Book Review: The Earlie King and the Kid In Yellow by Danny Denton

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a truly original dystopian novel, but The Earlie King and the Kid in Yellow sits on the right side of imaginative to really stand out.

It’s been raining in Ireland for what feels like forever. Flooded and desolate, the Earlie King rules from his barren throne, controlling the kids in yellow who act as his runners. Except this yellow kid has been thrown out. His mistake? Getting too close to the Earlie King’s daughter. And with her death, all he wants is his baby.

The manner in which the story unfolds is very convoluted and strange. It’s told through a series of third party plays, stories and off hand accounts almost like it’s been pieced together mouth to mouth like an old fashioned folk story or urban legend. There’s also a wonderful mix of old and new as people within the world cling to remnants of the past while slowly evolving their language and traits to suit this new world. It’s so sophisticated in its comprehension, and shows how talented a writer Danny Denton is.

There’s also a wonderful, almost desolate atmosphere that runs throughout the novel. I could almost feel the despair and, strange as it sounds, the ‘wetness’ of the inhabitants living in this constant torrential nightmare. The descriptions of the world are so colourful and clever and deeply imaginative. It was a definite highlight, and you can clearly see that the author has really thought about everything, and constructed his world with care.

I’ll admit, because of the sometimes convoluted writing style, this was initially hard to get into and I was rather intimidated by the lyrical prose. It isn’t normally a type of writing I’d go for. It also, at times, made the characters feel a little disconnected from the story as there isn’t that deeper level of connection you would normally get from a first (or third) person narrative. However, I found this style really suited the book, and after the initial struggle, I really enjoyed this. The characters are an intrinsic part of the world, rather than a separate entity. It’s like one big symbiotic maelstrom, where the characters couldn’t exist and be who they are without this dystopian land, and vice versa. Don’t be put off by the style - especially if you like your dystopians dark and edgy and full of atmosphere.

The Earlie King and the Kid in Yellow is available to purchase now from: Amazon

 - 4 stars