Summary of A Kestrel for a Knave
Billy Casper is a young schoolboy who grows up in the northern English mining town of Barnsley. Life is far from easy for Billy: he lives in a dysfunctional family and is bullied at school. One day, he discovers a kestrel – a small falcon – which he begins to train. Caring for the bird gives him a sense of comfort, pride, and purpose in life.
Reasons to read A Kestrel for a Knave
“A Kestrel for a Knave” is a moving portrait of a teenage boy coming of age in a Yorkshire mining community during the 1960s. Through flashbacks, Barry Hines captures the harshness of working-class life as well as the tender moments of hope that shine through it. “A Kestrel for a Knave” is Barry Hine’s most celebrated work and was adapted into the iconic 1969 film “Kes”, directed by Ken Loach.
Setting: Barnsley, Yorkshire (England, UK)
Original title: A Kestrel for a Knave
Year of publication: 1968
Nr of pages: 160
