From the UK Children’s Laureate comes a spellbinding YA novel in verse blending the ancient myth of Theseus and the Minotaur with the quest of a modern-day teen in search of his father.
Theo, a seventeen-year-old London schoolboy with a single mother, is desperate to track down the father who left them, whom he scarcely remembers. At school he discovers Greek mythology and the ancient story of Theseus, a fatherless son driven on a similar search. As Theo focuses on Theseus in a series of poems he composes, it becomes clear the two journeys echo each other in uncanny ways. Theseus must conquer his enemies—a psycho Cyclops, a tree-bending murderer, a monstrous pig—while Theo is tricked and double-crossed, confronting obstacles ranging from a search-agency scam artist to a depraved lawyer. Poet Joseph Coelho brilliantly interweaves the boys’ stories, following them through dangers, horrors, and false successes, revealing that Theo must be as resourceful and strong as his mythical hero. In a unique twist, readers are asked to take a role in picking which option the heroes should pursue when facing choices on their path to manhood. The two alternating stories, along with stories from the Minotaur’s perspective, fuse into one in a riveting climax, as the protagonists meet in the heart of the labyrinth.
About the Author
Kate Milner is the author-illustrator of the award-winning My Name Is Not Refugee and It’s a No-Money Day, which was short-listed for the Kate Greenaway Medal. She is also the illustrator of Joseph Coelho’s Overheard in a Tower Block and The Girl Who Became a Tree: A Story Told in Poems. Her illustrations and prints have been shown in London galleries and national touring exhibitions. A former librarian, she lives in Bedfordshire, England.
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 320 pages
- Reading age : 12 - 17 years
- Grade level : 7 - 9
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.44 x 1 x 8.06 inches