Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick Published by Macmillan on 2010-04-13
Pages: 224
Source: Purchased
Amazon-Indiebound
Goodreads
A LOADED GUN. STOLEN GOLD. And a menacing stranger. A taut frontier survivor story, set at the time of the Alaska gold rush.In an isolated cabin, fourteen-year-old Sig is alone with a corpse: his father, who has fallen through the ice and frozen to death only hours earlier. Then comes a stranger claiming that Sig’s father owes him a share of a horde of stolen gold. Sig’s only protection is a loaded Colt revolver hidden in the cabin’s storeroom. The question is, will Sig use the gun, and why? Revolver is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
My Thoughts:
I’ve been meaning to read a book by Marcus Sedgwick for some time. We have a number of his titles in my LMC and my students have said good things. And of course he has been awarded a Printz Honor as well as a Printz Award! Obviously I need to be reading these books!
I started with Revolver for a couple reasons. One, it was a Printz Honor book. Two, I was looking for a quick audiobook and this one was only about three and a half hours. Turns out I wasn’t even patient enough to wait that long to see how it ended… I had to get it on my kindle so I could read it!
Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick is told in two parts. There’s the events that are happening in the present (1910) and then the flashbacks to the events that led to what is happening (1899-1900.) I was so impressed with the way this worked. The flashbacks serve to give you information that explains why “the stranger” has come to Sig’s family’s cabin. They really build the backstory. What I did not expect was the way they affect the events of the “present day” part of the story. I don’t want to give anything away by listing specifics. All I’ll say is that it was pretty amazing! As I said, so impressed.
And the writing! Marcus Sedgwick does such an incredible job of setting the tone. Revolver takes place in a bleak and frozen landscape. The word choice and style really made me feel like I was there. Then there is the tension! It’s thick when Sig is alone with his father’s corpse but it becomes so intense when the stranger arrives. Every part of the story served to pull me in and keep me guessing.
For such a quick read Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick certainly packs a punch. I will be picking up more of his titles ASAP.
Audiobook Notes:
I mentioned that I couldn’t even make it through the three and a half hour audiobook. This has nothing to do with the audiobook quality! I was just so caught up in the story. Peter Berkrot does a great job narrating. He really portrays the tone of the story. I recommend the audio it you’re looking for a quick listen!
Quinn @ Quinn's Book Nook
I’ve done that before, where I start an audiobook and I’m sucked into the story so much that I’m too impatient to listen to the audiobook and end up getting the kindle ebook! I did that with Wonder and Book of a Thousand Days. And probably other books as well.
I’m so glad that you liked this. I just finished an audiobook, so I’m looking for something new. I like that this is so short, and I think it will be perfect to start listening to next.