Saturday 26 July 2014

Book Review: The Gates by John Connolly

The Gates (Samuel Johnson, #1)The Gates by John Connolly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I picked up this book I didn't realise it was aimed at children/young adults. The blurb had me hooked. Meet Samuel Johnson and his dog Boswell. Nothing much happens in Samuel's life, that is until his neighbour Mrs Abernathy opens the gates to hell.
A lot of other reviews compared author John Connolly to Douglas Adams but I found myself comparing him to Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The comedy and wit injected into the plot reminded me very much of Good Omens.
Samuel Johnson is a lovely central character. Being an eleven year old boy I didn't really identify with him that much but I imagine a young boy would like him. John Connolly also deals with modern day family problems, such as Sam's Dad leaving and how that affects his life.
The demons that feature in the novel aren't your normal demons. In fact, they're funny and not altogether very bright.
The action is described very well and humour is injected at every point, making it an enjoyable read.
I've read some of John Connolly work in the past and didn't enjoy it very much. But this I thoroughly enjoyed and will be recommending it to a ten year old who I'm sure will enjoy it just as much as I did.

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