13 year old Billy leaves home one evening in late October, because after enduring it for five years, he cannot take another moment watching his mother bullied and abused by her controlling boyfriend. Fortunately he has found the perfect hideaway, an ivy-festooned “pillbox”, a relic from world war 2, in a nearby graveyard. How long can he last there without discovery, and as his Mum appeals publicly for his safe return, how can he ever go back?
I read Pam Smy’s Thornhill last year. I was initially reluctant to read it because I prefer text to graphic novels, and the idea of a story where half of it is told in pictures didn’t appeal to me. Until I read it and was blown away by how skilfully the author tells an emotional and heart-breaking story through a mix of elegant prose and beautiful illustrations. Hence I eagerly looked forward to reading The Hideaway.
The beautiful illustrations in The Hideaway, unlike Thornhill, do not tell much of the story but they add incredible atmosphere and reinforce the emotional impact. The Hideaway deals with a weighty topic, domestic abuse, and particularly its impact on kids, in an understated and compelling way. From Billy’s turmoil to his mother’s agony, to the kind neighbours and the caring police sergeant, the characters are wonderfully depicted as story unfolds. Told through seemingly spare language, there is a richness and complexity to the story and characters, that totally immerses the reader in this emotional tale.
The speculative element is very light and very nice; the book after all is dedicated to those who long to be reunited with those they have lost. The domestic situation is all too believable, the police, the neighbours and the search realistic, and the setting atmospheric and appealing. A touch of magic in the graveyard and a pinch of serendipity giving a hopeful future for Billy makes this a suitable middle grade book and a powerful emotional read for all ages.
Highly recommended ten out of ten diamonds for this wonderful book.
Valinora Troy 
21 responses to “Book Review: The Hideaway”
That IS a heavy topic for a young person’s book, but it sounds like Smy handles it well. Great review!
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Pam Smy handles it brilliantly, I was awed by her skill. Thanks for reading!
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Great book and great review.
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Thank you! I agree, really good book!
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I don’t usually read graphic novels, but this sound like one I’d like. It’s hard t tackle hard topics in a graphic novel, but it sounds like this one did it right.
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The hideaway isn’t really a graphic novel (there ‘s one scene only that advances the story, sorry I wasn’t clear!) but has a lot of illustrations that add to the ambience, but the text is so sparse I was amazed how well the author conveyed the emotions. If you come across it, I hope you check it out!
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I enjoyed your review and it brought back memories of reading this intriguing story. The main character won me over. Thanks for joining us again on MMGM.
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I remember your review (I think that was why I added it to my TBR), and I agree there were some co-incidences but I was very happy to buy into them! I felt so much for Billy’s plight!
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This was an interesting story, and my students are certainly fonder of pictures than I am. I’m with you. The real winner today is your adorable pup, though. What a cutie!
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Thanks so much! 🙂 He thinks he’s a star!
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This is a heavy topic, but it sounds like it is handled well. And, hiding in a grave yard is fascinating. I am not a big fan of graphic novels, but there are times I do like to see the action. Thanks for sharing!
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It’s a big topic but well handled, and very emotional – I was very upset for our hero, and for his mother too. It’s not really a graphic novel, though the illustrations add a lot to the mood. I loved the pillbox in the graveyard! And there’s a lovely plaque on the graveyard wall commemorating a poet, which I believe is based on a graveyard near the author’s home. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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I like your review–honest about the entire book–graphics and all!
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Thank you so much 🙂 and thanks for reading!
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I don’t read a lot of graphic novels, but I might make an exception for this one after reading your review. Thanks for the post.
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It’s really good 🙂 I think I misled everyone about it (not) being a graphic novel, sorry for the confusion, the illustrations really reinforce the mood and add to the sparse text but they don’t replace text (there was only one scene where I thought the text superfluous). Thanks for reading!
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I hadn’t previously heard of this story, but it sounds like an immensely powerful one—domestic abuse is definitely an unexplored topic, and Smy sounds talented enough to explore it well! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Valinora!
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It’s really good, I think you’d like it 🙂
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[…] The Hideaway, by Pam Smy, at Valinora Troy […]
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I love the cover and it sounds like a powerful book. I know my students love graphic novels. Thanks for putting this one on my radar.
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It’s really good, though not really a graphic novel, the illustrations add a lot to the atmosphere but there’s lots of text too! Thanks for reading! 🙂
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