The Burning Mountain by LJ Adlington - Revision history

Sue at 07:56, 17 September 2020

2020-09-17T07:56:02Z

Sue at 09:19, 21 April 2018

2018-04-21T09:19:49Z

Sue at 12:06, 20 December 2014

2014-12-20T12:06:56Z

Jill: Created page with '{{infobox |title=The Burning Mountain |sort=Burning Mountain, The |author=LJ Adlington |reviewer=Jill Murphy |genre=Teens |summary=Enjoyable time slip novel about war and the ind…'

2010-07-05T11:37:12Z

Created page with '{{infobox |title=The Burning Mountain |sort=Burning Mountain, The |author=LJ Adlington |reviewer=Jill Murphy |genre=Teens |summary=Enjoyable time slip novel about war and the ind…'

New review

{{infobox
|title=The Burning Mountain
|sort=Burning Mountain, The
|author=LJ Adlington
|reviewer=Jill Murphy
|genre=Teens
|summary=Enjoyable time slip novel about war and the individual with a slightly supernatural element. The double narrative makes for a satisfying read.
|rating=4
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|paperback=0340956828
|pages=336
|publisher=Hodder
|website=http://www.ljadlington.com
|date=July 2010
|isbn=0340956828
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340956828</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>0340956828</amazonus>
}}

In AD79, Gaius Justinius Aquila is drenched in grey ash, trying desperately to help the citizens of Herculaneum as Vesuvius erupts around them. In 1943, German paratrooper Peter Schafer finds himself in Naples. Peter has a secret - he's underage, having run away to sign up. Within the year, Peter will find himself defending Monte Cassino against a huge Allied bombardment. Throughout his time in Italy, Peter will have many encounters with Vittoria, an impoverished Neapolitan who steals to keep herself and a ragbag bunch of orphans alive.

And today, Denise and Craig are home alone, waiting for news of their soldier brother who is on a tour in Afghanistan, while their neighbours, the Shepherds, struggle with ill health, encroaching dementia and a story they feel a desperate need to tell.

Something draws these times and these people together. But what is it?

I really enjoyed ''Burning Mountain''. There's a whole ''Swallows and Amazons'' thing going on, as Denise and her brother Craig are very often left to their own devices: their father died in Iraq, their brother Rich is serving in Afghanistan, and their mother is working long hours as a nurse at the local hospital. So the two children are left to cook and clean, and have plenty of time for mischief. It's to their credit that the worst of this mischief is to make friends with the slightly odd elderly couple from next door.

It's also all about connectedness. Has fate brought the Shepherds into the children's lives? Or is it simply coincidence? Or does war bring us all together, no matter who we are? The two strands of the narrative explore the effects of war on both soldiers and civilians, and on both horrific presents and potentially troubled futures. It's a great story too, tense and pacy, well-researched, and tremendously subtle. The two strands eventually close in one another, and the denouement is wonderfully satisfying.

Recommended.

My thanks to the good people at Hodder for sending the book.

If they like this time slip motif, they should also read Adlington's [[The Glittering Eye by LJ Adlington|The Glittering Eye]]. Slightly younger readers will also enjoy [[Time Train to the Blitz by Sophie McKenzie]]. Those who like the supernatural element a little stronger could look at [[The Stone Crown by Malcolm Walker]].

{{amazontext|amazon=0340956828}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7159417}}

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[[Category:Confident Readers]]

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 Recommended.
 My thanks to the good people at Hodder for sending the book.
-If they like this time slip motif, they should also read Adlington's [[The Glittering Eye by LJ Adlington|The Glittering Eye]]. Slightly younger readers will also enjoy [[Time Train to the Blitz by Sophie McKenzie]]. Those who like the supernatural element a little stronger could look at [[The Stone Crown by Malcolm Walker]].
+If they like this time slip motif, they should also read Adlington's [[The Glittering Eye by LJ Adlington|The Glittering Eye]] and [[Night Witches by LJ Adlington|Night Witches]]. Slightly younger readers will also enjoy [[Time Train to the Blitz by Sophie McKenzie]]. Those who like the supernatural element a little stronger could look at [[The Stone Crown by Malcolm Walker]].
 {{amazontext|amazon=0340956828}}

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-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title=The Burning Mountain
 |sort=Burning Mountain, The
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 |date=July 2010
 |isbn=0340956828
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340956828</amazonuk>
+|cover=0340956828
-|amazonus=<amazonus>0340956828</amazonus>
+|aznuk=0340956828
 }}

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 |buy=Yes
 |borrow=Yes
 |pages=336
 |publisher=Hodder
@@ Line 35: / Line 34: @@
 If they like this time slip motif, they should also read Adlington's [[The Glittering Eye by LJ Adlington|The Glittering Eye]]. Slightly younger readers will also enjoy [[Time Train to the Blitz by Sophie McKenzie]]. Those who like the supernatural element a little stronger could look at [[The Stone Crown by Malcolm Walker]].
-{{amazontext|amazon=0340956828}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=7159417}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0340956828}}
 {{commenthead}}
 [[Category:Confident Readers]]