Five Hundred Miles
by Kevin Brooks
Interest age: 13 to 16
Reading age: 9+
Published by Barrington Stoke, 2016
About this book
In the industrial wastelands of east London, two brothers are delivering forged vehicle documents. As soon as they walk into the pub, Cole knows something is going on: why are three men taunting one young, desperate girl over a caged pet monkey?
Cole looks away; otherwise, he'll have to do something. She reminds him of his sister. He doesn't want to get involved - but then he does, and things move quickly.
Cole, his brother and the girl are driving away northwards, leaving behind new enemies and casting off from their old damaged lives. They're heading for something new…
The characters and landscapes they inhabit - external and internal - are vividly described, in this stark, intense, plot-driven, cinematic story of hoping for better. Deceptively simple, it quietly grabs you - then pulls you in.
About the author
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