Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
41 used & new from £0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Year the Gypsies Came
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

The Year the Gypsies Came (Paperback)

by Linzi Glass (Author) "Mother, Sarah and I are in Mother's powder-blue bathroom ..." (more)
3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
Price: £5.49 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £1.50 (21%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Want guaranteed delivery by Tuesday, July 14? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
26 new from £0.79 15 used from £0.01
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 14 used & new from £2.00
Paperback (Open Market Ed) 11 used & new from £2.99

Frequently Bought Together

The Year the Gypsies Came + Ruby Red + Finding Violet Park
Price For All Three: £15.22

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: The Year the Gypsies Came by Linzi Glass

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Ruby Red by Linzi Glass

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

  • Finding Violet Park by Jenny Valentine

    In stock.
    Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
    Eligible for FREE UK delivery on orders over £5 with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Ruby Red

Ruby Red

by Linzi Glass
4.0 out of 5 stars (4)  £5.24
Finding Violet Park

Finding Violet Park

by Jenny Valentine
4.3 out of 5 stars (6)  £4.49
Before I Die

Before I Die

by Jenny Downham
4.5 out of 5 stars (77)  £5.24
Twilight (Twilight Saga)

Twilight (Twilight Saga)

by Stephenie Meyer
4.3 out of 5 stars (610)  £3.49
Broken Soup

Broken Soup

by Jenny Valentine
4.8 out of 5 stars (9)  £4.49
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Puffin (5 April 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0141320923
  • ISBN-13: 978-0141320922
  • Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 12.8 x 2.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 134,486 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Review
'Wonderful ... This is a new book with an old and wise heart. It may well have the makings of a classic' Guardian 'Beautifully, powerfully and compellingly written ... extraordinarily moving' Sunday Times 'Realistically evoking the perspective of a child of the era, Glass spins a lyrical story that is at once heartbreaking and hopeful' Time Out 'This outstanding first novel arcs beautifully to its terrible climax and is deeply moving' Observer 'Every now and then a book comes along that's unusual, compelling and deeply absorbing yet is so tragically simple, it leaves an indelible trace on the memory. The Year the Gypsies Came is one of these' Irish Independent

Sunday Telegraph
'A beautifully exoked, exquisitely written novel'- This text refers to the
Hardcover edition

See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
Mother, Sarah and I are in Mother's powder-blue bathroom. Read the first page
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
See all 13 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Year the Gypsies Came
75% buy the item featured on this page:
The Year the Gypsies Came 3.8 out of 5 stars (8)
£5.49
Finding Violet Park
7% buy
Finding Violet Park 4.3 out of 5 stars (6)
£4.49
Broken Soup
6% buy
Broken Soup 4.8 out of 5 stars (9)
£4.49
Girl, Missing
6% buy
Girl, Missing 4.8 out of 5 stars (25)
£4.36
Explore similar items
 

Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (2)
4 star:
 (4)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Family Trauma, 1 Dec 2007
By kehs (Hertfordshire, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This tale starts in Johannesburg in the late 1960s, during the years of Apartheid. We hear about how the Iris family take in house guests because they are trying to cover up their own unhappiness in their home. They have 2 daughters, 11-year-old Emily and her older sister, Sarah. Emily enjoys having these guests because whilst they have visitors her parents try to tone down their arguing. However, a group of travellers come stay and things don't go to plan and take a turn for the worse. The travellers are an Australian couple with two sons. At first, Emily and Streak become firm friends, and Sarah takes Otis, who is brain-damaged, under her wing. But then a dreadful tragedy occurs and nothing is ever the same again. Emily turns to their servant, Buza, who tells her his Zulu folk tales in an attempt to help her understand her problems.

This book covers many themes, such as abuse, rape, racial crimes and parental neglect, yet is immensely readable.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning, should be book of the year. , 5 Feb 2007
By charles1832 (london, - United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Year the Gypsies Came (Hardcover)
I share the previous reviewer's surprise that this book has not made a major sensation and won all the prizes. I think perhaps we can put it down to the publisher not spending enough money plugging it rather than any fault in the book. It's stunning and should become a classic: I hope sanity prevails over the lack of hype and that it does find its place in teen literature. It is highly original in concept, exquisitely well written, moves at just the right pace, is full of wonderful and unusual characters. It's also the first book which ever made me realise how it felt to be a white person in South Africa during apartheid, even though this is just a peripheral part of the story. It tells of two daughters of warring white parents in South Africa. Their luxurious lifestyle and appealing surroundings seem sterile, and the children get their doses of reality and wisdom from the African servants - perhaps these are portrayed with just a tiny bit too much of a rose tint - and that's my only criticism. Into this life comes a wandering family - dad who is a wildlife photographer, Mum who was once a burning lady in a circus and wears a python round her neck, and two sons- a gross retarded one and an unhappy young one who yearns for a normal settled life. I won't give away the plot but it is full of feeling, tragedy, loss and love. This beautifully written book held my interest all the way through and sometimes I shed a few tears.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A Modern Day 'To Kill a Mockingbird', 9 Aug 2008
By Snapdragon (London) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
`The Year the Gypsies Came' is narrated by 2 year old Emily Iris. Emily lives in Johannesburg with her sister, Sarah, Mother, Father and two Zulu servants, Lettie and Buza, the night-watchman. Emily's home life isn't particularly happy; she wants to be closer to her mother and recognises that her family is breaking apart. Things do seem to become slightly better when a travelling family come to stay. Emily and Sarah make friends with the two sons, Otis and Streaker, but as Emily finds out more about the family she begins to understand that trouble is on its way. Emily takes solace in the company of Buza and the Zulu stories that he tells.

This is an incredible book, which seems to have been influenced strongly by both `To Kill a Mockingbird' and `Of Mice and Men.' I had no idea this book was for teens, and would say that it can be read and enjoyed by both teen and adult readers. As it is set in South Africa in the 1960s, there is also a political element to the book which adds depth and provides an incredible backdrop to the narrative. Adult themes are also dealt with sensitively, but this might mean that younger readers could find some scenes disturbing.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book; it even made me cry at the end, something that hasn't happened for years!
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars dissapointing
I really didn't like this book - I couldn't imagin the Iris parents entertaining the gypsies it was so not their character to socialize with such rough necks... Read more
Published 12 months ago by A. C. Bradford

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Having read reviews I thought I'd give this book a try but I didn't find it as appealing as some others did. I found it rather slow and very little really happens throughout. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Jo Public

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning
This book has got to be one of the best things I've read all year, and I read for a living! It is beautifully written, has great plot and pace, and provides a brilliant insight... Read more
Published 19 months ago by C. Hughes

4.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreaker
I couldn't put this beautifully and succinctly written book down till I had finished it. Linzi Glass manages to balance humour and horror to maintain a realistic atmosphere and... Read more
Published 23 months ago by K. O'Callaghan

4.0 out of 5 stars Painfully honest. A beautiful book.
I read The Year the Gypsies Came quite a while before it was published, and I did wonder what sort of an impact it would have on the Teens' and Adults' fiction market... Read more
Published on 2 April 2006 by M. Lee

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Health & Beauty at Amazon.co.uk

Elemis Resurface and Renew Skin Care Gift Set of 4 Products
From soap to shavers, massagers to mascara, stock up on your daily essentials or truly pamper yourself.

›Discover Health & Beauty

  

Make A Wish

Get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk Wish List Make sure you always get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk Wish List.

›More info on Wish Lists

  

Train Hard...Play Hard

Nike, Gola, Converse, and more
Gear up with up to 60% off athletic and outdoor shoes.

›Shop now

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers
The Girl Who Played with Fire
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
4.5 out of 5 stars (72)£3.86
 Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga)
Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer
4.1 out of 5 stars (460)£6.49
 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
4.1 out of 5 stars (162)£3.99
 The Host
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
4.2 out of 5 stars (80)£3.86

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates