Attica (novel)

Lore & Background

The novel centers on 12-year-old Chloe and her brothers, Jordy (also 12) and Alex (10). Their father died of a heart attack when Chloe and Alex were 8 and 6 respectively. Their mother Dipa, a doctor, remarries Ben, a paramedic, who is Jordy's father. The blended family moves to Winchester into a rented half of a house owned by Mr. John Grantham. Grantham tells Chloe about a clock that sings Frère Jacques, given to him by a woman he loved in the 1930s and 1940s, which he has lost. Chloe offers to search the attic with her brothers, leading them into a parallel world they call Attica. There they encounter Atticans, creatures with bumps on their heads who believe humans are ghosts and monsters.

Reader's Guide

Attica is a notable entry in the parallel-magical-world subgenre of British children's fantasy. Its significance lies in its imaginative world-building and the distinct personalities of its child protagonists, as highlighted by Booklist's starred review. However, Kirkus Reviews found the novel overburdened with detail and slow-paced, noting that the children accept their strange surroundings too readily and that the difficulties they face lack genuine challenge. The mixed reception underscores the novel's niche appeal: it may satisfy dedicated fans of British fantasy but is not universally recommended. The story's focus on a blended family and the loss of a parent adds emotional depth, though critics disagreed on its execution.

Did You Know?

• The attic world is called 'Attica' by the children.
• The Atticans are creatures with bumps on their heads who think humans are ghosts and monsters.
• Mr. John Grantham lost a clock that sings Frère Jacques, given to him by a woman he loved in the 1930s and 1940s.
• Chloe and Alex's father died of a heart attack when they were 8 and 6 respectively.

The Story's Setup and Central Quest

Attica, published in 2006 by British author Garry Kilworth, is a children's fantasy novel built around a blended family's unexpected adventure. The story centers on three siblings—Chloe, aged twelve, her brother Jordy, also twelve, and younger Alex, who is ten. Their father passed away from a heart attack when the children were still very young, and their mother Dipa, a doctor, eventually remarried Ben, a paramedic. The arrival of Ben's son Jordy, who is three months older than Chloe and her complete opposite in temperament, transforms the household from a family of four into one of five, and the kids are far from thrilled. When the family relocates to Winchester and takes up residence in half of an old man's house, Mr. John Grantham shares a poignant memory of a woman he loved in the 1930s and 1940s. Susan, his lost love, had given him a clock that sings Frère Jacques before marrying a wealthier, older man. Unable to locate the clock, Grantham asks Chloe to search the attic with her brothers. What begins as a simple errand spirals into a full-blown adventure through a hidden world the children christen Attica.

The Siblings and Their Blended Family

Kilworth grounds his fantasy in the very real tensions of a stepfamily. Chloe, born in September 1994, and her brother Alex, born in 1996, lost their father to a heart attack at the ages of eight and six respectively. The grief of that loss shapes the household, and when their mother Dipa—herself a doctor—brings home Ben, a paramedic, the children must adjust to a man who is not their biological father. The most jarring addition is Jordy, born in July 1994, Ben's son from a previous relationship. At just three months older than Chloe, Jordy is described as her exact opposite, and the two younger siblings are openly unhappy about the family growing to five members. Because both parents work in emergency and medical fields, the children are accustomed to being home alone, a detail that makes their eventual attic expedition feel both plausible and slightly lonely. The novel uses these grounded family dynamics as the emotional foundation upon which its fantastical elements are layered, giving the children a realistic starting point before they step into the extraordinary.

The Hidden World of Attica

Beyond the ordinary walls of their Winchester apartment lies a realm the three siblings name Attica, a space packed with dark secrets and strange inhabitants. The most notable residents are the Atticans, a race of creatures distinguished by the bumps on their heads. These beings hold a peculiar and inverted worldview: they believe that all humans are ghosts, and they regard the children as monstrous intruders in their domain. This reversal of the typical human-versus-creature dynamic gives the parallel-magical-world setting a fresh edge. As Chloe, Jordy, and Alex navigate this unpredictable environment, they encounter a variety of other characters and obstacles that test their courage and ingenuity. The attic is not merely a backdrop but a living, breathing world with its own social structures and fears. The children must find their own strengths within this exhilarating setting, and the contrast between the mundane family drama downstairs and the fantastical dangers above creates a layered narrative that keeps young readers engaged throughout the adventure.

Critical Response and Reception

Attica received notably divided critical attention upon its 2006 release. Booklist's Krista Hutley awarded the novel a starred review, hailing it as a rare find in children's literature. She singled out Kilworth's ability to craft an innovative fantasy adventure, praising the way each child possesses a distinct personality and responds to the Attica environment in realistic, believable ways. According to Hutley, the siblings discover their own individual strengths amid the exhilarating and unpredictable world, which she felt elevated the story above typical fare. Kirkus Reviews, however, took a markedly different view. The publication criticized the novel for an overabundance of detail and what it described as a truly leaden pace. The reviewers felt the children accepted their bizarre surroundings far too readily and that the difficulties they faced, while often imaginative, never felt genuinely challenging. Kirkus concluded that while diehard fans of British fantasy might appreciate this coincidence-filled entry in the parallel-magical-world subgenre, it was not a book for every collection.

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