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Noah's Castle
What if money became worthless?
The coming winter was going to be a hard one and not because of the weather.
As England descends into economic chaos, sixteen-year-old Barry Mortimer's life turns upside down when his father moves the family from their cozy home in the city to a grim, brick mansion on the outskirts of town.
Why isn't anyone allowed to visit the Mortimers' new home? What is Father doing in the cellar and why is he keeping it a secret?
As rumors of skyrocketing prices and food shortages become reality, Barry's world begins to crumble. Can his family hold together as a nation collapses around them?
Terrifying because it could happen tomorrow...
SUMMARY
Written by award-winning author John Rowe Townsend, Noah's Castle tells the story of a family trying to survive during a total collapse of the British economy. Money is worthless, unemployment skyrockets, and food and other goods become scarce.
As conditions worsen and people begin to starve, how do people react? When does law-and-order break down and civilized behavior end? How do people balance the needs of their family against those of society? Noah's Castle examines these questions but doesn't provide easy answers, resulting in a unique and thought-provoking story of survival.
211 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
10 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
John Rowe Townsend
61 books9 followersJohn Rowe Townsend (born 1922) is a British children's author and academic. His best-known children's novel is The Intruder, which won a 1971 Edgar Award, and his best-known academic work is Written for Children: An Outline of English Language Children's Literature (1965), the definitive work of its time on the subject.
He was born in Leeds, and studied at Leeds Grammar School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Among his popular works are Gumble's Yard (his debut novel, published in 1961), Widdershins Crescent (1965), and The Intruder (1969), which won a 1971 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile Mystery. In Britain, The Intruder was made into a children's TV series starring Milton Johns as the stranger. Noah's Castle was filmed by Southern television and transmitted in seven 25-minute episodes in 1980.
He was born in Leeds, and studied at Leeds Grammar School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Among his popular works are Gumble's Yard (his debut novel, published in 1961), Widdershins Crescent (1965), and The Intruder (1969), which won a 1971 Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile Mystery. In Britain, The Intruder was made into a children's TV series starring Milton Johns as the stranger. Noah's Castle was filmed by Southern television and transmitted in seven 25-minute episodes in 1980.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 5, 2014
Alright if you have any intention of reading this book, at anytime, please don't continue to read the review. There is no way I can fully get my feelings about this book across without "spoiling" the plot line for you. So with that being said, on with the show.
I don't know how else to put this than to say, I hate this book. Hate it. There is nothing, and I mean nothing about it I enjoyed. I actually found myself getting angry while I was reading it. I was angry at the author for writing such nonsense, angry at the characters for being so unlikeable that I hoped that they would all starve to death, and angry at myself for even agreeing to review this book. There were a few times I actually wanted to throw the book across the room or in the garbage (which I have never wanted to do in my life) but I restrained myself and forced myself to finish reading the book. I'm actually getting angry all over again while I'm typing up the review.
Okay, deep breath. Now that I got that out of my system I will attempt to explain why I feel so strongly about a YA book that is only 211 pages long. I was expecting a book about a family doing everything they could to survive during a time where food was scarce, and what food was available was rationed out in small portions or was so expensive nobody could afford it. I was wanting a family that came together to survive the times, a family who loved and trusted each other to put the needs of the family first. I wanted a story that as a father I could relate too. Needless to say that's not what this book is about nor is it even close to what I got out of it.
This book is about a domineering, sexist, jackass of a father who doesn't know how to show love to his family in anyway that most children would recognize. He treats his wife as a upper level servant who isn't intelligent enough to be brought into his confidence. He's not all that warm to his children and has no problem emotionally brushing them aside in order to do what he thinks is right. So when he starts to hoard food and supplies for his family to live off of during the crisis, I agreed with him and knew he was doing the right thing for his family, but I still didn't like him. When laws are passed by the government making it illegal to hoard food, I'm still backing his decision but part of me wanted him to get caught just to get him off the page.
No matter what I thought of the father though I wasn't prepared for how I would feel about the rest of the family. The most likable was the wife/mother, but even there I found her to be weak and boring. She didn't make that much of an impression on me and in the end I didn't care either way. What really got my goat were the children. There are 4 of them and while I didn't like any of them, I'm going to focus on Barry and the oldest sister, Nessie. Nessie thinks everything her father is doing is wrong, she finds is abhorrent that her father thought ahead and hoarded food for his family when other people are doing without. She would rather sparse out her families supplies to everyone else in the country instead of making sure her family was taken care of. She even moves out of the house because she is so disgusted by her father's actions.
Barry, the star of this story, is a little more conflicted. At first, while bothered by his father's actions, he goes along with it because while he thinks its wrong, he's not sure why though. He just feels that his father making sure his family is taken care of when the country is going to hell is somehow wrong. The book is his journey to the conclusion that the only way he can feel right about life is for his family to be in the same circumstances as everyone else. The world can not be right until his family is starving the way everyone else is. He concludes his journey of "self growth" by turning his father in. He tells a "charity" about the hoarded food in the basement, which by the way was the whole reason they moved into the house, and even helps the same "charity" raid and take everything they can.
By the end of the book, the father is in a fugue state feeling sorry for himself because he couldn't take care of his family. The rest of the family are all happy and chipper because now they get to starve as well. What a wonderful end to a ridiculous story.
My problem with this book wasn't the writing, which I found to be engaging despite the horrendous story itself. My problem was the viewpoint of the author that a father who tries to take care of his family is somehow evil and that sacrificing yourself and your family for the greater good is somehow noble. The noble thing to do is take care of your family first, to make sure that the children you brought into this world are provided for. Then if you are able to, take care of your neighbors after that. The idea that hurting yourself permanently to help others temporarily is for me, morally repugnant. As a father the idea of letting my son go hungry for months to come in order to feed someone else for a day is stupid and not something I would ever consider.
Now I'm not sure if the fact that this book was written in 1975 has anything to do with the socioeconomic tone in this book, but I'm sure it does. The entire time I was reading this book, I kept thinking that the entire point of it was to get the author's personal political/economic views across to the masses. I'm not sure if that's the case but It's the way the way it came across to me. What I do know is that I don't like this book, wish I had never read this book, and would strongly encourage everyone I know not to read this book.
