I'm not quite sure how Bowler does it, but yet again he has exercised his deep and fertile imagination to produce a work of intriguing brilliance. To classify him as a children's author is to do him a disservice as I know a lot of adults who admire his works and read him avidly. I, too, am not surprised that this book has won awards. They are thoroughly well deserved. At a recent book event in a local school, the first chapter of this book was read aloud to the pupils and you could have heard a pin drop. The book sold out almost instantly. Anything that grips people this tightly and encourages them into reading deserves awards and accolades. The book has a sophisticated mix of tension and themes and it will not appeal to those who are not prepared to give it thought. Nor will it appeal to younger readers who perhaps lack experience and the perception to appreciate it fully. Others, grip your seats!