Raven Summer

I enjoyed this a lot. Much more than some of his more recent books. In a way the most interesting character is Natrass. The book is pretty comfortable and comforting despite dealing with some uncomfortable situations mainly because you see through the eyes of Liam - but I could imagine stepping right out of that comfort zone by putting Natrass at the centre of the book.

David Almond is one of the most distinctive writers of junior fiction in the UK and probably the world right now. His books are at once accessible and yet profound. They stir emotion, ask questions, introduce mysteries - and sometimes resolve them.

An over-riding theme is often conflict of one kind or another, and this is never more true than in this book. This book sees conflict between friends falling out, between people with different views, between governments and soldiers in Iraq and Liberia. All this in the back drop of beautiful Northumbria in a glorious summer.

But it is more than just conflict. Liam, the son of an artist mother and writer father, discovers an abandoned baby that he is led to by a Jackdaw. With the baby is a jar show more of money. this mystery sets in train other events which lead inexorably to the novel's conclusion.

David Almond will not be everyone's favourite author. He is an author to make you think "what was that book about"? And the answer is that it is about many things. But anyone who really enjoys reading should love what he does with language - so simply wrought and yet so profound - not one word out of place.

I enjoyed this book very much. show less

Liam lives in England where his mom is a rising photographer engaged in an affair with her agent, his dad is a famous writer in constant engagement with his writing, and he himself is increasingly feeling like he is being left behind. His friend Max has recently taken to gals, and his childhood friend Gordon is taken with the torturing of animals and Liam alike.

When Liam and Max stumble upon an abandoned baby in a barn, Liam briefly becomes a somewhat reluctant news celebrity. His family sets out to visit the foundling in its new foster family setting, where Liam meets another set of characters - green haired and intriguing Crystal - and Oliver, scarred from his war torn past.

Mix up all these characters and you eventually get to a show more pivotal point in the plot - which leaves a few loose ends around what seems to be a modern day attempt at Lord of the Flies. The writing stands out in its descriptions that seem the perfect bite size to be adapted to an audiobook.

It's a quick read - you might as well. show less

This was an extremely quick read. Liam finds a baby in a field, that is taken into a foster family. Liam and his family make friends with the foster family and eventually his mother adopts the baby, leading Crystal and Oliver two of the other foster children to become even closer to Liam.

This book addresses several major themes including growing up, maintaining friendships, what makes art art, and children as soldiers. While the book is a short read there is no lack of things to discuss here.

***Spoilers***
The idea of child abandonment and what would lead someone to leave their child in a field.

Liam wants to spend this last summer as a child while his friend Max is ready to move on and grow up or even Liam's decision to separate himself show more from his old friend Natrass, who is becoming more violent and frightening on a regular basis.

Natrass submits "art" to galleries. The pieces are video pieces that mimic the violent torture of human beings only to reveal that it wasn't actually a person. Is this really art, or is it just sensationalist.

There is also Oliver's life before his foster family, as a child soldier. At first he lies and says only that his family was murdered by soldiers, later on he finally admits to being trained as a soldier by the perpetrator and committing similar murders himself.

***Spoilers End***
This is all very heavy food for thought and even though this book is a quick read, I reccommend not reading it unless you have a lot of time because it really does make you think about all of these different issues. Also even though it is a heavy read it is well written with such a light touch that the reader does not get bogged down in the heavy feeling that this kind of book can sometimes lead to for me. show less

This was an extremely quick read. Liam finds a baby in a field, that is taken into a foster family. Liam and his family make friends with the foster family and eventually his mother adopts the baby, leading Crystal and Oliver two of the other foster children to become even closer to Liam.

This book addresses several major themes including growing up, maintaining friendships, what makes art art, and children as soldiers. While the book is a short read there is no lack of things to discuss here.

***Spoilers***
The idea of child abandonment and what would lead someone to leave their child in a field.

Liam wants to spend this last summer as a child while his friend Max is ready to move on and grow up or even Liam's decision to separate himself show more from his old friend Natrass, who is becoming more violent and frightening on a regular basis.

Natrass submits "art" to galleries. The pieces are video pieces that mimic the violent torture of human beings only to reveal that it wasn't actually a person. Is this really art, or is it just sensationalist.

There is also Oliver's life before his foster family, as a child soldier. At first he lies and says only that his family was murdered by soldiers, later on he finally admits to being trained as a soldier by the perpetrator and committing similar murders himself.

***Spoilers End***
This is all very heavy food for thought and even though this book is a quick read, I reccommend not reading it unless you have a lot of time because it really does make you think about all of these different issues. Also even though it is a heavy read it is well written with such a light touch that the reader does not get bogged down in the heavy feeling that this kind of book can sometimes lead to for me. show less

This was an extremely quick read. Liam finds a baby in a field, that is taken into a foster family. Liam and his family make friends with the foster family and eventually his mother adopts the baby, leading Crystal and Oliver two of the other foster children to become even closer to Liam.

This book addresses several major themes including growing up, maintaining friendships, what makes art art, and children as soldiers. While the book is a short read there is no lack of things to discuss here.

***Spoilers***
The idea of child abandonment and what would lead someone to leave their child in a field.

Liam wants to spend this last summer as a child while his friend Max is ready to move on and grow up or even Liam's decision to separate himself show more from his old friend Natrass, who is becoming more violent and frightening on a regular basis.

Natrass submits "art" to galleries. The pieces are video pieces that mimic the violent torture of human beings only to reveal that it wasn't actually a person. Is this really art, or is it just sensationalist.

There is also Oliver's life before his foster family, as a child soldier. At first he lies and says only that his family was murdered by soldiers, later on he finally admits to being trained as a soldier by the perpetrator and committing similar murders himself.

***Spoilers End***
This is all very heavy food for thought and even though this book is a quick read, I reccommend not reading it unless you have a lot of time because it really does make you think about all of these different issues. Also even though it is a heavy read it is well written with such a light touch that the reader does not get bogged down in the heavy feeling that this kind of book can sometimes lead to for me. show less

This was an extremely quick read. Liam finds a baby in a field, that is taken into a foster family. Liam and his family make friends with the foster family and eventually his mother adopts the baby, leading Crystal and Oliver two of the other foster children to become even closer to Liam.

This book addresses several major themes including growing up, maintaining friendships, what makes art art, and children as soldiers. While the book is a short read there is no lack of things to discuss here.

***Spoilers***
The idea of child abandonment and what would lead someone to leave their child in a field.

Liam wants to spend this last summer as a child while his friend Max is ready to move on and grow up or even Liam's decision to separate himself show more from his old friend Natrass, who is becoming more violent and frightening on a regular basis.

Natrass submits "art" to galleries. The pieces are video pieces that mimic the violent torture of human beings only to reveal that it wasn't actually a person. Is this really art, or is it just sensationalist.

There is also Oliver's life before his foster family, as a child soldier. At first he lies and says only that his family was murdered by soldiers, later on he finally admits to being trained as a soldier by the perpetrator and committing similar murders himself.

***Spoilers End***
This is all very heavy food for thought and even though this book is a quick read, I reccommend not reading it unless you have a lot of time because it really does make you think about all of these different issues. Also even though it is a heavy read it is well written with such a light touch that the reader does not get bogged down in the heavy feeling that this kind of book can sometimes lead to for me. show less