Revolver
AuthorMarcus Sedgwick
Audio read byPeter Berkrot
LanguageEnglish
PublisherOrion Books
Publication date
July 16, 2009
ISBN978-1-842-55186-8

Revolver is a 2009 young adult novel by Marcus Sedgwick. It was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal[1] and Booktrust Teenage Prize,[2] among other honours.

Plot

Revolver addresses a dilemma faced by Sig Andersson, a 15-year-old boy, as well as the circumstances that led to that dilemma.

The story opens in 1910 as Sig sits alone in a cabin near the Arctic Circle on the borders of Finland and Sweden. His father's body is lying on the table, and his sister have left to seek help; his mother was killed years earlier. As Sig awaits their return, a large man, Gunther Wolff, knocks on the door and asks for Sig's father. Soon, Wolff demands he be provided with the gold he's convinced Sig's father has stolen, and Sig fears for his life, especially since the stranger has a gun. Sig remembers his father's revolver, a prized possession he stored away. However, the boy has only shot the revolver a few times, several years ago on his birthday. Even after his sister returns, he struggles with what he should do: use the weapon against Wolff, even though Wolff is likely more skilled with his gun, or risk what Wolff may do next.

The novel alternates between snapshots of the father's story eleven years prior, providing backstory for Sig's present dilemma. In 1899, Wolff was a gold prospector where Sig's father, Einar, was working in Nome, Alaska. Believing Einar is running a scam, Wolff demanded half of Einar's proceeds. In hopes of protecting his family, Einar attempted to escape, though his wife was murdered, and presumably raped, in the process.

Reception

Revolver was well received by critics, including starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews[3] and Publishers Weekly.[4]

Kirkus referred to the novel as "a chilling, atmospheric story that will haunt readers with its descriptions of a desolate terrain and Sig’s difficult decisions."

Publishers Weekly called Revolver a "intense survival story ... propelled by a relentless sense of danger and bone-chilling cold." Their review highlighted how Sedgwick "gracefully weav[es] in sources as diverse as the Old Testament story of Job and an 1896 ad for the revolver," noting that these references, as well as the author's skill at plot development, "lures ... readers into deeper thinking."[4]

Mary Hoffman, writing for The Guardian, noted that while "Revolver is a very short book, ... it's not slight: the issue of whether violence is ever unavoidable is both topical and difficult, and this deceptively simple story raises enormous questions."[5]

The audiobook received a starred review from School Library Journal, who said the narrator, Peter Berkrot, "chillingly and expertly brings to life Marcus Sedgwick's short, yet intense mystery."[6] They highlighted how Berkot's "pitch-perfect voicing, suspenseful and satisfying pacing, and spot-on character portrayals draw listeners."[6]

Awards and honours

Revolver is a Junior Library Guild book.[7] The Horn Book Magazine,[8] Kirkus Reviews, and Publishers Weekly named it one of the best children's books of 2010; Bank Street College of Education named it one of the best children's books of 2011.[9]

Awards for Revolver
Year Award Result Ref.
2009 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize Longlist [5][10]
2010 Booktrust Teenage Prize Shortlist [11][2]
2010 Carnegie Medal Shortlist [1]
2011 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top 10 [12]
2011 Michael L. Printz Award Honor [13]

References

  1. 1 2 "Gallery: Carnegie medal 2010 shortlist". the Guardian. 2010-04-23. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  2. 1 2 Pauli, Michelle (2010-09-07). "Booktrust teenage prize shortlist spans time, space and genre". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2015-12-23. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  3. ↑ "Revolver". Kirkus Reviews. 2010-03-15. Archived from the original on 2022-11-20. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  4. 1 2 "Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick". Publishers Weekly. 2010-03-15. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  5. 1 2 Hoffman, Mary (2009-09-04). "Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  6. 1 2 Squicciarini, Stephanie A. "Revolver". School Library Journal. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  7. ↑ "Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  8. ↑ "Horn Book Fanfare 1938 to present". The Horn Book. 2012-12-05. Archived from the original on 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  9. ↑ "Twelve to Fourteen" (PDF). Bank Street College of Education. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-08-13. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
  10. ↑ "Obituary Note: Marcus Sedgwick". Shelf Awareness. 2022-11-18. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
  11. ↑ "Awards: Booktrust Teenage Prize". Shelf Awareness. 2010-11-04. Archived from the original on 2022-05-21. Retrieved 2023-06-01.
  12. ↑ Kuenn, Stephanie (2011-01-13). "YALSA names 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2020-06-19. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  13. ↑ Communications and Marketing Office (2011-01-10). "'Ship Breaker' wins 2011 Printz Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
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