The Electric by Andrew David Barker

[Foxbat]

The Electric by Andrew David Barker tells the tale of an old cinema where the spirits of Hollywood continue to work and entertain an audience of ghosts. It’s a secret discovered by Sam Crowhurst during the last days of summer.

To be brutally honest, I wasn’t sure about this book at first. The first forty or so pages just didn’t seem to gel too well and it’s as if the writer took a little while finding his voice. But find it he did and, after that initial hiccup, the novel seemed to really start to come alive. Overall it’s a pretty well written book, which, at its heart is a coming of age story. We follow Sam on his last few days before he begins his final year at school and, on the cusp of adulthood, begins to find out more about love and relationships.The Electric itself acts as both catalyst and foil within the tale and successfully communicates the feelings of change associated with the move from child to adulthood.

All in all, a very enjoyable read. The hardback edition is of good quality with no visible typos. It’s a book I’d be happy to recommend but the print run is limited to one hundred and fifty (numbered and signed bythe author – which is nice) but I hope it won’t be the last we see of it and perhaps the publisher should consider at least an e-version.

 

[Vertigo]

That sounds really interesting Foxbat. Would you say it is magical realism? It sounds a bit like it.

Also it is available as an ebook in AZW(Kindle) format for just £1.91 from Amazon UK (self published).

I can't find it anywhere else so maybe an Amazon exclusive publishing deal.

Incidentally, though it has only had 6 ratings and 3 reviews on Goodreads, they are all 4 or 5 stars and seem genuine.

 

[Foxbat]

Not sure exactly the magical realism parameters but I'd just call it a ghost story with a bit of heart

Didn't realise it was out on kindle (wasn't the last time I checked). For that price, you can't really go wrong.

 

[Vertigo]

Yes I might pick it up. As you say not a price I'm going to shed tears about if I don't like it.

And having read a bit more on the book now it does appear to be more fantasy/ghost and whilst I'm not into ghost stores per se I have no problems with them! I'm currently reading One Hundred Years of Solitude and, whilst that is definitely magical realism, it certainly has some ghosts knocking around! Think I might have to pick it up and give it a try.

I'm also trying to figure out whether the coming of age aspect makes it YA or just nostalgic. I suspect the latter.

 

[Foxbat]

I think if you like books like Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine, then you would probably enjoy this one.

I'd say more nostagic than YA.

Edit....nostalgic even

 

[Vertigo]

Well I've bought it now! I've had a quick read of the first couple of pages and I like the slightly purple prose in the opening. It's not too flowery but I like a little poetic description; I find it very evocative.

And you've got to admit this is a great line to have on your first page:

But on the evening I discovered the Electric, I was alone, and that old abandoned building seemed to know it.

 

[Vertigo]

In the end I'm not sure I'm going to be able to read this. I might give it another try later but I did end up struggling with the writing style. I didn't really notice on my first examination but his sentences are almost all very short; there are few conjunctions or qualifications, making the sentences very staccato and it all felt desperately choppy. I skipped forward to several other places in the book and found little difference in that style. I might try it again but I just didn't find it flowed.