Facing the Dark - Softcover

Harrison, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0192750534 ISBN 13: 9780192750532

Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr, 2000

Synopsis

Simon's father has been accused of the murder of a rival cab driver and Simon faces a life branded as the son of a murderer. Then he meets Charley, grieving for her dead father, the murder victim, and they determine to find out the real story behind the murder. Together they can face up to
the danger which surrounds them, and bring back some hope for the future.

Michael Harrison was born in Oxford in 1939. He has taught in North Queensland, London, Oxford, and Hartlepool but is now a part-time librarian in Oxford and enjoys visiting schools as a writer. He is married with two grown-up sons. His previous books include a history of witches, funny novels,
retellings of Norse myths, a book of poems, Junk Mail, and a retelling of Don Quixote. Together with Christopher Stuart-Clark, he has anthologised many books for OUP, including The Oxford Treasury of Classic Poems. Facing the Dark is his second novel for OUP, and is now reissued in a smaller
mass-market format.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Harrison has written four teenage novels and has edited many highly-acclaimed poetry anthologies.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10-From its opening sentence ("Dad was arrested for murder on Tuesday"), Facing the Dark is a nonstop, suspenseful adventure-mystery. Simon Lomond's father, an owner-operator cab driver, is blamed for the brutal murder of a rival cab company's president. Simon cannot reconcile the father that he knows with the brutality of the crime he is charged with committing. Life also changes tragically and horribly for the slain man's daughter, Charlotte Westcot. As the two teens struggle to understand their personal tragedies, they meet and begin to investigate. They turn up confusing and contradictory evidence, and danger soon threatens their very lives. The narration switches back and forth between the two and provides differing perspectives on the event. Both are victims of events beyond their control but they are spirited, bright, and brave enough to take action. The teens seem to speak at times as though they are writing in a journal. Simon "sees" newspaper articles and headlines about what might happen to him. These narrative interludes are often hilarious (Simon's "Instructions for escaping from a shed" are delicious), but they are also revealing. The literary device not only gives readers an insight into the spirit of the protagonists, but also suggests the separation they feel from everyone. This satisfying mystery may start a run on other British young adult novels.
Jane Halsall, McHenry Public Library District, IL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford Univ Pr
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0192750534
• ISBN 13: 9780192750532
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 144