A Kestrel for a Knave
As seen:
By Barry Hines
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1 review
This is a powerful story of survival in a tough, joyless world. Billy Casper is a troubled teenager growing up in a Yorkshire mining town. Beaten by his drunken brother, ignored by his mother and failing at school, he seems destined for a hard, miserable life down the pits. But Billy discovers a new passion in life when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk. Billy identifies with her silent strength and she inspires in him the trust and love that nothing else can.
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having seen the now rather old but still amazing film of this book (Kes), I have always intended to read the book which I heard was very good. It is quite gritty and covers some difficult issues around the problems disadvantaged children face. Schools have come a long way since this book was written, thankfully, but sadly there are still children who suffer social deprivation the way the main character in this book does. Despite the sadness it is also funny at times and shows the wonderful uplifting ways in which nature can be good for us all.
