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Pigeon English
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
62 posts | 34 read | 25 to read
Newly arrived from Ghana with his mother and older sister, eleven-year-old Harrison Opoku lives on the ninth floor of a block of flats on a London housing estate. The second best runner in the whole of Year 7, Harri races through his new life in his personalised trainers - the Adidas stripes drawn on with marker pen - blissfully unaware of the very real threat all around him. With equal fascination for the local gang - the Dell Farm Crew - and the pigeon who visits his balcony, Harri absorbs the many strange elements of his new life in England: watching, listening, and learning the tricks of inner-city survival. But when a boy is knifed to death on the high street and a police appeal for witnesses draws only silence, Harri decides to start a murder investigation of his own. In doing so, he unwittingly endangers the fragile web his mother has spun around her family to try and keep them safe. A story of innocence and experience, hope and harsh reality, Pigeon English is a spellbinding portrayal of a boy balancing on the edge of manhood and of the forces around him that try to shape the way he falls.
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review
MelHopton
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
This post contains spoilers
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Pickpick

You could tell what was going to happen from the beginning, but that tragic inevitability and the way the violence insidiously permeated the life of this lovely boy still shook me. He was a great kid, playing detective with his friend, and the everyday, almost banal acceptance of the gang violence in the community contraindicated the person he should have been.People just kill people as if it's ok, and that's the way it is - asweh, can we stop it?

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readingjedi
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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I posted last week about unreliable narrators and it got me thinking about other memorable narrators. The one that has really stuck in my memory is Harri from Pigeon English. The pigeon is excellent as well of course but it's Harri that I can still 'hear' to this day. His turns of phrase, his tone, all still as fresh and sparky in my mind now 5 or 6 years since reading it.

I have many other favourites but Harri stands out. He's unforgettable.

readingjedi Argh! Checked my records - read it in 2012! Time flies! 4y
zezeki I love this book, it's been years since I've read it, but I still remember it fondly. 4y
67 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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Emilymdxn
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pickpick

Mixed litsy rating but I‘d urge you to try it! 11yo boy moves from Ghana and makes sense of London, his housing estate, and a murder the police don‘t care about. This is one of few books that does a child‘s narration in an adult book well, with some magic realism elements that some found odd but I was very here for. The slang could be a barrier to immersion but it works great on audio.

#wintergames #tbrread #merryreaders @Clwojick @StayCurious

rachaich I really appreciated this. I believe it's on some GSCE syllabus. 4y
zezeki I've read this one a few years ago, and I absolutely loved it!! Broke my heart a little bit. 4y
Emilymdxn @rachaich that‘s really interesting! I think it would work well for a gcse text (tho I hope there‘d be some discussion around some homophobic language in there in a classroom). 4y
Emilymdxn @zezeki I‘m so glad you liked it too! I‘m a bit surprised the litsy rating was so low 4y
Clwojick 16 pt 4y
53 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Ottergirl
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Read this book for a book club, and devoured it! I did enjoy the style and the characters, but the ending was just so shocking and sudden! Then I saw the references to Damilola Taylor and it made sense. I‘m so glad they didn‘t put those references in the cover as it would have ruined the story. I really want there to be a sequel told from his sister‘s perspective.

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Neymarbread_11
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pickpick

A tale telling the story of a eleven year old boy from Ghana in England, Harrison Opoku runs around town finding things to do. When one of his friends is murdered, Harrison decides to do something about it, while escaping a gang of older boys in school.

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naylormatthew
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
Pickpick

Re-reading this brilliant book. I find Kelman's ability to write with child-like wonder and innocence quite beautiful. I wonder if black Ghanaian migrants to London would find it too innacurate or find fault in him writing something so very different to his own lived experience but I hope not. I find this book very moving.

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Neymarbread_11
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pickpick

A great book, that looks into the mind of an eleven year old boy, and his journey to solve a murder, to define love and to choose between friends.👍 Great book and i loved every single part of it.

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Weaponxgirl
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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I'm having a book funk, they didn't have enough copies of small island that I wanted to read for my pick for bookclub and so they sent this instead and I'm sure it's good but it's not what I'd have picked if given a choice for an alternative and I'm slightly miffed tbh. And I don't want to read it.
This combined with 2 bails so far this month has left me not knowing what I want to read. Any ideas in how to get out of this bad book mood?

wanderinglynn I usually go reread a favorite or a light-hearted, funny, easy read. And if that doesn‘t help, I go do something else - binge Netflix, do crafts/puzzles, play games, until I feel like picking up a book again. (edited) 6y
Weaponxgirl @wanderinglynn thank you, I was hoping born free was gonna be uplifting and just ended up annoyed instead. I may have to try a reread as I'm not doing well with tv atm either. 6y
Tonton This book will break your heart、guaranteed。 (edited) 6y
43 likes3 comments
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BarbaraBB
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pickpick

