Throwback Thursday: Almost Gave Up

Life in a small town can be pretty boring when everyone avoids you like the plague. But after their father unwittingly sends them to stay with an aunt who's away on holiday, the Hardscrabble children take off on an adventure that begins in the seedy streets of London and ends in a peculiar sea village where, according to legend, a monstrous half-beast boy roams the woods...

The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter is set-up as one of the three Hardscrabble children writing a tale about a personal adventure, under the guidance of a teacher. While the writer is to remain anonymous, it doesn't take long to figure out which child is most likely the author. The problem I have with this approach is it really does seem like a child wrote this book (so, technically, Ellen Potter is a talented author), and I grew sick of having the story interrupted by the narrator addressing the reader directly (cheesy interjections, and some on the insulting side). This seems to dumb-down the book, rather than add to it. The constant explaining of events, as well as the brief summary of things to come at the start of each chapter, slowed down the pace of the story considerably.

Otto is the oldest of the Hardscrabble children; he keeps a scarf wrapped around his face, he doesn't speak, and he signs in a way that only Lucia and Max can translate. Lucia is the middle child, and seemed to have a harsh personality. Max, the youngest, is the deep thinker. Their dad, Casper, travels quite a bit, and leaves the children in the care of Mrs. Carnival. Their adventure begins when an arrangement for their care falls through and they decide to search for a mysterious great-aunt. Along the way, they meet a curious character named Saint George, and a five-legged cat they call Chester.

I was so sure I would never recommend this book to anyone. The thing is, when I finally realized what this story is really about, I found this to be one of the most beautiful tales that I've ever read...in a sad way that brought tears to my eyes. Ellen Potter isn't just talented; she's ground-breaking. She uses a combination of genres to introduce a new perspective to a family problem that would be difficult for anyone to deal with, especially young children. I love how Casper and the children come together to make the best of a tragic situation. Anyone who reads this book will appreciate the resiliency of the Hardscrabble children.

As always,
AstraDaemon