The Bombs That Brought Us Together

by Brian Conaghan

Overview

Fourteen-year-old Charlie Law has lived in Little Town, on the border with Old Country, all his life. He knows the rules: no going out after dark; no drinking; no litter; no fighting. You don't want to get on the wrong side of the people who run Little Town. When he meets Pavel Duda, a refugee from Old Country, the rules start to get broken. Then the bombs come, and the soldiers from Old Country, and Little Town changes forever.

Sometimes, to keep the people you love safe, you have to do bad things. As Little Town's rules crumble, Charlie is sucked into a dangerous game. There's a gun, and a bad man, and his closest friend, and his dearest enemy.

Charlie Law wants to keep everyone happy, even if it kills him. And maybe it will . . . But he's got to kill someone else first.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681195452
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	04/17/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Brian Conaghan is the author of When Mr. Dog Bites and The Bombs That Brought Us Together, and the co-author of We Come Apart. He lives and works as a teacher in Dublin and has a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow. Throughout the years, Brian has made a living as a painter and decorator, bartender, teacher, and now writer.

@BrianConaghan

Editorial Reviews

06/20/2016
In this allegorical coming-of-age novel, 14-year-old Charlie Law struggles to stay alive in a war zone amid prejudice and tough decisions. Charlie lives in Little Town, where a corrupt regime rules through fear and tyranny, and criminals have all the power. When he befriends Pavel Duda, whose family fled the neighboring Old Country, both boys experience culture shock but become inseparable. Then Old Country bombs and occupies Little Town, disrupting the social and civil structures. To survive, Charlie and Pav become indebted to the powerful Big Man, a crime lord with access to food and medicine, but when his demands for repayment become unthinkable, Charlie has to take a stand. Conaghan (When Mr. Dog Bites) presents a compelling situation with no easy answers; it’s easy to sympathize with Charlie’s moral and ethical dilemmas, and the dichotomy between Old Country and Little Town could fuel provocative discussions. However, the generic, ambiguous nature of the setting and conflict—while striving for universality—can be distracting in its lack of detail, giving readers little grounding. Ages 14–up. Agent: Ben Illis, Ben Illis Agency. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"A timeless allegory. . . Conaghan tackles the complexities of war, occupation, and totalitarianism in a direct and accessible way, portraying violence frankly but without sensationalism." - Kirkus Reviews

"Conaghan presents a compelling situation with no easy answers; it's easy to sympathize with Charlie's moral and ethical dilemmas, and the dichotomy between Old Country and Little Town could fuel provocative discussions." - Publishers Weekly

"This book brings light to communities where teens are struggling under a repressive government or regime pressured by a larger neighboring nation. . . Readers will fly through the last portion of the book in one sitting." - School Library Journal

"This accomplished new novel establishes Conaghan as a major talent. It’s incredibly powerful and thought-provoking on big issues such as nationalism, war and refugees, and poses some challenging moral questions. It’s also brilliantly funny, with characters you will really root for." - Bookseller

"Readers will identify with the teens' struggle to maintain friendships and make hard decisions under great duress in this captivating, redemptive story with many themes for discussion. Immediately engulfs the reader in an elevating sense of pressure that needs to be resolved. Highly Recommended." - School Library Connection

"Unlike dystopian fiction set comfortably in the future, Conaghan's dystopia, with its parallels to the Cold War and contemporary conflicts of ethnic versus political borders, is all too easy to envision today." - The Horn Book Magazine

"Conaghan’s sophisticated and cleverly written novel will easily appeal to teen readers interested in dystopian, historical fiction, or war-themed stories." - Booklist

"Deals with differences between people and how they react, the effects of bullying, right and wrong, and how we choose a path we may not be sure is right." - VOYA

"Dylan is smart and caring, and beneath his realistically portrayed condition, he is a normal teenager with relatable concerns. As Dylan would say, this one is 'A-mayonnaise-ing.'" —Booklist on WHEN MR. DOG BITES

"An uncompromising look at the effects of Tourette’s, autism, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder on those who have them and their friends and family . . . Conaghan . . . does an excellent job of portraying his unconventional and memorable protagonist." —Publishers Weekly on WHEN MR. DOG BITES

"An appealingly offbeat look at friendship, sex and what’s really 'normal.'" —Kirkus Reviews on WHEN MR. DOG BITES

"This first person account is insightful, engaging, and immerses teens into the world of Tourette's . . . . Uninhibited and compelling." —School Library Journal on WHEN MR. DOG BITES

"An unusual coming-of-age tale that is thoroughly engaging." —VOYA on WHEN MR. DOG BITES

From the Publisher

07/01/2016
Gr 7 Up—Told from the perspective of 14-year-old Charlie, this book brings light to communities where teens are struggling under a repressive government or regime pressured by a larger neighboring nation (think current events in Ukraine or the Middle East). Set in a fictional modern world, this story features a teenager who befriends a refugee who moved from Old Country, the neighboring nation that bombs Little Town. Their friendship grows and is tested, most notably by school bullies and the corrupt gang leader Big Man. Charlie struggles with the lure of a gang leader who offers what he needs during a time of crisis, the social pressures of cultural prejudice, and even desire for the pretty girl at school. The slow-moving plot eventually crescendoes into an unexpected climax—readers will fly through the last portion of the book in one sitting. VERDICT Recommended for classroom discussion and for those interested in realistic fiction about a world in turmoil.—Seth Herchenbach, McHenry Community College, IL

School Library Journal

2016-06-28
All things considered, Charlie had been having a pretty good summer. He had a new friend in his refugee neighbor Pavel “Pav” Duda, a new man cave (actually an old shed), and a new way to get Erin F’s attention. But his life changes completely when Old Country tries to bomb Little Town to smithereens. It is tempting to overlay current political unrest onto this novel, but by naming the warring regions Little Town and Old Country, Conaghan creates a timeless allegory. The differences between the people of Little Town and Old Country are not disclosed, but Pav’s name, speech, and blue eyes are used to mark him as an “Old Country bastard.” Charlie and the other Little Town citizens speak a “lingo” characterized by idioms and colloquialisms that separates them both from our reality and from Old Country refugees like Pav, whose command of the grammar is shaky. This lingo, together with Charlie’s sense of humor, makes the tone deceptively light. The slow pace allows the tension to build imperceptibly, like a crane lifting an anvil over the heads of unsuspecting readers. Conaghan tackles the complexities of war, occupation, and totalitarianism in a direct and accessible way, portraying violence frankly but without sensationalism. Charlie’s understanding of what is taught about others versus what is actually the truth speaks volumes. Charlie’s cleareyed account delivers a powerful anti-war statement without a hint of pedantry.(Fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews