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The Borrible Trilogy #2
The Borribles Go for Broke
They dwell in the shadows and backstreets of London; they live by their wits and by Borrible Law in which the Highest Commandment is Don't Get Caught! Their greatest enemy is the London Police Special Borrible Group, committed to turning all Borribles back into the dull, ordinary children from which they grew; and their greatest glory is an Honorable Name which can only be earned by an adventure of daring or the blood of battle...
267 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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About the author
Michael de Larrabeiti
29 books38 followersMichael de Larrabeiti was an English novelist and travel writer. He is best known for writing The Borrible Trilogy, which has been cited as an influence by writers in the New Weird movement.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 20, 2019
Recensione su BookLover
Quando Sydney riceve un messaggio riguardante Sam, il cavallo che aveva aiutato gli Avventurieri nella loro missione a Rumbledonia, la Borrible decide di chiedere aiuto a Chalotte.
Sospettosa, la seconda Borrible decide comunque di aiutare l'amica e, assieme a Bombardone, Bingo, Volgare, il loro nuovo amico Tramonto e Pugno, le due Borrible partono alla ricerca di Sam.
Tra incontri poco piacevoli coi Rimbasbirri, e vagabondi adulti molto simili ai Borrible, i piccoli eroi si ritrovano, loro malgrado, in una nuova avventura che li porterà dritti nel covo dei Bastonatori.
A parte la copertina che è uno spoiler enorme (e non dico perché), ho trovato la lettura di questo libro molto piacevole. Devo dire che all'inizio non ero molto sicura, in quanto era tutto molto lento e poco avventuroso. Ma, da un certo punto in poi, la storia ingrana davvero e non ci si stacca dalle pagine!
Forse ho trovato più piacevole il primo volume, per via della "novità" che i personaggi rappresentavano per me, ma ci sono certi colpi di scena parecchio interessanti e inaspettati!
Per quanto riguarda i personaggi, dalla parte dei Borrible troviamo una new entry: Tramonto, un Borrible bangaldese che desidera andare all'avventura. Questo lo differenzia dagli altri, che invece ne hanno avuto abbastanza con Rumbledonia. È il tipico Borrible, questo è sicuro, ma a me è sembrato un po' distaccato dagli altri, che sono tutti amici (a parte Pugno, di cui non si fida nessuno, in realtà).
Per quanto riguarda invece Sussworth e Hanks, sono praticamente due caricature insopportabili e odiose di poliziotti. Un ragazzino, ma anche io sinceramente, li odierebbe a prima vista. L'uno molto preciso e meticoloso, l'altro disgustosamente grasso e sporco, cercano di catturare i Borrible che hanno avuto a che fare con la morte di Gocciolone e del figlio di questi. Sui Borrible pende la condanna al taglio delle orecchie e un ritorno alla vita "normale".
Ben è definito dai personaggi stessi un "Borrible adulto", un vagabondo sempre ubriaco eppure molto gentile e protettivo nei confronti dei ragazzini. Un po' ero stranita e sospettosa: in fondo, è un adulto. E gli adulti non fanno gran belle figure in questi libri. Ma a quanto pare è la controparte positiva ai due poliziotti. Un tipo simpatico.
Quello di cui sospettavo di più, però, è Pugno: è certamente un Borrible, ma meschino, che trama alle spalle di tutti, un vero specchio di Testadisasso, di cui desidera la morte.
Se vi dicessi al completo i miei personaggi preferiti in questo secondo volume, entrerei in spoiler piuttosto grossi, quindi mi limiterò a dire un solo nome: Chalotte. Sospettosa di Pugno e livelli estremi, lo odia per quello che ha fatto capitare a Randello e agli altri. È l'unica che sembra avere una prospettiva realistica di quello che sta succedendo, e l'unica che sembra avere ancora un po' di cervello.
La storia è raccontata in uno stile semplice, lineare, che si legge con facilità. È un libro per ragazzi, quindi non ci sono frasi troppo complesse o incomprensibili, come a volte succede nei libri "per adulti" (odio queste categorizzazioni). Il tutto è bilanciato dall'avventura, che invece è molto più intricata di quello che sembra!
Mi è piaciuto molto, ed è un libro che consiglio a tutti.
Quando Sydney riceve un messaggio riguardante Sam, il cavallo che aveva aiutato gli Avventurieri nella loro missione a Rumbledonia, la Borrible decide di chiedere aiuto a Chalotte.
