So for part of my college celebration of YA books/Arts Award project, I organized James Dawson to come in for a talk.
I was nervous as hell, being super worried that my posters, emails and general word of mouth wasn't enough, but that was all out of my control. I couldn't even focus on my double maths period I had in the morning..haha...
I don't know how much I'm really allowed to say about the talking that happened before the event so I just thought it'd be safer not to say anything in general...other than I can't wait for his future books and a possible shake and change in the genre department. Other than that my lips are sealed...!
James kindly agreed for me to film the talk, as a use of evidence for my Gold Arts Award, but has also let me share it with you guys too!
I have also edited out the extract that he read...just to save those who don't have an hour at hand to listen to the full talk!
So I present to you, an extract from Say Her Name read by the author himself, James Dawson.
*Round of applause*
Now, for the full length talk....
There is a cut around half way through because the camera had a little panic attack but I don't think you really miss much either way! It's basically an hour long. I speak in this video...and I sound SUPER posh...I am still coming to terms with how weird I sound..
***Warnings***
- There are some small spoilers in this talk about Say Her Name - it's in the Q&A section, you watch at your own risk (for me, I would count it as a spoiler but it's up to you!) ...It's around 28:37(ish) to 31:02(ish)
- Do I need to warn you guys about swears too? Or are we all cool about those things? What do I say..? Mild use of swearing? *shurgs*
My review will be posted here closer to the time of release! And yes, I finished it in less than 24 hours. 24 hours of paralyzed reading. I have yet to decipher if I was paralyzed from fear or enjoyment!
But in the meantime, check out Hollow Pike and Cruel Summer!
And THANK YOU (again) James for coming in!! :D
Title: Hollow Pike
Author: James Dawson
Published: 2nd February 2012 (Orion Children's Books)
Pages: 416
She thought she’d be safe in the country, but you can’t escape your own nightmares, and Lis London dreams repeatedly that someone is trying to kill her. Lis thinks she’s being paranoid - after all who would want to murder her? She doesn’t believe in the local legends of witchcraft. She doesn’t believe that anything bad will really happen to her. You never do, do you? Not until you’re alone in the woods, after dark - and a twig snaps... Hollow Pike - where witchcraft never sleeps. [Via Goodreads]
My Thoughts:
I've had this book on my TBR shelf for a while, I bought it back in October (I think), but was never really in the mood to read it. I'm currently in the "fairies, magic and witches" sort of mood, so what book fits one of those categories? Hollow Pike.
Wow. Just wow.
I've never held my breath so much throughout a book. Descriptions where written so well without it feeling too overwhelming and I felt like I was watching a TV series *cough cough* Yeah, I can imagine this being a TV series, every little scene in this book. (Not a movie because I feel that it can end on so many cliff-hangers at the end of each episode...and it's worth more than an hour long film! :P )
I was gripped to the book as soon as I started. I cannot think of a fault at all. The pace was perfect and I don't know how Dawson was able to keep it so suspenseful, making me frantically reading on until revealing the answers on the last pages.
A creepy and eerie factor that I loved were from those figures were stalking Lis. But then the idea of paranoia also slips in and thinking back, yes, it does seem to run really closely to The Crucible (which I also had to study in GCSE like Lis - I hated it). This was almost like a modern day twist of the novel and it was perfect.
"From the tangled bushes at the end of the garden, a figure watched the house intently. Pale fingers pulled leaves aside, seeking a better view of the building."
WHO? WHEN? WHY? HOW?
Even with the gritty storyline, I think that the draw was the characters. I, strangely, really wanted to be friends with Lis as soon as I started reading about her. She seemed so down to earth and although initially siding with Laura, she did everything that I would of done in the end. I never once got annoyed at any of the characters for keeping secrets from the police, which I think is really difficult to do because there's always that thin line between annoying and being tolerable.
HIGH RECOMMEND!
If you don't follow through by reading it, I really do think you're missing out on some really good UKYA!
