War Boy - Chris Chapman

War Boy Kief Hillsbery Picador, 2000 Hillsbery's novel War Boy opens with a declaration by its narrator: "I'm Rad I'm deaf I don't talk I'm fourteen I'm telling the story. And storytellers lie so why bother you ask." Rescued from a scenario of deep family violence by twentysomething mentor Jonnyboy, skateboarder Radboy travels to San Francisco and makes several discoveries about his own life. He and Jonnyboy meet up with Finn and Critter, a pair of 'kweer tweekerboyz', all are variously punks and skins, with convictions and hearts of gold. Told in first-person from Radboy's point of view, the dialogue uses abbreviations, slang, variations of language like customised signing. There is a high degree of affection between Radboy and his posse, but its never exploitative. Radboy takes his own time and terms to figure out his emotions and eventually find love. Apart from Radboy's journey into himself, the narrative is fuelled by a social activist scenario involving the bombing of a tree-felling corporate, and the subsequent kidnapping which goes wrong. Since Radboy is deaf the sensations of touch and particularly smell are important: the identifying characteristics of different boys' sweat; the calming and memory-energising aromas of home-cooked food; and the acrid stench of a burning fox carcass. Communication flows in gestures, looks and actions. Chris Chapman