Sospettosa, la seconda Borrible decide comunque di aiutare l'amica e, assieme a Bombardone, Bingo, Volgare, il loro nuovo amico Tramonto e Pugno, le due Borrible partono alla ricerca di Sam.
Tra incontri poco piacevoli coi Rimbasbirri, e vagabondi adulti molto simili ai Borrible, i piccoli eroi si ritrovano, loro malgrado, in una nuova avventura che li porterà dritti nel covo dei Bastonatori.
A parte la copertina che è uno spoiler enorme (e non dico perché), ho trovato la lettura di questo libro molto piacevole. Devo dire che all'inizio non ero molto sicura, in quanto era tutto molto lento e poco avventuroso. Ma, da un certo punto in poi, la storia ingrana davvero e non ci si stacca dalle pagine!
Forse ho trovato più piacevole il primo volume, per via della "novità" che i personaggi rappresentavano per me, ma ci sono certi colpi di scena parecchio interessanti e inaspettati!
Per quanto riguarda i personaggi, dalla parte dei Borrible troviamo una new entry: Tramonto, un Borrible bangaldese che desidera andare all'avventura. Questo lo differenzia dagli altri, che invece ne hanno avuto abbastanza con Rumbledonia. È il tipico Borrible, questo è sicuro, ma a me è sembrato un po' distaccato dagli altri, che sono tutti amici (a parte Pugno, di cui non si fida nessuno, in realtà).
Per quanto riguarda invece Sussworth e Hanks, sono praticamente due caricature insopportabili e odiose di poliziotti. Un ragazzino, ma anche io sinceramente, li odierebbe a prima vista. L'uno molto preciso e meticoloso, l'altro disgustosamente grasso e sporco, cercano di catturare i Borrible che hanno avuto a che fare con la morte di Gocciolone e del figlio di questi. Sui Borrible pende la condanna al taglio delle orecchie e un ritorno alla vita "normale".
Ben è definito dai personaggi stessi un "Borrible adulto", un vagabondo sempre ubriaco eppure molto gentile e protettivo nei confronti dei ragazzini. Un po' ero stranita e sospettosa: in fondo, è un adulto. E gli adulti non fanno gran belle figure in questi libri. Ma a quanto pare è la controparte positiva ai due poliziotti. Un tipo simpatico.
Quello di cui sospettavo di più, però, è Pugno: è certamente un Borrible, ma meschino, che trama alle spalle di tutti, un vero specchio di Testadisasso, di cui desidera la morte.
Se vi dicessi al completo i miei personaggi preferiti in questo secondo volume, entrerei in spoiler piuttosto grossi, quindi mi limiterò a dire un solo nome: Chalotte. Sospettosa di Pugno e livelli estremi, lo odia per quello che ha fatto capitare a Randello e agli altri. È l'unica che sembra avere una prospettiva realistica di quello che sta succedendo, e l'unica che sembra avere ancora un po' di cervello.
La storia è raccontata in uno stile semplice, lineare, che si legge con facilità. È un libro per ragazzi, quindi non ci sono frasi troppo complesse o incomprensibili, come a volte succede nei libri "per adulti" (odio queste categorizzazioni). Il tutto è bilanciato dall'avventura, che invece è molto più intricata di quello che sembra!
Mi è piaciuto molto, ed è un libro che consiglio a tutti.
January 22, 2019
Delightfully subversive, even now.
I don't think there would be a London Below or an Un-Lun-Dun without this book.
January 18, 2021
For me this is a 10-star book: one of my favorite books of childhood is just as good when read in adulthood.
November 18, 2020
This was my favourite book as a child and I still remember many details vividly. Thank you for writing this. I’m sure in many ways it helped send me on a path to become an author myself, thank you. This must be a reprint because I read this book in the 80s.
February 16, 2017
I found this book better than the first one in the trilogy: darker and more coherent and with less plotholes (even though I think there is still at least an important one).
April 29, 2022
I rate this 4.5/5.
Personally, I think this book is slightly more enjoyable than the first and makes The Borribles better in retrospect. The world feels more fleshed-out, the characters are deepened and feel more distinct, there are some great twists and reveals, and the ending is more joyful. Seeing the consequences of the first book play out was very engaging, and the theming was just as strong as it was in the first. As a character, Spiff was a particular standout.
