"Hinton could see rows of identical houses, lining neat, well-tended streets. There were children setting off to school, emptied garbage bins being taken off the footpaths, people calling early morning greetings to each other ... 'And there's a price tag. ... This estate is surrounded by an electric fence with surveillance cameras, guards, dogs - the works. so all these little nuclear families can live in the cloud-cuckoo world of their parents, even their grandparents ... And don't kid yourself it's democratically run either!"
Hinton is living in a city, it could be any city really but Australian readers will recognise Sydney, the harbour, the bridge and references to the North Shore. The time is not defined but it is the future and it feels quite dystopian. People live in fear of violent gangs, no one uses the railway system anymore, the suburbs have become gated communities and everyone has to carry some form of identification because there seem to be armed police on every corner.
Hinton is in his final weeks of school. He just needs to sit his exams. He has a plan to attend university but even this process is now rigorously controlled by the state. The authorities will determine which course he enters based on societal need not student wishes. The years at the university itself will involve being locked away to study with no contact with the outside world. Hinton wants to study law. His idea is that to make change you have to deeply know how the system works.
"You might think you've been in a controlled environment at school. But at university! A weekly visit from one outsider - with official approval only. The only other contact with people outside through the phone - when it's working - and letters - then there isn't a work-to-regulations ban on ... And for what? A piece of paper covered in curly writing?' Hinton drew himself up and looked down his nose at her. 'I'll have you know ... that paperchasing is an old and highly respected profession ... for me, it's a case of intellectual exercise leading ultimately to intellectual freedom."
Hinton has a part time job at a supermarket but the gangs have been watching him and now they are threatening to hurt him badly if he doesn't leave the store room door open late at night so they can steal the food and other supplies. Luckily just as all of this is happening Hinton is rescued by some young strangers and he enters a whole other world underground in the city. He finds groups of young people who call themselves Miners. They have bases all over the city and beyond and elaborate communication systems. Hinton has so many questions but no one seems willing to answer him.
This book is filled with tension and twists. I am sure it would still be enjoyed today 35 years after it was published - it just needs a fresh cover and a new publisher who is willing to take a risk. The original cover is actually terrific by Arthur Boothroyd (1910-2011) but it does give the book a slightly old fashioned look. Arthur Boothroyd did the covers for other Australian children's books such as Broome dog by Mary Small and So much to Tell you by John Marsden.
The Paperchaser was written in 1987 and it was shortlisted by the Children's Book Council of Australia in 1988. It is long out of print but I found a vintage copy at a recent charity book sale. I remembered I loved this book and in fact I kept the copy in my former Primary school library although by now I am fairly sure it has been disposed which is a shame.
This book does stand the test of time and it has a terrific pace. Someone commented about the pace when I mentioned I had a plan to read this book in January. I read the whole book in nearly one sitting (146 pages). I was interested to see the publisher was Walter McVitty Books. That company have disappeared now but they did publish terrific titles. I was always a little bit fascinated about Penny Hall because later in her career she went on to become the Teacher-Librarian in a fairly exclusive girls school here in Sydney, Australia. I think I met her once.
This book reminded me of these:
No comments:
Post a Comment