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Children with sores on their heads and legs from dragging and pulling heavy loads, children whose bodies were twisted out of shape from their work, children who fell asleep into their food on a Sunday because they were so tired. Mary lives with her Uncle Jos and demonstrates a talent for writing and sniffing out a good news story. But an idiolect gives a young character a distinctive, idiosyncratic voice – think A Clockwork Orange or Riddley Walker – and Hyder really pulls it off. Aventurez-vous « à l'aveugle » dans cette mine aux couloirs labyrinthiques où vivent des hommes qui n'ont plus vu la surface de la terre depuis une éternité.
I had to zoom through those sections because it was too much for me, but I also didn’t want to keep the book aside. Edward is a renowned surgeon who makes a once in a lifetime discovery which could further his career. We all agreed that Bearmouth is the outstanding novel on the list, a hugely brave and impressive piece of writing, testament to the skill of both author and editor in successfully creating such characters and such a narrative.Unsettling, captivating and beautifully written, with vividly descriptive landscape from Orkney to London, The Gifts is an enthralling tale of ambition and the lines of knowledge for science sake and obsession being crossed, of women finding an inner strength, being resourceful and tenacious and not willing to conform.
When a new boy, Devlin, joins his dorm, Newt is suspicious of him, his talk of revolution and inequality. The author could have grounded the book better by giving the reader more glimpses into the outside world.Initially this meant the reading felt slower than I'd like, but it certainly became one of the features of the book that I really enjoyed. Newt is neither girl nor boy but a young child who has only ever known life in the mine as they have been there since as long as they can remember. As the story progressed we learn more about Newt and their unease surrounding the appearance of new boy Devlin.
When I started, though, I thought it would never get published, because it’s so strange – in terms of the dialect and the setting. But also hard hitting and poignant, makes you think about some very serious issues including abuse, coercive control, the role of women in society and more besides.A budding botanist, Etta spends her days tramping over the Shropshire countryside classifying and sketching plants. Bearmouth was one of the books recommended to my students by our Book PenPal Holly Race, so I couldn't resist reading it before I passed my copy round to those interested.
The conditions are terrible but also not unrealistic, the writing really does create the oppressive atmosphere of the tunnels and relentlessness of the workers’ lives, and the doubt sparked by the appearance of a new boy spirals quickly. In an age of scientific discovery also still heavily influenced by religious beliefs, this piques the interest of doctors and captures the public imagination. Without going into any plot detail as this is definitely one you need to discover yourself, combining the beauty of nature and the greed of man, The Gifts shines a light on the way of life in Victorian Britain, the social and legal standing of women and how unjustly they were viewed by society in general just because of their gender or marital status – the lack of employment opportunities if you were a woman was one thing but a married woman not being able own anything but having her inheritance belong to her husband enraged me. Bearmouth is Liz Hyder‘s debut novel, told through the voice of a young child trapped working in a mine, barely remembering life outside.I was delighted to win and it’s great to be sharing the honour with Hanna, her book sounds beautiful and there’s a real lyricism to her writing, check out her blog and dip in! In an age defined by men, it will take something extraordinary to show four women who they truly are…. There's a grim sense of camaraderie to the team as they risk their lives on a daily basis to dig for coal, and to earn a living for others. The two books are perfect siblings, Bearmouth a fictional sister to Macfarlane’s exploration of underground realms.
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