Clay

This is a haunting tale set in an unspecified recent past that seems both more innocent yet more dangerous than our own time. Two altar boys are plotting revenge on the gang from the next neighbourhood, and the arrival of a new boy to the street brings opportunity and menace.

I found the oirish dialect little off-putting at first, but I stopped noting it once I got caught up in the story. The horror in this story comes from the ambiguity - everything is capable of great beauty, and of great evil.

I expected an average YA book here but I should've remembered the wonderful spookiness 'Skellig' gave me because this book chilled me to the bones in places. An amazing book that easily crosses over from the children to adult's market. I must go on and eventually read some more by David Almond as he is a fantastic writer.

I've read 'Skellig' as a teacher several times and also for personal pleasure and I can see plenty of opportunities for 'Clay' to be used in the classroom. It would open up a range of discussion about religion, death and conflict. Perfect for an English, RE, PHSE or Citizenship lesson plus others! But enough about school stuff, what was the book like? In one word AMAZING. I had started it the night before but only read show more about 30 pages or so and found it mediocre, I wasn't sure how it would progress. When I picked it up last night I couldn't put it down and read the remainder in one sitting.

I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen, by the time I was approaching the ending what I expected to happen didn't and I was continually amazed. It surprisingly became quite a page turner. Davie is a wonderful character but wait until you meet Stephen Rose. I can't work out who is depicted on the front cover out of these two characters. The other characters for me are just a sideline, it is the relationship between Davie and Stephen that is purely magical, frightening and fascinating to watch/read.

The plot is well-constructed and like I said, apart from the opening, it is captivating. It is set in the north East - Felling to be precise, so there are occasional bits of dialect but not much. The only irritating aspect was the use of 'bliddy hell', I didn't feel this sounded right. If you have read 'Skellig' then I'd say this is aimed at a slightly older audience because of the themes. Great chapter lengths - 5 or 6 pages in a hardback on average. Superb cliff-hangers, all in all you should race through the novel because of the way it is written. show less

The words unsettling, creepy, supernaturally eerie, bizarre, spooky and unconventional come to mind when describing this book.

Geordie and Davie are thirteen and learning to be tough when facing the town bully Martin Mould and his small gang of near do wells. The situation quickly gets out of hand when the physical altercations tend toward violence.

When Stephen Rose comes to town, this mysterious character about whom little is known but much is speculated molds and exerts evil influence upon Davie with disastrous consequences.

This dark tale is primarily about Stephen and Davie who attempt to play God. Creepy Stephen Rose has the ability to form lifelike figures from clay. Seeking revenge on Martin Mould, together Stephen and Davie show more fashion a clay man who, in a zombie like trance, comes to life and obeys their commands.

I'd like to write a nice tidy ending to the story, but there isn't one. I'm still sorting through my feelings/thoughts about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed all other Almond books I read, but I think I should have left this one on the book shelf. show less

Clay is an unusual set-up for a coming of age type of story. Davie and Georgie, two “good” altar boys, are urged by their parish priest and Davie’s mum to become friendly with the new boy in town, Stephen Rose. Davie and Georgie have their own problems, with a bully on their heels, and Davie’s nascent interest in a girl, and are not that interested in Stephen Rose. Stephen’s background is suspicious to them—his father’s dead, his mum is locked away in a mental home, he was kicked out of a seminary school, and he’s living with his only living relative, a crazy very religious aunt. But Stephen is attracted to Davie and introduces him to new adventures—including the creation from riverbed clay of a living figure Davie show more names Clay. There are questions of faith, love, family, hate, revenge, and redemption, all wrapped up in one young man’s dilemma of dealing with a friend who isn’t such a good friend. show less

Interesting book about some boys in England, one of whom is able to make a sort of golem out of clay to attack larger kids who are bullying them. The bully is killed, and one of the boys is confused about what part he played in bringing the monster to life, and yet felling sorrow when the monster had to be destroyed. A good story about the confusion and uncertainty of adolescence and the changes in life. And how easy it is to be manipulated by others, especially in the pursuit of power and control over life- especially your own!

Boys steal the body and blood of Christ from church which is then used to create a huge clay monster that comes alive and obeys their wishes. Should the boys send it to kill local bully? This story raises issues about God, creativity, and evil.

When Davie becomes "friends" with the elusive Stephen Rose (who was kicked out of seminary), he never imagines what form that friendship will take. Stephen encourages the evil side of Davie to emerge, and they create and give life to a man made out of clay whom they command. When it goes too far, Davie escapes from Stephen's spell and Stephen disappears. An interesting take on the Frankenstein's monster tale, and an interesting look at how goodness can overcome evil, but I was disappointed overall with the story.