Harri (11) is a boy from Ghana who immigrates to a tough London neighbourhood. After the murder of an older boy, Harri and a friend turn amateur detectives, looking for clues everywhere. Kelman's ability to write from an 11-year-old's perspective is incredible, he creates such a sweet, naïf boy, who manages to stand strong in an environment of junkies and gangs. All the love for this book except for the pigeon, that added nothing at all #manbooker

DivaDiane I read this recently and enjoyed it too. I found the pigeon a little odd too, but decided it was like an angel or spirit guide or something. 6y
zezeki I love this book! 6y
BarbaraBB @DivaDiane Yes I think so too but I noticed myself skimming the parts ‘told‘ by the pigeon. 6y
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BarbaraBB @zeljka I think the story will stick with me for some time! 6y
DivaDiane It did stick with me for a good long while. Gave me a book hangover! That ending. Had a hard time getting over it. 😢 6y
BarbaraBB @DivaDiane Yes, that ending was unexpected and hit me hard 💔 6y
60 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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samharnold
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman

@Balibee146 hi hope you are well any idea when you will be able send my book back to me. I would really like to go through some passages of it with my students before their GCSE exams at the end of May.

Balibee146 Gah..... So sorry Sam I totally forgot I still had it. Oh no.... Will post to you first class tomorrow. 😥 6y
samharnold Thank you I would appreciate that 😀 6y
samharnold Thank you received the book today 😀 6y
3 likes3 comments
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Balibee146
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pickpick

Wonderful close to our first round of #lmpbc #groupX
Thank you for choosing the wonderful, important, heartbreaking novel @samharnold
Thank you all for a fab time.... Hope you are still up for another round in reverse order? ☺️ @jhod @DivaDiane
#read2018

samharnold So glad you liked it. I‘m more than happy to go for a reverse round if everyone else is. 6y
jhod Yep I'm up for it! 6y
DivaDiane I am too! I think we make a great group! 6y
43 likes3 comments
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Tonton
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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My used book haul for this weekend!

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Balibee146
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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I don't have a lot of #BorrowedBooks just now.... But I have these for postal bookclubs from other littens 😀
#marchinbooks @maich

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DivaDiane
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Congratulations @Cathythoughts on 30k Litfluence!! That‘s amazing!
So, #onebookoneword huh? The tagged book was the book I finished most recently and it is “heartbreaking”.
Thanks for doing this giveaway!!

Cathythoughts Thankyou 👍🏻 your in 🎩 6y
62 likes1 comment
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DivaDiane
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pickpick

What a beautiful book. Sad and heartbreaking though. Told in first person by an 11 year old immigrant from Ghana living in council housing in London. His whole environment is ominous and yet he sees beauty and things to love everywhere. He is telling his feelings and experiences to a Pigeon he has “adopted”. The Pigeon might be his guardian angel. Not sure. I won‘t say more...
Thank you @samharnold for choosing for #LMPBC #groupX

EvieBee Awww! Sounds heartbreaking. 😩 6y
ephemeralwaltz I'm intrigued! 6y
jhod Lovely review 💕 6y
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samharnold I‘m so glad you enjoyed it. It has just become GCSE reading so I get the joy of sharing it with my students as well. 6y
Tessbooklover Great book! The way the end becomes full circle with the beginning... 💚 6y
DivaDiane @Tessbooklover Yes, but so heartbreaking. 6y
Tessbooklover @DivaDiane yes very 😟 6y
84 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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DivaDiane
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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1. Anywhere! I always have a book with me and am always pulling it out.
2. Mostly a movie/theater/event ticket or something like that but increasingly actual bookmarks!
3. I can stop anytime (necessity) but prefer the end of a chapter.
4. Sometimes
5. Nope.
6. I used to be monogamous, but now I‘m definitely a book polygamist!
7. Everywhere
8. I do both. Read aloud to my son and husband and into a microphone.
9. Never
10. Neither

DivaDiane 11. I am in the tagged book for #LPMBC 12. @jhod @Balibee146 @samharnold (edited) 6y
jhod Yay thanks for the tag!! 💕 6y
49 likes2 comments
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DivaDiane
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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#humpdaypost @MinDea
1. Post a shelfie!
2-Beer wine or Liquor? - Wine!
3-History or Futuristic Fiction?I‘ve always preferred Historical and futuristic fiction to present day!
4-What color are your eyes? Blue/Gray
5-What are you reading? Pigeon English - love it so far.

zezeki I loved Pigeon English ❤ 6y
2BR02B Nice sci fi collection! 6y
DivaDiane @2BR02B Thanks! The nearer shelves are all SF&F the farther are regular Fiction. In fact, the books are double stacked - the ones in front are all TBRs (except the Ursula K. LeGuin‘s - Those I couldn‘t put in the back!) 6y
79 likes3 comments
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DivaDiane
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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So these are the books on my plate right now. There‘re 2 buddy reads, which count also for my #MountTBRchallenge (#OtherlandBuddyRead & #EpicBuddyRead #NameoftheWind). There‘re also 2 collections for the #PoetryChallenge2018 and the new book for #GroupX‘s #LPMBC, which I thought I should keep Secret! ThankS for sending it @jhod !