I don't know how else to put this than to say, I hate this book. Hate it. There is nothing, and I mean nothing about it I enjoyed. I actually found myself getting angry while I was reading it. I was angry at the author for writing such nonsense, angry at the characters for being so unlikeable that I hoped that they would all starve to death, and angry at myself for even agreeing to review this book. There were a few times I actually wanted to throw the book across the room or in the garbage (which I have never wanted to do in my life) but I restrained myself and forced myself to finish reading the book. I'm actually getting angry all over again while I'm typing up the review.
Okay, deep breath. Now that I got that out of my system I will attempt to explain why I feel so strongly about a YA book that is only 211 pages long. I was expecting a book about a family doing everything they could to survive during a time where food was scarce, and what food was available was rationed out in small portions or was so expensive nobody could afford it. I was wanting a family that came together to survive the times, a family who loved and trusted each other to put the needs of the family first. I wanted a story that as a father I could relate too. Needless to say that's not what this book is about nor is it even close to what I got out of it.
This book is about a domineering, sexist, jackass of a father who doesn't know how to show love to his family in anyway that most children would recognize. He treats his wife as a upper level servant who isn't intelligent enough to be brought into his confidence. He's not all that warm to his children and has no problem emotionally brushing them aside in order to do what he thinks is right. So when he starts to hoard food and supplies for his family to live off of during the crisis, I agreed with him and knew he was doing the right thing for his family, but I still didn't like him. When laws are passed by the government making it illegal to hoard food, I'm still backing his decision but part of me wanted him to get caught just to get him off the page.
No matter what I thought of the father though I wasn't prepared for how I would feel about the rest of the family. The most likable was the wife/mother, but even there I found her to be weak and boring. She didn't make that much of an impression on me and in the end I didn't care either way. What really got my goat were the children. There are 4 of them and while I didn't like any of them, I'm going to focus on Barry and the oldest sister, Nessie. Nessie thinks everything her father is doing is wrong, she finds is abhorrent that her father thought ahead and hoarded food for his family when other people are doing without. She would rather sparse out her families supplies to everyone else in the country instead of making sure her family was taken care of. She even moves out of the house because she is so disgusted by her father's actions.
Barry, the star of this story, is a little more conflicted. At first, while bothered by his father's actions, he goes along with it because while he thinks its wrong, he's not sure why though. He just feels that his father making sure his family is taken care of when the country is going to hell is somehow wrong. The book is his journey to the conclusion that the only way he can feel right about life is for his family to be in the same circumstances as everyone else. The world can not be right until his family is starving the way everyone else is. He concludes his journey of "self growth" by turning his father in. He tells a "charity" about the hoarded food in the basement, which by the way was the whole reason they moved into the house, and even helps the same "charity" raid and take everything they can.
By the end of the book, the father is in a fugue state feeling sorry for himself because he couldn't take care of his family. The rest of the family are all happy and chipper because now they get to starve as well. What a wonderful end to a ridiculous story.
My problem with this book wasn't the writing, which I found to be engaging despite the horrendous story itself. My problem was the viewpoint of the author that a father who tries to take care of his family is somehow evil and that sacrificing yourself and your family for the greater good is somehow noble. The noble thing to do is take care of your family first, to make sure that the children you brought into this world are provided for. Then if you are able to, take care of your neighbors after that. The idea that hurting yourself permanently to help others temporarily is for me, morally repugnant. As a father the idea of letting my son go hungry for months to come in order to feed someone else for a day is stupid and not something I would ever consider.
Now I'm not sure if the fact that this book was written in 1975 has anything to do with the socioeconomic tone in this book, but I'm sure it does. The entire time I was reading this book, I kept thinking that the entire point of it was to get the author's personal political/economic views across to the masses. I'm not sure if that's the case but It's the way the way it came across to me. What I do know is that I don't like this book, wish I had never read this book, and would strongly encourage everyone I know not to read this book.
March 10, 2010
Reviewed by John Jacobson, aka "R.J. Jacobs" for TeensReadToo.com
16-year-old Barry Mortimer is a fairly carefree person, living with his domineering father, Norman, his complacent mother, and his siblings in fair comfort. But a crisis is on the rise - the UK is producing more and more money, yet it gets harder and harder to afford to buy items as prices rise. If matters weren't confusing enough, Barry's father goes and buys the family a large, looming house that's much too big for them, and begins putting up hundreds of shelves down in the basement.
When the signs of the crisis begin to show, with food prices insanely high, the old are left to afford almost nothing, and the talk of food rationing begins. Barry's suspicions of his father grow. When he discovers his plans - to hoard several years' worth of nonperishable foods in their basement, hidden from the rest of the community - Barry's met with an important decision: To keep his family safe for the long haul and risk being discovered, or to go against his father's wishes and refuse the stores.
NOAH'S CASTLE was originally published in the 1970's, so the book reads as a contemporary-historical novel, though that in no way detracts from the power of the story. Townsend has a great voice in Barry; simple but strong. While readers will identify with him, his sister Agnes, and some other characters that come along, the real star of the novel is Barry's father, Norman. Norman's character is written as amazingly complex, with every emotion and motive shaded grey. There is no easy side for the reader to take, and the excitement over the moral issues alone will keep you wanting to read. Action-wise, the story moves along quickly, each and every scene flowing with tension and emotions that really capture the dystopian setting.
The setting, as mentioned, is one of the novel's strongest points. With novels like INCARCERON and HOW I LIVE NOW gaining acclaim in the same genre, this really stands out. What makes it do so is its believability. It has no magic or vampires, just the plain old world going through a realistic crisis. It almost scared me as to how easily I could see this happening. (And indeed, it actually did. Townsend based the events off of a German economic upheaval after World War I.) Every moment seems real, adding a horror novel-like aspect to it that's hard to shake away.
Most notably, Townsend managed to write a novel with little fault to it. Some of the characters could have been fleshed out more, especially the women. Understandably, the time period reflects some of these behaviors, so it's not as bad as something that would be written and originally published today, but he still could have done more. What he did do was still intriguing enough to make me enjoy reading about them.
Overall, it's an enjoyably quick read that will send your mind whirling. Five Stars and the Gold Award.
16-year-old Barry Mortimer is a fairly carefree person, living with his domineering father, Norman, his complacent mother, and his siblings in fair comfort. But a crisis is on the rise - the UK is producing more and more money, yet it gets harder and harder to afford to buy items as prices rise. If matters weren't confusing enough, Barry's father goes and buys the family a large, looming house that's much too big for them, and begins putting up hundreds of shelves down in the basement.
When the signs of the crisis begin to show, with food prices insanely high, the old are left to afford almost nothing, and the talk of food rationing begins. Barry's suspicions of his father grow. When he discovers his plans - to hoard several years' worth of nonperishable foods in their basement, hidden from the rest of the community - Barry's met with an important decision: To keep his family safe for the long haul and risk being discovered, or to go against his father's wishes and refuse the stores.
NOAH'S CASTLE was originally published in the 1970's, so the book reads as a contemporary-historical novel, though that in no way detracts from the power of the story. Townsend has a great voice in Barry; simple but strong. While readers will identify with him, his sister Agnes, and some other characters that come along, the real star of the novel is Barry's father, Norman. Norman's character is written as amazingly complex, with every emotion and motive shaded grey. There is no easy side for the reader to take, and the excitement over the moral issues alone will keep you wanting to read. Action-wise, the story moves along quickly, each and every scene flowing with tension and emotions that really capture the dystopian setting.
The setting, as mentioned, is one of the novel's strongest points. With novels like INCARCERON and HOW I LIVE NOW gaining acclaim in the same genre, this really stands out. What makes it do so is its believability. It has no magic or vampires, just the plain old world going through a realistic crisis. It almost scared me as to how easily I could see this happening. (And indeed, it actually did. Townsend based the events off of a German economic upheaval after World War I.) Every moment seems real, adding a horror novel-like aspect to it that's hard to shake away.
Most notably, Townsend managed to write a novel with little fault to it. Some of the characters could have been fleshed out more, especially the women. Understandably, the time period reflects some of these behaviors, so it's not as bad as something that would be written and originally published today, but he still could have done more. What he did do was still intriguing enough to make me enjoy reading about them.
Overall, it's an enjoyably quick read that will send your mind whirling. Five Stars and the Gold Award.
January 26, 2013
Noah's Castle grips the reader because it examines the struggles of a family when the thin veneer of society breaks down. In this young adult novel hyperinflation strikes England, causing prices to soar and money to shrink in value and eventually become worthless. The story explores how the members of the family, and those around them, survive and grow during one winter of the crisis. Repeatedly, I found myself asking how I would react in the all too real situations presented by the author.
Around the globe, countless families have faced such inflation in the last hundred years. Post-apocalyptic literature is gripping exactly because it examines how society could collapse and how we might respond. Would we get angry and riot, hunker down with our guns and supplies, suffer with others while trying to help or chart some middle course. In varying degrees, the author explores each path as we see this world through the eyes of teenager Barry Mortimer.
Such books are often more message than well-written tale, but this book has balance. John Rowe Townsend, is an award-winning writer of numerous children's and young adult novels. His experience is clear as he weaves the message nicely into the plot of this story. However, as you read the story keep in mind that this is an American reprint of a novel originally released in 1975. Modern novels tend to open with a crisis and move quickly forward, but the first two chapters of this story develop characters and setting. Also, the father in the story, Norman Mortimer, is unabashedly sexist by modern standards.
I recommend this engaging and well-written novel for teen to adult readers.
Around the globe, countless families have faced such inflation in the last hundred years. Post-apocalyptic literature is gripping exactly because it examines how society could collapse and how we might respond. Would we get angry and riot, hunker down with our guns and supplies, suffer with others while trying to help or chart some middle course. In varying degrees, the author explores each path as we see this world through the eyes of teenager Barry Mortimer.
Such books are often more message than well-written tale, but this book has balance. John Rowe Townsend, is an award-winning writer of numerous children's and young adult novels. His experience is clear as he weaves the message nicely into the plot of this story. However, as you read the story keep in mind that this is an American reprint of a novel originally released in 1975. Modern novels tend to open with a crisis and move quickly forward, but the first two chapters of this story develop characters and setting. Also, the father in the story, Norman Mortimer, is unabashedly sexist by modern standards.
I recommend this engaging and well-written novel for teen to adult readers.
January 6, 2023
I was offered an advanced reading copy of this book. The book poses many interesting questions, and even though written originally 35 years ago, it is very fitting for today's economical and social setting. The book poses the questions of: 'What if money became worthless?' England is descending into economic disaster. The rate of inflation is changing hourly. Prices are skyrocketing, there are riots and people are literally starving to death. But for Norman Mortimer and his family things are not so terrible. For Norman is a man with foresight. When he predicted what was about to happen to the nation, he started planning. He buys a house well hidden from the street and other houses. Then he starts to gather stores to see the family through the current troubles.
Unfortunately, soon the government makes hoarding illegal. The family begins to be under stress, and as they see friends suffering and without, they struggle with what their father has done and is doing. First, Nessie the oldest daughter leaves, then the mother and youngest child. Soon it is just a father and his two sons. As rumours of the Mortimer's stocks spread, they are first blackmailed by a mobster, and a social action group tries to persuade Norman to distribute the stock to the needy.
This is an amazing book, well-written and so fitting to what is happening in today's world. The story moves at a quick pace, and progresses well. I could not put the book down. The story was so well-written I am planning on tracking down more of John Rowe Townsend's books to read in the future.
Unfortunately, soon the government makes hoarding illegal. The family begins to be under stress, and as they see friends suffering and without, they struggle with what their father has done and is doing. First, Nessie the oldest daughter leaves, then the mother and youngest child. Soon it is just a father and his two sons. As rumours of the Mortimer's stocks spread, they are first blackmailed by a mobster, and a social action group tries to persuade Norman to distribute the stock to the needy.
This is an amazing book, well-written and so fitting to what is happening in today's world. The story moves at a quick pace, and progresses well. I could not put the book down. The story was so well-written I am planning on tracking down more of John Rowe Townsend's books to read in the future.
September 18, 2025
Me hizo reflexionar sobre la ineficacia de los gobernantes; el egoísmo y la desesperación, que llevan a cada ser humano a descubrir su verdadero ser; y la futilidad de las previsiones humanas.
