The Girl with Gills

In The Girl with Gills, Effra and her brother, Fleet, are part of the larker community - people with gills who search the banks and depths of the River Yore for lost items to trade. Since the death of her beloved grandfather, 13-year-old Effra has looked after her younger brother, and she loves him dearly. Life is hard, so when Effra meets Bow, a lubber girl who lives on land and does not have gills, their blossoming friendship enriches her life.

Everything changes when the evil Rivermun is released back into the river after committing a terrible crime many years ago, he is out for revenge on Effra's family, who he believes are responsible for his punishment, and sets her a seemingly impossible task. If she fails, he will take Fleet and imprison him forever.

I loved this beautifully written book with its engaging cast of characters. Effra is a joy, strong, brave and totally loyal to her little brother, she puts her life in danger in order to try and save him. Aided by Bow, the clever, book-loving lubber and Clay, a resourceful and enterprising rat and a brilliant addition to the story, she sets out on her quest. Along the way we meet the strange and wily Rat Queen, who also wants something from Effra, and a terrible serpent, whom Effra faces in a spine-chilling section of the novel.

The story is brilliantly plotted and very exciting – Effra is thrown from adventure to adventure, and the reader is pulled along with her as the action moves from riverbank to riverbed. I loved that Effra's grandfather, Boppa, although no longer alive, is an integral character throughout the book. Effra remembers his stories and wisdom and carries him with her wherever she goes.

An important part of the story takes place on Eel Island, a truly nightmarish place totally made up of rubbish, litter and plastic, and a total contrast to the beauty of the River Yore that Effra is used to. This could lead to some interesting classroom discussions about looking after the environment in which we live. The theme of family is at the heart of the book, and the story is brought to a very satisfying conclusion.

It seems as though this will be a stand alone novel since there is no mention of a sequel. However, it would be lovely to find out what happens to Effra, Fleet and Bow in the future. Highly recommended!

272 pages / Reviewed by Beverley Somerset, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 9+

Effra is a Larker, people who live on the river and have gills. For obvious reasons they keep away from people who live on land, who they call Lubbers. One day, the Rivermun snatches Effra's little brother and, to keep him safe, she is forced into a terrifying series of encounters to save not only her brother, but also the way of life for the Larkers.

Full of folklore (real or imagined), history and mudlarking experiences, The Girl with Gills is an extraordinary debut by Becca Rogers. Going from one nail biting event to another, the story keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. The villains (yes there are several!) are completely petrifying and the story is so original I could not guess what was going to happen next.

Effra is dealing with the loss of a grandparent as well as the responsibility of looking after her brother, and it weighs very heavily. The loss colours her whole story, and it is only as the book progresses that she realises the legacy her grandfather has actually left her.

The world building is great - I had to look things up to see if they were real or not. Is the Yore River actually the Ure in Yorkshire? Or is it a completely made up place? And how much of the folklore is real? I love it when a book makes you think it might be based on something real; it really adds to the fantasy.

The Girl with Gills is not for the fainthearted, however, I would recommend it for upper KS2 so ages nine or ten plus. I would love to read it aloud: I can just imagine the groans when I stopped at a very tense moment! 

272 pages / Reviewed by Jacqueline Harris, teacher

Suggested Reading Age 9+