Skellig

I really enjoyed this book. It didn't take long for me to become completely enthralled into the world seen through Michael's eyes. There were so many moments that kept pulling me into the plot. Many of those moments for me involved all the weird details about Skellig that kept piling up with only vague explanations. David Almond did a great job of steadily giving the reader pivotal information that created a nice pacing effect. The pacing of the actions, characteristics, conflicts, and fantasy symbols not only revealed information that built and carried the plot through it's journey, but it also did a great job at building tension effectively. This was also apparent in the way that Almond never describes things for too long. Despite show more this, it was still very easy for me to vividly imagine the spaces and subjects given in each moment. His descriptions were short, to the point, and beautiful, often moving along quickly through a change in action or beat. This was effective in making me relate to Michael's changing world. Everything seemed to be moving so fast in the plot, which is exactly how it must've felt for Michael to be experiencing all of that at once. All the shifts in beats and settings allowed me to not get caught up in trying to figure out all the mystical details. The way this story doesn't spend too much time explaining it's growing fantasy elements, made me feel more comfortable with the unknown as something to experience instead of understand. The story deliberately ends with not telling you what Skellig is, but instead it implies that he could be anyone of the things you might imagine him to be. That was one of my favorite moments, along with the part where Mina and Michael whisper to each other about Skellig, while Mina's mom sings a song heavily rooted with symbolism involving their mysterious friend. Mina was my favorite character. I loved the balance between her scientific knowledge and logical thinking, paired with Michael's dreamy thoughts and lively imagination. It had a slight effect of feeling like the story was subtly blending fantasy and sci-fi. As soon as Mina was introduced, it felt like she was going to be a big part of unfolding the plot, and she definitely was. Mina and Michael both learned from each other and changed their lives in the process. I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to anyone. show less

PLUS -
* Completely simple yet incredibly complex. The writing is simple and the novel is short, the plot is simple (Michael's family move to a new house, his baby sister is seriously ill, he is left to fend for himself and meets the mysterious Skellig and makes friends with neighbour Mina) and yet the ideas are so, so complex, things that seem straightforward end up being the opposite.
* It'll make you think and leave you wondering - who or what is Skellig? How do we know what is real and what isn't? How do we decide what (and who) is important and what is not.

MINUS -
* If you want all the loose ends tying up and mysteries explained you'll be left wanting!

OVERALL -
* I loved this when I first read it shortly after publication but show more hadn't read it since. Now I remember why it made such an impact. It's so original, contains so many ideas and can be read on so many different levels. And now there's a follow up book which is a prequel. Off to read that next... show less

Michael and his family have recently moved to a house that needs a lot of work, when his baby sister is born early. Meanwhile, he finds a man who seems little more than skin in bones in the broken down garage, and together he and his new friend Mina try to help him - but who is he, and what is he?

Some books are easy to read, review, and move on. This is not one of them. Skellig, though short, is one of those stories that lingers as you think about the characters and writing and events. Michael realistically feels a little bit of jealousy but also deeply cares about his sister. Mina is homeschooled and proud of it, and she's so sure of who she is that you can't help but love her. And Skellig... well, he's a bit of an enigma. He's a being show more that can't be explained in just a few words. In fact, I feel like I should really reread the book before I try to make any further pronouncements. I was left smiling and just a bit unsettled, in the sense that I couldn't quite wrap my brain around the story without thinking some more. show less

children's fiction (4th-6th grades). This starts off pretty well--boy finds strange man in the (soon-to-be-demolished) garage; the man appears deathly ill, eats bugs, craves Chinese takeout food, and inspires the boy to help him. Also, he has funny lumps on his back where an angel's curled up wings would be--but he's not an angel--or is he? Chapters are short and quick, but the middle and ending plots are more drama than gritty mystery (baby sister really sick and needing surgery, boy's friends don't get along with his homeschooled neighbor Mina) have less boy-appeal. (The story would probably would hold kids' attention ok if read aloud in a classroom, but I was personally kind of disappointed.) The homeschooled neighbor-girl Mina is show more alright as a character, though the frequent William Blake quotes get kind of preachy/annoying. show less

After looking at the length of this book, and reading the synopsis, I thought it was just another run-of-the-mill fantasy story. However, I was amazed at how much story and feeling David Almond was able to discuss in the short duration of the novel. He effortlessly contrasted light and dark, all the time making his characters human and believable. I was especially surprised at his ability to intertwine the poetry of William Blake, as well as some Greek mythology and archaeology, into the realistic landscape of Michael’s life. Even though I thought the novel was exceptional, I had a bit of trouble getting into it. The beginning doesn’t do nearly enough of a job hooking the reader into the story—it felt as though I myself had fallen show more from the sky, like Skellig, and landed mid-thought into Michael’s life. It felt a bit disjointed. I would have liked more back-story about why Michael and his family had to move, why his sister was sick, and how Mina and her mother came to be in the state they were in. Despite these minor setbacks, Skellig is still an important novel about love and hope in the darkness. show less

This is the kind of children's book that is wasted on most children: certainly on the child that left a mangled copy in a back alley near our house. It should never be given to a class at school, but rather left on an obscure shelf, so that the deserving few can stumble across it. It took me less than two hours to read, and it touched me. MB 30-viii-2021

Ten-year-old Michael faces more than a child his age should bear, with his family’s move to a house in poor repair and his prematurely born sister’s fight for life. As Michael explores the garage, he encounters a strange creature who changes his life. Is he a man, some sort of beast, or maybe even an angel? Soon Michael’s new friend and neighbor, Mina, shares in the secret.

This is an unexpectedly touching story. Michael’s intense worry for his baby sister manifests in acts of kindness toward the creature in the garage. Old soul Mina is a source of comfort for Michael and understands him in a way that only another child can. The author’s audio narration captures the innocence and awe of these children. My only reservation about show more this story is the occasional cursing. It would have been out of place in the home I grew up in and among my elementary school classmates. show less