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The Bombs That Brought Us Together by Brian Conaghan (view source)
Revision as of 10:39, 17 August 2020
, 10:39, 17 August 2020no edit summary
... oh! I was really happy to see another Brian Conaghan story arrive. I loved [[When Mr Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan|When Mr Dog Bites]] and have been wondering what he would do next. And it's utterly different. But equally remarkable.
The story could be taking place in any current or historical conflict zone. It could be Northern Ireland during the Troubles. It could be Gaza or the West Bank. It could be cities in Syria or Iraq as they change hands between combatants. Or it could be set in any isolationist state, North Korea for example. Some readers may think of a particular instance but most will just accept Little Town and Old Country as representatives of all of them. The point is to understand how it is to live in a repressed state under external threat. And how it is to live in the middle of a conflict. And how repression and conflict give rise to organised crime and how organised criminals blight lives as much as war does. How, as a young person, do you navigate your situation? Can you still have a childhood?
Charlie is a fabulous central character. He's sensible and honest and kindly and courageous and, well, confused a lot of the time. But you watch him in his sterling efforts to do the right thing and you root for him with all your heart. Because it's not easy to avoid getting caught up in trouble. If you have no food, why shouldn't you steal some? If soldiers beat you up, why shouldn't you join a resistance, even if the resistance is corrupted itself? And if people beat up your friend, should you really pretend it didn't happen?
It's a triumph of a read. And an original one, too. We loved it.
If ''The Bombs That Brought Us Together'' appeals, you might also enjoy [[How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff]] which also deals with a war breaking out around young people. There's also [[After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross]], a brilliant role-reversal story in which a young British boy finds himself and unwanted and resented refugee in France. You might also enjoy [[Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff]].
{{toptentext|list=Top Ten Teens Books of 2016}}