Book Info

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Synopsis

The Silver Blade by Sally Gardner

With Sido safely in England and the Terror at it's height, Yann returns to France to smuggle out aristocratic refugees who will otherwise face the guillotine. But when Sido is kidnapped, he must use all his strength and courage to outwit the evil Count Kalliovski, and rescue her for a second time. Set against a vivid historical background, prize winning author Sally Gardner brings to life the horrors of the French Revolution in this breath-taking adventure, complete with intrepid heroism and a touching love story.

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Reviews

'With its reversals, surprises, scholarship and dramatic details of an era so soaked in blood that the Seine ran red, The Silver Blade is historical fiction at its height. No reader, old or young, could resist its passion, told in crystalline prose and peopled with characters as engaging as the dwarf Tetu, bear-like Didier and the venal Mr Tull. It is by far the best British book for children I have read this year.'
Amanda Craig THE TIMES
'This rich, suspenseful and moving tale combines lyricism with pace, and the ending of each section is a surprise, a cliffhanger, or a flourish that will inspire admiration'
Nicolette Jones THE SUNDAY TIMES
'Fast-moving, action packed page-turner'
THE BOOKSELLER
'The dramatic, horrific and sometimes romantic events of the French Revolution, which Sally Gardner portrayed so brilliantly in The Red Necklace are moved on a stage in this equally vivid and richly imagined sequel'
LOVEREADING4KIDS
'Gardner occupies a unique place in children's literature, which The Silver Blade assures... An enthralling and wholly original novel, The Silver Blade is a must-read for a new generation.'
Amanda Craig THE TIMES
'An absorbing historical thriller, dark-edged and awash with atmosphere and intrigue. A healthy dollop of magic makes everything all the more interesting. Though it is a sequel to The Red Necklace, it can be enjoyed to the fullest even without having read the first entry in the series. Highly recommended.'
THE BOOKBAG
'The Silver Blade is both stunning in terms of imagery, but also in the depth and intelligence of emotion; for it is an epic love story that transcends all barriers. Gardner has created a wonderfully mystic magic in the form of light threads and their counterparts, dark threads, through which objects can be manipulated; but it is in the creation of life-like manikins that are able to speak and move (called automata) that her sheer brilliance is illustrated.'
THETRUTHABOUTBOOKS
'With many characters and settings, all vividly real, Sally Gardner combines history, romance and fantasy in this incredible story. THE SILVER BLADE is a brilliant book and I enjoyed every minute of it. Even if you haven't read the previous book, THE SILVER BLADE will capture your imagination and leave you wanting more.'
FIRST NEWS
'This is a proper ripper and Gardner just keeps getting stranger and better.'
Toby Clements THE TELEGRAPH
'a romantic adventure with a very dark side. Gardner never lets her readers forget that this is a story set in an era soaked in blood.'
John Millen YOUNG POST
/ SCMP 'He is a Scarlet Pimpernel for the common man. It's an exciting, original read.
Lisa O
'Kelly THE OBSERVER 'Romance, fantasy and occasional moments of gruesome Gothic-style horror blend attractively, the horror emanating principally from the villain of the piece, the supposedly dead Count Kalliovski... overall, it is hard to imagine a contemporary work of children's historical fiction more superbly conceived or more engagingly executed.'
BOOKS FOR KEEPS Romance, fantasy and occasional moments of gruseome Gothic
-style horror blend attractively, the horror emanating principally from the villain of the piece... overall it is hard to imagine a contemporary work of children's historical fiction more superbly conceived or more engagingly executed. Highly recommended. BOOKS FOR KEEPS Fantasy and fact merge with uneasy tension in this elegantly written novel by an accomplished storyteller... an original and arresting page-turner. CAROUSEL ...shiveringly romantic, dramatic and gripping tale -- Amanda Craig THE LADY

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About The Author

SALLY ON SALLY...

I was born in Birmingham, near the Cadbury's chocolate factory, though I grew up in Gray's Inn, central London, in Raymond Buildings. My family (my parents, my younger brother and I) lived there because both my parents were lawyers. When I was around age five they separated and later divorced. Both were to be very happily re-married.

