Bearmouth: A Novel

by Liz Hyder

Overview

“This grim and immersive thriller delivers suspense in the dark.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Life in Bearmouth is one of hard labor and isolation, where daylight is a distant memory. Newt has lived in the mine since the age of four, and accepts everything from the harsh working conditions to the brutality of the overseers—until the mysterious Devlin arrives and Newt begins to ask, “Why?” Against a background of creeping violence and rising tensions, this question drives a chain of events that confronts both Newt’s identity and the pitiless Bearmouth system.

With an utterly distinctive voice and propulsive storytelling, this darkly provocative thriller announces the arrival of a singular new talent in young adult literature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781324019718
Publisher:	Norton Young Readers
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	524,042
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Liz Hyder is a writer and multi-award-winning PR consultant in the arts with a BA in drama from the University of Bristol. She won Moniack Mhor’s 2018 Emerging Writer Award, and lives in South Shropshire, England.

Editorial Reviews

08/10/2020

“Inspired by the real-life experiences of miners in Victorian times,” debut author Hyder’s ambitious coal mining thriller stars narrator Newt, a young person who questions the deplorable conditions in the Bearmouth mine. Newt, called a “YouNuck. Not one thing or the uvver,” by the other miners, lives down in the mine, receiving paltry wages, meager food rations, and barely adequate clothing, and using candles for light. Mining accidents and violence regularly cause death, and the miners largely accept their precarious fate, conditioned by the religion of “the Mayker” to yield to exploitation. Inspired by Thomas, a father figure (and the tale’s only person of color) who teaches Newt “my letters,” and Devlin, a new arrival with a rebellious spirit, Newt begins to ask why they must suffer. Hyder heightens the tension by juxtaposing homey, domestic moments with terrifying episodes, including a scene of sexual assault. Newt’s phonetically spelled first-person narration makes some words difficult to decipher, but persistent readers should relish Hyder’s ambitious, atmospherically rendered commentary on oppressive work situations and child labor. Ages 13–up. Agent: Allison Hellegers, Stimola Literary Studio. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Delving into politics, religion, power, and revolution—especially during a time of our own civil unrest—Hyder’s bleak world of dangerous coal mines and brutal labor provides the victorious ending we’re yearning for."

Booklist

"[An] excellent fantasy debut....A mythic tale with the feel of a fable, one in which the young and vulnerable take on the powerful and mighty."

Guardian

"A book about bravery in extremis by a writer as courageous as they come."

Times (UK)

10/01/2020

Gr 8 Up—Newt is a young miner, described early on as "not a boy nor yet a wimmin," who lives and works in a mine named Bearmouth. All the boys and men there are trapped by low wages, cruel management, and a draconian religion, thus dooming them to a life of servitude. The miners develop a family underground with Newt being especially close to Thomas, who is teaching the young miner to read. When a new worker named Devlin is added to their crew, Newt is wary yet drawn to him. Devlin begins to plant seeds of revolution in Newt's mind, so when a secret is revealed and their way of life is challenged, Newt's eyes are opened to how very trapped they all are. Debut author Hyder gives Newt a distinctive voice. The prose is written phonetically, as if Newt is sharing the story with what little knowledge of writing they have. It's a challenge to get into the rhythm of this writing style, which may be off putting to readers, but the world-building is strong, as life in the claustrophobic mines seems to be a cross between a dystopian future and the Victorian era. There is a scene with the threat of sexual assault. Physical appearance isn't often described, though Devlin is white and Thomas has brown skin. VERDICT A unique story that will take readers a while to get used to. This book might be a hard sell to teens, but for those who are ready for a fresh narrative, this gripping story of hope, friendship, and revolution will be worth it.—Nancy McKay, Byron P.L., IL

School Library Journal

★ 2020-06-16
Newt has been eking out a living as an unskilled laborer in the bleak Bearmouth coal mine since the age of 4.

Forced to work in appalling underground conditions in an alternate Britain for meager pay, Newt—also called “YouNuck” (eunuch) by others as a malicious nod to their perceived undefined gender—must split their earnings between essential purchases from the company store and wages sent to their family back home. Life in the mine is brutal, and each day seems to bring new injuries, assaults, or deaths. Newt is able to focus on the bright spots in the darkness: loving friendships, moments of joy, and caring fellow miners who treat Newt like family. Newt is encouraged to keep their head down and follow the rules so as to not upset the fine balance in the mines between exploited workers and those in power, but everything changes when a dangerous newcomer joins the team and begins asking provocative questions. When tragedy strikes, Newt begins to question their religious faith in the Mayker and yearns for change. Newt is taught their letters by Thomas, a fellow worker in the mines, and the story is told in Newt’s own words through phonetically written prose. Thomas has brown skin; all other characters seem to be white.

This grim and immersive thriller delivers suspense in the dark. (Dystopian thriller. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews