Lendle

Vic Viper is a 12 year old boy. He is a troubled soul. He feels anxious about all sorts of things, in particular being made fun of and being called names. He hates being called Viper Snake by his peers. He wants someone or something to blame for his anxious state of mind and the strange feeling he feels in his head, which appears to transport him to different worlds. He needs to share his troubles with someone to get help.Vic lives in a very ordinary place, Crosby, near Liverpool but the storyline soon develops into anything but ordinary and he becomes part of the most exciting and frightening journeys imaginable.Vic tells his story with feeling. He appears weak but he finds strength from those around him and an inner strength which he did not know he possessed. He goes on an incredible journey both mentally and physically.He visits many places, some strange, sinister and very frightening and some comforting and familiar. The contrasts in settings could be likened to his changing states of mind.Growing up is not easy for Vic and he begins to examine his relationship with his family and friends. He believes his mother wanted a daughter and he hates his middle name, Lesley. His relationship with his best friend, Kylie, changes as she matures. Vic needs help from the family doctor because he is not sure whether his time lapses and subsequent adventures could be due to illness or as a result of time travelling. The mystery is hard to solve and the reader is still left wondering at the end of the book. One thing that is certain is that Vic goes on an incredible journey to many different and exciting places, discovering and meeting different people, finding out more about them and relationships and in particular finding out more about himself.In order to do this he needs to go through some amusing and traumatic experiences. Vic examines the place where he lives and people he knows for clues. Subconsciously or miraculously he enters different worlds. He sees weird and horrific shapes of things he has never seen before. He shares the same muddy waters that elephants share. He escapes from dragons and he tries to crack a code to get back to security, a place he remembers is safe.Vic’s heroic actions to try and save himself must be admired. He tries to make sense of his life to give it some sense of normality. He develops friendships with Kylie, Tyler, Will, and Brittany. Vic tries to balance normality with a sense of fun with camping trips, football games and yoga classes. Family holidays to France and Spain also play a part in this.Vic’s developing strength of character is evident throughout the book. It is true that he needs the help of family and friends around him to support him through his problems but he also tries to find answers and solve puzzles himself. In doing so he becomes part of some of the most incredible journeys imaginable!