Bearmouth: WINNER OF WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 2020 OLDER READERS CATEGORY

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What an unexpected joy ‘The Gifts’, Liz Hyder’s adult debut is. My delight at receiving an early proof copy only increased as I read, giddy and enthralled. What a treat! A tale of the unexplained within the everyday. Fiction set in the past, yet fresh and relevant to today; a vein of darkness within, yet wondrous and filled with hope.

I work as a freelance PR consultant in the arts and run creative writing workshops as well as writing. I think it’s very hard these days to be a full time writer – almost all of the writers I know juggle their writing with other jobs. I’d love to become a full time writer but I know, realistically, it’s also very hard to make it work – we’ll see! At first glance the phonetic spelling throughout this book can be off putting. But go with it. It’s for a very good reason. As you get a feel for the narrator, Newt, the spelling helps you to find her voice, understand the world in which she lives and the struggles she has to overcome.

I enjoyed how well the author incorporated magical realism with historical fiction. I wanted a little more explanation relating to the magical aspects of the read, but the author did offer enough explanation to keep me from being dissatisfied. The author also did a good job at emphasizing how intertwined science and religion was in England during this time, which was a driving force behind the antagonist of this read. The Illusions is the captivating new novel from the much-lauded author of The Gifts. Inspired by real-life illusionists and early film pioneers, this astonishing story of women and talent, magic and power, sweeps you into a world where anything is possible and nothing is quite as it seems... I’ve got a week’s retreat booked in for autumn which I’m really looking forward to, just having that all important thinking time is, for me, a hard thing to carve out, so I can’t wait for that. I’m also hoping to have a bit of mentoring time too. It’s an incredibly generous prize and I’m so chuffed about it. Mary: A poor but clever young woman, Mary finds herself investigating a weird rumour in London about the ‘Angel of the Thames.’ I’m writing this early in the morning whilst my brain is fresh as I’m suffering a book hangover of gargantuan proportions and don’t want my review to be all “I LOVED IT! I LOVED IT! JUST BUY IT EVERYONE!”

Much of the narrative is written phonetically. Did you take inspiration from other books ? I was reminded a little of Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban.Liz Hyder's debut doesn't read like a debut at all. Newt's voice and character made me care deeply about what happens to the young protagonist. The setting of the mines is skilfully drawn and contributes to the darkness of the novel. Bearmouth is gritty, political and incredibly well written and plotted.

The author of acclaimed YA book Bearmouth on striking gold in a slate mine – and what you can’t learn from other writers The chapters were short and snappy. This is how I like my books. I feel like I’m not quite ready to move onto another book yet because The Gifts is still under my skin, like the bursting wings of those ‘chosen’ women. Life in Bearmouth is one of hard labour, the sunlit world above the mine a distant memory. Reward will come in the next life with the benevolence of the Mayker. Newt accepts everything – that is, until the mysterious Devlin arrives. Suddenly, Newt starts to look at Bearmouth with a fresh perspective, questioning the system, and setting in motion a chain of events that could destroy their entire world. There’s nothing like a dose of darkness and claustrophobia to give a story intensity, and Liz Hyder’s excellent fantasy debut has plenty of both. We learn early on that its young protagonist Newt Coombes last saw daylight at the tender age of four. In the years since then, Newt has worked in the labyrinthine coalmine of the title, ruthlessly exploited in appalling conditions and a virtual prisoner for life.In an age defined by men, it will take something extraordinary to show four women who they truly are…. Life in Bearmouth is one of hard labour, the sunlit world above the mine a distant memory. Reward will come in the next life with the benevolence of the Mayker. New accepts everything - that is, until the mysterious Devlin arrives. Suddenly, Newt starts to look at Bearmouth with a fresh perspective, questioning the system, and setting in motion a chain of events that could destroy their entire world. Thank you so much Liz for your story. And to the publisher, Zaffre Books for sending me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Our first encounter with Newt was intriguing. We are told, very early on, that Newt is 'not a boy nor yet a wimmin' and though this becomes important later, it is their life in the Bearmouth mine that grips us. Newt has worked in the mine for many years, and is looked after by his team. 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.

A unique story that will take readers a while to get used to. This book might be a hard sell to teens, but for those who are ready for a fresh narrative, this gripping story of hope, friendship, and revolution will be worth it. Buy from our bookstore and 25% of the cover price will be given to a school of your choice to buy more books. *15% of eBooks. Home > Liz Hyder sold the film rights to her YA debut, Bearmouth, a dystopian thriller about child miners fighting injustice, before it had arrived in the bookshops. In The Gifts, a Victorian novel for adults, four feisty women struggle against the constraints of a patriarchal society. When two of them grow wings, they are exploited by a ruthless surgeon, Edward Meake, who believes he is serving science and God’s purpose. I was very kindly sent an ARC of this book from the publishers Pushkinpress to read and review, but as always all views are my own!I was left feeling bereft at leaving these beings behind. Oh this played like a magical film in my mind with luscious costumes, attention to detail, London recreated with hansom cabs and Victorian science labs, poverty and a gilded cage. Bearmouth was not a mining camp, but rather a town that depended on the survival of other towns that were mining camps, such as neighboring Garnet. During the late 19th century, enormously rich ores from Garnet were brought into Bearmouth to be shipped to smelters. When Garnet ceased to exist, Bearmouth followed suit. The town, however, was also a main stop for stagecoaches on the old Mullan Road. As such, it had a two-storied, balconied inn for travelers to spend the night as well as a large livery stable, both of which still stand. Told in narrator Newt’s distinctive phonetic English, this dark debut dazzles with originality and delivers a potent case for combatting inequality.