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The Fire-Eaters by David Almond (view source)
Revision as of 20:05, 29 August 2020
, 20:05, 29 August 2020no edit summary
It's a very special kind of fantasy, The Fire Eaters, set very deep in reality. It is the voice of our reachings-out for explanations of the riddles of our lives and for enrichment of their texture. It's partly dream-story, partly superstition. And just as superstition lies squarely between fear and hope, so does the world in which Bobby lives. Perhaps not for the youngest of young readers, no matter how enthusiastic - unlike Skellig, Almond's first novel - The Fire Eaters is a challenging book, encouraging children to confront prejudice, fear and grief. It's not afraid to ask them the hard questions. And it's not afraid to allow them to find their own answers. For that reason alone, it's a triumph. It would make a wonderful text for a reading group in school, but it's perhaps best enjoyed alone and in the private, vicarious world journeyed to only by means of the greatest of books.
David Almond writes for the soul, not for the intellect. He writes - sensitively and imaginatively - of magic and the redeeming power of love. In The Fire Eaters , we see the worst of humanity, but we also see the best. And I think that is this man's peculiar talent. He recognises that man is perhaps not the most likable likeable of nature's progeny. He kills for fun, he steals, he's well on the way to destroying the planet. But unlike any other creature, he knows - deep down - the depths of his failings. And sometimes - just sometimes - he makes efforts to put things right. Children, in particular, often have a burning desire to put things right. Almond sees this. And this is why his words are so appealing. They get right to the heart of our fears and insecurities; the things which so often are the cause of our sins. And with those floating, dreamy words he counsels his readers to accept those fears and the pain they bring, then put them aside. All it takes is love, and a little of Almond's particular brand of magic.
It would, indeed, be a better world if we all listened more often to people like him.