By Brian Conaghan (author)
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Charlie’s life should be pretty miserable: he lives in Little Town, where everyone spies on everyone else, and the population is caught between their oppressive rulers and violent criminals who run the black market. A bombing campaign and invasion by their neighbours in the Old Country makes things even worse. Somehow though Charlie remains positive. He makes friends with Pav, a refugee from the Old Country, and together they turn an old shed into a homely refuge until circumstances leave Charlie owing favours to the terrifying Big Man, and facing an awful choice.
Decent, determined and brighter than he makes out, Charlie finds a solution. Charlie’s voice and outlook keep the tone light despite the darkness of setting and subject matter.
Hugely entertaining and highly original. Sally Gardner’s Maggot Moon and Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now are more examples of brilliant, thought-provoking dystopian fiction, while After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross offers similar insight into the refugee experience.
Set in a bleak world and reminiscent of Orwell’s 1984, The Bombs That Brought Us Together is nonetheless a funny, tender, surprising and uplifting novel.
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Fourteen-year-old Charlie Law has lived in Little Town, on the border with Old Country, all his life. He knows the rules: no going out after dark; no drinking; no litter; no fighting. You don't want to get on the wrong side of the people who run Little Town. When he meets Pavel Duda, a refugee from Old Country, the rules start to get broken.
Then the bombs come, and the soldiers from Old Country, and Little Town changes for ever. Sometimes, to keep the people you love safe, you have to do bad things. As Little Town's rules crumble, Charlie is sucked into a dangerous game. There's a gun, and a bad man, and his closest friend, and his dearest enemy. Charlie Law wants to keep everyone happy, even if it kills him. And maybe it will...
Perfect for readers of Patrick Ness, John Boyne and Malorie Blackman
A dark, powerful tale of survival, morality and loyalty Scotsman
A clever, entertaining and engaging piece of writing ... very carefully composed and gradually seducing its readers with its sense of fun, detail and, as appropriate, seriousness. Robert Dunbar Irish Times
The Bombs That Brought Us Together has all the warmth and humour of Mr Dog whilst also dealing with some pretty heavyweight issues, including immigration and cultural identity ... Phenomenal Sarah Crossan
I loved When Mr Dog Bites and have been wondering what he would do next. And it's utterly different. But equally remarkable Bookbag
In this novel Brian Conaghan shows us that he is absolute master at creating believable, funny, brave and vulnerable young male characters School Librarian
This accomplished new novel establishes him as a major talent. It's incredibly powerful and thought-provoking on big issues such as nationalism, war and refugees, and poses some challenging moral questions. It's also brilliantly funny with characters that you will really root for. Editor's Choice, Bookseller
Brian Conaghan lives and works in the Scottish town of Coatbridge. He was a teacher for many years, and his novel When Mr Dog Bites was shortlisted for the 2015 Carnegie Medal. The Bombs That Brought Us Together won the 2016 Costa Children’s Book Award, The Weight of a Thousand Feathers won the 2018 Irish Book Award for Teen/YA Book of the Year, and We Come Apart , a verse novel co-authored with Carnegie Medal-winner Sarah Crossan, won the 2018 UKLA Book Award. Cardboard Cowboys , Brian’s first middle-grade novel, published in 2021 and is full of his trademark heart, humour and crackling dialogue.
Fabulous YA fiction with friendship at its heart — from the best books about besties, to tales of transformative bonds that’ll tug at your heartstrings
Costa Children's Book Award 2020
Costa Children's Book Award 2021
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Set in a bleak world and reminiscent of Orwell’s 1984, The Bombs That Brought Us Together is nonetheless a funny, tender, surprising and uplifting novel. Fourteen-year-old Charlie Law has lived in Little Town, on the border with Old Country, all his life.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Bombs That Brought Us Together and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
The Bombs That Brought Us Together features in the following genres: Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Gritty Reads
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The Bombs That Brought Us Together was written by Brian Conaghan and published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
The Bombs That Brought Us Together has 360 pages
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