On the other hand, I found the new adult characters lacking. Inspector Sussworth and Sergeant Hanks weren't very intimidating as villains—especially compared to Dewdrop and the Rumbles—and I felt like Ben solved some of the Borribles issues too easily. This took a bit of the tension out of some scenes. Also, like the first book, Sydney and Charlotte are still the only female characters (though I guess I could count the lady at the RSPCA, who I believe was nameless), which is so odd given we've met over twenty characters now. Having such a huge gender disparity takes me out of the book at times.
This was a great sequel and I strongly recommend it if you enjoyed the first book.
Personally, I think this book is slightly more enjoyable than the first and makes The Borribles better in retrospect. The world feels more fleshed-out, the characters are deepened and feel more distinct, there are some great twists and reveals, and the ending is more joyful. Seeing the consequences of the first book play out was very engaging, and the theming was just as strong as it was in the first. As a character, Spiff was a particular standout.
On the other hand, I found the new adult characters lacking. Inspector Sussworth and Sergeant Hanks weren't very intimidating as villains—especially compared to Dewdrop and the Rumbles—and I felt like Ben solved some of the Borribles issues too easily. This took a bit of the tension out of some scenes. Also, like the first book, Sydney and Charlotte are still the only female characters (though I guess I could count the lady at the RSPCA, who I believe was nameless), which is so odd given we've met over twenty characters now. Having such a huge gender disparity takes me out of the book at times.
This was a great sequel and I strongly recommend it if you enjoyed the first book.
December 27, 2020
The best of the Borribles books, with gripping adventure writing and a Borrible-against-Borrible plot that delivers thrills and sometimes an unexpected thoughtfulness. The switch to a girl central character helps intensify things, although of course functionally there's no difference between girls and boys in Borrible world. (No casual sexism in this one though, which is nice). I saw another review noting that the heroes are basically pushed around rather than making their own destiny, and while that's true, the story feels like it's being driven by their desires. What sets this apart is the energy, the epic feel, the attention to detail, the gleeful descriptions of action and filth and muck. The climactic scene, which takes up a full 5% of the book, is a masterclass in action set piece writing, with satisfying ends for those who most deserve them. ("It was a long stationary moment; it was almost [NAME]'s last and he knew it. "Damn you, [NAME]' he yelled.")
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October 23, 2025What is a Borrible? Borribles are runaways who dwell in the shadows of London. Apart from their pointed ears, they look just like ordinary children. They live by their wits and a few Borrible laws--the chief one being, Don't Get Caught! The Borribles are outcasts--but they wouldn't have it any other way….The Borribles Go For BrokeOn the Great Rumble Hunt, Chalotte, a Borrible from Whitechapel, very nearly lost her life--and good friends had been left for dead--all because of the Rumble Treasure Chest. To Chalotte the treasure was evil and she had sworn never to go on another adventure. But when Chalotte and the other survivors discover that Sam the horse is in danger they know they have no choice--Borribles always help their friends. Their attempts to rescue Sam lead them into the second Great Borrible Adventure!
January 30, 2019
The first Borrible book had some world-building implausibilities, which I was willing to overlook given the gonzo concept. The second book is more heavily engaged with the 'real' world though, which makes the absurdities and grotesqueries a bit more hard to swallow. More of a flaw though, at least for me, is how much the main cast are side-lined in what is supposed to be their own adventure, left more or less adrift while the plot happens to and around them, due mostly to the machinations of fate and the secondary characters.
On the plus side, de Larrabeiti certainly has a gift for descriptive text, creating memorable word pictures at numerous points in the narrative.
On the plus side, de Larrabeiti certainly has a gift for descriptive text, creating memorable word pictures at numerous points in the narrative.
January 15, 2022
Re-read this book from my teens in the late 80s. This was the first of the trilogy I read, and it was a random purchase from who knows where. The artwork from my old long-gone copy was far superior to the surreal garbage the last printing used. Something in my wormhole head demanded that I find a copy of all three books now and read the first and third.
It was fun to return after a few decades and see what stuck and what didn't. I still had a terribly difficult time envisioning how the final set piece looks and plays out, despite layers of description; I remember having the same feeling as a kid.
It was fun to return after a few decades and see what stuck and what didn't. I still had a terribly difficult time envisioning how the final set piece looks and plays out, despite layers of description; I remember having the same feeling as a kid.
July 29, 2017
The best of the Borrible Trilogy. A book that will keep you up all night until you finish it. First read it 20 years ago and still love it just as much.
