New Town Soul is a supernatural thriller for older readers situated in the real world of the contemporary teenage experience in Ireland. Friendship and love are central to this story. Shane is Joey’s new best friend. Joey pines for Geraldine, but his love is unrequited. Geraldine refuses to have anything to do with him while…
Bolger, a prolific and gifted writer, breaks new ground with this novel, marking as it does his first foray into young-adult fiction. However, it will have wide appeal and does not belong exclusively in the young-adult genre, such is the superb quality of its writing, insights and page-turner plot.
The novel moves confidently backwards and forwards in time — from the opening scene in 1932, where a young boy, Thomas, is told about changelings and the goings on at the Hell Fire Club… the shifting narration is deftly handled and … Bolger carefully and cleverly unravels the truth about Shane’s history, taking the reader…
Dermot Bolger’s first book for young adults is many things. It’s a gripping thriller set in the south Dublin suburb of Blackrock. It’s an unsettling supernatural horror story. It’s a tenderly evocative look at teenage friendship and romance. It’s a reminder to be careful what you wish for. By turns chilling and tender, and always…
A terrific read, unsettling at times; filled with suspense, the intensity of teen relationships and soul music – at last teenagers can experience one of Ireland’s best writers
New Town Soul is taut, mysterious and gripping to the last word. Dermot Bolger gets under the skin of the teenage experience and explores the dark side of the teenage psyche. A beautifully crafted thriller