This story, mixing kindness and cruelty, mystery and day to day humdrum, takes you into the heart of the Pavee traveller community in 1950s' Ireland. Young Christy is an engaging narrator with an authentic voice. He opens up his world and invites the reader in, sharing the good and the bad with a mischievous humour, shot through with shocking moments and real poignancy. There are no outright villains here – a nuance that really worked for me.
After I was finished my chores and my tea, I scrambled up into the climbing tree, which was thick and low-boughed enough that I could bring Gulliver up with me. I liked the change of scenery, the steep angles, the secrecy of it. I cracked open the book, and straightaway I knew I'd made the right choice. Sometimes I think you can just tell by the smell of the paper, different in every book - some pages sweet and damp, and others sharp, bitter. Gulliver smelled like an ocean journey, full of seaweed. Or barnacles maybe. I'd never smelt barnacles. Delicious.
