cyphomandra

Kingcup Calling, by Alec Lea. I picked up this and A Whiff of Boarhound, by the same author, at the same time – they’re 1970s British children’s fiction, from the time when realism – usually gritty, usually depressing – was coming into vogue. The back cover has blurbs for similar books, including an enthusiastic TLS summary for one called Gulls: “[A] sensitive, realistic account of three teenage girls growing up in a bleak unattractive town in the north-east […] one of them becomes pregnant and attempts to commit suicide. The story is told in flat unpoetic prose that exactly suits its subject matter.”

I have no idea why I don’t immediately want to track it down. ( Anyway, Kingcup Calling has a similar writing style, but is slightly more cheery )