Silver Skin by Joan Lennon (reviewer: Karen Bush)

Rab lives in an overcrowded, bland world in the future: travelling back in time to try and earn credits for a place to live, something goes wrong and he finds himself injured and stranded in the past, in a place where he needs to adjust fast to his circumstances.

Yes, this is a time travel book, but it focusses very much on the story and the people - while it features sci-fi and ancient history, it is the tale which matters and which is timeless. So even if you don't much care for historical books or sci-fi, don't be too quick to dismiss this one - give it a try and I bet you'll enjoy it. Don't just add it to the 'to read' list either - buy it and if you can't start reading it right away, stick it right at the top of the pile: I promise you won't regret it.
    
There's a quote from The Times on the front cover (which is fabulously eye catching) which says "Joan Lennon writes with humour, clarity, sympathy"
Yes, she does - and with a terrific eye for detail too, and at times a slightly different way of describing some of those details - such as the flame 'thrashing' on the candle wick in the opening chapter - but which instantly gives you the perfect image in your mind's eye. She's good at making you care about her characters too, and ever so cleverly teaches us that it's easy to be judgmental, especially when you don't know all the facts ... 
But most importantly of all, Joan Lennon spins a damn good yarn, maintaining the tension to keep you turning the pages, needing to know what happens next the whole way through, and never certain of the eventual outcome. And very satisfyingly, leaving you to work out a few things for yourself. Perfect. 

Her Lines, My Lines by Joan Lennon and Kyla Tomlinson

     My friend, Joan Lennon, has many talents - as you can discover

Author Joan Lennon

here, on her website.
     Having the sense to live in Scotland is one talent. Being quick and witty is another.
     I've admired her poems for a long time. Like Joan's photos, they often focus on a vivid detail, which might go overlooked by others. They make us look again, and see.

     Her Lines, My Lines has poems by Joan, and illustrations by Kyla Tomlinson. It came out of a six-month Writer-in-Residence post, based in Blairgowrie, funded by Creative Scotland. They do better by their writers in Scotland.
     There are so many poems in this book I would like to bring to your attention, but there are only 14 in the book, and I'd end up putting the whole lot into this post - which would not be right. But I can give you a taster...

She said, "They're not your boys - they're grown men."

...When I am rich soil

And quieted by time,

I will shift and stir,

restless still in rhythm

With your sleeplessness.

      One long sequence of poems is The Week It Snowed. Joan captures the changing light and colour of snow and the north:

in the evening,

periwinkle (prussian in the shadows)

fades through glaucous

into slate.

     She sees Lichen on a Gravestone.

...in ruckled puffs

like tangible sky breath -

slow fireworks...

     I am butchering these poems because I don't want to be guilty of giving away someone else's work for free - but they deserve to be read in full. Again and again a few words, a phrase, captures and fills my head with an image or sensation.

The book can be bought here - http://www.bookmarkblair.com/shop.php

Joan's other books for children and adults are worth checking out too. You can find them here.

Reviewed by Susan Price.

website: www.susanpriceauthor.com