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Revision as of 08:50, 24 August 2020
, 08:50, 24 August 2020no edit summary
It's not long before a mysterious stranger comes knocking at the door. He has some unfinished business with Sig's father and he's not about to leave until it's resolved. As the day progresses, the stranger becomes more and more threatening until Sig begins to suspect that his one chance of survival lies with a battered old revolver hidden away in the storeroom...
At its heart, ''Revolver'' is a simple coming-of-age story. A teenage boy is faced with a nearly insurmountable dilemma (or in this case a whole bunch of nearly insurmountable dilemmas) and must find a way to overcome it (them). But there is so much else woven into that threadbare premise, so many subplots, unpredictable characters and unexpected twists, that adults who wouldn't normally enjoy teenage coming-of-age stories will probably never notice it. And of course , teenagers will love it.
The writing is a bit different from what I was used to by Marcus Sedgwick. His deliciously dark visuals, perhaps the best part of his previous works, are pretty much absent here. In their stead is an extremely palpable sense of menace. It permeates the book from the very first page and morphs into crackling suspense in a few particularly memorable scenes.
The tone also differs from the other books I have read by this author. Where many of them verge on the melodramatic and are vaguely surreal, ''Revolver'' is gritty, at times gut-wrenchingly realistic. This is that rare sort of book where you know from the start that the author will let anything happen to his characters. It adds a truly chilling dimension to the story, and makes it far more terrifying than any of those superficial gore-fests that pass for horror today.
Finally, the novel has been impeccably researched. Everything from the effects of biting cold, to the gold-rush towns of Canada, to pot-bellied stoves, are portrayed with an amount of authenticity that makes them leap right off the page. Unfortunately, in places , it's almost too obvious which parts had to be studied up onupon; like where the inner workings of the titular revolver are explained in minute detail over several paragraphs. But I'm hardly about to criticize this exciting little book for being too detailed.
In fact, I can't think of '''anything''' to criticize it about! I just loved it! ''Revolver'' is a dense and satisfying read, alternately sad and scary, thoughtful and compelling. It is definitely not a book ''only'' for teenagers. Actually, it seems to me it is more an adult book that teen readers might enjoy as well, rather than vice-versa.
Much thanks to Orion for giving Bookbag a review copy, and to Jill Murphy for then sending it my way!
Further reading suggestion: Anything by [[:Category:Marcus Sedgwick|Marcus Sedgwick]] makes for an entertaining read, but his twisty vampire tale [[My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick|My Swordhand is Singing]] is especially fantastic. Readers who enjoy this sort of creepy atmosphere should definitely check out [[The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner]]. You might also appreciate [[Desert Angel by Charlie Price]].
{{toptentext|list=Guardian Children's Fiction Prize 2009}}
