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The Tightrope Walkers
The Tightrope Walkers
Dec 27, 2024 12:30 PM

Author:David Almond

The Tightrope Walkers

The Tightrope Walkers by David Almond - a novel of young love and tragedy from the prizewinning author of Skellig

'I was born in a hovel on the banks of the Tyne...'

Dominic Hall grows up in the sixties on a brand-new estate, along with the other families who escaped the river. But the Tyne is still an overwhelming presence, and most of the fathers work in the shipyards. Dom is torn between his new mates: Holly Stroud, his enchanting neighbour, and Vincent McAlinden, who's something else altogether - a wild, dangerous boy with murderous instincts.

After his mother's death, Dom has to decide who he is, what he wants to be - and then face up to the consequences.

Deeply moving with a unique narrative voice, The Tightrope Walkers will be loved by fans of Roddy Doyle, Irvine Welsh and Ross Raisin, as well as readers familiar with David Almond's masterful novel The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean, and the hugely popular Skellig.

'Almond is a master storyteller' Independent

'Not only dramatically and emotionally suspenseful, it is also vividly drawn and wonderfully well-paced, as we might expect from a master storyteller' John Burnside on THE TRUE TALE OF THE MONSTER BILLY DEAN, Guardian

David Almond is the author of Skellig and other novels and plays for adults and children. He has won many prestigious awards including the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010, the Carnegie Medal and two Whitbreads. His first novel for adults, The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean was published in 2011.

He was born in Newcastle, grew up on Tyneside and now lives with his family in Northumberland.

Reviews

What a beautiful book. I cried and smiled my way through

—— Jane Green

Heart-breaking yet blackly comic . . . echoing the style of Roddy Doyle. Impossible to put down.

—— Image

Beautiful, brave storytelling . . . Buy a packet (or box) of tissues and settle down with this wonderful story. One of our books of 2015

—— Heat Magazaine

A bittersweet story of family, faith and love . . . both deeply affecting and life-affirming

—— Sunday Mirror

Enormously readable, funny and emotionally engaging

—— Irish Times

A delightful roller-coaster ride of emotion

—— Sunday Independent

I loved the clear, elegant prose, the feisty characters and the sparkling dialogue

—— Susan Elliot Wright

An emotional tale filled with tears and laughter

—— Bella Magazine

Anna McPartlin can make you feel despair and sadness but she can also make you see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's quite an impressive feat. If you haven't already tried Anna McPartlin then you are definitely missing out. She is one of the finest writers around

—— Chicklitreviewsandnews.com

The storyline and characters are swept along on a tide of humour . . . an uplifting read

—— MyWeekly

Insightful and touching but jovial at the same time. There's nothing better than an Irish author who can drop the F-bomb in every paragraph.

—— Nadiya Hussain

A cracker of a thriller . . . a zippy and classic briefcase-full-of-money thrill ride

—— Kirkus Review USA

An exciting thriller about justice and courage pitted against ruthless corruption that takes readers into perilous places and prepares them for Oliver Twist

—— Amanda Craig , The Times

A brilliant book I cannot recommend highly enough

—— Charlie Higson , Mail on Sunday

Exciting and fast moving as the story is, it also tugs at your heartstrings and reminds the reader that there are many young people for whom this way of life is reality. Unmissable!

—— Pat Tate , Carousel

This is a powerful and gripping story that takes us into some painful places, but makes us believe that transformation is possible - that the vulnerable and weak can sometimes triumph against a whole system. I would very highly recommend it

—— Armadillo Magazine

Often funny, more often very moving

—— John Boyne , The Gloss

While readers will delight in the excitement and adventure of this story, they will also learn about the poverty and difficulties faced by many children throughout the world and about the consequences of corruption in government

—— Marianne Saccardi , Greenwich Citizen

The chase leads them throughout the city, exposing the great disparity between the "haves" and the "have nots," and the huge injustice this represents. They face moral dilemmas throughout and, ultimately, make good decisions. Their intelligence and characters make the condition in which they live seem even more unfair

—— Kristin Anderson , School Library Journal

An exciting read full of suspense. This will appeal to boys and to girls, and could act as a stimulus to classroom discussion of poverty, child workers, recycling in third world countries and the misuse of economic and political power

—— School Librarian
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