General

“couldn’t put it down”        “LOVED it!”        “well paced”        “exciting”        “needs to be dealt with carefully; some parts are really horrific!”

Synopsis

ames (Bond) is a young student at the exclusive private school of Eton in Windsor, England. There he meets George Hellibore, who he does battle with in the "Hellibore Cup".

Taken to the Highlands for the holidays, the spy-to-be is informally mentored in the craft by his uncle Max, an ailing, ex - WWI spy, who teaches James to drive as well as the other odd lessons of childhood. This relationship between James and his surrogate father adds a real depth to the story that's rarely seen in the Bond books and almost never in the films. It's an unusual passing of the torch as Max gives James a knife, a lighter and unknowingly sends him off to do battle with the bad guys.

James finds a rare friend in Red Kelly, a rough-hewn partner-in-crime but a handy tool for furthering the plot. He also gets plunged into a life-and-death struggle with Lord Randolph Hellebore, a psychotic mastermind that holds up with the very best of the Bond villains.

The second half of SilverFin is one of those amazing experience in which a book turns out dramatically better than expectations. Bond's instincts that Hellebore is dirty are found true when he stumbles across Meatpacker Moran, a burly American detective on Hellebore's trail courtesy, no less, of the Pinkerton Detective Agency.

In a gripping conclusion, James and Red set out to reveal Hellebore’s secret, and to destroy their plans for ever. When Red is injured, James goes on alone. Sometimes disturbing, the plot builds with some unexpected twists, until the only person who can help our hero is George Hellibore, his arch rival…

Structure

The first chapter is a flash forward to the death of Alfie, Red’s cousin (we find out later). The rest of the plot unfolds in a linear fashion, with 2 main focuses: the challenge of the Cup and the quest to unravel the mystery Loch Silverfin and Castle Hellibore.

Key References

p.88 conclusion of the Cup.
p.93 Red Kelly introduced.
p.111 Flashback to James’s parents’ death.
p.133 introduction to the mystery at Castle Hellibore.
p.162 Wilder introduced.
p.247 climbing of tree to enter the castle.

Themes and Issues

Loyalty, friendship, bullying, courage in adversity, death of a parent, animal rights (link: Pig Heart Boy by Malorie Blackman).

Characters

Characters are accessible, but have depth too (apart from the American detective!).
James: increasingly likeable as the story unfolds; intelligent, fit and athletic; popular; a linguist; little physical description offered but the reader can identify with him as a believable 3D character.
George: villain/victim character. Bully who is bullied by his father.
Lord Randolph Hellebore: a psychotic mastermind that holds up with the very best of the Bond villains.
Red Kelly: James’s rough-hewn partner in crime.
Wilder: strong female character.
Uncle Max: ailing uncle of James. Sympathetic character; p.219 hints to James, and the reader, that he won’t be around for much longer.

Style

Fast paced narrative due to economy of language, speech and action to move story on, fast moving plot.
Very visual – picture the scenes clearly in your head.
Description e.g. p.147 setting.

Links

Alex Rider series by Anthony Horrowitz (e.g. Stormbreaker). Similar fast paced boy-hero adventure stories.

Application

• Analyse effective opening: with a word of caution!
• Key moments to analyse how suspense is built (e.g. p. 249 p.269).
• Stimulus for writing: e.g. read and discuss part where they climb the tree (p.247-252) to get into the castle. Children continue in the same style.
• Guided Reading/Class novel e.g. the race: how do characters change?
• Letter writing e.g. letter George writes to his mum.
• Diary writing at key moments.
• Story map of the castle/village/inside the castle.