Out of Shadows

Out of Shadows

by JasonWallace (Author)

Synopsis

'If I stood you in front of a man, pressed a gun into your palm and told you to squeeze the trigger, would you do it?' 'No, sir, no way!' 'What if I then told you we'd gone back in time and his name was Adolf Hitler? Would you do it then?' Zimbabwe, 1980s The war is over, independence has been won and Robert Mugabe has come to power offering hope, land and freedom to black Africans. It is the end of the Old Way and the start of a promising new era. For Robert Jacklin, it's all new: new continent, new country, new school. And very quickly he learns that for some of his classmates, the sound of guns is still loud, and their battles rage on ...white boys who want their old country back, not this new black African government. Boys like Ivan. Clever, cunning Ivan. For him, there is still one last battle to fight, and he's taking it right to the very top.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Edition: 1
Publisher: Andersen Press
Published: 28 Jan 2010

ISBN 10: 1849390487
ISBN 13: 9781849390484
Children’s book age: 12+ Years
Book Overview: Brand new edition of the multi-award-winning novel. A searing account of race, bullying and conspiracy in 1980s Zimbabwe
Prizes: Winner of Branford Boase Award 2011 and Costa Children's Book Award 2010. Shortlisted for Carnegie Medal 2011 and Booktrust Teenage Prize 2010.

Media Reviews
A stunning debut novel without a false note. Accomplished and powerful, it changes the way you think. * Costa Book Award *
(Jason Wallace's) bleak, ferocious debut is a powerful, devastating read for older teens. -- Patrick Ness * Guardian *
(Out of Shadows is) a provocative story, powerfully written. Some may find the themes difficult, the climax shocking, but Wallace has produced a first novel where all the heat and intensity of an African nation in flux burns on every page. He's a definitely a writer to watch in the future. -- Keith Gray * The Scotsman *
Classic crossover fiction...(Wallace's) unblinking portrait of true evil raises it above the norm... It's something that schools should study and readers read. Bravo! -- Amanda Craig * The Times *
In its portrayal of race relations in a wounded country as well as of the ugly power dynamics of a community of adolescent boys, this novel excels, bringing readers up to the grim, uncertain present with mastery. * Kirkus, Starred Review *
An extraordinary coming-of-age novel . . . a startlingly original debut . . . Charting the change from childhood to adulthood against growing political discord gives the novel a sense of urgency, and the book's intensity, drama and pace leaves a lasting impact. -- Jake Hope * Bookseller's choice, The Bookseller *
Author Bio
Jason Wallace was born in Cheltenham in 1969 but moved to London after his parents split up. Aged 12 his life was turned upside down when his mother remarried and the family emigrated to Zimbabwe. It was this experience in a tough boarding school during the aftermath of the war for independence that forms the foundation of his incredible novel. And he did actually meet Robert Mugabe when he visited his school. Jason is currently a web designer, living in South West London.