- Paperback: 242 pages
- Publisher: Lulu.com (29 April 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1409203549
- ISBN-13: 978-1409203544
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.2 x 1.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,458,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Kids can survive anything, they say. Oliver, aged twelve, has a missing father in Africa, his mother has had a breakdown, and he is recovering from chemo. He is sent to live with his only relative. On a foggy day, one bald boy, with his cat, Flop, arrives at his Grandma's house at the water's edge in Greenwich. Oliver discovers to his horror that his Grandma, a famous psychic, hates cats. Her housekeeper, Lena loathes kids, and silent Justine seems to hate everyone. Add crazy Harriet, who has seen every fortune teller in London; Aura, a mysterious, aspiring beautiful actress and Bullet, the homeless kid with a very mean streak, trouble can't be far behind. When Oliver and Justine find a beautiful dog with it's throat cut washed up on the riverbank, Oliver feels a strange connection to this dead animal and so begins his own induction into a psychic world. ************** 'An engaging, unusual and completely engrossing read' - Beverly Birch - author of 'Rift'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A thoroughly heart-warming and life-affirming read, both gripping and compelling,
By
This review is from: Mean Tide (Paperback)
We have a saying, "reading between the lines". It normally means reading what is implied but not expressed, and therefore has become the current reference for political innuendo or `spin'. This is a shame because it should also be used in creative writing to denote writing that goes into another dimension in creating a real sense of cutting atmosphere by the addition of tension.
Sam North has a tremendous gift of creating both atmosphere and warmth in characters; particularly young boys with the world before them, who balance on a knife-edge of falling either into great danger or greater fun and experience. And it is the continual stress the reader undergoes in almost trying to shape destiny with the writer that invokes such tangible atmosphere. There is of course, great danger in this; as with all examples of stress, `Hookes Law' comes into play, and the more stress - the greater atmosphere. But, take it too far and the spring breaks. Sam North is an experienced writer, and is able to take the writer virtually to the point of strain, that moment just before `too far', when the spring won't return. Of course Dickens was a master of this art, as was Conan Doyle, and it is quite amazing how Mr North is able to muster the same kind of atmosphere that both Victorian writers used, but in a totally up to date work. The story is about Oliver, a precocious but warm-hearted twelve year old who loses touch with his father, and whose mother becomes acutely psychotic. Furthermore, the boy undergoes serious neuro-surgery to remove a tumour from his brain. But of course, as a twelve year old, his only concern is whether his hair will grow back. He is adopted by his Dragon-like grandma Otis (who is really as soft as the best toffee) and there begins the interplay between a number of brilliantly drawn characters surrounding his new life in Greenwich. A key theme in the novel is the power of psychic mysticism, but this is dealt with, sometimes by comedy, sometimes with warmth, but always with the essential humanity that is Mr North's trademark. The novel ends in a scene worthy of the best revivalist theatre, and puts the finishing touch on a thoroughly good read. `Mean Tide' is story telling at it's finest, and if you like a good story, you must read this compelling book. PS I only found two errors in this book which is probably less than the average - but I agree they do annoy
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good page turner,
By
This review is from: Mean Tide (Paperback)
From the beginning of this book it is clear that Sam North is an experienced writer, and the reader will always feel in safe hands throughout the work.
From the first few pages I experienced a real compulsion to continue reading and this continued as I read the last seventy odd pages in one sitting. There is a wide array of exciting, colourful characters that really grip the imagination and propel the story forwards into areas that brush with the supernatural and, more specifically, psychic power. This mention of the supernatural should not make people dismiss this book as science fiction, because along with these elements there is also a raw depiction of London and the more unwholesome elements that walk its streets. This for me is really where the strength of the novel lies, in its moments of description of London which feel really plausible. My only major quibble is with the grammar and spelling within the book and the amount of typos that can be quite irritating. Despite this the book is a good read and I would recommend it to eat up a few summer evenings.
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