Bearmouth

Reviews / Votes

An extraordinary dystopian novel... compelling and original * Sunday Times, Book of the Year * One of the most vivid, tough, bold and gripping books I've read in a long time - and it's utterly original, the kind of story to carry you away * Katherine Rundell, author of The Good Thieves * Like nothing I have read before... hand-in-mouth gripping... [Hyder] will become a household name and her books a curriculum staple * The Times, Children's Book of the Month * One of the most ambitious and darkly brilliant YA books I've read. It's provocative, tender, claustrophobic and epic. It blew my mind * Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of The Girl of Ink & Stars * Bearmouth is devastating, genre breaking, a book in which the very language changes as the plot progresses. A Jonathan Livingstone Seagull for today. I can't wait to see what Hyder does next, I will go wherever she takes me * Daisy Johnson * A dazzling fable of oppression and hope * Financial Times, Books of the Year * [Bearmouth] has remained with me since I read it almost a year ago. A strange, uncompromising and innovative novel written in dialect, set in a mine where workers are promised riches in the next life -- Kiran Millwood Hargrave * Guardian, Best Books of 2019 * There's nothing like a dose of darkness and claustrophobia to give a story intensity, and Liz Hyder's excellent fantasy debut has plenty of both * Guardian * A mighty impressive piece of work... compelling, powerful and utterly unique * Brian Conaghan, winner of the Costa Children's Book Award * An accomplished, intelligent, gripping, and unforgettable debut... once you start reading you will not be able to put it down * M. G. Leonard, author of Beetle Boy * A stunningly written, raw, wholly original, darkly beautiful triumph * Lauren St John, author of The White Giraffe * My top pick for ages 12 upwards... a remarkable debut... as good as anything by Joan Aiken * New Statesman * Liz Hyder is a writer of true courage * David Almond * A bold, arresting first book * Observer * Excellent... Young teens and upwards will find much to enjoy in this book -- Philip Womack * Literary Review * Exciting, ambitious and completely unpredictable: the kind of book to read in one sitting, quite breathless * BookTrust * As vivid, original and distinctive as it gets... shocking and haunting, but moving and uplifting too. I was gripped from the first page - and I've never read a book like it * Telegraph and Argus * An ambitious, memorable debut * Bookseller, Ones to Watch * A hugely atmospheric read... a page-turner for sure * John McLay, Artistic Director, Bath Children's Literature Festival * A great achievement - deeply moving, original, profound * Chloe Dunbar, Director at Ways with Words and Head of Development at Hera Pictures * It's going to be huge, and deservedly so. It will stop you in your tracks. It will grip you, bewitch you, haunt you * Nicholas Pegg * The most memorable, different and stunning YA book I've read * Katy Moran * Darkly brilliant...I was totally immersed * Gill Lewis, author of Sky Hawk * A brilliant and thought-provoking piece of writing that you will not be able to put down * Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books *