Set in 1840 England and narrated from five different points of view The Gifts is a slow-burn gothic tale of a doctor's obsession with the women with wings. I loved that book fell into many categories such as historical fiction, fantasy, magical realism and a touch of mystery. 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. In an age defined by men, it will take something extraordinary to show four women who they truly are…. The unique, dark, gem that is Bearmouth is a debut written by Liz Hyder and published in September 2019 by Pushkin Press. I would recommend it for readers aged 12 and upwards. The protagonist, Newt, is a child, but I’m not sure I would call this a children’s book. There is violence and death aplenty in the mine. I loved The Animals of Farthing Wood by Colin Dann. Roald Dahl, obviously, and CS Lewis. Maybe I should confess this – I never got the religious stuff in Narnia at all until I was much older. My favourite Narnia book is The Magician’s Nephew, like all right-thinking people. The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper… It’s not a very diverse list: I just read whatever was in the library or at home.

This was definitely a very different sort of book! The first thing you'll notice in Bearmouth is the writing style- it's written as Newt assumes words are spelled, in a phonetic way, which does take some getting used to. We're told the story of the mine through Newt's perspective, one that has seen quite a few atrocities. So let's dive into what worked for me and what didn't! But also hard hitting and poignant, makes you think about some very serious issues including abuse, coercive control, the role of women in society and more besides. Hyder has also said that Bearmouth is definitely a one-off, with no sequels planned. But I’ll be looking out for her next book, whatever it is. The story is narrated in short vignettes, alternating between the voices of the two women with wings, a feisty would-be female journalist, and the wife of the surgeon who sees an opportunity to achieve fame and fortune by exploiting the winged women, the ‘gifts’ of the title, sent to him by God.Little Badman and the Invasion of the Killer Aunties by Humza Arshad and Henry White, edited by Holly Harris and Sharan Matharu, illus Aleksei Bitskoff (Puffin)

Will these women be able to stand up to such scrutiny from both the outside world and this man who cannot help but be drawn to such heavenly beings? Liz Hyder and her editor Sarah Odedina of Pushkin Children’s Books win the 2020 BRANFORD BOASE AWARD awarded to the author and editor of the outstanding debut novel for children The Gifts was an astonishing book to start the year off with. Honestly, I am absolutely blown away by Liz Hyder’s magical, immersive and compelling novel.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.

Bearmouth was a trading post for the placer mining camps of Beartown, Garnet and Coloma, located in the hills north of Bearmouth in Granite County, Montana, United States. A pioneer family named Lannen operated the gold exchange and ferry boat across the Clark Fork River. [2]

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The ending worked very well for me. It didn’t force a perfect solution; rather, the plot led itself to a believable culmination. Liz Hyder was the joint winner of the Emerging Writer Award this year, along with Hanna Randall. Liz has recently found a publisher for her book Bearmouth at Puskin Press. We thought we’d have a chat with Liz and ask her about it. The author of acclaimed YA book Bearmouth on striking gold in a slate mine – and what you can’t learn from other writers In London, rumors of a "fallen angel" cause a frenzy across the city, and 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 . . .

I’m left with this thought that gets me right here *pounds fist into heart area* - is it really STILL so scandalous that a woman can have the audacity to grow a pair of powerful wings and set herself free? It’s better [laughs]. It’s the first book that I wrote truly from my heart and I think that’s made the difference. When I started, though, I thought it would never get published, because it’s so strange – in terms of the dialect and the setting. And I still think it’s quite a Marmite book. I really prepared myself for the haters, but what I hadn’t taken into account was people really loving it. 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. This is a beautifully written novel that blends several different genres- historical fiction, mystery, literary fiction, with a little fantasy thown in. Questa tematica va a scontrarsi con l’operato di Thomas, il più meritevoli di tutti. È proprio lui a insegnare a Newt e agli altri ragazzini l’importanza dell’alfabetizzazione e delle storie. Motivo per cui ho davvero apprezzato il suo personaggio. Un uomo erudito dall’inizio alla fine. Aggiungo anche l’ottima l’evoluzione del personaggio di Newt, ma per motivi di spoiler non approfondisco.

About Liz Hyder

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