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Tuesday 28 January 2020

SKELLIG by David Almond

Skellig (Skellig, #1)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a lovely book I found in one of our local Street Libraries. I was captivated by the blurb and added it to my TBR pile until I was ready to read it.

Well, that day was today. I picked it up this morning and couldn't stop reading until I got to The End.

Michael and his family have moved into an old crumbling house his parents are going to renovate. But then his baby sister gets sick, and he feels sad, lost and alone.

As he starts to withdraw from his school friends, he befriends his new neighbour. Mina is homeschooled, she's very clever, creative and fascinated by birds. Which comes in handy after Michael stumbles upon the old withered man he finds in the shaky garage...

Like I said above, this book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go. It's such a beautiful, magical story that also deals with the real-life issues of how illness affects the whole family, what change can do to a kid, and how being kind can lead to so many amazing experiences.

The friendship between Michael and Mina is so lovely. Two kids who seem worlds apart are actually kindred spirits. Michael was such a nice and caring kid, one who wasn't judgemental and was fascinated by new things. And Mina was such an independent and adventurous kid. Just like Michael, she's kind and understanding.

These two characters were integral to keeping me glued to the story. And while I also liked the parents, my other favourite was the very mysterious, Skellig. Speaking of kind souls, here's another one. Except, this one has the added element of myth and magic added to the mix, and I love the effect he has on these kids.

I'm really glad that I finally read this, because it was the most wonderful, and sometimes heart-wrenching, roller-coaster ride.



ADDITIONAL NOTES:

We're really lucky to live in a suburb that has a bunch of Street Libraries within walking distance.

Not only is it cool to find books, but it's also great to donate.

This book happens to be one that we found in one of these Library boxes. And it's in perfect condition. Not to mention that I love the vibrant cover that totally captures one of the characters in this very emotional book. 😊

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