#BlogTour This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin @gailaldwin @brwpublisher #ThisMuchHuxleyKnows

 

This Much Huxley Know by Gail Aldwin is published by Black Rose Writing on 8th July 2021. My thanks to the author for the review copy and the blog tour invitation. 

 

 I’m seven years old and I’ve never had a best mate. Trouble is, no one gets my jokes. And Breaks-it isn’t helping. Ha! You get it, don’t you? Brexit means everyone’s falling out and breaking up.

Huxley is growing up in the suburbs of London at a time of community tensions. To make matters worse, a gang of youths is targeting isolated residents. When Leonard, an elderly newcomer chats with Huxley, his parents are suspicious. But Huxley is lonely and thinks Leonard is too. Can they become friends?

Funny and compassionate, this contemporary novel for adults explores issues of belonging, friendship and what it means to trust.

'Read this and feel young again’ ­– Joe Siple, author of The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride

‘Moving and ultimately upbeat’ – Christopher Wakling, author of What I Did

‘A joyous novel with the wonderfully exuberant character of Huxley’ – Sara Gethin, author of Not Thomas

 

Pre-order Links: AmazonUS, AmazonUK, Barnes and Noble, HiveUK, Book Depository

My Thoughts: 

This Much Huxley Knows is a story told from the perspective of Huxley. A pretty remarkable 7 year and one that captured me hook, line and sinker through this remarkable and enriching story. Telling the story from the perspective of Huxley was a great choice by the author. Huxley begged to be listened too. 

This book highlights a great many themes but through the eyes and innocence of a 7 year old. Huxley looks at the world with joy and wonder and the reader can't help but go along with it. The author tackles social biases, bullying and right and wrong and all of the other things that go along with adulthood.  The innocence of Huxley wanting to make friends with Leonard who seems lonely on his mobility scooter was a particularly memorable event.

I loved the way Huxley's imagination was abundant and his lust for life effervescent. He was intelligent, inquistive and his voice shone through loud and clear. Some of the ways that he understands words said by adults also had me chuckling away to myself. 

Gail Aldwin is a superb writer and I will remember Huxley for a very long time. This is a wonderful perspective of the innocence of childhood offset against some of the truths of adulthood and the darker connotations. She has managed to create a book that is not only thought provoking but also heart warming.

About the Author: 

Novelist, poet and scriptwriter, Gail Aldwin’s debut coming-of-age novel The String Games was a finalist in The People’s Book Prize and the DLF Writing Prize 2020. Following a stint as a university lecturer, Gail’s children’s picture book Pandemonium was published. Gail loves to appear at national and international literary and fringe festivals. Prior to Covid-19, she volunteered at Bidibidi in Uganda, the second largest refugee settlement in the world. When she’s not gallivanting around, Gail writes at her home overlooking water meadows in Dorset. 

Twitter:            https://twitter.com/gailaldwin 

Facebook:       https://www.facebook.com/gailaldwinwriter/

Blog:                https://gailaldwin.com

 

Please do have a look at the other stops on the blog tour.