Bearmouth

July 1, 2020
Newt has been eking out a living as an unskilled laborer in the bleak Bearmouth coal mine since the age of 4. Forced to work in appalling underground conditions in an alternate Britain for meager pay, Newt--also called "YouNuck" (eunuch) by others as a malicious nod to their perceived undefined gender--must split their earnings between essential purchases from the company store and wages sent to their family back home. Life in the mine is brutal, and each day seems to bring new injuries, assaults, or deaths. Newt is able to focus on the bright spots in the darkness: loving friendships, moments of joy, and caring fellow miners who treat Newt like family. Newt is encouraged to keep their head down and follow the rules so as to not upset the fine balance in the mines between exploited workers and those in power, but everything changes when a dangerous newcomer joins the team and begins asking provocative questions. When tragedy strikes, Newt begins to question their religious faith in the Mayker and yearns for change. Newt is taught their letters by Thomas, a fellow worker in the mines, and the story is told in Newt's own words through phonetically written prose. Thomas has brown skin; all other characters seem to be white. This grim and immersive thriller delivers suspense in the dark. (Dystopian thriller. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 10, 2020
“Inspired by the real-life experiences of miners in Victorian times,” debut author Hyder’s ambitious coal mining thriller stars narrator Newt, a young person who questions the deplorable conditions in the Bearmouth mine. Newt, called a “YouNuck. Not one thing or the uvver,” by the other miners, lives down in the mine, receiving paltry wages, meager food rations, and barely adequate clothing, and using candles for light. Mining accidents and violence regularly cause death, and the miners largely accept their precarious fate, conditioned by the religion of “the Mayker” to yield to exploitation. Inspired by Thomas, a father figure (and the tale’s only person of color) who teaches Newt “my letters,” and Devlin, a new arrival with a rebellious spirit, Newt begins to ask why they must suffer. Hyder heightens the tension by juxtaposing homey, domestic moments with terrifying episodes, including a scene of sexual assault. Newt’s phonetically spelled first-person narration makes some words difficult to decipher, but persistent readers should relish Hyder’s ambitious, atmospherically rendered commentary on oppressive work situations and child labor. Ages 13–up. Agent: Allison Hellegers, Stimola Literary Studio.

August 1, 2020
Grades 9-12 The days are long and dark in the coal mines of Bearmouth, where people work hard for paltry wages for the Master, under the all-knowing watch of their Mayker. As demand to increase production climbs and "axidents" in the mines rise, young workers Newt and Devlin begin questioning their claustrophobic world and the equally suffocating system exploiting them. With the lowly workers' livelihoods on the line and their faith firmly in the grasp of their almighty Mayker, the pair will have to do something extraordinary to lead everyone to freedom. Hyder uses idiosyncratic dialect and phonetic spelling, but don't let that deter you from reading on. This page-turning debut (initially published in the UK) will acclimate readers surprisingly quickly as the language changes in Newt's first-person telling and he becomes more literate, priming him to question the regime he lives under that is wrought with corruption, greed, and "mannipewlayshun." Delving into politics, religion, power, and revolution?especially during a time of our own civil unrest?Hyder's bleak world of dangerous coal mines and brutal labor provides the victorious ending we're yearning for.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

October 1, 2020

Gr 8 Up-Newt is a young miner, described early on as "not a boy nor yet a wimmin," who lives and works in a mine named Bearmouth. All the boys and men there are trapped by low wages, cruel management, and a draconian religion, thus dooming them to a life of servitude. The miners develop a family underground with Newt being especially close to Thomas, who is teaching the young miner to read. When a new worker named Devlin is added to their crew, Newt is wary yet drawn to him. Devlin begins to plant seeds of revolution in Newt's mind, so when a secret is revealed and their way of life is challenged, Newt's eyes are opened to how very trapped they all are. Debut author Hyder gives Newt a distinctive voice. The prose is written phonetically, as if Newt is sharing the story with what little knowledge of writing they have. It's a challenge to get into the rhythm of this writing style, which may be off putting to readers, but the world-building is strong, as life in the claustrophobic mines seems to be a cross between a dystopian future and the Victorian era. There is a scene with the threat of sexual assault. Physical appearance isn't often described, though Devlin is white and Thomas has brown skin. VERDICT A unique story that will take readers a while to get used to. This book might be a hard sell to teens, but for those who are ready for a fresh narrative, this gripping story of hope, friendship, and revolution will be worth it.-Nancy McKay, Byron P.L., IL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.