quippe | Entries tagged with candy gourlay

The Blurb On The Back:

See, the Tree of Bones calls. Can you see?

More than a hundred years ago, a boy called Samkad thinks he knows everything about the world. He knows the mountains he lives in. He knows his people. He knows his blood enemy, the Mangili. And he wants to become a man, to be given his own shield, spear and axe to fight with. His best friend, Luke, wants all the same things - except she is a girl, and no girl has ever become a warrior

But everything changes when a new boy arrives in the village. He calls himself Samkad’s brother, yet he knows nothing of the ways of the mountain. And he brings news of a people called ‘Americans’, who are bringing war and destruction right to his home …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Candy Gourlay’s standalone historical novel for children aged 9+ is a sensitive coming-of-age story that combines the evils of colonialism with a magical realism vibe. Gourlay does a great job of showing the clash between village life and the temptations that the Americans bring with them (and the terrible price that comes with it), depicting a period and conflict that was new to me and which I think children would be interested in.

The Blurb On The Back:

This is not a ghost story. Though there are plenty of ghosts in it.

And it’s not a horror story. Though some people might be horrified.

It’s not a monster story either. Though there is a monster in it and that monster happens to be me.

Monsters are in the eye of the beholder.

Forced to hide herself away from the superstitious community of Mirasol, thirteen-year-old Rosa seeks solace online. There she meets Ansel95, and as their friendship moves from virtual to real, Rosa discovers that she’s not the only one with something to hide …

As Rosa’s social life blossoms, how will she seize the freedom to be who she really is?

From the author of the critically-acclaimed Tall Story, comes a haunting, intense and moving novel which weaves myths and ghosts into a modern setting.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Candy Gourlay’s second novel is a moving middle grade tale that’s part coming of age story, part ghost story and which revolves around a compelling main character. I completely believed in Rosa, her insecurities and her struggle to come to terms with her mother’s death and I loved the relationship between her, her father, her fussy housekeeper Yaya. Rosa’s story is mixed with chapters from her mother’s point of view, which slowly provide background to the secrets being kept from her. I was thoroughly enjoying all of this until a key revelation in the final fifth, which had a melodramatic feel out of kilter with the subtler storytelling in the rest of the book. This is a shame because there are some beautiful moments in the book and Gourlay’s one of the most interesting voices in children’s fiction right now.

The Blurb On The Back:

What you want is not always what you get.

Even when your wishes come true.

Andi desperately hopes her long lost half-brother Bernardo will be as mad on basketball as she is. But when he steps off the plane from the Philippines, she can’t believe her eyes. She hasn’t seen him for ten years, but even so, how did he get to be EIGHT FOOT TALL? An eight-foot tall boy who is about to crash into her life with his size 22 feet.

But Bernardo is not what he seems. Bernardo is a hero, Bernardo works miracles, and Bernardo has an amazing story to tell.

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Candy Gourlay’s debut novel is a warm, charming tale about giganticism and accepting peoples’ differences and it has a wonderful supernatural element to it that gives the story an ambiguity that’s delicious to read. Bernardo and Andi are great characters and the use of a Filipino village gives a welcome multi-cultural element that’s interesting, humorous but never patronising. Definitely a writer to watch.