July 28, 2010
This book was originally published in 1975, went out of print, then was brought back and republished by October Mist. I think it's important to keep that in mind while reading, as while most of the book stands the test of time, there are parts which are a little dated. Most glaringly, the father's attitude towards his wife and daughters. Yes, he's a bit sexist, but so were a lot of men during that time period. Just look back to the television commercials in the 70s for proof. I've seen a few reviewers not be able to get past the father's attitude, so think it's important to keep things in context.
That being said, I thought that this was a good read overall. It's as relevant now as it was back then, because I think we're all only a few steps away from having our whole world come crashing down. This boils down to a father trying to take care of his family and prepare for a coming crisis. Should he have consulted his wife before buying a new house and bringing in supplies? I think so. But he seems to be the sort of man who considers himself the king of his castle, and thinks it's his job to take care of his family. Could he have handled things better? Absolutely. But in the end, I think he did what he thought was best in order to take care of his family.
One of the things I found most interesting about this story was how normal society started to break down in the midst of a crisis. We like to pretend we're civilized, but when threatened, people start to show their true colors. I liked the characters of Cliff and Stuart, who still wanted to do what was right and take care of their fellow man. Very noble. Would I be that noble? I'd like to think so, but I might wind up like Barry's dad and want to take care of my own first.
Gave this book a 3/5 rating as I liked it. I think a 3/5 is a good rating and worth reading, so please give this one a chance! Was well written, though a little dated in spots. Made me think but I didn't find it overly preachy, which is always good. I didn't really like the main characters, and was more sympathetic to secondary characters like Cliff, Stuart, and Terry. Had mixed feelings about Barry, the narrator. He was a teenager with ideals, which is not a bad thing, just not the best thing during a crisis. His heart was in the right place, but I don't think he handled things as well as he should have. None of the characters did. That's one of the things that made this story interesting.
That being said, I thought that this was a good read overall. It's as relevant now as it was back then, because I think we're all only a few steps away from having our whole world come crashing down. This boils down to a father trying to take care of his family and prepare for a coming crisis. Should he have consulted his wife before buying a new house and bringing in supplies? I think so. But he seems to be the sort of man who considers himself the king of his castle, and thinks it's his job to take care of his family. Could he have handled things better? Absolutely. But in the end, I think he did what he thought was best in order to take care of his family.
One of the things I found most interesting about this story was how normal society started to break down in the midst of a crisis. We like to pretend we're civilized, but when threatened, people start to show their true colors. I liked the characters of Cliff and Stuart, who still wanted to do what was right and take care of their fellow man. Very noble. Would I be that noble? I'd like to think so, but I might wind up like Barry's dad and want to take care of my own first.
Gave this book a 3/5 rating as I liked it. I think a 3/5 is a good rating and worth reading, so please give this one a chance! Was well written, though a little dated in spots. Made me think but I didn't find it overly preachy, which is always good. I didn't really like the main characters, and was more sympathetic to secondary characters like Cliff, Stuart, and Terry. Had mixed feelings about Barry, the narrator. He was a teenager with ideals, which is not a bad thing, just not the best thing during a crisis. His heart was in the right place, but I don't think he handled things as well as he should have. None of the characters did. That's one of the things that made this story interesting.
March 7, 2018
In Noah's Castle, John Rowe Townsend creates wonderful dialogue and suspense. His main characters bristle with indignation when their father suddenly moves them to an isolated, fortress-like mansion. The narrator, a young man named Barry, wonders what exactly is his father doing in the basement, all day long?
This book moves at a lightning pace. The tension mounts and doesn't stop until the very end, when Barry steps in to save the family. I read Noah's Castle based on a recommendation by Katherine Paterson, and I am passing along the favor. It is timeless, action-packed, and very satisfying.
This book moves at a lightning pace. The tension mounts and doesn't stop until the very end, when Barry steps in to save the family. I read Noah's Castle based on a recommendation by Katherine Paterson, and I am passing along the favor. It is timeless, action-packed, and very satisfying.
May 7, 2025
I think my issue that it “didn’t get bleak enough” is just me being silly. I expected Threads sans the nukes, and instead I got… well, not that.
The idea is horrifying, and feels like one of those things that’s going to happen any day now. I’m rereading the Last Survivors series and thought this would be a good supplemental read, but it’s just a little too optimistic. I feel like there were also some loose threads. And the book wasn’t so much about the end of civilization as it was about a man driving his family away with his jerkass-ness… while also saving them from starving to death over the course of a hellish winter… who exactly is the bad guy here? It’s the dad, it’s the dad. The book makes that very clear.
His daughters, one of whom is 10 and still plays with dolls (by which I mean is incredibly young and tiny and sweet, not that there’s something wrong with playing with dolls!!), go to live in a house where food is kiiiind of available, sometimes, but not exactly filling or nutritious.
But it doesn’t matter! The younger daughter isn’t eating at home anyway. She is wasting away and completely detached from reality, because… she misses her dog? The dad is a jerk? Yeah, that one. The latter. The girl is wasting away due to lack of love and a stable living environment. So when she leaves and goes to live in a house where most meals consist of a potato, she blossoms and doesn’t want to go back home! Despite ONLY HAVING POTATOES TO EAT, if anything.
….Which is fine. Just not what I’m looking for just now. I’m more into the collapse of civilization. Not just the traditional nuclear family. Also no one dies. No, not even the deathly ill starving mother of the narrator’s… friend? Girlfriend? We’re never really sure. She doesn’t die. No one dies! At least no one with a name. Even the dog lives. (Which is good, but unrealistic.)
Food literally costs A MILLION POUNDS. In 1975 money. Which is probably, adjusted for inflation, one hell of a lot of money. Yet the town is never really in any severe distress. There are some riots or whatever but they don’t affect the story. There’s no martial law or anything. The government is going on like usual and asking everyone to have a stiff upper lip and whatever. It just feels like more dreadful things should, by all rights, have happened over the course of the story.
I mean can you imagine what would happen if a loaf of bread cost a million USD, and the government were twiddling their thumbs telling us that everything will be fine, calm down? I wouldn’t be calming down! No one would!
You know what this reminds me of? Left Behind. A series in which the literal end of days feels like a minor inconvenience most of the time.
I think the TV series will be better. Or at least darker.
The idea is horrifying, and feels like one of those things that’s going to happen any day now. I’m rereading the Last Survivors series and thought this would be a good supplemental read, but it’s just a little too optimistic. I feel like there were also some loose threads. And the book wasn’t so much about the end of civilization as it was about a man driving his family away with his jerkass-ness… while also saving them from starving to death over the course of a hellish winter… who exactly is the bad guy here? It’s the dad, it’s the dad. The book makes that very clear.
His daughters, one of whom is 10 and still plays with dolls (by which I mean is incredibly young and tiny and sweet, not that there’s something wrong with playing with dolls!!), go to live in a house where food is kiiiind of available, sometimes, but not exactly filling or nutritious.
But it doesn’t matter! The younger daughter isn’t eating at home anyway. She is wasting away and completely detached from reality, because… she misses her dog? The dad is a jerk? Yeah, that one. The latter. The girl is wasting away due to lack of love and a stable living environment. So when she leaves and goes to live in a house where most meals consist of a potato, she blossoms and doesn’t want to go back home! Despite ONLY HAVING POTATOES TO EAT, if anything.
….Which is fine. Just not what I’m looking for just now. I’m more into the collapse of civilization. Not just the traditional nuclear family. Also no one dies. No, not even the deathly ill starving mother of the narrator’s… friend? Girlfriend? We’re never really sure. She doesn’t die. No one dies! At least no one with a name. Even the dog lives. (Which is good, but unrealistic.)
Food literally costs A MILLION POUNDS. In 1975 money. Which is probably, adjusted for inflation, one hell of a lot of money. Yet the town is never really in any severe distress. There are some riots or whatever but they don’t affect the story. There’s no martial law or anything. The government is going on like usual and asking everyone to have a stiff upper lip and whatever. It just feels like more dreadful things should, by all rights, have happened over the course of the story.
I mean can you imagine what would happen if a loaf of bread cost a million USD, and the government were twiddling their thumbs telling us that everything will be fine, calm down? I wouldn’t be calming down! No one would!
You know what this reminds me of? Left Behind. A series in which the literal end of days feels like a minor inconvenience most of the time.
I think the TV series will be better. Or at least darker.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2022
Possibly not the best book to be reading during this period of global unrest and inflationary fun, but I heard about this book as being a fascinating "what if" look at a socioeconomic collapse in post-war Great Britain. This book seems to be set in most likely the 1960s or so? Possibly a touch later. But, published in 1976, it definitely posits a grim future for Britain. While this book was fascinating partly because it is a window into some of the pessimistic ideas floating around in the '70s, the book itself is a bit dull and predictable. The whole of the book is a slow decline into the inevitable collapse of both the nation and the family at the center of this book. There are not any nuanced characters in this book and the message of the book is quite clear - individuals should not seek to look after themselves, but instead, all should be provided for in common. It is quite a socialistic moral tale, at the end of all things, but I do confess that the author does a good job of showing the terror and unease that comes when a society falls apart. When people are not able to easily (or at all) obtain food, the seemingly strong fabric of society frays almost instantly. This is frightening indeed. What is the answer to that? The author doesn't have any, as he is not focused on the big picture, but almost solely looking at how individuals, families and communities react to existential stresses. A good tale, fascinating, but at the end, a bit too neat and pat in how the author resolves everything and brings about the ending he so fervently desires. Worth one read, surely, but not more than that. There are better near-apocalyptic books than this.
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January 4, 2023An unsettling “cozy catastrophe” type story of economic collapse and the cost of individual survival vs isolation and turning your back on others.
The story includes some grim satire of the British class system as the sexist, domineering father who’s smart enough to plan ahead is still vulnerable to flattery from a former boss and his bitterness over not rising in rank in the army. The seeming absurdity of some of the turns of the crisis are lessened by the fact that the author took inspiration from pre-Hitler Germany and that England did have a similar if less extreme economic crisis a few years after the book’s publication.
If this was a Robert Heinlein story or from any number of more conservative authors, the message would be something like, “Oh, Father seemed crazy, but he was so clever to keep us all safe during these hard times.” The book tries a little too hard to imply a happy ending is in the future, but it deals with some grim themes: Perhaps, it suggests, it’s not worth surviving if it leaves you apart from those you leave behind.
The story includes some grim satire of the British class system as the sexist, domineering father who’s smart enough to plan ahead is still vulnerable to flattery from a former boss and his bitterness over not rising in rank in the army. The seeming absurdity of some of the turns of the crisis are lessened by the fact that the author took inspiration from pre-Hitler Germany and that England did have a similar if less extreme economic crisis a few years after the book’s publication.
If this was a Robert Heinlein story or from any number of more conservative authors, the message would be something like, “Oh, Father seemed crazy, but he was so clever to keep us all safe during these hard times.” The book tries a little too hard to imply a happy ending is in the future, but it deals with some grim themes: Perhaps, it suggests, it’s not worth surviving if it leaves you apart from those you leave behind.
August 14, 2019
I liked this but can understand why a few reviewers did not. The story was written in the 1970's and it is not totally clear what time period it is set in. I read it and could not help but think it was set during wartime in Britain. Either the 1st or 2nd world war. Some areas went through serious food shortages and hoarding was made illegal. The characters also ring true for that earlier time period when fathers were remote or emotional bullies to their kids and their wives. Where whatever they decided was right even if it was not.
The core of the tale is how the son has to come to terms with what is going on when he sees it. He knows it is wrong on a moral level. Then knows it is illegal for the time. He has to make a decision and stand his ground but this puts him in opposition to his father. Every child has to grow up sometime and start making their own choices. I think it was well done and a good read. I passed my copy along to one of my nephews who also liked it.
The core of the tale is how the son has to come to terms with what is going on when he sees it. He knows it is wrong on a moral level. Then knows it is illegal for the time. He has to make a decision and stand his ground but this puts him in opposition to his father. Every child has to grow up sometime and start making their own choices. I think it was well done and a good read. I passed my copy along to one of my nephews who also liked it.
January 2, 2018
Lo que puedo sacar de aquí es mi interés por asuntos economicos.
Este libro quiere dejarte con la pregunta sobre la moral. No se si lo hace extremadamente bien.
El padre, hasta al final del libro pude medio entenderlo. El es demasiado machista, pero siento que la sociedad o cuando nació lo hizo así, por el patriarcado.
