A Song For Ella Grey by David Almond
Hodder Children's Books 2014. ISBN: 9781444919547
(Age: Teens) A Song for Ella Grey attempts to incorporate
both visual and aural elements. Every action is easy to visualise
and the writing is completely accessible to young people.
The story takes place in the North of England during the final year
of schooling for Claire and her friends. Since winter, they have
been planning a trip to the beach in Northumberland. When Spring
break comes however, Ella, Claire's best friend, can't go and so the
group leave her behind. The trip is everything Claire wanted it to
be - a week of boisterousness, booze and boys. But without Claire it's
not the same. When a mysterious stranger appears (a musician and a
wanderer), Claire feels like she needs to share the experience with
Ella. She calls Ella and the mysterious man talks and serenades her.
They have an instant connection.
When term resumes Claire notices that Ella is more dreamy than ever.
She is fixated on Orpheus, despite never having met him, and
convinced that he is going to come for her. Unable to do anything to
prevent their meeting, Claire can only stand by as Orpheus comes to
sweep Ella away. But real life isn't so neat and before long,
disaster strikes, snatching poor Ella from their grasp. To prove his
love, Orpheus disappears, searching for a way into the underworld to
rescue her.
The novel incorporates some elements of Greek mythology as one of
the characters, Orpheus, is potentially the mythological Orpheus,
legendary musician and poet. He has the ability to charm all living
things, this is apparent in the novel through Bianca's infatuation.
Despite being a mythological element, there is no direct mention of
Orpheus as a mythological figure and so no prior knowledge is
necessary. Dealing with issues surrounding school, alcoholism,
stress and boyfriends, this is a novel that I would fully expect any
teenage girl to pick up and read.
Kayla Gaskell (age nineteen)