BfK 10 – 14 Middle/Secondary continued
challenging yet accessible to a young and quotations enrich the pages and keep the pace lively. Cool Architecture opens with a quote from Frank Lloyd Wright and concludes with Leonardo da Vinci. Simon Armitage is an impressive guide, leading us through a timeline of architecture, from the Pyramids at Giza to London’s Shard and the work of architect Zaha Hadid, as well as today, from computer-aided design to biomimetics. It’s a pity that the publisher
fails to include any information on either the author or illustrator, even on the press release. Cool Philosophy follows a similar pattern, and author Daniel Tatarsky is equally skilful in guiding a young reader through philosophical conundrums and famous thinkers from Confucius and Socrates to Nietzsche with the quote by Thomas Nagel on the of the intellect, and a culture that tries to skip it will never grow up.’ SU
14+ Secondary/Adult The Shepherd’s Crown
Terry Pratchett, Doubleday, 352pp, 978-0-8575-3481-1, £20.00 hbk
In his Afterword, Terry Pratchett’s assistant Rob Wilkins suggests this he died’. Wilkins describes Pratchett ‘writing the bits he could see clearly and assembling it all into a whole – like a giant literary jigsaw – when he was done’. Writing in this way – in any way – as Alzheimer’s took its own relentless course, is beyond criticism. There may be the odd missing piece or a digression pursued just for the fun of it. There might not be the sustained threat mounting throughout the novel for Tiffany Aching to confront as you elves back to where they belong, is rather easily won.
None of that will matter a jot to the legions of Pratchett fans (AS Byatt: ‘No writer in my lifetime has given me as much pleasure and happiness‘). They will be more than grateful the tale made it through to publication. Poignantly, the Afterword mentions that ideas for several more books were teeming in Pratchett’s mind before the illness – ‘the in March 2015. For old Discworld hands, reading
not like it up and over ’em,” Smack Tremble called out, waving what looked like a rusty bayonet ...’). Mrs T for turning,’ booms Mrs Earwig, the overbearing and self-regarding witch). Sudden asides surprise by their sheer cheek and invention: ‘The elvish has begun to leave the building’). Pratchett even nicks the Darling gag from Blackadder, but in his hands it feels like a tribute, not a lazy theft. At one level this is comfort reading, much like comfort food – he makes his reader welcome; though it’s easy to miss among the warmth the clear morality, the dismissal of on care for others. His play
this novel must be at once a delight and a sadness, a farewell to Pratchett and to characters they have loved through 40 earlier stories. Discworld is a reassuring, old-fashioned universe, where it is acceptable to indulge in coy humour about bodily funny in itself, and enjoy somewhat arch gender games. Pratchett was fond of making gentle jokes by avoiding the point, often in footnotes, and he continues to play that trick here: one glossing
Bucket dance’ reads ‘a dance that should only be performed when no women are nearby. If you saw it, you would know why’. There are allusions to be enjoyed from Henry V (‘So cry “Crivens” and let loose the clan Mac Feegle!’) to Dad’s Army (‘ “They will
‘the Stick and
words is infectious: ‘Elves could take umbrage. They loved umbrage, and as for sulking, that was a top entertainment.’ That’s just right for adolescent readers learning to muck about with words for themselves. Many of the old favourites make a ubiquitous Nac Mac Feegles with their ‘Dinna fash yersel’ ’ Scots idiom (‘Who are you callin’ an idiom?’), the old senior witch, Nanny Ogg, rarely the numerous consequent offspring, her heart of gold and the wisdom of her well-lived life. As for the plot, well, appropriately, it’s the end of an era. The book is – mind how you go’ and as the novel peacefully away in the company of another familiar Discworld character, ‘an individual with a scythe – a scythe with a blade so shadow-thin that it could separate a soul from a body’. Which witch is to succeed her as novel. It’s not going to be easy, with two steadings to care for,
stirring among the elves, and some quibbling between the older witches. Is she up to the task? You know what? She is.