February 4, 2024
The quintessance of libertarian punk: diy and avoid the state.
November 11, 2015
Darker and funnier
In the first book we were introduced to the Borribles, runaway children that get pointy ears and become immortal. The Borribles are lovers of freedom, don’t use money, steal anything they need, live on the streets and in abandoned houses and love to share stories of their adventures. They are the middle ground between Peter Pan’s Lost Boys and street urchins. After the expedition on the first book to Rumbledom to attack the Rumbles, dangerous rat-like creatures, the Borribles now need to face the police. The London authorities seem now set in ending the Borrible phenomena once and for all.
The survivors from the precious adventure, get together with newcomer Twilight and Spiff, informal Battersea leader and a living legend. A Borrible that has been running the streets since Victorian times.
The author brought the series to new heights in the excellent Go For Broke. Spiff’s character, than had a small part on the first book, is built exceptionally here. He is always smiling, but is dangerous as a dagger, constantly manipulates the situation to his advantage and you are never sure of this true motivations. Another intriguing character is Old Ben, the homeless, and “honorary Borrible”. A guy that lives on a dump and considers himself “the richest man in the world”, because he has access to all the useful things the citizens of London throw away. Other great characters include the law-obsessed police inspector and the Sergent that only thinks about eating.
Go For Broke is the high point of a strange series of violent children’s adventures.
In the first book we were introduced to the Borribles, runaway children that get pointy ears and become immortal. The Borribles are lovers of freedom, don’t use money, steal anything they need, live on the streets and in abandoned houses and love to share stories of their adventures. They are the middle ground between Peter Pan’s Lost Boys and street urchins. After the expedition on the first book to Rumbledom to attack the Rumbles, dangerous rat-like creatures, the Borribles now need to face the police. The London authorities seem now set in ending the Borrible phenomena once and for all.
The survivors from the precious adventure, get together with newcomer Twilight and Spiff, informal Battersea leader and a living legend. A Borrible that has been running the streets since Victorian times.
The author brought the series to new heights in the excellent Go For Broke. Spiff’s character, than had a small part on the first book, is built exceptionally here. He is always smiling, but is dangerous as a dagger, constantly manipulates the situation to his advantage and you are never sure of this true motivations. Another intriguing character is Old Ben, the homeless, and “honorary Borrible”. A guy that lives on a dump and considers himself “the richest man in the world”, because he has access to all the useful things the citizens of London throw away. Other great characters include the law-obsessed police inspector and the Sergent that only thinks about eating.
Go For Broke is the high point of a strange series of violent children’s adventures.
May 24, 2020
This was my favourite book when I was 10. I remember finding it in the bookshop, and I read it many times. I didn't even realise it was a sequel at first, and didn't manage to get The Borribles for a couple of years, so this one seemed like the first in the series to me. It didn't disappoint, it seems larger in scope than the first book (although it probably isn't), and I always loved the mineshaft in the mud.
Spiff is a great character, perfectly expanded from his small but crucial role in The Borribles.
Spiff is a great character, perfectly expanded from his small but crucial role in The Borribles.
April 29, 2013
A strange and memorable book about a scruffy crew of British orphans who steal things and try to avoid the cops. Anything involving child runaways or orphans setting up temporary autonomous zones, that was my bag.
January 9, 2012
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1832610...
In The Borribles go for Broke, our heroes challenge both the grownup police of the Special Borrible Group and the leadership of the Wendles, for a visually memorable and violent climax in a subterranean tunnel of stinking mud.
In The Borribles go for Broke, our heroes challenge both the grownup police of the Special Borrible Group and the leadership of the Wendles, for a visually memorable and violent climax in a subterranean tunnel of stinking mud.
May 29, 2025
Second book of the Borrible trilogy - full of adventures, anti-capitalism, friendship, eat the rich (or drown the wannabe rich in mud), some betrayal, cunning plots and assorted stabbing. Also decapitation.
April 22, 2009
I gave this 5 stars mainly because I've never read anything like it before (besides the first one). I actually thought this one was better, but it was almost much more violent!
Currently reading
May 7, 2011so far so good
February 10, 2012
Gothic "horror" (it's more like grotesquerie) of a unique kind. A must-read.
October 7, 2014
Not quite up to scratch with the previous book, but an entertaining enough read.
January 2, 2015
Just brilliant! Character development and the adventure told is second to none. I love this book.
July 8, 2016
I liked this quite a bit better than Borribles 1.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews