The bleak but beautiful ancient village of Skara Brae on Orkney is the setting for this original and intriguing novel, and an atmosphere of otherness pervades the story. Lennon brings together the original inhabitants of the village with Rab, a young time-traveller from a distant future where pain and hunger are unknown. Their worlds could not be more different, but relationships are formed nonetheless as Rab and the villagers both fight for their survival. A skilful mix of sci-fi, historical thriller and romance with interesting, believable characters this is a book that will stay with readers for a long time. ~ Andrea Reece
A Piece of Passion from Andrew Simmons, Editorial Manager, Birlinn Ltd Joan Lennon’s Silver Skin is fantastic, gripping novel in which Rab, a young time traveller from the future, accidentally ends up in the Neolithic period. One of the most extraordinary things about the book is that it is set in a real place – the prehistoric settlement at Skara Brae, one of Orkney’s most important archaeological sites. This specific context gives the book an authenticity which is lacking in many novels about the remote past, and Joan’s descriptions of places and landscapes which have changed little since the time in which her story is set help to create a vivid picture in the mind’s eye. This, combined with an exciting plot (Rab and the islanders are each involved in a race against time for their very survival) in which the suspense never flags, and a cast of well-defined characters, make Silver Skin a remarkably successful novel for young adult, and older, readers.
| Primary Genre | Young Adult Fiction |
| Recommendations: |
