The Thief of Always by Clive Barker
Youth Fiction Shelves - Lower Level - BARKER
Harvey Swick is like any other ten-year-old boy stuck in the “great gray beast of February,” he’s bored out of his mind. With the wonders of the holiday season fading and the promise of the summer far away, slushy treks to school and piles of homework await Harvey. However, this all soon changes when a smooth talking man named Rictus flies through his window and tells Harvey of a magical place known as the Holiday House. Within this realm the seasons of the year span like hours, where one can enjoy a spring morning, a long summer day, the eerie twilight of Halloween, and a Christmas night where any gift you wish will be yours. With these possibilities too tantalizing to resist Harvey sets off to the Holiday House and for the first few days he almost forgets about his home completely. However, he soon realizes that there is a darkness hidden under the house's façade of wonder and getting back home might be harder than he thinks.
The Thief of Always is Clive Barkers first youth oriented novel and he succeeds in both capturing the voice and perspective of a child, while crafting a story that would intrigue a more mature reader. The cast of characters are both fascinating and frightening, and the world is one that most of us have probably imagined ourselves as kids. No matter what age you are, The Thief of Always will sweep you up in its spell and you may not want to leave the world yourself.