The Longest Night Of Charlie Noon- Christopher Edge

Ok. First of all, this is going to be a shorter review than usual because there is not much that can be said about the plot or themes without spoilery spoilers and they are worth discovering yourself. But then this is a short book yet it has made me cry, like sobbing tears and has instantly secured itself in my ‘favourites of all time’ vault.

The back of the book says ‘A Timeless novel for anyone who’s ever felt lost’ and you need to hand a prize to whoever wrote that because that is such an intensely, sharply clever summation.

Cover illustrations by Matt Saunders Typography by Joel Holland

Charlie’s family has left London for the rural home a grandfather has left in his will but the same anger thuds through the house whilst Charlie hides under the covers lost in the world of spy novels and Scouting guides.

One afternoon Charlie follows Dizzy into the woods in search of spies with Johnny following and the trio find themselves impossibly lost as night suddenly descends and Time starts to play tricks.

This can’t be right. We’ve only been in the woods for a couple of hours or so.The sun doesn’t set until nine o’clock and it can’t be near that time yet. Can it?

This book will make you question the concepts of time, Duty, intelligence, friendship, bravery, courage and what you have internalised along with what are your contributions and footsteps upon this earth.

Such a beautiful deeply atmospheric ode to woodlands, to those who feel lost and to everyday people who find themselves doing acts of extraordinary heroism but also making the reader feel we are capable too.

And there I go getting emotional again….READ it!!

The Longest Night Of Charlie Noon by Christopher Edge is published by Nosy Crow. Thank you so much to Nosy Crow for sending me a copy of this wonderful book, this has not affected my opinion.