Changeover

by Diana Wynne Jones

Paperback, 2004

Status

Available

Call number

823.914

Collection

Publication

Moondust Books Ltd (2004), Edition: 2Rev Ed, Paperback, 256 pages

User reviews

LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
'Suggestions-' The aide-de-camp had difficulty in reading his own writing. 'Suggestions,' he continues, 'for Government House - to take appropriate action - mark changeover. One-'
'Who the hell,' said the Governor, 'is Mark Changeover?'

This is the start of the story and this is the setup for the
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whole story. From this converstation a monster is born, a monster who ends up driving the move to independence of the small African country of Nmkwami from Britain. He does mark the changeover but in ways no-one suspected.

While somewhat dated (it's set in the 1960's and was published originally in 1970) and sometimes it does lag, it is an interesting story. Strange and fun and something you can imagine happening, or being filmed. It's based in truth and there's no fantasy elements here.

With allusions to sex and torn garments this isn't really a children's book, more YA or adult.
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LibraryThing member flissp
It's the 1960's and the (fictional) African nation of Nmkwami is about to gain independence from Britain. Threatening this historic moment is the mysterious figure of Mark (or is it Roger?) Changeover - who is he?

The story is basically a farce (as in stupid errors leading to other stupid errors in
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the plot, not that it's a farce as a book!) and reminded me a little, in some ways, of Scoop, which I read last year. You can tell it's an early work and sometimes, the writing style gets a bit confusing (everything happening at once on the page, but in many different places in the plot - deliberately meant to confuse I think, but occasionally hard to read!). It is also very much of it's time. Nonetheless, it had me giggling a lot of the way through, just from the pure ridiculousness of it all.
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Original publication date

1970

Physical description

256 p.; 7.64 inches

ISBN

0954749804 / 9780954749804

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