Book description
A major novel from one of the country's greatest writers, and the
crowning achievement of an astonishing career, 'Boneland' is also the
long-awaited conclusion to the story of Colin and Susan - a story that
began over fifty years ago in 'The Weirdstone of Brisingamen'…
'A woman was reading a book to a child on her knee.
'“So the little boy went into the wood, and he met a witch. And the
witch said, 'You come home with me and I'll give you a good dinner.' Now
you wouldn't go home with a witch, would you?”
'Colin stood. “Young man. Do not go into the witch's house. Do not. And
whatever you do, do not go upstairs. You must not go upstairs. Do not
go! You are not to go!”'
Professor Colin Whisterfield spends his days at Jodrell Bank, using the
radio telescope to look for his lost sister in the Pleiades. At night,
he is on Alderley Edge, watching.
At the same time, and in another time, the Watcher cuts the rock and
blows bulls on the stone with his blood, and dances, to keep the sky
above the earth and the stars flying.
Colin can't remember; and he remembers too much. Before the age of
thirteen is a blank. After that he recalls everything: where he was,
what he was doing, in every minute of every hour of every day.
Everything he has read and seen.
And then, finally, a new force enters his life, a therapist who might
be able to unlock what happened to him when he was twelve, what happened
to his sister.
But Colin will have to remember quickly, to find his sister. And the
Watcher will have to find the Woman. Otherwise the skies will fall, and
there will be only winter, wanderers and moon… Press for 'Boneland':
'From Harry Potter to The Hunger Games, adults have been
enthusiastically been reading children's books over recent years. Garner
predates the cross over phenomenon by decades, but he has never been
just a children's writer: he's far richer, odder and deeper than that' Guardian
'There is much left unexplained. However, this is a novel for all the
children who loved 'The Weirdstone Of Brisingamen' but who have now
grown up.' Four out of Five stars. Sarah Kingsford, Express ALAN
GARNER was born in Congleton in Cheshire in October 1934. He was brought
up on Alderley and lives with his wife and family, between Congleton and Alderley.
Alan Garner's writing was Highly Recommended for the only international
children's book award, The Hans Christian Andersen Medal, in 1978. He
was also awarded the twelfth annual Children's Literature Association
International Phoenix Award for his novel The Stone Book and by
extension, of course, for the entire Stone Book Quartet. In 2001, Alan
was awarded an OBE for his services to Children's Literature, despite
admitting that he doesn't write for children - they just understand his
books best.
