Mrs Voyce recommended this book to me - it was her Book of the Month for June - and it did not disappoint. I'm normally quite a slow reader but I whizzed through its 200+ pages in a couple of days. Millions is about a young boy called Damian Cunningham, who lives with his older brother Anthony and their father. Damian is obsessed with facts about saints and frequently has visions. He also finds a bag stuffed with money, which he takes as a sign from God that he needs to help the poor. Of course, his brother has other ideas ...The book is set at a time when Britain is about to join the Euro, meaning the boys must spend the money quickly before it becomes worthless. Damian is sensitive and genuinely wants to do 'the right thing'; Anthony has a shrewd business mind and is all for investing the money across a 'balanced portfolio of stocks and real estate'. Of course, things don't go quite according to plan for either of the boys.
The book is lucidly written and extremely entertaining. The characters are well-drawn and the action punchy and comic. There are also some unexpectedly creepy moments along the way. Frank Cotterell Boyce has written extensively for television and his ear for the way young children speak rings true. It is a book with a conscience and it manages to be thought-provoking without being all preachy and obvious. Millions is well worth checking out over the summer.
Mr Mudd
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