Tell the Story to Its End

August 24, 2015
Offering a spiral of stories within stories, this atmospheric first novel features a boy searching for truth, who gets sidetracked by a remarkable discovery. Narrator Oli is whisked away from London to a country town, where he and his mother pay an extended visit to Oli’s aunt and uncle. Oli doesn’t know why they left home or why his father didn’t accompany them, and no one will give him a straight answer. Everyone seems to have secrets, including Oli: he has met a creature named Eren in the attic, whose very survival seems to depend on hearing the stories Oli tells him. Philosophical musings about the purpose of storytelling can be a little overplayed and abstract (“Stories are the truth beyond the flat, stone world”), but Clark does an admirable job of conveying Oli’s wonder, confusion, and frustration as he strays farther and farther from reality. Echoing the surreal quality and settings of David Almond’s books, this novel adeptly mixes fantasy with reality and leaves some pressing questions unanswered. Ages 12–up. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, Bent Agency.

August 15, 2015
A boy whose life is turned upside down by paternal scandal finds solace with an imaginary creature who preaches the power and value of storytelling. It's summer, and 12-year-old Oli is confused when Mum makes it clear that just the two of them will be leaving London for the countryside and staying at his grandmother's house for a time. When Oli realizes that his Dad won't be joining them because he's at the center of a high-profile political scandal and that his Mum isn't being forthcoming about any of it, he retreats more and more into encounters with Eren, a beast in the attic not unlike a literary vampire, whose existence desperately depends on stories. Debut British-American author Clark creates a tale with mythic largesse, laced with narrative offerings from Oli's friends and supporters. Each chapter begins with italicized encounters between Eren and Oli, as the book explores the relationship between truth and fiction, the essence of story, and the urgency of putting dreams and experiences into words "to fire imaginations and break worlds." Savvy readers and would-be writers will love this exploration of story as an art form, a panacea, and an endless part of life. (Fantasy. 10-14)

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November 1, 2015

Gr 6 Up-A sinister debut novel. It begins with a familiar premise-young Oli has been uprooted from urban London and transported, willy-nilly, to the rural home of his uncle. Once he is there, his mother and his adult relatives encourage him to make friends, but mysterious whisperings about the unexplained absence of his father, and his mother's strained expressions escape the facade of normalcy that his family members try to maintain. Oli does make friends, but it isn't enough-there is something in the attic that seems to irresistibly draw his attention. Eren, an eerie, unsettling creature, thrives on Oli's storytelling-at first a seemingly perfect opportunity for Oli, who has been thwarted in his attempts to get answers from his mother. However, as Eren's demands become more and more voracious, the protagonist wonders how far he can be drawn into Eren's web of fantasy and storytelling and whether he will ever be able to return to the real world. The ending might confuse and distress some readers. The occasional black-and-white ink illustrations add to the haunting atmosphere of growing suspense as Oli gets drawn further into Eren's world. VERDICT A chilling read reminiscent of Patrick Ness's books, Clark's novel will appeal to those who enjoy their fiction dark and disturbing.-Evelyn Khoo Schwartz, Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC

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