The Last Wild Piers Torbay London, Quercus, 2013, 326p
Usually, I don't really like books with talking animals - they are very hard to take seriously, especially when they are highlighting an environmental issue such as this novel. But somehow, Piers Torbay has created an original and fascinating dystopia with a true spirit of adventure.
The world of The Last Wild is very different from that which we live in. There are no animals left alive - all have been killed by a disease known as the red-eye. The people are confined to the cities, protected and fed by Factorum, a huge omniscient company that appears to be a little suspect.
Kester doesn't talk. Separated from his father, he is locked up in Spectre Hall where they send kids who are a burden on or embarrassment to society. In his room, he pretends to talk to the cockroaches, which apparently were not affected by the red-eye. Then he discovers he can communicate with animals, of which there are in fact some left alive, and a hoard of pigeons and varmints are plotting to help him escape. They take him north and show him more animals, living in solitude away from the humans, but everyday at risk from infection. They have brought him there because they have a shared dream: they believe Kester is the one who will cure them.
With a stag, a wolf-cub, and a cockroach, Kester sets off to Premuim, the city where he grew up and where he hopes his father still lives. He thinks his father, a vet, might be able to cure the red-eye. Kester is a reluctant hero, never fully believing that he will be the one to save the animals; but he is eager to be reunited with his father so agrees to help.
The Last Wild carries a strong environmental message about the impact of science and the economy on wildlife. I feel guilty about not being a vegetarian after reading about these colourful, loveable animals.
The creatures in this book a beautifully personified, making me wish I knew an adorably eager wolf-cub and a dopey pigeon. In contrast, humans don't come across well, from murderous Facto bullies to misleadingly friendly farmers. Every page of this book presents a new danger to the team, both man-made and natural. And you come away from this read feeling increasingly aware and strangely horrified about the evil we inflict on the animal world.
But the adventure doesn't end here - Kester and his friends still have a long way to go.
The Wall William Sutcliffe London, Bloomsbury, 2014, 286p
I have been very slow about making my way through the Carnegie shortlist this year, but have stepped up my game this half term with The Wall.
Joshua has lived alongside the wall for many years, with a vague awareness of what might be on the other side. One day, he discovers a tunnel that leads to the other side, a forbidden territory for people from his side of the wall. There, he finds terror, violence, and kindness, and his newfound knowledge changes his life forever.
The Wall is a dark, dangerous novel about segregation. Sutcliffe has created a ficitonal world losely based on the Israeli settlements on the West Bank, and he explores the issue of racial prejudice that is ingrained in this and so many other areas.
The journey of discovery that Joshua embarks upon is full of danger and pulls his already fragile family unit apart. Joshua's father passed away in a military incident relating to the wall, and his stepfather is a brute, angry force. Joshua tries to bridge the gap through helping those who showed him kindness, but is simply punished and rebuked by his family. Those on his side of the wall are protected from the dangers and repression, but what he sees when he discovers the tunnel can never be unseen.
To see the rest of my Carnegie reviews, click here.
No poet packs such a punch as Patience Agbabi. From the opening line of this collection, she calls her reader to battle, seeps rhythm through their bones, and empowers one to be strong. Transformatrix contains a series of poems designed for performance - reading them in your head is not good enough. They are written to be shouted and sung, with unusual rhythm and unconventional rhyme that only reveals itself through the spoken word. The collection explores Agbabi's observations about contemporary society - about race, poverty, femininity and sexuality. Some are funny and some are angry, but all are passionate. The first poem is one of my favourites - 'Prologue'. As with a novel, the first line of a poetry anthology should grip you and make you want to read more, and with 'Prologue', Agbabi has written a poem full of pizzaz and joy. To read it aloud, you can indulge in the magic of language as the words roll off your tongue, each carefully crafted and executed. You can feel the influence of British music and culture, The book is broken down into sections; the focus of many being women - powerful women, subordinated women, women in love. Each little poem tells it's own story, and when collected together in sections, each part of the book tells a wider story. As a whole, Transformatrix is uplifting, exciting and invigorating.
Monster Odyssey: The Eye of Neptune Jon Mayhew London, Bloomsbury, 2013, 250p
Prince Dakker is thrilled to discover that his mentor and guardian, Count Oginski, has been secretly working on an underwater vehicle, the first ever sybmarine. When their home is attacked, Dakkar escapes on the submersible, pent on finding who is responsible and on getting Ogsinki back. Along the way, he faces dangerous foes, both human and sea-creatures, but worst of all is Cryptos, an sinister enemy who wants the submarine for himself.
During the first half of the book, Dakkar is on his own, chasing after the ship he suspects might have kidnapped his guardian. Despite having the whole ocean to play with, I found this section rather dull and lacking in creative originality. Then, Dakkar is joined by the feisty Georgia. whose uncle has been working with Oginski and has also gone missing. The young duo team up to discover the truth, and finally some dialogue is created, which adds some excitement to the book. But I still felt Georgia lacked personality, and was a bit of a prototype of the female sidekick rather than anything particularly new and exciting.
I mostly skim read this book - I just coundn't engage with it and I can't work out if I genuinely didn't like it because of the story or if I went into reading it with a negative attitude due to the shiny cover. Unfortunately, The Eye of Neptune was not the gripping adventure I had hoped it might be.
On this gloriously warm weekend, I found myself reading a novel about the infamous heatwave of 1976. Sat in the sun, I was taken from London to New York to Ireland, invited into the lives of the Riordan family on the day their father leaves the house and never returns. Michael Francis, Monica and Aoife haven't spoken to each other in years, having taken themselves world apart. All three have angry memories about their childhoods, and have chosen to avoid their siblings in their adult lives. But when their mother, Gretta, calls to say their father has disappeared, they must put the past behind them to bring him home. This is the most recent book I have read as part of the staff book club and, having never read any Maggie O'Farrell before, I had expected it to be one of those self-indulgent stories about middle class families full of secrets. And yes, whilst it is about a middle class family with secrets, it is brilliantly written and full of warmth. O'Farrell's characterisation is astonishing - the plot plays out over just three days, leaving her plenty of room to develop fully rounded and realistic individuals. Gretta, for example, is a lonely and desperate woman, raised Irish Catholic and shocked by some of the choices her children have made. Her pride is overwhelming; but what I love most is the fact O'Farrell has made her one of those mothers who would take to an empty room if she thought there was a chance someone was listening. The Irish Catholic heritage has a strong impact upon the family - strangely, it makes them all proud and guilty in equal measure. But the fact that the Riordan family are so multi-dimensional makes for an interesting and reflective novel - one that I particularly enjoyed reading whilst sat in the sun.
A Streetcar Named Desire Tenessee Williams London, Methuen, 2009, 90p
What I like most about reading a play is that it can so often be done in the space of a day. And in that time, with a play like A Streetcar Named Desire, you can go from the comfort of your living room to the streets of Louisiana.
Blanche DuBois is visiting her sister, Stella, and her new husband, Stanley. She is a fragile, dreamy woman who is shocked to find her sister, once a Southern belle, is living in a dingy flat in New Orleans. To Blanche, Stanley seems aggressive and common, but Stella is smitten, and though they fight often and loudly, they make up with sweet kisses and tenderness. But the addition of Blanche to Stanley and Stella's household puts a strain on the couple, and it becomes increasingly apparent that Blanche may not be telling the truth about her visit.
Tenessee Williams' play is gritty and dramatic, contrasting Stanley's rough manners with Blanche's fragile state of mind. To Stanley, Blanche appears to be a compulsive liar, though she is suffering from mental health problems and seems to have a fantastical way of rationalising her past.
After I read the book, I watched the 1951 movie with Vivien Leigh and Marlon Brando, which added another level of depth and drama to the play. Brando's performance - borish and sensual - is the complete antithesis of Leigh's scatty and angelic Blanche. And between the two sits the marvellous Kim Hunter (Stella), torn between sister and lover.
Gaby's Angel Janet Hogarth Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2013, 271p When her best friend dies, Gaby is at a complete loss. She has other friends, but Emily was a bright, bubbly girl and the two friends came as a pair. Gaby knows life will never be the same again. And yet, it feels to Gaby like Emily is still around, watching over her like a guardian angel. Emily coaches Gaby through bad days at school and encourages her to get back out there. But Gaby is scared that Emily is pushing her towards the new girl at school, and if Gaby makes friends with Francesca, what does that mean for her angel, Emily? Gaby's Angel is a heart-warming story about life after loss. It has all the typical tropes of a girly read, with embarrassing parents, boring days in school, and a handsome love interest; but it also explores the difficulties of being a teenage girl in extraordinary and tragic circumstances. And Gaby finds that she is not the only one suffering after the death of her friend. With time, she comes to realise that her classmates miss Emily, too. And even the new girl has experienced loss of another sort in her past. But friendship is the strongest medicine, and important theme in this novel.
