Of a Boy

October 1 - 14    read / re-read it

October 15 - 24  blog it

October 25        chat to Sonya

The year is 1977, and Adrian is nine. He lives with his gran and his uncle Rory; his best friend is Clinton Tull. He loves to draw and he wants a dog; he's afraid of quicksand and self-combustion. Adrian watches his suburban world, but there is much he cannot understand. He does not, for instance, know why three neighbourhood children might set out to buy ice-cream and never come back home . . .

Sonya Hartnett is the internationally acclaimed author of several novels, including Thursday's Child, winner of the 2002 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, and Forest, winner of the 2002 Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year: Older Readers. In 2003, her adult novel, Of a Boy, won The Age Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award

Comments

[mad]

i havent read this one of hartnetts but we did her as an author study for english this year. at first i didnt really like her books becasue they kind of creeped me out (we read sleeping dogs, princes, and all my dangerous friends...and surrender, where the boy has and alter ego/split personality) but after studying them i actually love them now. although her story lines often show the gritty side of society theyre so well written. thanks miss s for opening my eyes.

oh and i cant wait to read of a boy now haha

[Marisol/Kat]

i have read this book

can someone explain the end to me

i want to be told that they died

i feel they are not

peace out Marisol/Kat

[minimaniac]

blurb sounds good. just got a 100 dollar gift voucher for a book shop for my b'day i'll get it with that

[Dr. Gregory Notch]

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful novel. A hearty vote of approval from me. I look forward to future work from Ms. Hartnett.

[Missa]

This, would have to be the first time I've read this book, or any of the aithor's work. I found her writing almost dizzying. It's wonderful, my favourite part would have to be describing the wave, that was the best bit of writing I've seen in a long time. Different to my normal likes, I found this book... Captivating. I couldn't stop reading it, I got into quite a bit of trouble in class.. ^^ However, it would also have to be one of the only books where I have had to re-read the ending to actually get it, when I did get it, I cried.

Nah, he's a typical nine-year old I'd say, though quieter. It's good to see inside his head, I feel sorry for him... Such a sweet kid. When I read it, I almost put the book down, vowing never to pick it up again... I'm half-way through my third time.

It was wonderful...

[Sal]

I'm reading this for the second time and still enjoying it as much as I did the first. The only thing is, does anyone else find Adrian kinda annoying? It's hard to feel sorry for him sometimes.

[flicker]

Ok, I know that using OMG is a little lame, but I'm half way through this and I'll I can say is OMG!!!! This is the first Sonya Hartnett book I've read, she writes crazily well; is anyone else loving this too?

[Tori]

This book sounds like my kinda book! Sadly my town is 3 hours away from the nearest bookshop that owns books like this one so I might not have access until the holidays but I look forward to buying a bunch a fantastic new reads. Reading takes you into your own world it's amazing I love reading.

[lols]

This is the first time i'v seen this book and by the looks of the blurb thing, it kinda sounds good.

[Floss]

I know it's not the 15th yet and we're not meant to start talking about this, but I just wanted to say I'm reading this and totally loving it. It's a bit sad..and that's all I'll say or I'll get in trouble.