Fallout
The year is 1980; the place is a small Welsh village. Marcus Pritchard is thirteen and a reluctant criminal, albeit small-time. His whole family is involved in crime and the other members do not see the negative impact of it. Marcus’s elder brother is already in a youth offending institution, which seems a brave move by the author, as some scenes take place there. This is rare for a middle-grade novel.
Marcus meets Emma who is also thirteen. She is home-schooled, doesn’t have a television – rare even in the 1980s – and she takes part in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protests. Both she and Marcus, for different reasons, are regarded as weird.
A neighbour of Marcus, Mick, has built a nuclear bunker in the woods behind his house, using government leaflets to advise upon its safety in the event of a nuclear attack. The bunker becomes a safe place, at Mick’s instigation, for both Marcus and Emma. The three characters form a genuine cross generational friendship.
Parr poses a question: will Marcus be able to shake off his family’s reputation and build his own identity? Yes, he will, and his growth as a person will be affirming to all young readers.