I was badly bullied at school because I was different from other children. I had trouble tying my shoes, and coordinating my clothes, and I had no idea what C-A-T spelled once the teacher took away the picture. My brain was said to be a sieve rather than a sponge - I was the child who lost the information rather than retained it.

I stayed in kindergarten until I was really too old to be there and finally was asked to leave the school. This became a pattern that repeated itself throughout my learning years. At eleven I was told I was word-blind. This was before anyone mentioned the un-sayable, un-teachable, un-spellable word dyslexia, which, hey-ho, even to this day I can't spell!

I eventually ended up in a school for maladjusted children because there was no other school that would take me. I suppose this was the equivalent of what now would be a school for kids with ASBOs.

I had been classified as “unteachable” but at the age of fourteen, when everyone had given up hope, I learned to read. The first book I read was Wuthering Heights and after that no one could stop me. My mother, bless her cotton socks, said that if I got five O-levels I could go to art school, and much to my teachers' chagrin, I did just that. At art school I shot from the bottom to the top like a little rocket.

I left Central St. Martin's Art School with a First Class Honours degree and then went to Newcastle University Theatre, where I worked as a theatre designer. One of the first shows I worked on was The Good Woman of Szechuan by Bertolt Brecht which transferred to the Royal Court Theatre. After that I spent 15 years in the theatre, but gave up working as a set designer because I found my dyslexia to be a problem when drawing up technical plans for the sets. Instead I concentrated on costumes.

Ironically, when I went into publishing, where I assumed my dyslexia would be a true disability, it turned out to be the start of something amazing. I was more than blessed to meet an editor, Judith Elliot, who was to play an important part in my journey to being a writer. She is still my editor today and a great friend.

I strongly believe that dyslexia is like a Rubik's Cube: it takes time to work out how to deal with it but once you do, it can be the most wonderful gift. The problem with dyslexia for many young people - and I can identify with this - is that their confidence is so damaged by the negativity of their teachers and their peers that it takes a very strong character to come out of the educational system smiling.

To see a video of Sally talking about her new book Fairy Shopping - CLICK HERE

Or watch a video of her talking about the Silver Blade

Sally Gardner, answers some questions

Who's your favourite author and favourite book? Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Holes by Louis Sachar and The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

Where do you get your ideas? From everything and everywhere. I feel like I have a satellite dish on my head. But I have to think about them a long time before they form properly. What's the first book you remember reading? Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.

Where and how do you write?  I use my Apple G4 laptop and have been writing in the pub whilst I've had builders in the house. I will also have a studio in the garden when it's finished!

Who is your favourite literary character?  Paddington Bear.

Do you have any children? I have grown-up children: two daughters, Freya and Lydia, and one son, Dominic.

Do you have any pets?  I have a sausage dog, Oscar, with diminished legs, but a large heart! I also have two huge cats: Woody is a bully and Pushka is more than a hundred years old.

Describe yourself in three words.  I've been described as a giant fairy.

What is your favourite food?  Chocolate raisins.

What music do you like? I have eclectic taste: classical, jazz and Maroon 5.

Did you always want to be an author – if not, what did you want to be when you were little? I always wanted to illustrate children's books and I always told stories, but I honestly never thought it would be possible to write because of my dyslexia.

What do you do when you are not writing – what are your hobbies? Walking Oscar, visiting galleries, going to exhibitions and watching films.

Do you have a favourite country or place in the world? I love Paris, and I love France.

What three things would you take if you were to be stranded on a desert island?  A mermaid tail, so that I could swim away, pink dye for my hair and a great frock!

What would you rescue from your house if it was on fire?  My children, my animals and my laptop.

Any writing tips for budding young novelists?  Story is king. Keep telling a good story.

What writers have the greatest influence on your work? Angela Carter and Charles Dickens. Raymond Carver. Meg Rosoff. The Brothers Grimm. Philip Pullman. Eve Ibbotson. And my hero, Edward Gory.

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