A gloriously moving and entertaining, picaresque debut novel, about a young man's sentimental education in late 19th-Century Europe; inspired by a real historical figure: 'Captain' Paul Boyton - the 'Fearless Frogman' '"But who among you might assist me on this adventure?" the Captain shouts. And then the Captain's eyes fall on me, as was his plan all along, and he points me out, making sure just so's everyone can see. "What about you, sir?" "Me?" "A strong young man to journey with me across the wild continent, to support me in my life-saving work, and take the name of his village to the farthest corners of civilisation - and paid a wage, of course!" "Of course!" everyone shouts.' The 1880s are drawing to a close, and 14(-maybe-15)-year-old Daniel Bones fears that the prospects for him and his younger brother Will may be dimming with the century. For the motherless sons of a drunken blacksmith, life on a barren spit of land reaching into the Essex estuary holds little promise. Until one evening, from out of the water, there emerges the astonishing figure of Captain Clarke B: cigar-smoking daredevil adventurer, charlatan, casanova and inventor of the world-famous life-saving inflatable suit. As the Captain embarks on his ramshackle promotional tour of Europe, Daniel is sucked into his wake, on an adventure that will carry him through the waterways of the continent, encountering Kings and Princesses, wealthy widows, irate husbands, anarchists, arms dealers and shadowy power-brokers. It's an education beyond Dan's wildest imaginings, across countries undergoing the convulsions of all kinds of revolution, and one that will open his eyes, and his heart. But as he travels further into the dazzle of notoriety and the darkness that lies behind it, Dan's promise to return and rescue Will seems ever harder to keep. For in the Captain's world of smoke and mirrors it is all too easy to lose sight of who he is, or the man he ought to be...
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The All True Adventures (and Rare Education) of the Daredevil Daniel Bones
von Owen Booth
A gloriously moving and entertaining, picaresque debut novel, about a young man's sentimental education in late 19th-Century Europe; inspired by a real historical figure: 'Captain' Paul Boyton - the 'Fearless Frogman' '"But who among you might assist me on this adventure?" the Captain shouts. And then the Captain's eyes fall on me, as was his plan all along, and he points me out, making sure just so's everyone can see. "What about you, sir?" "Me?" "A strong young man to journey with me across the wild continent, to support me in my life-saving work, and take the name of his village to the farthest corners of civilisation - and paid a wage, of course!" "Of course!" everyone shouts.' The 1880s are drawing to a close, and 14(-maybe-15)-year-old Daniel Bones fears that the prospects for him and his younger brother Will may be dimming with the century. For the motherless sons of a drunken blacksmith, life on a barren spit of land reaching into the Essex estuary holds little promise. Until one evening, from out of the water, there emerges the astonishing figure of Captain Clarke B: cigar-smoking daredevil adventurer, charlatan, casanova and inventor of the world-famous life-saving inflatable suit. As the Captain embarks on his ramshackle promotional tour of Europe, Daniel is sucked into his wake, on an adventure that will carry him through the waterways of the continent, encountering Kings and Princesses, wealthy widows, irate husbands, anarchists, arms dealers and shadowy power-brokers. It's an education beyond Dan's wildest imaginings, across countries undergoing the convulsions of all kinds of revolution, and one that will open his eyes, and his heart. But as he travels further into the dazzle of notoriety and the darkness that lies behind it, Dan's promise to return and rescue Will seems ever harder to keep. For in the Captain's world of smoke and mirrors it is all too easy to lose sight of who he is, or the man he ought to be...
Aktuelle Rezensionen(1)
Rezension von keni needed time away between finishing the book and writing this review because i was annoyed at how surprised i was to have found myself enjoying this book as much as i did. why was i surprised? i fell in love with the cover at first sight, after all. surely there was some expectation of <i>at least</i> enjoying it? the best part of DANIEL BONES is his narrative voice. when certain phrases repeat themselves ("all things being equal," "all things considered,"), i can't resist a chuckle. he parrots things he has heard, which lends to the entire thematic concern of the book, which is, who really <i>is</i> the Fearless Frogman, and how much of Daniel is cap, and how much of the cap is Daniel? story arc-wise, my favourite one is the span of idyll to tragedy when Daniel was with Andrea, when they went to live with the painter. i consider that Daniel's dark night of the soul. and of course. that scene that had me reeling between him and Andrea cinched the deal for me. it doesn't come as a surprise to me that my favourite characters are: the widow timmermans, susan the vicar's daughter, and andrea. it <i>does</i> shock me a little bit that i love Daniel and want what is best for him. which is rare. i tend to not like narrators because having spent copious amounts of time with them in their head, immersed in their inner monologue, they tend to get on the nerves. but Daniel is level-headed while still being touched with the sharp edge of the occasional hubris.