Boy A
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| Boy A | |
 First edition cover |
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| Author | Jonathan Trigell |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Serpent's Tail |
| Publication date | 2004 |
| ISBN | ISBN 9781846686627 |
| Followed by | Cham (novel) |
Boy A is the title of a 2004 novel by British writer Jonathan Trigell.
Contents |
[edit] Premise
The book is the story of a child criminal released into society as an adult, taking its title from the court practice of concealing the identity of child defendants.
[edit] Basis
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The story has some parallels to the fates of the murderers of James Bulger, although the crime itself differs significantly. Among others, it echoes aspects of the Sakakibara Seito case in Japan and the Mary Bell case. The writer always admitted that the killer was not based on anyone he knew. However in Milan in 2004, he said there was a hint of truth in his writings, although did not disclose any further information on the subject.
[edit] Success
Published by Serpent's Tail in English speaking countries, the novel has been translated into French under the title Jeux d'Enfants published by Gallimard and also into Russian, Dutch and Spanish. It won the 2004 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the 2005 Waverton Good Read Award. On World Book Day (UK) 2008, Boy A was voted the most discussion worthy novel by a living writer in the Spread The Word poll.[1]
[edit] Film adaptation
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It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article. (Discuss) |
| Boy A | |
|---|---|
| Distributed by | The Weinstein Company Alliance Films (Canada) United Artists (U.S.A) |
A BAFTA award-winning film adaptation[2], that was released theatrically in some areas, made by Cuba Pictures and written by Mark O'Rowe premièred at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival.[3] It is directed by John Crowley and stars Andrew Garfield (who won the 2008 Best Actor BAFTA TV Award for his performance), Peter Mullan and Katie Lyons. The film is cinematic release in the USA by the Weinstein Company on 23 July 2008.[4]
[edit] Plot
A boy, Eric Wilson, befriends another boy, Philip Craig, a troublemaker who himself is the victim of rape by his older brother. When Philip gets into an argument with a schoolgirl after she criticizes their vandalism, Eric brings a knife, and the girl is killed; the film does not show or reveal who actually kills her.
Philip dies in prison. It is assumed to be suicide, but Eric has seen (or dreams) that he was killed by other prisoners. After being released from prison, guided by rehabilitation worker Terry, Eric, shy and eager to be good again, builds up a new life under the name Jack Burridge, not revealing his identity. He finds a job, befriends his colleague Chris, falls in love with female colleague Michelle, and even rescues a little girl after a car crash. An article in a local newspaper presents him as a hero, with photograph. Jack wants to be honest with Michelle and reveal his past, but Terry urges him not to do that because it is too dangerous. People may attack him because there is a reward of £20,000 for finding him. Terry argues that it is not dishonest because Eric is history, Jack is a new person.
The rehabilitation worker is less satisfied with his son than with Jack. The son finds out that Jack is Eric from newspaper articles about Eric being released and about Jack the hero, the fact that his father once accidentally calls him Jack, and information he looks up without permission on his father's computer. Out of jealousy he reveals this to the public. As a result Jack is fired, and his best friend Chris distances himself from him. Michelle goes missing, and people suspect Jack to be involved.
Jack repeatedly tries to phone Terry but gets his voicemail. He flees through a window from his home to avoid reporters and travels to a seaside resort. There he meets Michelle (or fantasizes he does), who tells him she was not the one who revealed Jack's past. She then leaves. After saying farewell messages in voicemails to Terry and Chris, the film ends with Jack standing on the edge of a pier and it is unclear whether or not he jumps and commits suicide.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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This section's citation style may be unclear. The references used may be clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. |
- Extract from Boy A
- Read more about the book on the publisher's website'
- Book review from The Independent newspaper.
- Video Clip of Trigell describing the novel.
- Report of Boy A winning the World Book Day Prize in The Guardian newspaper.
- Boy A Movie - Official site.
- Boy A at the Internet Movie Database