Luego no me parecio tan entrañable la historia. Si me hizo pensar pero no es la mejor historia que haya leído.
Este libro quiere dejarte con la pregunta sobre la moral. No se si lo hace extremadamente bien.
El padre, hasta al final del libro pude medio entenderlo. El es demasiado machista, pero siento que la sociedad o cuando nació lo hizo así, por el patriarcado.
Luego no me parecio tan entrañable la historia. Si me hizo pensar pero no es la mejor historia que haya leído.
November 12, 2019
A bit dated, a bit heavy-handed and preachy at times, but actually a good read from the seventies which feels eerily prophetic as we approach the new twenties. Could this be the near future in post-Brexit Britain? Recommended.
March 15, 2024
I read this for school. It was okay. ✨
March 21, 2025
Boring. Old.
February 17, 2014
Reseña IKari: El castillo de Noé - John R. Townsend
El libro se desarrolla en una Inglaterra sumida en la crisis, en la cual la comida escasea y se muestra el lado mas inhumano de la gente al no tener nada que comer, no se puede conseguir trabajo y los precios suben cada vez mas.
El libro esta narrado desde el punto de vista de Barry Mortimer, un chico bastante normal que vive con sus 3 hermanos (Nessie, Geoff y Ellen), su madre y con un padre (Norman) bastante controlador que estuvo en el ejercito.
Norman, viendo que se aproximaba una crisis quiso prevenir a tiempo cualquier contratiempo que la familia pudiera tener, y para ello el compro una gigantesca casa en las afueras y se aprovisiono con víveres lo mas que pudo, pero el único en su familia que estaba de acuerdo con ello (o que lo entendía) era Geoff, aunque todos los demás guardaban reservas con respecto a lo que pensaban. Pero Barry sintiéndose cada vez mas presionado, se comenzó a sentir atrapado entre dos sentimientos: seguir leal a su padre o ayudar a los demás pero a la vez estar traicionando a su padre.
Este libro me hizo pensar que tan fácil es que pase algo así, en las condiciones en las que nos encontraríamos y que tan lejos llegaríamos por un poco de comida. En el año 2010 en mi país (Chile) hubo un terremoto de 8.8. Donde yo vivo no fue tanto, fue mas el movimiento y alguna gente que quedo atrapadas en sus casa pero que con la ayuda de los vecinos pudieron salir y ni ellos ni sus casas resultaron con ningun daño (solo una que otra grieta). Bueno, eso fue diferente mas al sur del país, allá se derrumbaron edificios y puentes, se puso toque de queda y la gente comenzó a asaltar tiendas (no solo por comida) y el gobierno dijo que era ilegal acaparar alimentos. Yo en ese momento (y hasta ahora) no lo encuentro mal, ya que en ese momento no había gente ''muriendose'' de hambre, pero en las condiciones que salen en el libro no pude evitar pensar como Barry, ya que en el libro había mucha gente que no sufría la misma suerte que los Mortimer y apenas tenían que comer.
A pesar de que lo encontré un libro bastante ''simple'', me gusto mucho. Aunque el libro es corto, yo no lo hubiera alargado ni una pagina mas ya que encontré que quedo muy bien con las 202 paginas que tiene.
Es una de las novelas YA mejor escritas y un clásico que definitivamente tienes que leer.
Si estas buscando algún libro con lenguaje rebuscado, uno que tenga mas de 500 paginas, estas preocupado por la economía o tu país esta en crisis; de verdad no te lo recomiendo que lo leas. Pero si en cambio estas buscando una lectura rápida y simple, o simplemente eres un lector primerizo te recomendaría que leyeras este libro.
Reseña IKari: El castillo de Noé - John R. Townsend
El libro se desarrolla en una Inglaterra sumida en la crisis, en la cual la comida escasea y se muestra el lado mas inhumano de la gente al no tener nada que comer, no se puede conseguir trabajo y los precios suben cada vez mas.
El libro esta narrado desde el punto de vista de Barry Mortimer, un chico bastante normal que vive con sus 3 hermanos (Nessie, Geoff y Ellen), su madre y con un padre (Norman) bastante controlador que estuvo en el ejercito.
Norman, viendo que se aproximaba una crisis quiso prevenir a tiempo cualquier contratiempo que la familia pudiera tener, y para ello el compro una gigantesca casa en las afueras y se aprovisiono con víveres lo mas que pudo, pero el único en su familia que estaba de acuerdo con ello (o que lo entendía) era Geoff, aunque todos los demás guardaban reservas con respecto a lo que pensaban. Pero Barry sintiéndose cada vez mas presionado, se comenzó a sentir atrapado entre dos sentimientos: seguir leal a su padre o ayudar a los demás pero a la vez estar traicionando a su padre.
Este libro me hizo pensar que tan fácil es que pase algo así, en las condiciones en las que nos encontraríamos y que tan lejos llegaríamos por un poco de comida. En el año 2010 en mi país (Chile) hubo un terremoto de 8.8. Donde yo vivo no fue tanto, fue mas el movimiento y alguna gente que quedo atrapadas en sus casa pero que con la ayuda de los vecinos pudieron salir y ni ellos ni sus casas resultaron con ningun daño (solo una que otra grieta). Bueno, eso fue diferente mas al sur del país, allá se derrumbaron edificios y puentes, se puso toque de queda y la gente comenzó a asaltar tiendas (no solo por comida) y el gobierno dijo que era ilegal acaparar alimentos. Yo en ese momento (y hasta ahora) no lo encuentro mal, ya que en ese momento no había gente ''muriendose'' de hambre, pero en las condiciones que salen en el libro no pude evitar pensar como Barry, ya que en el libro había mucha gente que no sufría la misma suerte que los Mortimer y apenas tenían que comer.
A pesar de que lo encontré un libro bastante ''simple'', me gusto mucho. Aunque el libro es corto, yo no lo hubiera alargado ni una pagina mas ya que encontré que quedo muy bien con las 202 paginas que tiene.
Es una de las novelas YA mejor escritas y un clásico que definitivamente tienes que leer.
Si estas buscando algún libro con lenguaje rebuscado, uno que tenga mas de 500 paginas, estas preocupado por la economía o tu país esta en crisis; de verdad no te lo recomiendo que lo leas. Pero si en cambio estas buscando una lectura rápida y simple, o simplemente eres un lector primerizo te recomendaría que leyeras este libro.
