Sometimes you know that something is seriously wrong with a place. It feels in the whole body, a creeping discomfort. Magwhite, in Frances Hardinges new roman ”wishing well”, is just such an ”almost-space”; almost a society, almost in the boonies with empty and skräpiga car parks in front of fewer shops. The forbidden area simply. And that is precisely why an irresistibly hängställe for adventurous minded children.
Josh, Ryan and Chelle, three quirky friends, has made Magwhite to their secret place where they can be alone from the school bullies and controlling parents. When one day miss the last city bus from there, they realize that they lack the money for a later bus, they have to pay for. Josh, the obvious leader, admired by their two uncertain friends suggested that they should go down to the canal to the old wishing well. Where should the well be able to fish up enough money for the return trip? Someone has to climb down in the dark pit (always a bad idea). Josh, the leader, the hero, the problem solver, olyckskorpen, maskrosbarnet, do it, of course. He is certainly pennies in the water but to steal the money of an ancient brunnshäxa may, of course, its consequences. And liabilities must be paid.
Frances Hardinge is a master at initially lay out the crumbs of recognizable skräckgodis and then completely surprising throw one in the oven.
on the most obvious plane is a very exciting skräckberättelse are several other important motives. Desires, for example. What is the meaning of the actually purely psychological? On a deeper level is perhaps the desire is as much about fear, love and hatred. In the book portrayed this very interesting. Would we really throw a coin in the wishing well if we understood our innermost motives? Beware with what you wish. It can turn into.
But the book also deals with some tricky family relationships where the parents rarely listen to their children (or at all). The main character Ryan’s parents are fighting all the time and seems to just barely see him, when they are not detaljstyr him to say. Chelles parents don’t like her friends and say no to everything. Josh, in turn, grows up in a upper-class homes. On the surface he has everything, the status of the school, money, big house.
But he need most is their parents ‘ love. When his parents should be separated enters this in a relentless hat to Ryan’s mom because she so clearly shows her overprotective (though as I said rarely present) love for him. This strong needs makes him lethal when the witch’s ”gifts” to develop into something he can no longer hold back. Josh may love but from a very unexpected direction. Something that both threatens the world but also, perhaps, can save it.
on that initially put out the crumbs of recognizable skräckgodis and then completely surprising throw one in the oven (to talk Grimmska). She manages to really create an impressive, complex and nuanced ungdomsskräckis with many extra layers, in addition tryfferad with a nice herbaceous british humor. A damn skilled stylist and simply a pleasure to read.
Read more: Traditional collegeliv in ungdomsboksdebut