DivaDiane Oh dear, I‘m such a dork. 6y
TricksyTails Those are some chunksters! 6y
TricksyTails Oh! Also, did you receive your matches email for #FeedAReader? Would you mind confirming receipt? Thank you! 6y
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BeckyK I‘ve just had to have a look into #LPMBC and it looks like such fun! Hope I can get into the 2nd round! :) 6y
jhod @Beckykearns it's been great! 6y
Andrew65 These should keep you busy @DivaDiane. I‘ve currently got two on the go for #yearoftheChunkster, Ireland:Awakening by Edward Rutherfurd and like you Name Of The Wind but WELL behind on it. Also got a smaller book on the go for #MountTBRChallenge , Elegy for Edidie by Jacqueline Winspear. The next audiobook I start will be Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith for #LitsyAtoZ. Certainly no time to get bored! 6y
DivaDiane @Andrew65 Haha! You are just like me, reading several books at the same time. I blame it on formats: Hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook, SerialReader, poetry, kids book, the book I‘m reading to my husband! Oh boy, that‘s 8 Books, potentially simultaneously. 😳No wonder it takes me forever to finish books! I haven‘t chosen my next audio book though. (edited) 6y
Andrew65 @DivaDiane At the moment not listening to anything as off work till the 8th and use them for commuting, when I‘m too tired to physically read (which funnily enough doesn‘t happen when I‘m not at work 😂), or long distance journeys. My last two are The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley and Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman. I have Child 44 by Rom Rob Smith, Assassin‘s Apprentice by Robin Hobb and I Found You by Lisa Jewell lined up next. (edited) 6y
DivaDiane Sounds awesome! Literally! 6y
85 likes10 comments
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jhod
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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My boyf surprised me with New Year's in France! Which was lovely but I didn't manage to fit much reading in! Back on the Euro Tunnel now and hoping to finish this one off... Happy New Year!! 🎉🌟🎉🌟

rachelm What a sweet surprise! 6y
rockpools It looks gorgeous! Cold, but gorgeous! 6y
Dragon Happy New Year ? Bonne Année 6y
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Christine11 That‘s so nice ! Happy New Year! 6y
AlaMich He‘s a keeper!! 😊 6y
GripLitGrl Happy new year!!!🎊🎆🎈 6y
Tamra Lovely surprise! 6y
CAnne Happy New Year 🎉 6y
Cortg Happy New Year! France sounds lovely! 6y
Redwritinghood Happy New Year! 6y
JessClark78 Happy New Year! 6y
Bookzombie Happy New Year!! 🎆 ⭐️🎉 6y
133 likes12 comments
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jhod
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Just got to my parents after a five hour trip from #london and there are freshly made biscuits on the table! My mum has made it look so Christmassy! These are the books I want to try and finish/read whilst I'm here! One each for #lmpbc and #whodunituk #bookandcookies
#dickensianlondon
@jenniferw88
#decktheshelves
@JoeStalksBeck @Tiffy_Reads

Miss_Kim Nothing like being home for the holidays! 🎄 6y
Cathythoughts Oh enjoy❤️. Are they mince pies ? Mince pies & cream are my fave 😋 6y
jhod @Cathythoughts apparently they're called ricciarelli and are Sienese almond biscuits - v yummy @Miss_Kim exactly! 🕯🎅🤶🌲🎄 6y
Cathythoughts OMG they sound truly divine ✨✨✨ 6y
AceOnRoam They look so delicious. Nom nom nom. 6y
105 likes5 comments
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Pen_Meets_Paper
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Mehso-so

Told from the point of view of an eleven-year-old boy, Pigeon English observes the harsh realities of the projects. Harrison has recently moved into the flats with his mom and sister. He spends half his time daydreaming about pigeons and the other half observing the local gang. The murder of a local boy inspires him to solve the mystery, facing the harsh realities of growing up in urban poverty.

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Pen_Meets_Paper
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pen_Meets_Paper
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pen_Meets_Paper
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pen_Meets_Paper
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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Pen_Meets_Paper
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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AMVP
Pigeon English | Stephen Kelman
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#junebookbugs day 15 - #stripes

Sometimes, the title alone is enough to get you to buy a book. Went back and forth on this one for a while before finding this hardback copy in a used bookstore.

vivastory I liked this one 7y
10 likes1 comment