Reseña IKari: El castillo de Noé - John R. Townsend
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July 1, 2010It took me a long time to get into this book. Barry's father is just so horrible, even before he starts hoarding, that I didn't think I could handle a book full of him. For example:
"You always used to be at work all day until we moved here," Mother pointed out.
"That was before the present crisis," said Father. "Now I have the shopping to do."
"It was you who insisted on doing it," Mother said. ... "I sometimes wonder what I'm for. Just cooking and cleaning, I suppose. I might as well be a servant."
"A servant would need wages," Father said -- unaware, I was sure, of any cruelty in the remark.
p.43
Except that he is aware. He spends the entire book making belittling comments about Barry's mother and older sister Nessie, mostly about their inferior, womanly minds. And, for the most part, they just took it. Nessie gets all riled up about it, but only in front of Barry. No one stands up to Father. It wasn't until Barry started to doubt his father that I started to get into Noah's Castle. Then Nessie started actively defying her father and it really started to get good.
Of course at the same time, problems much bigger than a horrifically controlling and sexist head of household are looming all around the Mortimers. As food goes beyond "scarce" right to "rare," people around them start to starve. Barry, Nessie and their mother have to deal with the guilt of knowing that they have plenty when so many other people are suffering and dying of want. Father, on the other hand, feels no guilt. Those people are ill-prepared and none of the Mortimers are allowed to share with them, not matter how hungry, elderly, young, or sick they are. This conflict is the core of the novel. As much as you want to help the needy around you, how do you give away all of your food, not knowing when you may get more, knowing that it means your sickly little sister may go hungry? It's an impossible question with no rights answer, and none is given in the book. But the rights and wrongs of everyone's actions are explored.
Of course, the wrongness of the sexism isn't explored to its fullest, but maybe that would be a bit too much to ask of a book originally published in 1975. Luckily, Nessie struggles against her father's beliefs and bullying and seems like she'll escape the Mortimer house unscathed.
Book source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
"You always used to be at work all day until we moved here," Mother pointed out.
"That was before the present crisis," said Father. "Now I have the shopping to do."
"It was you who insisted on doing it," Mother said. ... "I sometimes wonder what I'm for. Just cooking and cleaning, I suppose. I might as well be a servant."
"A servant would need wages," Father said -- unaware, I was sure, of any cruelty in the remark.
p.43
Except that he is aware. He spends the entire book making belittling comments about Barry's mother and older sister Nessie, mostly about their inferior, womanly minds. And, for the most part, they just took it. Nessie gets all riled up about it, but only in front of Barry. No one stands up to Father. It wasn't until Barry started to doubt his father that I started to get into Noah's Castle. Then Nessie started actively defying her father and it really started to get good.
Of course at the same time, problems much bigger than a horrifically controlling and sexist head of household are looming all around the Mortimers. As food goes beyond "scarce" right to "rare," people around them start to starve. Barry, Nessie and their mother have to deal with the guilt of knowing that they have plenty when so many other people are suffering and dying of want. Father, on the other hand, feels no guilt. Those people are ill-prepared and none of the Mortimers are allowed to share with them, not matter how hungry, elderly, young, or sick they are. This conflict is the core of the novel. As much as you want to help the needy around you, how do you give away all of your food, not knowing when you may get more, knowing that it means your sickly little sister may go hungry? It's an impossible question with no rights answer, and none is given in the book. But the rights and wrongs of everyone's actions are explored.
Of course, the wrongness of the sexism isn't explored to its fullest, but maybe that would be a bit too much to ask of a book originally published in 1975. Luckily, Nessie struggles against her father's beliefs and bullying and seems like she'll escape the Mortimer house unscathed.
Book source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
August 7, 2010
I really enjoyed this book because it feel so terrifyingly real. It raised some thoughtful questions and I can't say what I would do in the same situation. The setting is interesting. It never gives a date, so really it could be in the past, happening now, or sometime in the future. It's reads more like historical fiction for me. I felt the story takes place sometime right after the world wars. I think this is because of some of the chauvinistic attitudes of the men in the story (woman's place is in the kitchen, children should be seen and not heard).
I was surprised at how intense the characters were. Granted, I think the most developed are the males. But, I think that's the point. In this story, it's a man's world. I really disliked Barry's father. Although, I understood his actions and even appreciated the reasons behind them. I just wish he wasn't so secretive and treated his wife a little (or a lot) better. Barry himself was a very thoughtful young man. You could really seem him struggle with protecting his family (especially his father) and wanting to do what was right in his eyes. I think my favorite character was Nessie and I wish we got more from her in the story.
The story is well thought out. As more and more people find out what is going on in the household, you can't help me feel very apprehensive of what might happen. I can't imagine having to make the choice of making sure my family is provided for or providing for a population that is struggling beyond true comprehension. I think that is were the story lack a little. It just touches the surface of how others are handling the ordeals faced them. I think it's toned down a lot for the intended audience. Overall, I think it's a book that will really make you think. Having a family of my own, I can see both Barry and his father's points of view.
I was surprised at how intense the characters were. Granted, I think the most developed are the males. But, I think that's the point. In this story, it's a man's world. I really disliked Barry's father. Although, I understood his actions and even appreciated the reasons behind them. I just wish he wasn't so secretive and treated his wife a little (or a lot) better. Barry himself was a very thoughtful young man. You could really seem him struggle with protecting his family (especially his father) and wanting to do what was right in his eyes. I think my favorite character was Nessie and I wish we got more from her in the story.
The story is well thought out. As more and more people find out what is going on in the household, you can't help me feel very apprehensive of what might happen. I can't imagine having to make the choice of making sure my family is provided for or providing for a population that is struggling beyond true comprehension. I think that is were the story lack a little. It just touches the surface of how others are handling the ordeals faced them. I think it's toned down a lot for the intended audience. Overall, I think it's a book that will really make you think. Having a family of my own, I can see both Barry and his father's points of view.
