Tag: Year 9

Blog 2 - 2019

The Book of Dust Vol 1 by Philip Pullman

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And then there was the word Dust, with a capital D …

Well, I know, I know … where are all my blogs! I’ve been busy reading some very weighty tomes, firstly Tombland by CJ Sansom (another Shardlake roller coaster which in my opinion was 200 pages too long but I still enjoyed it) and then this wonderful book by Philip Pullman. I loved the first trilogy without ever really reading the Christian metaphors in it until someone mentioned it to me then it hit me in the face like a giant spade. I woke up. So when it came to this text the idea of church vs state and all the inherent issues were already lodged in my brain.

What’s it about I hear you scream. Well it’s in the time before the Northern Lights, Lyra is a tiny baby and she is living in a convent on the outside of Oxford, having been hidden there for her own protection. However, the world is in a state of turmoil as a number of people seem to want Lyra dead, although it’s not clear why. So if Lyra isn’t our hero who is? Well Malcolm, the son of the local pub landlord and a girl called Alice who works in the pub find themselves caught up in Lyra’s story. After a ‘biblical flood’ (pun intended) the convent where Lyra has been living is destroyed and by a twist of fate Malcolm and Alice find themselves carrying the baby to safety away from the evil Hugh Bonneville who wants her dead (although he doesn’t seem to be the only one).

With all the countryside flooded and no hope of returning home, Malcom and Alice escape on La Belle Sauvage, Malcolm’s trusty canoe which just so happens to have been completely fitted out by Lord Asriel, Lyra’s father. The story then becomes an incredible journey, full of betrayal, fairies, violence and a deepening friendship between Malcolm and Alice. Some of their escapades had me hanging on the edge of my seat and my normal bedtimes were destroyed by this book. There are a vast array of characters, as you’d expect and the villains are delicious. I loathe Hugh Bonneville. I wanted him to be defeated from the start but that 3 legged hyena dæmon of his and its demonic laugh haunted me throughout. There are also characters from the first trilogy that readers will recognise.

Now, I must admit that I was caught out by the language. I suppose that Alice represents a dose of reality but the swearing was a shock. Maybe I am just too old or a prude or something but I don’t particularly want to read the ‘f-word’ in an adult book never mind one for young adults. Maybe it was the legacy of being a teacher! But when Alice is f-ing and screaming at Malcolm, I was a little disturbed. And it shouldn’t detract from the amazing adventure story and I have already pre-ordered the next one, so clearly not that much of distraction.

In summary, highly recommended and worth 550 odd pages!

Who should read this book?

This is sold as YA and due to the language I would recommend it for 14 and above. There are some very dark themes in this book and they might be hard for anyone below Year 9. As an adult, it’s a fantastic read. You don’t have to read the other 3 books either, this stands alone. It’s a bit overwhelming for a classroom setting but if you wanted to learn about world building, pace and plotting as a writer, then this is certainly one to read.

2019 Blog 01

The Goose Road by Rowena House

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One girl’s epic journey in the chaos of World War One

When you get to meet the people behind their pictures on Twitter or Facebook, clearly there is a nervous moment and then a sort of wonder and then, in this case, laughter and cake! But I’ll explain that in a minute.

Rowena House’s Goose Road is a tale of courage in the face of adversity, not just war but starvation, weather, and disease. It takes us from a farm in rural France, through Paris and onwards across the countryside through a war torn country constantly under threat from the German requisitions. At just 14 year’s old, Angélique is taking care of her family’s farm and desperately trying to ensure her brother has something to come home to when and if he survives the trenches. She is faced with unimaginable hardship as she takes a flock of geese across the country to sell them for the highest price she can get. She is assisted by her wonderful Uncle Gustav, who indulges her need to save her family farm.

Of course, with all the teenagers in the tale, there is gentle love story woven in amongst the rural landscape. Despite the ravages of war, there is still room for joy and happiness. But this is not a tale for the faint hearted. Rowena’s brilliant story telling lands us in all sorts of emotional trouble. Just when you truly believe that the world is going to give Angélique the support she needs, all our hopes and hers are dashed by the gritty reality of what it means to try to survive the war behind the lines. At one point, I was physically sobbing as Angélique seems to lose so much along the way and I wondered how on earth there could be any hope for her.

Of course, the story gives us a fitting conclusion – I’m not revealing it! You’ll just have to get the book. But this was a thoroughly engaging tale that really had me on the edge of my metaphorical seat. Rowena writes in a matter of fact way, there is no room for sentimentality here. You have to face the world and get on. Perhaps that is a nod to her journalistic past, as she is not afraid to confront some of the difficult issues of the day: inherent sexism, domestic abuse, famine and disease. It’s an amazingly researched book and set in the wonderful scenery of France which seems to stand out against the violent backdrop of WW1.

A fantastic read that should be in every school library and I have just recommended it to my Mum’s book group! This is not just for young people, it’s a tale for all.

Oh and Rowena is a true Tour de Force! She happily signed my book that I had taken along to a SCBWI South West Exeter write-in. We sat for ages discussing and chatting about many things. She was already working on her second novel and I for one, cannot wait to get my hands on it!

Who should read this book?

I would heartily recommend this for Years 7 – 9. There’s plenty of opportunity for cross curricular work in History, French, and Geography. Equally, so many interesting links to war poetry that you could happily use this book for a term, as it has plenty of opportunities for transactional writing.