Mind how you go. 30 Books for Keeps No.215 November 2015 GF trouble with
Brunt Boggart: A Tapestry of Tales
David Greygoose, Hawkwood Books, 978-1-9085-7744-3, 464pp, £8.99 pbk
A tapestry of tales; threads winding in and out to create vivid pictures, each individual but all connected. David Greygoose has created just such a tapestry. This is not a book that can be read as a straight chronological story to its end. Rather, as a storyteller, he tells a sequence of tales that are built around the imaginary village of Brunt Boggart and its colourful inhabitants. Every tale begins with the same words: ‘Let me tell you ... let me tell you ...’ – which, if read continuously, becomes too repetitious. However, if taken a story at a time, the magic can begin. And the stories are magical and surreal. Adopting the mad logic and leaps of imagination village – the loneliness, the jealousies, the ambitions, the relationships. He tracks, through metaphor and imagery, different reality. Inventive, told with the immediacy of the oral tradition in language that is rich, redolent of poetry, this is not a book for everyone. It is a book, however, to discover and should be recommended to readers who are looking for something different; who want to be carried away and who will respond to the rhythms of these stories.
FH
Noughts and Crosses [graphic novel]
Malorie Blackman, adapted Ian Edginton, ill. John Aggs, Doubleday, 208pp, £12.99 pbk
Malorie Blackman’s young adult classic gets a graphic novel interpretation from adapter Ian Edginton and illustrator John Aggs. They stick to the original plot but even in a relatively thick book, boiling down a 400+ page novel has meant the loss of some narrative links and character development and readers need to stay on their toes to follow what’s happening. The biggest loss in the adaptation is the even-handed dual focus of the original, giving the separate views of events through Steph and Cal’s eyes. The retelling goes for a straightforward narrative which means the loss not only of this dual perspective but of some subtlety in the perception of events. The retelling is in action comic book style, focusing on episodes of dramatic confrontation in which faces and all with glares, pleading, sneering or open-mouthed shock, and blows are sometimes accompanied by a KWAAK or a SLAPP. This certainly portrays the way in which the tension and violence wind up in the original but perhaps does less justice to the underlying strength of Cal and Steph’s relationship and the way in which the book’s social and political system has developed and operates.
This is a version that might be accessible to younger teens but I feel the original.
CB Night Owls
Jenn Bennett, Simon & Schuster, 304pp, 978-1-4711-2530-0, £7.99 pbk
seventeen-year-old San Franciscan. She lives with her mother (from whom her father parted on bad terms) and her older brother Heath. Her mother is a diligent nurse. Heath is a student nurse, but has already dropped out of college several times. Despite this, he
anatomical artist. She is trying to secure college funding. She has entered for a forthcoming competitive art show and the winning student will be given a prize winning the competition.
the late night bus, the Owl, because it is frequented by drunks. Disobeying named Jackson Vincent on the bus, a boy who commands her attention. He is dressed in black, carrying what black swag bag. Meanwhile in San Francisco an Golden Apple is spray-painting words in gold paint on various buildings. The novel now pivots on certain key What is the truth about Jackson? And what connection does he have (if any) to the mysterious spray painter? There are a number of reasons
to admire Bennett’s work. First and Jackson ring true and leap off the page. a character who has a vivid interest in science. Science is all too often presented as a tedious and remote subject in young literature. There is also a character later introduced who is character’s anguish is delineated with immense accuracy and discretion – a notable feat. sparingly. On this occasion they are richly merited.
RBc All Sorts of Possible
Rupert Wallis, Simon & Schuster, 384pp,
978-1-4711-4366-3, £10.99 hbk
mother has died. He sets off on a camping trip with his father. Their car falls into a sink hole. Daniel, though injured, manages to climb out of the car. His father is rescued and taken to hospital, where he is placed in an induced coma. At the hospital Daniel has a weird encounter. He meets the Reverend Samuel Lawson, who says he needs Daniel’s help. Daniel has the ability to make something called the Fit, a link with certain mysterious people. Making the Fit may revive Daniel’s father.
It turns out that the reverend is actually working for a criminal
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