Difference between revisions of "Heroic by Phil Earle"

From TheBookbag
Jump to navigationJump to search
(Created page with "{{infobox |title=Heroic |author=Phil Earle |reviewer=Robert James |genre=Teens |rating=4.5 |buy=Yes |borrow=Yes |isbn=978-0141346274 |pages=304 |publisher=Penguin |date=April ...")
 
 
(2 intermediate revisions by one other user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{infobox
+
{{infobox2
 
|title=Heroic
 
|title=Heroic
 
|author=Phil Earle
 
|author=Phil Earle
Line 11: Line 11:
 
|publisher=Penguin
 
|publisher=Penguin
 
|date=April 2013
 
|date=April 2013
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141346272</amazonuk>
+
|aznuk=0141346272
|amazonus=<amazonus>0141346272</amazonus>
+
|aznus=0141346272
 +
|cover=0141346272  
 
|website=http://www.philearle.com
 
|website=http://www.philearle.com
 
|video=0f9iv4Rhx4g
 
|video=0f9iv4Rhx4g
 
|summary=This gritty modern war story - focusing on one brother who goes to war, and one who's left behind - is a recommended read which further establishes Phil Earle as a real talent.
 
|summary=This gritty modern war story - focusing on one brother who goes to war, and one who's left behind - is a recommended read which further establishes Phil Earle as a real talent.
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
'''Longlisted for the 2014 CILIP Carnegie Medal'''
 +
 
Jammy and Sonny McGann are brothers from the notorious Ghost estate. They and their friends are always there for each other - and with the drugs and violence that dominate the place where they live, they need to be. In particular, Sonny needs his older brother to keep an eye out for him and make the plans for their group. Then Jammy and his mate Tommo join the army and go off to Afghanistan, and Sonny's left to hold the fort at home. With his brother no longer there to look after him, can Sonny keep it together? And when Jammy returns, how will things change?
 
Jammy and Sonny McGann are brothers from the notorious Ghost estate. They and their friends are always there for each other - and with the drugs and violence that dominate the place where they live, they need to be. In particular, Sonny needs his older brother to keep an eye out for him and make the plans for their group. Then Jammy and his mate Tommo join the army and go off to Afghanistan, and Sonny's left to hold the fort at home. With his brother no longer there to look after him, can Sonny keep it together? And when Jammy returns, how will things change?
  
Line 25: Line 29:
 
For another gritty and compelling read, don't miss [[The Knife That Killed Me by Anthony McGowan]].  
 
For another gritty and compelling read, don't miss [[The Knife That Killed Me by Anthony McGowan]].  
  
{{amazontext|amazon=0141346272}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=9455027}}
+
{{amazontext|amazon=0141346272}}
 +
{{amazonUStext|amazon=0141346272}}
 +
 
 
{{commenthead}}
 
{{commenthead}}

Latest revision as of 11:23, 10 April 2018


Heroic by Phil Earle

0141346272.jpg
Buy Heroic by Phil Earle at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Category: Teens
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: Robert James
Reviewed by Robert James
Summary: This gritty modern war story - focusing on one brother who goes to war, and one who's left behind - is a recommended read which further establishes Phil Earle as a real talent.
Buy? Yes Borrow? Yes
Pages: 304 Date: April 2013
Publisher: Penguin
External links: Author's website
ISBN: 978-0141346274

Share on: Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram

Video:



Longlisted for the 2014 CILIP Carnegie Medal

Jammy and Sonny McGann are brothers from the notorious Ghost estate. They and their friends are always there for each other - and with the drugs and violence that dominate the place where they live, they need to be. In particular, Sonny needs his older brother to keep an eye out for him and make the plans for their group. Then Jammy and his mate Tommo join the army and go off to Afghanistan, and Sonny's left to hold the fort at home. With his brother no longer there to look after him, can Sonny keep it together? And when Jammy returns, how will things change?

Phil Earle is making a name for himself as one of the grittiest writers of teen fiction out there today, and this is no exception. For the first part of the book, we go back and forth between scenes on the Ghost estate as Sonny runs into problems with a local gang and has to hide from the police, and scenes in Afghanistan as Jammy tries to cope with going to war. All of this is compelling reading and the two narrators have strong voices which really drew me into their stories. Each of their stories also benefits from good supporting characters, especially Sonny's girlfriend Cam - Tommo's sister - and Tommo himself and more experienced solider Giffer. In addition, both strands of the story are well-plotted and completely believable, in particular the incredibly tense parts as Jammy and Tommo go house to house searching for explosives and weapons.

The book falters ever so slightly at around the halfway point, where Jammy returns home. While the portrayal of Jammy is superb, and extremely harrowing, Sonny seems to become less interesting, spending too much time repetitively whining about how everyone prefers his older brother. However, Earle gets things back on track fairly quickly, and gives us a stunning climax which makes this one a definite recommendation.

For another gritty and compelling read, don't miss The Knife That Killed Me by Anthony McGowan.

Please share on: Facebook Facebook, Follow us on Twitter Twitter and Follow us on Instagram Instagram

Buy Heroic by Phil Earle at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy Heroic by Phil Earle at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
Buy Heroic by Phil Earle at Amazon You can read more book reviews or buy Heroic by Phil Earle at Amazon.com.

Comments

Like to comment on this review?

Just send us an email and we'll put the best up on the site.