The Seeing
by Diana Hendry

1953. When wild, dangerous, break-all-the-rules Natalie arrives in the quiet town of Norton, thirteen-year-old Lizzie is drawn irresistibly to the new girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Desperate for Natalie’s friendship and respect, Lizzie soon discovers a side of the town – and of herself – that she had never imagined.As the girls grow closer, Natalie and her strange, eerie brother, Philip, reveal a shocking secret. For Philip has a second sight, and all around them he sees evil - ‘left-over Nazis’ lying in wait until the time is right for revenge. Natalie and Philip believe it’s up to them to root these people out of Norton. Lizzie is swept up in what starts as a thrilling game - but the consequences of Philip’s ‘gift’ quickly spiral into disaster.A chilling, powerful tale from Whitbread Award-winner Diana Hendry.

Reviews

This is an extraordinarily powerful novel but The Seeing tells a very dark and painful story. And it tells it exceptionally well. You’ll wish it didn’t. And be warned, this book won’t let you go easily once you’ve finished it! Anyone who’s ever read books by Robert Cormier or William Golding’s Lord of the Flies will know how this feels. It’s when the dark side of life that goes on in even children’s minds leaks out into everyday life . . . After you read it, I think The Seeing is a book you’ll want to talk about. I did. It’s also a book that I’ve already found myself recommending to people, adults and young teens alike
 (We Sat Down)

A dark and memorable novel . . . This wise and unsettling tale will captivate discerning readers of any age. The book builds to a dark, destructive ending, but what you remember are the memorable, finely drawn and vivid characters - and the fractured time in which they are growing up
Martin Chilton (Telegraph Online)

A gripping and evocative story . . . the plot keeps you riveted
Vanessa Lewis (The Bookseller)

The pacing is perfect, with highly dramatic moments broken up by some gorgeous prose . . . one of the most dramatic and shocking endings I've ever read in a novel . . . it's definitely my favourite read of 2012 so far
 (Writing From The Tub)

A very moving story . . . there is a tragic event at the heart of this book which, despite being signposted in the prologue, is still shocking when revealed to the reader
Clare Poole (The Bookseller)

There's a real sense of doom and menace about this short but beautifully-formed novel . . . The Seeing is a story about many things - about coming of age, about war, about cruelty, and about the terrible effects of neglect and abuse. Into this kitchen sink drama, Hendry expertly weaves a little bit of mysticism and a real sense of a historical period. Her elegant prose and tight narrative bring her characters into sharp focus on the page. And it's all so good that you just can't stop reading until you get to the end. Highly recommended
 (The Bookbag)

This book! Oh my god, this book is like nothing I have ever read before! So completely disturbing, yet once it gets going, completely unputdownable! This book is very much like a car crash; you don't want to look, yet you can't help it . . . The ending is just wow. You know something like it is coming, but you don't know why or how exactly, so it's still a shock and is so, so sad. You just completely ache at how terribly sad it is. This is not a spoiler, because you are aware from the very beginning that this story doesn't end well, that there are no happy endings. But it does take you a little by surprise. Overall, a dark, sinister, uncomfortable, yet tragic story that will shock you to your core over how much festering blackness can riddle one young girl. Highly recommended
 (Once Upon a Bookcase)

This novel is a powerful return, after a 10-year gap, for Whitbread-winning Hendry . . . With a surprising denouement, this is an intriguing, atmospheric and memorable tale
Nicolette Jones (The Sunday Times)

Subtle, unsettling thriller
 (Observer)

An intense, eerie tale
Fiona Noble (The Bookseller)

A tale of breathtaking power. Each character is at some stage of recovery from the war; ultimately this is about different ways of seeing, and what happens when one person's pain becomes all consuming
 (We Love This Book)