Wednesday, February 24, 2016

A Song for Ella Grey

A Song for Ella Grey
by David Almond
Delacorte Press, 2015. 268 pgs. Young Adult

Set in current day northern England, this is a retelling of the Ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. It is the story of two modern teenagers living the lives of doomed lovers from the past as told by Claire, the best friend of the Eurydice character, Ella Grey.

This book should be read for the shear pleasure of words. I love the lush, musical language mixed with Northern England slang. The lyrical phrases make the emotions of the story so much more powerful. It perfectly captures the heady rush of reckless youth, the ache of first love, and the otherworldliness of the myth it’s based on.

AJ

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