My Name Is Leon

De: Kit de Waal

Narrado por: Lenny Henry

Brought to you by Penguin.

A TIMES and INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

WINNER OF THE IRISH NOVEL PRIZE

Penguin presents the audio edition of My Name is Leon, read by Sir Lenny Henry.

Now a major BBC film starring Sir Lenny Henry, Malachi Kirby, Monica Dolan, Olivia Williams and Christopher Eccleston.

It's 1981, a year of riots and royal weddings. The Dukes of Hazzard is on TV. Curly Wurlys are in the shops. And trying to find a place in it all is nine-year-old Leon. He and his little brother Jake have gone to live with Maureen. They've lost one home, but have they found another?

Maureen feeds and looks after them. She has wild red hair and mutters swearwords under her breath when she thinks they can't hear. She claims everything will be okay. But will they ever see their mother again? Who are the couple who secretly visit Jake? Between the street violence and the street parties, Leon must find a way to reunite his family...

©2016 Kit de Waal (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Exquisite child's perspective

Time and place are evoked beautifully, with a backdrop of real places and events in early 80s' Birmingham.
There's a devastating simplicity to the language and writing, conveying young Leon's understanding of the world. His love and care for his baby brother are heartbreakingly tender. The author's understanding of the well-meaning structural violence of the care system is also clear.
Though some of the situations are grim beyond Leon's comprehension, there is a strand of hope and a sense of (some people's) fundamental goodness; also, humour. Loved the narration.