Rachel Reviews: The Iron Man by Ted Hughes

I am determined to read more Ted Hughes and this is a good place to start, I think, with a children's book which is thin, with illustrations and a big font. It's not that I think he'll be a challenge but starting with something which feels inordinately accessible will hopefully build up momentum for me to pick up his poems and have a little delve there.

And it is accessible. It starts with an iron giant falling off a cliff and breaking up into bits. You immediately know that you are in the presence of an exceptional being when that being reforms itself at the bottom of the cliff and heads off into the sea. I have to say that this was my favourite part of the book because the descriptions of the giant finding its different body parts with seagulls watching on is great. I especially like the hand finding the eye and in the edition that I read, the illustration that accompanied this was perfect.

The perspective then shifts to a boy called Hogarth and it is he who first spots the Iron Man when he returns from the sea. This is cause for panic and this is well-founded as an iron man has to eat and does this indiscriminately.

Thoughts move to destroying the Iron Man in order to stop him but Hogarth has an idea and luckily, the adults are willing to listen to him and so, extermination of the giant metal man is avoided.

When an external threat arrives, it is difficult to see how everyone can be saved but Hogarth approaches the Iron Man and it is he, the Iron Man, who sees a way to fight the alien interloper and, of course, does it by putting himself at risk, like a true hero.

This is a children's story but it has a clear message, I think, as most stories do and I liked it for that: to try and understand people before choosing to destroy them as there's probably a solution that can be reached through discussion and compromise; and that children, with their unsullied vision and innocence, can perhaps offer us a clearer perspective that not's distorted by prejudice and perceived threat.

Easy to read in half an hour and well worth a visit.

Rachel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars