Stone Cold (New Windmills) (Hardcover)

Shelter an ex-army sergeant with some serious mental health issues, is paranoid about the government, police and any officials in general (he calls them ‘the powers that be’.) He thinks that ‘the powers that be’ are trying to bring the country down by flooding it with homeless people. He is a meticulous planner and he has some serious plans to clean up the streets of London.

In Stone cold the author ‘Robert Swindells’ uses an effective but hard to pull-off, parallel plot technique. He has two main characters that are living their separate, interesting lives. The plots can collide which makes the plots more interesting and exciting, when to characters, which you have known separately, can meet and interact .He also decides not to use a narrative element in telling the story and sticks to using a technique which seems like the two main characters are telling the story in the past tense in an interview/statement like manner.

One of the main characters in the book is Link. As the plot develops the impression that I pick up of Link is very resilient and tough character. He respected himself enough to walk away from his mum and his step-dad because he didn’t like the situation. If Link doesn’t like something he walks away from it. He is perceptive about people and situations and senses when he is unwelcome. Through all his troubles link still seems to have a sense of ironic humour. He is a very unselfish person and doesn’t like to be a hassle to people. You don’t get a physical description of Link.

Another main character in the book is Shelter. Shelter comes across in the book as very mentally unstable and nervous. He is paranoid about people in positions of power and overacts accordingly in the book. Shelter in resentful to homeless people because he thinks they are a waste of space and they make the area look nasty. He comes across as very willing to put his theories into practice without fearing the consequences. He thinks that he is so good he can’t get caught out on anything. You don’t get a physical description of Shelter either (this seems to be a technique Swindells uses.)
Swindells makes his characters very credible by making them relatable to.

One of the themes Swindells seems to use in the book is family relationships, especially in the first half of the story. He puts his view into the story that changes in family situations and circumstances can leave one or more family members feeling upset and left out (in this case Link.)

Another major theme Swindells uses in the book is homelessness. He puts across the view that the homeless in London are misunderstood and stereotyped by the general public as drunks and druggies while in fact most of them are their because of circumstances beyond their control, for example, family circumstances.

Swindells pushes the theme into he book that there are not enough facilities for the homeless people in London. He puts across the idea that the ‘powers that be’ don’t provide any facilities for the homeless and that all the help is only provided by charities. Another idea is that the government let people illegally sell accommodation in breach of health and safety laws because it takes the homeless off the street and out of the view of the public and tourists.

Swindells also intertwines a theme about the role of the press in society. He puts across through the storyline that reporters will go behind people’s backs for the greater good, or the greater scoop.

After finishing the book I realised how much I’d enjoyed reading it. It was entertaining and educational and had thrilling bits to stop boredom kicking in. The writing techniques that Swindells uses have been pulled off excellently without getting confusing or disjointed. Swindells intertwines hi views, ideas and conceptions across seamlessly into the plot and out of the characters mouths. In conclusion excellent read.

The book is feasible for readers of all ages but seems to be aimed at a 12-14 age group. With a bluntness that doesn’t quite belong in a children’s story book but a simpleness that might be to0 easy for adult readers.

The novel gives us an impression of street-life and its danger.
You are touched by Link's feelings and you can really imagine to be in his situation. The form of the novel is intresting, too. In the beginnin of every chapter we have Shelter's "Daily Routine Orders", some kind of diary, and after that Link's story follows.
Sometimes we have slang-language, but not very strong.
I liked the book, because it's very exciting and different from others owing the different point of views of Link and Shelter.

There is some violence and strong language and some people may be disturbed by some parts. This book is absolutely fantastic and i have been reading it as my school class reader. There arent so many pages but unfortunately for some there will not be another book in this series. Thats the most dissapointing think about it. Overall, 5 star without a doubt. Hope this review helps you.