Customer Reviews
All becomes a bit predictable - By: Wynne Kelly, 23 Oct 2007 
Coram Boy is set in 18th century England & contrasts lives of the fortunate & unfortunate children of the times. Well written beginning given a horrific picture of child trafficking & murder. Unfortunately it alll becomes a bit predictable - abandoned child is reunited with his parents, bad people get their just desserts etc. Not sure which age group this book was aimed at. Concepts such as pregnancy outside marriage, selling of young children into slavery & infanticide suggest it is aimed at 12 - 13 year olds. However the actual writing is very simple & the main boys are aged nine.
Coram Boy - boring or inspiring? - By: xx-luvly liv-xx, 19 Jan 2007 
I am 13 years old & have recently been set this book as a 'Class Reader'. I finished it a couple of weeks ago now but it is one of those books that has a long term impact. It has both inspired me in my writing techniques & in my ideas for creative writing.
This book is set in the 1700s & I think that the author has researched 18th century London extremely well & includes precise detail. In my opinion, this is crucial in making a novel enjoyable & I think it has to be believable. Jamila Gavin has exceeded this. She uses description that in places is disturbingly detailed & accurate.
I like the way that the book is in two parts, skipping a few years in between. This is good as it cuts out a lot of unnecessary reading & leaves you to figure out many things in Part 2. I think books which do not spell everything out in black & white are great at keeping the reader's attention & make a story much more worth while.
Coram Boy is a moving, educational, Historical tale (that makes it sound boring but it reallly isn't!) which I would deffinately recommend to anyone my age & above. Just don't expect it to be a barrel of laughs, it is quite sad & depressing in places! Hope you enjoy it!!! :)
Not just for kids - By: Catfish, 07 Aug 2006 This is a moving tale of slavery, friendship & oppression that will surely appeal to adults even though the teenager is the primary target audience. It is written in simple language, but this takes nothing away from the horror of slavery, & is sure to touch the heart of every sensitive child (or adult!)It is pretty grim & sombre at times, & evil is constantly in danger of overthrowing everything that is good & humane, but hope & joy never cease to shine, however dimly, in this heart-warming story. If you get it for your kids, make sure you read it too!
a stinking masterpiece - By: J. Reader, 22 Jul 2006 This is a big packed story set in the eighteenth century - & sadly not that different from today. Okay, we tend to bury fewer babies in the ditches but parents remain oppressive & the capitalism/opportunism at the expense of the weakest hasn't varied that much over the years. A fine story which alllows the reader to develop bonds with the characters & care about their futures. Maybe a bit predicable in places but that doesn't in any way detract from a well written & constructed novel.
Described by Pullman as 'gothic' it genuinely evokes feelings for Meshak similar to those one feels for (Mary Shelley's)Frankenstein's creature who's life is spent on the periphery of alll societies. Similarly, the ugliness & brutality of the historical setting is also comparable with Patrick Suskind's 'Perfume' evoking even a sense of smell from the story!
One of a handful of books I'd consider re-reading as there's so much in it I'm sure to have missed something. Excellent.
"...Jamila Gavin writes with such warmth..." - By: sparrowhawk, 22 Feb 2006 
Coram Boy is set in 18th Century England, & Gavin writes with such accurracy that the reader is pulled into the harsh realities that lie behind the picturesque façades of the historical society. I read the book in two days, & was shocked at its simplicity, however, its powerful ability to leave me thinking about the author's incredible skills that build such strong relationships between the reader & such vivid characters; Jamila Gavin writes with such warmth. Coram Boy can be easily perceived as just a simple children's tale, when it is in fact an intellectual look into the damages of pretentiousness & corruption; & the dangers of denying one's dreams & one's true identity.
