A review by smolbean_reads
Skellig by David Almond

4.0

'Our heads were dark, then they were as huge and moonlit as the night.'

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Skellig, what a magical book. Strangely enough, David Almond, the writer, explained that he didn't really see himself as a magical realism author. But if we look at Skellig, it's as if he was creating magic without necessarily realising- it just wrote itself in.

I read this book about 8 years ago in school (which is ironic as a lot of the book is about not going to school), but decided to pick it up again to see if I would appreciate the story more as an adult reader. And I really did. I appreciated its beautiful simple lyrical prose, the atmosphere and the message of hope that runs throughout the whole book.

Skellig is told through the viewpoint of a young boy, Michael, who has moved to a new house. He has a baby sister who is ill in hospital (and may not survive) and is left to his own devices at home with his dad who is trying to do the new house up. On exploring the dilapidated garage, he stumbles across what he thinks to be an old, dying man. He and his new friend, Mina, want to help the frail man get out the garage before it is too late and it crumbles down on him.

I think the main thing that stood out to me after finishing this book was how much there was in it, how complex it was- yet how simple and almost calm it felt on the surface. Like running your hand across the surface of a still ocean and finding your fingers brushing the textured and glittering bodies of a dozen colourful fish.

This mysterious, magical book delicately covers so many looked-over subjects and really leaves a lot open to interpretation. Through Mina, an intelligent yet still a little naive, girl, David explores the themes of extroadinary in the ordinary, the power of listening, the importance of an open mind, the differences between people, and the hope, unconditional care and courage that young people have within themselves.

We also find a lot of William Blakes poetry in the book...

'Love is the child that breathes our breath/ Love is the child that scatters death'

Overall, as many previous reviews have decided, this book is wonderful for both children and adults alike. It reminds adults to look at the simple things and life and to see the beauty and depth to things, and it excites children with its dreamy and magical chapters. Yet the questions left on everyone's tongue is:

'Who and what is Skellig?'

We'll never know. But life is full of mysteries. And it is mystery that grows the imagination.

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The next book in the series that David Almond wrote about 10 years later, is called My Name is Mina and is written in a journal form by Mina herself. This will be on my reading list.