The Bombs That Brought Us Together

June 20, 2016
In this allegorical coming-of-age novel, 14-year-old Charlie Law struggles to stay alive in a war zone amid prejudice and tough decisions. Charlie lives in Little Town, where a corrupt regime rules through fear and tyranny, and criminals have all the power. When he befriends Pavel Duda, whose family fled the neighboring Old Country, both boys experience culture shock but become inseparable. Then Old Country bombs and occupies Little Town, disrupting the social and civil structures. To survive, Charlie and Pav become indebted to the powerful Big Man, a crime lord with access to food and medicine, but when his demands for repayment become unthinkable, Charlie has to take a stand. Conaghan (When Mr. Dog Bites) presents a compelling situation with no easy answers; it’s easy to sympathize with Charlie’s moral and ethical dilemmas, and the dichotomy between Old Country and Little Town could fuel provocative discussions. However, the generic, ambiguous nature of the setting and conflict—while striving for universality—can be distracting in its lack of detail, giving readers little grounding. Ages 14–up. Agent: Ben Illis, Ben Illis Agency.