Felix and the Red Rats – James Norcliffe

Description

Author: James Norcliffe
Publisher: Longacre / Random House New Zealand (2013)
ISBN: 978-1-77553-324-5

In brief

When Uncle Felix arrives, everything starts turning red — the rats, the cats, the hair, even the people. But is it just his eccentric presence… or has something spilled over from the pages of his strange fantasy stories?

About the book

David’s great uncle Felix is an author of odd and fantastical tales, set in a land called Axillaris. But when Felix moves in, life itself begins to unravel — people start acting strangely, red rodents scurry where they shouldn’t, and even David’s own sense of reality starts to tilt.

James Norcliffe weaves a metafictional riddle into this smartly layered novel for young readers. Felix and the Red Rats dances between fantasy and realism, mischief and mystery, wrapping a story-within-a-story around the reader until they’re not quite sure what’s imagined and what’s just very, very weird.

There are questions about family, the strangeness of creativity, and the unsettling magic that can emerge when stories take on a life of their own. At its heart, this is a playful and inventive YA novel from one of Aotearoa’s most respected literary talents.

Awarded Storylines Notable Junior Fiction 2014.

Perfect for: readers aged 10+, fans of Lemony Snicket, Coraline, or The Phantom Tollbooth.

Reviewer praise

“Funny, clever and gently spooky — James Norcliffe delivers another sharp, surprising read.” — The Sapling

“Blurs the boundaries of story and storyteller in the best way. Totally original.” — Booknotes Unbound

“Kids will love the mystery and the madness. Adults will love the writing.” — NZ Book Council

“A sophisticated read that doesn’t talk down to its audience — rare and refreshing.” — The Children’s Bookshop