Micheal and his parents move to their new, run-down home, much to Micheal's dismay. But when his mother gives birth to his baby sister early, the trouble starts. The baby is in hospital, and has to have a heart operation, the mother is never at home as she is with the baby and the father is an emotional wreck that is struggling to finish work on the house before the mother and (hopefully) baby return home. This leaves Micheal all on his own, but when he finds a strange, crippled man in his garden shed, he and his friend Mina start questioning reality, and who, or what, this being is. Skellig, part human, part owl and part angel, is weakened, but brought back to his strength by the children. Can he help save Micheal's baby sister, or is it hopeless?

This was a heart-touching book, and an emotional rollercoaster. It cleary shows Micheal's distress at all that is happening, and how he learns to cope wothout his parents' comfort. Their family is a wreck, and it is shown how hard that is on a child. Also, it gives us hope as he nurses Skellig back to health and never gives up on his sister. 'He can feel her heart beating next to his' he explains half-way through the book, and he worries about her all the time. It's lovely to see how in sync David Almond was with the characters' emotions.

And now let's get down to the negatives that made me give this a 2 star.
The writing style is very simple - I know this is David's first attempt at a children/teen's novel, but seriously? There's no need to simplify the writing: it detucts from the beauty of the story. Also, the amount of repetition used is rather annoying. I don't feel there's a need for repeating mild curse words such as 'bloody' all the time.
The fantasy aspect of the book isn't that great either. There isn't much magic, and when there is, it isn't described or emphasized.
Also, nothing is explained: who EXACTLY is Skellig? Why was he in a garden shed? What will happen to him now? We were left with many loose ends, and things that didn't make any sense.

So, all in all, it's a story of a boy's feelings as he goes throught tough times emotionally, and about his family's salvation. This book deserves a chance. I gave it two stars as it didn't really live up to my high expectations, but the emotional aspect of the book was fantastic.
-Zanthie. ;)