David Almond’s ‘The Tightrope Walkers’ has such a strong sense of place, evoking 50s and 60s Newcastle with a vivid poetry. I have loved Almond’s children’s books and was impressed by his transition into adult fiction, in this deeply affecting coming of age story.

Brilliant book, a raw, heart-breaking bildungsroman about Dominic, torn between his firmly working class roots and his aspirations towards education and culture. Set in Tyneside in the 1950s and 1960s, and with the time and place vividly conveyed, we follow Dom as he navigates his way through two very different worlds. There are no villains here – except perhaps for the bully Vincent McAlinden, and even he is redeemed later on; but nor are there any saints – except perhaps for Dom’s father, a wonderfully portrayed character if ever I’ve seen one. People do their best. They want what’s best for themselves and their families. But it’s a hard life in the shipyards, which Dom finds out when he goes to work there. Well-crafted, well-placed, always avoiding sentimentality and never shying away form the harshness, I found this an absorbing and compelling coming-of-age tale, with complex and convincing characters and authentic dialogue. An excellent read.