A Little Lower Than the Angels

I am increasingly fascinated by a narrow seam of so-called children's books that actually touch on universal themes so powerfully that they transcend categories. Alan Garner's Stone Quartet was the last book of this sort I read. Interestingly this one also starts with ancient stone-masonry, but swiftly moves in another tangent as Gabriel (the mason's miserable brutalised apprentice) encounters and runs away with a group of mystery players. The setting is mediaeval and the hand of god hangs heavily over the populace, scared of damnation, eachother and the plague in equal parts. I absolutely loved it and soaked up the gorgeous writing and powerful characterisation. As a writer, she is less terse than Garner, but matches his serious and sombre outlook - I will say (without giving anything away) that it has a much happier ending than I had feared.