Book post: The Otherlife by Julia Gray

I have this week finished reading The Otherlife, the very fine debut novel by my friend Julia Lois Gray. Interest declared and all that, but as I've said before, I find it slightly stressful reading/hearing/seeing the work of creative friends. What if I don't like it? Well, you can be sure that I'd be kind to them, and not say too much about it publicly. All which to say: this is a terrific read. Some of you will be aware that Julia is a supremely gifted singer, songwriter and musician. Well, it turns out that she's a hell of a novelist too. The Otherlife is being targeted at the burgeoning YA market, and has elements of fantasy woven through it. First and foremost, however, it's an acutely observed tale of a friendship between two boys, who meet in unpromising circumstances - Hobie, a rich, entitled bully; and Ben, a diffident outsider from a (relatively) impecunious background. The one thing Ben seems to have that Hobie covets is a mysterious access to the "Otherlife", the world of the old Norse gods. I should stress that the otherworldly elements of this story are handled deftly and with a light touch. The meat of the story is in its depictions of this unlikely friendship; of parents fumbling in their different ways to do the right thing for their progeny, often failing; and of the enormous pressure put on children by parents desperate to get them into "the best schools." The novel is very funny in its descriptions of academic hothousing, which carry an unmistakable stamp of authenticity. It is also plainly the work of someone passionate about the œuvre of Metal titans Metallica - a passion I don't share, but such is Julia's persuasiveness on this subject that I am minded to give them another try. So I heartily recommend this novel to all; in particular, teachers, tutors, and anyone who's experienced the sorts of scholastic exigencies I've outlined above, will find plenty they recognise. And it's a pleasure to read, being beautifully written, and with a carefully controlled mystery element that leads to a most satisfying denouement.