King of the Castle – Susan Hill

 

This was the first Susan Hill book that I had read and I have to say that I wasn't initially all that impressed by it. I'm the King of the Castle follows the story of two boys (Edmund Hooper and Charles Kingshaw) who are brought together when Hooper's father employs Kingshaw's widow mother in their large country house.

Hooper takes an instant dislike to Kingshaw and goes out of his way to make it clear to the boy that he is not at all welcome in what Hooper consider to be his home. Hooper quite simply makes his life sheer hell. The book does bring Kingshaw's fear to life and it is hard not to read this and think about just how cruel things can be. 

An interesting episode in the local wood shows that Hooper does have his weaknesses and for a brief moment Kingshaw things that he may have a chance to reverse the roles, but this does not last for long.

The book itself is incredibly raw in places. It is hard not to feel shocked by some of the events that take place, but at the same time I found it a very difficult book to be drawn into. Whilst I could feel sympathy and hatred for the characters they still somehow didn't completely come alive for me. 

A moving book that maybe is in that category of books that should be read, but possibly will not be enjoyed.