Children's Writer, Book Reviewer, Teacher, Artist
I seem to be awarding so many books 5 stars, and this is no exception...
What a joy 'The Boy Who Flew' is! It's a story that doesn't just fly, it soars. It is gripping from the opening pages to its dramatic and very tense ending. I loved it and hope it goes on to receive accolades it certainly deserves.
Athan Wilde works for Mr Chen. Together they're building a flying machine; an invention that surely isn't possible. But when Mr Chen is murdered, Athan must protect the equipment and the designs from getting into the wrong hands. Who can Athan trust? Will his family and friends get behind him? Terrible dangers will await Athan at every turn... including the brutish Colonel Blade.
Like a great Dickensian novel, 'The Boy Who Flew' draws us into a world of hard-living, despicable villains and lovable, down-trodden children. There is something of Oliver Twist about it. While Athan may have a family, of sorts, they are hardly sympathetic and living the high-life. Hitchcock makes us smell their poverty and so immediately our heart goes out to Athan, his adorable sisters, and his other downtrodden friend Todd. We are behind all these children; the adults are mostly vulgar and untrustworthy. In this, there are comparisons to Roald Dahl. I'm reminded of Charlie Buckett's impoverished conditions and our complete sense of rooting for him to find a better life. Fleur Hitchcock knows how to work the reader's heartstrings too while also gripping us with a cracking plot. Her writing is honed like finely crafted wings. In particular, the ending is heart-poundingly good. The pages just flew...
Already this story is haunting me: the images burned in my mind. Which, of course, is a sign of an excellent story. Well done, Fleur Hitchcock! I look forward to picking up some more of your books in the not too distant future.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-boy-who-flew/fleur-hitchcock/9781788004381