A Kestrel for a Knave

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A motivational classic - Rated
The book entitled,"A kestrel for a knave",is about a young,poor,unwanted boy who is trying to survive a crucial life.He is mistreated in the school and in his home by his mother,Mrs.Casper and other close and distant persons in his life.He has one friend that he relates to in this text and that is his kestrel,Kes,which he had to fight for and achieve her possesion as well.Him and the kestrel have a remarkable relationship,like no other pet and its owner.He has a dull future that entails working in the coal mines and continue running erruns for his mother and his brother,Jud.I give this book a two thumbs up and encourage all young people to read it and realize how lucky in life they are.I am 13 years old and this book has changed my life with its motivation.It has changed me by allowing me to realize how fortunate in life I am;to have parents that care,a positive environment to develop in,and the understanding that although my life is not perfect,I am more fortunate than some people in some parts of the world.

Interesting and Relevant - Rated
I read this book years ago, and chose to re-read it a few weeks back, which proved well worth it.

With having family from the area of Yorkshire where the book is set, it is fantastic to read how accurately the dialog reflects the language of the area. It also goes a long way to expressing the hard realities of life in poor mining communities.

At a time when we are once again debating the quality of the education system in Britain, and the old argument of 'things were better in the olden days', the impression given of the school in this book is the strongest argument against!

I love this book and would recommend it to anyone.

Bleak but beautiful tale of freedom - Rated
AKFAK contains the harsh reality of life for a boy, Billy, mistreated at home and at school and fated to work in a dead end job in the mines. His escape is his kestrel that he has reared and trained from a chick.
Hines never sweetens the story with false sentiment but keeps all the action gritty and realistic. What is surprising is that it is very easy to sympathise with Billy despite his prickliness, bad manners and violence. Hines portrays him, as a normal boy brought up in poverty without any aspirations- his bad behaviour is a product of these social elements rather than his true self.
There is a strong sense of love underneath the frustration and anger. Billy lives for his kestrel and his sense of devotion is what lifts an otherwise bleak social study to more optimistic levels. The Casper family have a strange mixture of violence, jealousy and love between them- it seems that despite the anger and threats their family must stick together.
The film, Kes, although very similar to the book and a wonderful work in its own right, has a different ending- perhaps motive enough for the film's many fans to read the book and see what really happened.
AKFAK mixes vivid descriptions of the countryside and small industrial town with fleshed out characters with great dialogue and a story that's simplicity tells a moving and plausible tale of hope and grim realism.

The Grace of the Falcon, The Dedication of the Falconer - Rated
Although written in the 1960's this book remains as poignant and striking as it was when published.Depicting the life of a teenage boy, named Billy Casper, the book covers just one day in his life. In that single day the book encapsulates the boys' dedication towards his Kestrel, his turbulant home life and troubled schooling. The brutality of life around the mines of Yorkshire is depicted perfectly and the author, once a teacher himself, paints an acurate and astute portrait of education at that time.

Throughout the entire book its main charactor is depicted struggling against the people who oppress him, his family, teachers and those who say he 'will work down the mines'. By the end of the book the reader has encoutered everything from passion, jealousy and hatred, but throughout the novel the overriding feeling is of one boy trying to survive.

A British classic that everyone must read - Rated
This classic tail of a poor friendless boy is essential reading for adults and older children alike. Barry Hines skillfully takes you through the full range of emotions - the funny bits are very funny and the sad bits very sad. There is an underlying warmth to the boy that is impossible not the empathise with.