Monthly Archives: March 2011

Jim Carrington’s In The Bag tells the story of best mates devil-may-care Ash and worrier Joe who find £20,000 in used notes dumped in a holdall in their local woods. Rather than hand it in to the police Ash and Joe keep the money, and as it becomes clear to them that the cash is part of something much larger and more dangerous than either of them could have imagined, their lack of sense and maturity leads them into serious danger.

In The Bag is Jim Carrington’s second novel for young adults. Like his first book Inside My Head, the characters are teenagers living in run-down market-town communities with nothing to do and no cash in their pockets to do it with anyway. Ash and Joe are both frustrated with their lack of freedom and independence with the highlight their week being getting smashed on cheap cider on the local rec ground.

In the Bag is a gritty, real story and the choices that Ash and Joe make although extreme, are sadly all too possible, as they feel they cannot trust any of the adults around them and must take matters into their own hands. ‘In the Bag’ is a gripping, challenging read and perhaps an all too real exploration of life in the UK for young people today.

When Danny Birnie told us that he had hypnotised his sister we all thought he was mad.

Or both.

The first word that came to mind once I had finished reading was: Wyndhamesque.

It is creepy British sci-fi that belongs on a shelf with Chocky, The Midwich Cuckoos and my Quatermass DVDs.

It’s a brave new world. Not for Kyle Straker though, he no longer exists, or never did, or does he?

0.4 is a meta-tale, made up of two stories the first story begins with an excellent definition of “reading” and the forward that explains why the story is transmitted in such an old-fashioned manner (via printed word). Kyle’s story is the second (and main) tale and is told via the transcripts of cassette tapes found in an old house. The tapes convey an eye-witness account of how and when the world changed, only no-one remembers the world ever being different.

The editors notes explaining archaic terms and concepts scattered throughout the story are brilliant! I particularly enjoyed the Coldplay and Teletubies definitions!

Note – ‘Coldplay’
O’Brien makes a persuasive case for a ‘Coldplay’ referring t a kind of dramatic or musical presentation characterised by being utterly bereft of any signs of genuine emotion.

Kyle, Lilly, Mr Peterson and Mrs Peebles are all hypnotised during a talent show by Kyle’s friend Danny. Out of a village of 2000 souls they make up 0.4 % but that is not it, not all of it. Is it an invasion? Drugs? Mind control? Or something worse – something more insidious?

0.4 is a relatively quick read, gripping and tautly told. The endings are both chilling, leaving more questions than answers, if I did not know that a sequel has already been planned I would have been very upset as this book has left me wanting more!