Half a Creature
From the Sea: A Life in Stories by
David Almond, illustrated by Eleanor Taylor (Walker Books)
HC RRP $19.95
ISBN 9781406354348
Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis
In this magnificent collection, part
autobiographical and partly created from life experiences, David Almond is at
his stunning best. He plaits his life and background into stories inspired by
what he believes in, regrets doing, and people and places that indelibly
stamped themselves into his psyche during his strict Catholic childhood. In
pure poetic prose, he draws the reader into fantasy and ghostly areas with a
flair that only a polished and gifted writer can do.
The eight stories are pieces of things he knows
intimately. ‘My mother says that all things can be turned into tales.’ He is a
true example of writing what you know and turning it into perfect prose.
The emotive themes are thought-provoking and
brilliant in their presentation. They are hope, faith and its challenges, the
disturbing brutality of bullying, how easily young people succumb to
peer-pressure and do bad things against their nature, being different, and
standing up for what you believe. All these bring together a string of
unforgettable reads.
Although ideal for readers of all ages, this
exceptional acquisition for any bookcase is directed at the 11+ years’ age
group.
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