Author:Robert Coover

'She arrives at 7.40, ten minutes late...' She babysits for Mr and Mrs Tucker. She has left a boyfriend alone for the evening. From this seemingly simple start Robert Coover masterfully explores the subtle barrier between 'reality' and thought. As the babysitter triggers the men's sexual fantasies, their erotic imaginations twist into alternative narratives simultaneously experienced by the reader: she does or does not take a bath; she does or does not invite her boyfriend over; she does or does not get caught unawares by Mr Tucker. In a profusion of happenings and imaginings, Coover layers moment upon moment, narrative upon narrative, to shatter the timeline of one evening into a multiplicity of events - contradictory, simultaneous, but all equally 'real'.
The world of Shirley Jackson is eerie and unforgettable ... It is a place where things are not what they seem; even on a morning that is sunny and clear there is always the threat of darkness looming, of things taking a turn for the worse
—— A. M. HomesShirley Jackson is unparalleled as a leader in the field of beautifully written, quiet, cumulative shudders
—— Dorothy ParkerShirley Jackson is one of those highly idiosyncratic, inimitable writers ... whose work exerts an enduring spell
—— Joyce Carol OatesWhat a marvellous writer...and what a Kenya it was
—— Financial TimesIt’s a treat to read such a satisfying, complex work
—— Financial TimesAs with Haig’s other crossover novels The Radleys and The Humans, this combines a cracking plot with profound philosophical questions about what it is to be human. Fearless and beautifully written, it confirms Haig as one of our best new writers of speculative fiction
—— Amanda Craig , New StatesmanMatt Haig uses words like a tin-opener. We are the tin
—— Jeanette WintersonHaig brings to life a terrifying and claustrophobic dystopian future. The future we are shown in Echo Boy is dark and disturbing, but there is hope. Hope that whatever terrors await, you can't put out "the irrepressible light" inside a person
—— TelegraphPoignant and thought-provoking
—— The BooksellerWill appeal as much to adults as teenagers . . . Enough action, adventure and tension with a slight dusting of romance to keep anyone enthralled . . . Matt Haig has penned a number of hugely popular adult and young children's novels and if Echo Boy is anything to go by, he's on the way to steal the YA market too . . . It's his unique depth of writing that makes Matt Haig's work such compelling reading
—— StarburstMatt Haig's first young adult novel is a thrilling science-fiction roller-coaster ride. The combination of romance and dystopia may be a familiar concept for young adult fiction, but Haig gives it his own distinctive spin, bringing freshness and a huge amount of imagination to this well-trodden territory . . . Echo Boy will keep young readers on the edge of their seats - but will also leave them with questions and philosophical problems to ponder
—— BooktrustA fun read with an intriguing setting
—— SFXAn infinitely rewarding novel . . . The futuristic world is imagined in such detail it begins to live before one’s eyes
—— Literature WorksYA sci-fi fans will love this one . . . Definitely a book I’m going to be recommending
—— Feeling FictionalThis is strong, relentless stuff. Matt Haig's universe is impressively consistent in every detail. We inescapably inhabit this world. The plot is chillingly taut
—— Books for Keeps






