CLAY
David Almond
Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Fiction
Hardcover: 038573171X
Paperback: 9780440420132
256 pages

David Almond's latest effort, CLAY, is an utterly creepy tale of good versus evil. Set in the English north countryside --- like Almond's Printz Award-winning novel, KIT'S WILDERNESS, and Whitbread Award winner THE FIRE-EATERS --- CLAY tells the story of Davie, a 13-year-old altar boy who finds his faith questioned when a new boy comes to town who claims he can make a monster out of clay.

At the beginning of the story, Davie is just your typical mischievous altar boy who along with his friend Geordie enjoys stealing the sacramental wine and smoking stolen cigarettes. They do go to confession each week though to make up for it. Along with their altar boy antics, Davie and Geordie are enemies with the town bully, a typically drunken and belligerent Protestant named Martin Mould, aka Mouldy. They're convinced that Mouldy is out to get them, and against Mouldy's entourage Davie and Geordie know they don't stand a chance.

When a mysterious and creepy new kid named Stephen Rose shows up in town, and Father O'Mahoney encourages them to befriend the troubled young man, Davie and Geordie think that maybe Stephen is exactly what they need to win the Mouldy war. But Stephen seems nearly as crazy as the aunt he lives with, who is known as Crazy Mary from town. Plus, Stephen has a mysterious past that includes a dead father, a mother in a mental hospital and an expelling from his last school.

When Stephen stabs one of Mouldy's chums, Geordie freaks out, but Davie remains oddly enthralled with the creepy kid and finds himself spending more and more time alone with him. Then, Stephen shows Davie what he can do with clay and how he can make it move and turn to life. When Stephen comes up with a plan to make a monster out of clay, Davie is caught in the middle. A monster would help protect him against Martin Mould. But still, does that justify Davie stealing the body and blood of Christ from the church in order to give the clay creature a soul?

Things get out of control when the clay creature comes to life and taunts Davie's thoughts and dreams saying over and over, "I am here, master. Command me." It's up to Davie to figure out his feelings about both God and playing God. How will he deal with this monster named Clay?

David Almond's writing is concise yet hauntingly resonates after the last page. CLAY is like a reinvented FRANKENSTEIN roaming the hills of the English countryside. Warning: You might have nightmares after reading this one.

   --- Reviewed by Kristi Olson

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