Secrets of Carrick: Tantony
Age 13+
General Fiction
We found my brother in the skybog. It was me that found him.
Boson Quirk is dead, face-up in a bog of stars. Almost everyone in Carrick said that the boy was a monster, and now Fermion is sure that the townspeople are looking sideways at her, wondering if she’ll go the way of her cursed, mad twin. When a new voice rises inside her, Fermion begins to wonder the same thing. The voice tells her that the answer to Boson’s affliction lies on the other island, the one that everyone says is bristling with gods and monsters. But what waits for her there? Surely it is madness to pursue the answer?
Tantony is the second book set in the Secrets of Carrick universe and returns young adult fiction readers to the magical world of Celtic mythology. Australian author Ananda Braxton-Smith merges literary fantasy with mystery in this atmospheric tale of mental illness and self-discovery. Teen girls will love this novel and devour the others in the series, Merrow and Ghostheart.
Finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category of the 2011 Aurealis Awards and a 2012 Notable book at the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards.
“Exquisite. A beautiful, lush, haunting story – one that stays with the reader long after the last word is read.” Magpies
“Ananda Braxton-Smith’s tales propel readers into worlds with a vivacity and rawness, illuminating horror and beauty.” Magpies
“Lush, rich and achingly beautiful.” The Courier Mail
“The world of Carrick is stark and beautiful, cruel and magical, encircled by the unforgiving sea. From the opening sentence, I entered the cave of this story willingly, bewitched by the eerie poetry of Ananda’s words, and stepped out encrusted in salt, gritty with sand, and haunted.” Carole Wilkinson
Creators
Ananda Braxton-Smith is a journalist and children's author. She has written several titles for Black Dog Books, including a series for older readers, the Secrets of Carrick. The first two books in the series, Merrow and Tantony, were Children’s Book Council of Australia Notable Books in 2011 and 2012, in addition to being finalists in the Young Adult Fiction category of the 2010 and 2011 Aurealis Awards.
Reviews
Tantony is a journey through grief and loss, a journey across land and sea, a journey to find your own path in life and what you believe. As one girl struggles with her life, her loss and what she believes she learns to accept others for who they are and herself for who she needs to be. Written with a raw and edgy language that reflects the uniqueness of this country and the quirkiness of its people, this down to earth story is one that settles deep within you and refuses leave.
Larissabookgirl Blog
Lush, rich and achingly beautiful.
Courier Mail
Her tales propel readers into worlds with a vivacity and rawness, illuminating horror and beauty.
Magpies
