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

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Set in 1840, The Gifts opens with a young woman in agony, staggering alone through a forest in Shropshire as a huge pair of wings rip from her shoulders. Meanwhile, when rumours of a 'fallen angel' cause a frenzy across London, a surgeon desperate for fame and fortune finds himself in the grips of a dangerous obsession, one that will place the women he seeks in the most terrible danger... Na začátku jsem si zvykala na styl psaní, ale ve výsledku se mi to moc líbilo. Pomohlo mi to vžít se víc do hlavní postavy a postupem času se její gramatika zlepšovala i s tím, jak se vyvíjela. Autorka se moc nebála zabíjet postavy (když umřel Tobe tak jsem brečela jak želva, Tomášova smrt mně taky dostala a při smrti Walshe jsem cítila tak akorát úlevu, že už tam konečně není), takže jsem se o Žabku dost bála (i když o Devlina daleko víc, protože kdo by to pak vyprávěl, kdyby Žabka umřela). To, že Žabka je holka? Bylo tam plno nápověd, ale úplně jsem je ignorovala a když to tam bylo řečeno, všechno dávalo smysl. Byla to hrozně silná, chytrá a statečná postava. Tahle kniha vás donutí přemýšlet o tom, co je správné a co si jen myslíte, že je správné. 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. I loved it, and although my proof copy just had placeholder text, I’m sure that the finished copy with its chapter illustrations will be a thing of beauty indeed.

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. I must add that this is a novel to be read, not heard. With a mix of long and short chapters, multiple characters, and interlinked arcs, this won't be a comfortable audiobook even if you are an attuned listener. This is a novel based on a slightly bizarre concept - in the mid-nineteenth century, a number of women grow wings. In an age of scientific discovery also still heavily influenced by religious beliefs, this piques the interest of doctors and captures the public imagination. I enjoyed seeing the scenes from five different points of view, four of which were women. The third person narration ensures that the proceeding is somewhat easy. However, five perspectives automatically means plenty of characters and, as the story progresses, plenty of interconnections as well. It takes some time to remember who is who. Moreover, the switch in character perspectives sometimes happens too often. Though this isn’t too confusing because of the third person, it takes some time to get attuned to.I was already struggling with the writing and the fact that we often switch viewpoint or who is being written about in the midst of a paragraph. So you start the paragraph with Annie and then suddenly you are reading about Etta and you are like, wait, who the hell is Etta and how did she suddenly appear? This happens a LOT and I found it really irritating. Multiples points of view came in short chapters so very well linked that I didn't lose the thread for a second.

AND I really need to mention how ...incredibly...slow this book felt, mostly cause I spent SO MUCH DANG TIME trying to puzzle out the words (or should I say traig to pahssl owt the werdz). Hyder has said the novel grew out of her research into the exploitation of children in Victorian mines, and there is certainly a harrowing, gritty realism in the descriptions of Bearmouth. Yet she has gone far beyond her sources, creating a mythic tale with the feel of a fable, one in which the young and vulnerable take on the powerful and mighty. The story is essentially one of political and self-awakening. Through a series of tragic events, it becomes clear to Newt that the miners are being exploited and mistreated. Despite the risk of harm and possible death, Newt hatches a plan to enlighten their fellow workers and free them -- from ideologies that keep them subserviant as well as from the mine itself.Surprisingly for a historical fiction work, there are many strong female characters. The leading ladies are all shown realistically (limited by the men in their lives), yet they aren’t doormats. They create their own space, and can fight for themselves when the time comes. I loved the concept and challenge of this book, but it didn't hold me in the way I initially hoped or thought it would. Newt, the (tween/teen?) protagonist, has spend years beneath the earth working in a mine. Newt bunks with a number of other miners, mostly adults, one of whom has started to teach them how to read and write. Reading the narrative, therefore, initially requires significant phonetic decoding as you get used to the way Newt's voice sounds when converted to text.

The story covers some excellent themes, especially highlighting how the craze for science and the obsession over religion can have common roots. Both are a wait for a ‘Eureka’ moment, a miracle. Usually, one is based in logic and the other in faith. But this book depicts how an overlap is possible. It becomes quite thought-provoking. While reading this book i really could not believe it was a debut! it certainly didn't read like one, it seemed as if she has many books under her belt, so learning it was the first was very exciting because i can now really look forward to the next!. It’s an interesting world Hyder’s set up, and a unique style she’s written it in. Bearmouth is a mine, where men and boys are forced to live, work and sleep in exchange for measly wages that barely cover their living costs. I come from an area with a very strong mining heritage, so it was interesting to see that used as a YA premise! 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.

Inspired by Liz's research into the working conditions of early Victorian coal mines, Bearmouth shows an imagined world where workers are treated as little more than pit ponies, both living and working in the dark depths of a mine. Told first person, Bearmouth explores ideas around exploitation, truth and class through the unique voice of an extraordinary young person who dares to question the status quo. 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. What a magnificent and beautifully inspiring book this was! I devoured it in only a couple of sittings it was THAT gripping. It is a mixture of historical fiction and magical realism with interesting and engaging characters and is highly compelling. Difficile per una persona ossessionata dalla grammatica sopportare il particolare modo in cui è scritto il romanzo, dal punto di vista di una persona che non sa esprimersi bene e che sta ancora imparando a leggere e scrivere, però fattibile una volta che la storia prende.

Many YA dystopian books are written as trilogies or long running series – is Bearmouth the same, or is it a one off?

Sadly I was unable to finish this book. The harrowing and graphic torture and killing of the dog by the surgeon about 10% of the way into the book was way too much for me. It turned my stomach and made me very upset. I don't know what else is in the book but that requires a Content Warning. It is a thing I can't stand and something I avoid in books and movies. It makes me hugely distressed. I can't imagine what that level of distressing detail could possibly add to the story. You could easily show he was an evil man without the detail. My thanks to Bonnier Books U.K. Manilla Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Gifts’ by Liz Hyder in exchange for an honest review. Life in Bearmouth is one of hard labor and isolation, the sunlit world far above the mine a distant memory. Newt has lived in the mine since the age of four, and accepts everything from the harsh working conditions to the brutality of the mine’s leaders—until the mysterious Devlin arrives and dares to ask the question, “Why?” As tensions rise, Newt is soon looking at Bearmouth with a fresh perspective—challenging the system and setting in motion a change of events that could destroy their entire world.