I've been gradually collecting as many of Diana Wynne Jones' books as I can track down without going broke, so I was excited to receive this as a swap (from Australia, no less). The story starts off quite simply; brother and sister arrive home from school to find a thug waiting for their dad in the kitchen. The goon says their father owes his boss, Archer, 2000 words, and he won't leave without them. There is, of course, the resulting mayhem in getting rid of the goon, and a mystery as to what the 2000 words are actually for.
DWJ was possibly the best at creating unforgettable character personalities; the thuggish goon reveals a certain amount of pathetic charm; the parents are both suprisingly real - they spat, make up, get into tempers, have foolish foibles, instead of being largely ignored as in many YA novels; and the children are both pretty much as children actually are - not wanting to practice violin or piano, watching tv, trying to find solutions on their own, without adults, being petulant or wanting to disappear whenever they are brought into their parent's arguments.
Archer's Goon is a great story well told, with humour, action, adventure and a bit of mystery all aided by excellent characters and their own group dynamics. 4.5 stars!
DWJ was possibly the best at creating unforgettable character personalities; the thuggish goon reveals a certain amount of pathetic charm; the parents are both suprisingly real - they spat, make up, get into tempers, have foolish foibles, instead of being largely ignored as in many YA novels; and the children are both pretty much as children actually are - not wanting to practice violin or piano, watching tv, trying to find solutions on their own, without adults, being petulant or wanting to disappear whenever they are brought into their parent's arguments.
Archer's Goon is a great story well told, with humour, action, adventure and a bit of mystery all aided by excellent characters and their own group dynamics. 4.5 stars!
