Bearmouth is a young adult fictional novel based on true events and is written by Liz Hyder. The novel is set in Victorian times and is about this group of miners who are working in harsh conditions and the main character, Newt, has not seen daylight since he was four. These miners were pretty much slaves, they weren’t taught proper education either so their English has many errors in them which is good detail included by the author. But this could also be a problem for some people as it could be hard to read.

For me personally, it took some time for me to get the hang of it but eventually it makes the experience of reading it more worth-while and interesting. So if you don't like books that force you into adapting to a reading style then this might not be the best book for you. If you can get past that I believe you should give this book a shot. The story is also told in first person from Newt’s point of view, if that is what you like. I believe it is a book that high schoolers should read to learn about working conditions especially the ones who are or about to work. This book can either be really insightful or a book that you just read to pass time. Either way I think you would like it either way as it is an interesting and unique book. For me I enjoyed it a fair amount, I appreciated the change of style but it wasn't my cup of tea. It got a bit too serious/dark for my liking but that's just me.

The book includes sensitive topics such as rape, sexual assault, racism, and murder so if those topics are sensitive to you, I suggest you don't read this book. If that is not the case then, there are characters that you get attached to and pity them such as Newt. Even though a dark book can be a put off, the book ends you off on a good, hopeful note, almost as a reward for finishing it. It doesn't seem like a feel good book but the conclusion makes you feel good if that makes sense. There is good character development in each character and they develop realistically, for example, Newt starts to understand the importance of knowledge and how capable he is as he soon starts to question the morality of what he is forced to do even after having pretty much no education. This is a quote I forgot about but inkandplasma.com reminded me of it “People are only as dayngeruss as you give em leeve to be, little one” That is exactly how it is in the book it wasn't me typing it! I resonate with this quote as it is so accurate, people are only dangerous if you think of them as dangerous. Anyways, Hyder delivers a well written intricate novel that goes over some real world issues and I would recommend this book.

Checkout Bearmouth from the Newport Beach Public Library.