting plot line but the blurb gave such different expectations on what was going to happen that it made it feel disappointing so in a way the book’s own advertising let it down. Apart from the misleading advertising though I didn’t really have any problems with the book. It perhaps could have been a bit more descriptive of the setting to give a better idea of character’s lives in 1919 Richmond beyond surface level but it still delved into more information than I would have known had I not read the book. In the end, not sure if Squizzy was really necessary to have by name beyond advertising value as I don’t feel he contributed as much to the story as the blurb touts him to. Don’t regret reading but wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend.

[Michelle Billing]

Runner is one of the books on my son's Year 8 curriculumn. I picked it up one morning only putting it down when I had to, but as soon as I could, was back to it. The book was extremely easy to read... there were a few themes in the book that I wasn't overly thrilled my son would be reading about, despite the book being directed at his age group, main theme being the abuse his mum recieved from the "family friend!" and in general the crew that Charlie was running for! Understandably, desperate times call for desperate measures! We found out in the end that Charlies mum knew all along that Charlie was running for "that crowd", but didn't say anything... that said, she was having to deal with some pretty intense feeling attributed to the abuse that she endured, whilst still having to provide care to Jack! I felt some pretty volatile themes... maybe more suited to a more mature young student (14/15!)

[Nigel Pasion · Rating 5 out of 5]

at the start of the book? Charlie's father is dead, and although his mother insists he stay in school, Charlie has no patience for the classroom. All he wants is to make money, to give his mother and baby brother a better life. So when he catches the eye of Squizzy Taylor, a notorious mobster, and is offered a job as Squizzy's courier, it doesn't take Charlie long to accept—even if he has to go against his own mother's wishes.At first, the job's a thrill—running with messages, illegal liquor, whatever Squizzy orders. It fills Charlie with power. But then come the not-so-savory parts of the job. Collecting Squizzy's debts. Dodging Squizzy's enemies. The very real dangers of the streets. And at some point Charlie has to ask himself—how long before running for a better life means cutting his life short

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harsh times for ordinary people in the slums of 1919 Richmond, seen through the perspective of young Charlie Feehan. Now the 'man' of the family after his father's death, he is persuaded to secretly give up school and earn desperately-needed money, he doesn't care how. The notorious gangster Squizzy Taylor becomes Charlie's employer and mentor, but the deeper Charlie is embedded in Squizzy's entourage, the more he realizes things are not right.
I loved the vivid characters of this story, the larrikin humour, and Robert Newton's depiction of a past history we've forgotten - the misery of poverty and lack of progress. The Aussie slang and informal language is probably hard for young readers to tackle, but it does bring to life the dialogue and characters. This was a book which came to life for me.

[Latham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a random book for me to read. I had it lying around the house and read it fairly quickly this evening. It’s a decent book - nicely written and Newton does a good job with world building and placing the reader firmly into the historical context. I enjoyed the dynamic between Charlie and his family, and found that to be the strongest aspect of Runner. Very much enjoyed the first hundred pages here but Newton doesn’t stick the landing. Runner pivots abruptly from a story of surviving the bleakness of poverty, to a feel good underdog narrative that just doesn’t feel earned; probably not helped by just how underdeveloped most of the side characters are. Decent read but overall doesn’t reach its full potential with its short length and unsatisfying conclusion.

[sunny ౨ৎ˚₊ (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"warmth. that was what the poor craved most in the winter months, but without money we seldom found it. to be poor was to be cold. the two were the same. but me, i refused to let it take me."

reading this is year seven was definitely a choice (though an understandable one). it's digestible and very easy to analyse the clear themes of class, money and masculinity but beyond that, the book falls a little flat. the ending is very abrupt and a lot of storylines are either completely forgotten or never resolved.

that being said charlie is such a beautifully written character whose inner monologue about criminality and masculinity make me just want to hug him and i'd like to think that everything goes right for him in the end.