- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Walker Books Ltd (7 Feb 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1844286568
- ISBN-13: 978-1844286560
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 267,085 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"Hartnett exemplifies the quality and complexity of contemporary children's books. She is superb." The Guardian "What an original and intriguing writer Sonya Hartnett is... [The reader is] uplifted by the beauty and simplicity of the language, the sharpness of the observation and the depth of feeling untrammelled by sentiment." The Observer"
Product Description
Gabriel is dying from an undisclosed illness. He relives his brief 20 years, remembering his parents' over-protectiveness, his wild friend Finnigan who encouraged him to do terrible things, and his dear dog Surrender. Told from the perspectives of Gabriel and Finnigan, the voices are eerily alike in tone. It slowly emerges that Gabriel is not at home as he thinks, but in a hospital - and chained to his bed. The story reaches its climax as he recalls the terrible humiliation of being dragged home from a party by his mother in front of all his peers, leading to the shocking revelation that he killed his own parents. It is never made clear in this brilliant, chilling novel whether Gabriel's memories are real or simply in his mind.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Utterly unpatronising, dense and fiery language, parents who make the Wicked Witch of the West look like Mary Poppins, feral boy and feral dog, legend and fantasy, dream and nightmare, and are we dealing with terminal illness or a cocktail of schizophrenias? One of those truly searching 'cross-overs' of adult and children's fiction. On one level a rite of passage, on another a playing out of adolescent rage, revenge and fear in a world more or less closed to adults. Ranks with - and this is meant to be the highest praise - Robert Cormier at his very best.
Format:Paperback
When I started to read the book I was drawn in straight away, I wanted to keep reading to find answers. It is an interesting, easy read but when I got to the final page I was disappointed.
Format:Paperback
I first read this book from a library. now I have a strange way of reading , sort of the same way I eat my food....If I like a book I will read it slowly, beause I just dont want it to end. Now this happens VERY VERY rarly.
but this is the sort of book you dont want to put down, but have to in order to let the feeling stay. a little on corny side #i know, but its th etruth. I decided to have my copy so I purchased, I even highlighed 4 quotes from the book i love 'MERCHENT OF DETRESS' was one of my favourite lines. The author does start out slowy, but 10 pages in I was hooked.Thats what I love about this book, so many good messeges despite the haunting finish.
if you keep at something long enough, the end result is always worthwile, in this case; only 10 pages of uninterest; but after this you will be hooked .
P>S
like most, I wasnt actually aware it was a hcildrens book, it was in my college library so thats why I didnt know!
but this is the sort of book you dont want to put down, but have to in order to let the feeling stay. a little on corny side #i know, but its th etruth. I decided to have my copy so I purchased, I even highlighed 4 quotes from the book i love 'MERCHENT OF DETRESS' was one of my favourite lines. The author does start out slowy, but 10 pages in I was hooked.Thats what I love about this book, so many good messeges despite the haunting finish.
if you keep at something long enough, the end result is always worthwile, in this case; only 10 pages of uninterest; but after this you will be hooked .
P>S
like most, I wasnt actually aware it was a hcildrens book, it was in my college library so thats why I didnt know!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Poor ending and purple prose lets down this YA thriller
Billed as a thriller, this is predominantly a character piece. Told by both Gabriel and Finnigan in the first person, it slowly explores their corrosive friendship after they form... Read more
Published on 19 Dec 2008 by quippe
Genuinely striking writing
This is a very dark book, and not one that fits easily into the genre of children's, or at least young people's writing. Read more
Published on 25 May 2006 by William Burn
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