Swim The Fly vs A Time Of Miracles

The judge for this round is Mrs Murray.

I was given two very different books. I read Swim the Fly first and thought it was unbeatable. It was funny, poignant and about boys. A group of teenage boys who set themselves a challenge. They have to see a girl, naked, before the end of the summer. Written from the standpoint of a teenage boy it's engaging and funny. It's also gross at times, just like a teenage boy, as well as naive and awkward.

The addition of the Grandfather is a nice touch as it shows the universal nature of men's problems. The teenage boys all have very distinct characters although you only really warm to the main character. Female characters are peripheral, as you would expect.

The plot is ostensibly about the summer challenge but there's also the challenge Matt sets himself to swim butterfly for the school swimming team, and how he overcomes this, the trials he undergoes and ultimately, the character he develops. I'm not sure is this is the greatest literature but it is a great read. I was engrossed from the first page.

A Time of Miracles is a serious book. It is based around the story of a refugee from the former Soviet Union and his journey to France and citizenship. It is an engaging read and although I didn't expect to enjoy it, I did. It's a fast moving story with a large cast of colourful characters. The refugees, because of their plight keep having to move on and meet new people so there are plenty of tales to tell. It's told from the child's eye view and inevitably there is a feeling that you know how the story will end because you are not as innocent or naive as the main character.

My winner is Swim the Fly