September 29, 2010
After Barry's father moves his family into a huge house and away from all the people they know, Barry finds out that his father is hiding a huge secret. But his father isn't letting him in on it like he is Barry's brother. His father doesn't want visitors, keeps disappearing into the basement, and those who were friends before are no longer friends. Barry is confused and he knows he must figure out what his father is up to. Soon he finds out that his father has been hoarding rations of food. Enough food to last his family for months maybe even a year; at least until the skyrocketing prices are lowered and government gets the economy back on track. The hardest part for Barry, deciding whether to work with his father or against him.
Originally published in 1975, Noah's Castle stands the test of time. It fits right at home in dystopian tales like The Line by Teri Hall and Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Noah's Castle was a gut-wrenching glimpse into the lives of family members who aren't all on the same page. A family who is broken apart by a fathers quest to keep them well fed and safe. How do they overcome a tragedy like losing everything, well, I don't know if they truly do. They are able to move on as best they can together.
The writing was pretty simplistic and this made it almost too easy of a read. I wish there were more about the government side, but this is obviously Barry's tale to tell. He struggles with what is right for him, his family, and his friends. He knows that his family is in grave danger and that he must do what is necessary to keep them safe. Which is a whole different way than his father has gone about protecting his family.
I enjoyed Noah's Castle and I'm glad this piece of literature made its way to me.
Originally published in 1975, Noah's Castle stands the test of time. It fits right at home in dystopian tales like The Line by Teri Hall and Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Noah's Castle was a gut-wrenching glimpse into the lives of family members who aren't all on the same page. A family who is broken apart by a fathers quest to keep them well fed and safe. How do they overcome a tragedy like losing everything, well, I don't know if they truly do. They are able to move on as best they can together.
The writing was pretty simplistic and this made it almost too easy of a read. I wish there were more about the government side, but this is obviously Barry's tale to tell. He struggles with what is right for him, his family, and his friends. He knows that his family is in grave danger and that he must do what is necessary to keep them safe. Which is a whole different way than his father has gone about protecting his family.
I enjoyed Noah's Castle and I'm glad this piece of literature made its way to me.
July 17, 2010
This book was first published in 1975, so it feels a little more dated than the young adult that's coming out right now. I'm not entirely sure of the reason for the second edition, except that there's a rise in dystopian YA literature, and the publishers saw a chance to market this book to that audience. For me, it didn't quite measure up to some of what I've read. There are books like Life as We Knew It, which was so haunting and real that I kept checking to see if the world really was ending, if I still had electricity and food in my cupboards. This one, while an interesting study on human behavior, just didn't grab me in the same way.
Because we hear the story only from Barry's perspective, who seems to think his father has taken a short train ride to crazy town, it's hard to get the full picture. We don't find out the main reason behind his father's actions until the very end of the story. Having known that throughout the book, I think I would have been better able to see things from his father's point of view, and the moral dilemma would have been more compelling.
I think this may be a good one if you're looking for a short book for your book group, as it could promote some interesting discussion.
Because we hear the story only from Barry's perspective, who seems to think his father has taken a short train ride to crazy town, it's hard to get the full picture. We don't find out the main reason behind his father's actions until the very end of the story. Having known that throughout the book, I think I would have been better able to see things from his father's point of view, and the moral dilemma would have been more compelling.
I think this may be a good one if you're looking for a short book for your book group, as it could promote some interesting discussion.
February 6, 2019
UK readers: If you want to read about life after Brexit, this would be a chilling suggestion. Written in 1975 it tells the story of a country that runs out of food, due to a major economic crisis, and the effects of rampant inflation. One savvy customer, Mr Mortimer, sees it all coming and wisely hoards food for his family - but is it right to look after ones own when those all around are in such desperate need?
I first read this in Middle School (Year Six?) when it was *introduced to me by a visionary English teacher/grabbed randomly from the back of a book cupboard (remember those?)* and the concepts of inflation and separatism really interested me. He built his stock up with his own money and his own foresight, thought the Junior Birling in me, no doubt inspired by the oratories of Norman “on yer bike” Tebbit that were so de rigeur in my house in the 80s. The impressive thing about this novel is that one is able to hold this and a completely opposing view at the same time (well, I can, and I’m 44)!
An urgent, timely and utterly unexpected find. To Ebay now...
I first read this in Middle School (Year Six?) when it was *introduced to me by a visionary English teacher/grabbed randomly from the back of a book cupboard (remember those?)* and the concepts of inflation and separatism really interested me. He built his stock up with his own money and his own foresight, thought the Junior Birling in me, no doubt inspired by the oratories of Norman “on yer bike” Tebbit that were so de rigeur in my house in the 80s. The impressive thing about this novel is that one is able to hold this and a completely opposing view at the same time (well, I can, and I’m 44)!
An urgent, timely and utterly unexpected find. To Ebay now...
December 3, 2010
This book was first publishing in 1975, so there are a couple of things that are outdated toward our young adult fiction. Overall I thought it was an excellent read. The only thing I couldn’t quite get passed was the father’s attitude, but if you think about it he was only really trying to think about his family and their future. It’s a real read and it makes you think about what you would possibly do in that extreme situation and although it’s a little dated, it still gives us the same effect as if it were written in todays time. I give this novel 3 out of 5 paws.
December 29, 2008
Although slightly dated from its 1978 publication, this book is quite pertinent today. The book opens as Norman Mortimer is stockpiling food in anticipation of a economic crisis. Hyper-inflation makes money nearly worthless, food becomes scarce, and mobs begin to rule. And thru it, Norman tries to hold his family together as different values pull them apart. Written for young adults but an interesting story for anyone.
January 25, 2014
I was almost obsessed with this book when I read it as a teenager. I think I was studying economics and history at the time and the thought that this all might have been so close to possible was compelling. For years I couldn't remember the name of the book, which drove me mad because I wanted to buy it and have another read. I have thought of this book often and hope I can find another copy because I really want to read it again.
March 7, 2011
A story about life during an economic disaster that feels very contemporary, even if it was written 30-40 years ago. Then again, maybe the thread of economic disaster is something that all time periods have in common.
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February 15, 2012This is a very good book about how different people view depression era life. What would you do if your family needed to survive and hoarding was illegal? I read this when I was in Middle School and I rather enjoyed it.
November 5, 2007
This was a book we read at school but which I have recently found a copy of and read again. Some interesting family values raised and economic issues considered providing food for thought.
January 27, 2015
Dated but a good read for kids.
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