Book Review - I'm the King of the Castle by Susan Hill

[byslantedlight]

Just after four o'clock yesterday I had an email from Placement School in response to my wondering what Miss would like me to teach her Year 11 top set on Tuesday. The reply? "She'd like you to do a mini scheme of work on I'm the King of the Castle, by Susan Hill. Oh, good. So I have three days to read the book, suss out what it's all about and why they've put it on the GCSE syllabus, and create a "mini scheme of work" for it. What is a "mini" scheme anyway? Just enough for my three hours and twenty minutes worth of lessons? For the first three chapters that they've recently re-read? Or for the whole entire book, as an example of what I can do? Define it for me! Gaaaah!

Oh well - take it a step at a time, right? So I started by reading the book... actually I started by buying it, via toasted fruit-bread and a dark cherry mocha at that most wonderful of inventions - Starbucks inside Borders Books. *g* And just as well, cos it turned out that was the only cheerful moment of the whole experience!

My word could someone have written a more depressing, all-hope-gone, slit-my-wrists-now book? It's filled with dread and despair all through - very cleverly done, of course, because you're empathising with Charles the whole time, feeling every single nuance and tingle of blackness that he does, breathing in the fresh, hopeful air when he does, and knowing, just knowing as he does that it won't last... Except that, until almost the last page, there was just a small hope in me that it might work out for him - for all of them... But no.

Hill's Afterword, which is interesting, ends:
"It is a dark book though it emerged from beautiful places and happy scenes. I do not fully understand it. Many people have told me they dislike it very much. But others have said 'that's what it was like for me. I knew a boy like that. It made me realize I haven't been alone.'

"I often think that the purpose of the novelist is simply to do that - to make some people realize that they are not, after all, alone."

And I've got to say, I knew people like that - and it didn't make me feel better about it at all!

Powerful - yes. Gripping - yes. A good read? If you're in the mood for it yes, otherwise... gaaaah!

Suppose I'd better not start the class off with that though, had I? *g* Be interesting to see what the kids made of it... Anyone else read it?

Comments

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

I haven't read it, but I just had to say that it might well be the very thing that would appeal most to teens. *g* So, I do think you'll have a very interesting discussion! Um. Assuming "mini scheme" involves discussion. What the heck is a mini scheme? Do let us know....

Go watch Apparitions again. Or the Lads. Or your very favorite most comfort read!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Go watch Apparitions again. Or the Lads. Or your very favorite most comfort read!
I can't - waaah! I have to work on the mini scheme! *headdesk* Which will be whatever I decide it is, since she didn't bother telling me this three weeks ago, when she offered me use of her class... *g*

It may well appeal to alot of teens - she says in her Afterword that alot of teenage boys in particular have told her that they absolutely understand it... It's compared to Lord of the Flies in various places, and I have to say that as a teen I disliked that book alot!

There will be discussion. There's discussion in almost all my classes... *g*

Right. The sooner I make a start though, the sooner I can... get back to job applications, right?! *headdesk headdesk headdesk*

[erushi.livejournal.com]

I spent one year studying it for English when I was, oh, 14? 15? To be honest, while I admired the way it was executed, I found it a very hard book to like precisely because of the themes it tackled. Strangely enough, though, I actually found myself more drawn into the plight of the secondary characters, i.e. the parents. Perhaps I'm just a strange child like that.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Hee - you strange child, you! *g* Not really, I know what you mean... I remember going to see Jesus Christ Superstar when I was a kid, and feeling far sadder for Mary when he died than for anyone else... *g*

The parents in ItKotC are frighteningly fascinating, I thought - it all comes from them, and yet they're so unable to see what's happening, let alone do anything about it... Eternally re-visiting sorrow...

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

If your students are anything like mine, then they'll probably enjoy it. My lot are forever reading these incredibly bleak tales of heroin addicts in Istanbul - ( a very popular series here with teenagers).

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Lol - they may well! I would have hated it even as a teenager though, I had a similar reaction to Lord of the Flies and the like at the time...

I'm fascinated by the heroin addicts in Istabul series - why do you think they're so keen on those?

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

why do you think they're so keen on those? Oh God knows, from what they describe it sounds like melodramatic tosh - but that may be a language/ translation issue.*g* Mind, I read a lot of dark stuff when I was young - I fell in love with Stephen King at aged 11 via Salem's Lot - not sure I'd let an 11 year old read that - and read *everything* dark, vampiric, gothic and bloody I could get my hands on after that.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Lol - I suppose melodramatic tosh is exactly what alot of teenagers relate to, it's that sort of time of life, isn't it! I read all sorts of dark things too - and adventure and fluff and (whisper it) even Mills and Boon for a brief stage... *g*

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

I haven't read any of her books, though I recently purchased "The Man in the Picture." It certainly sounds like gloomy and hopeless are her forté.

[come-in45.livejournal.com]

If it isn't too painful a memory, what did the kids make of 'I'm the King of the Castle'?

Hubby has just read 'The Man in the Picture' as research (he's a mobile librarian, if you see what I mean) and slated it as a tame, unoriginal pastiche of the Victorian ghost-story genre. He's going to force himself to read more of her books just to see if they improve, and I remembered this post of yours.

Have you read any others by Susan Hill that you would recommend?

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh no, another comment notification that was quickly read on me way to something and then somehow missed... I'm sorry!

I was thinking I might have to read something else she's written just to see what she's like with cheerier matter, but it sounds like that might not be possible - hmmn! Still, there's got to be something out there... um... hmmn!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Lol - it's not a painful memory... well, I can survive it (*she says bravely*) *g* They were mixed about it, actually, some of them really liked it and others hated it and thought it was depressing, which I can absolutely understand... I think she says in her blurb that readers tended to polarise to the two views! Be interesting to know what Mr come_in45 things... *g*

I've only actually read King of the Castle I'm afraid, although I was planning to read something else for comparison... though Gilda above seems to think she might be rather a gloomy read in general.... erk! Shall see what I can find and try and let you know!

[come-in45.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that. Sounds like 'King of the Castle' is particularly apt for teenagers, like 'Catcher in the Rye' in my day. Will let you know how he gets on with this or others by Susan Hill.
Hooray for the end of school term and having met proofreading deadlines too. That just leaves the shopping...