Joseph has a lot of anger bubbling to the surface due to his relationships with the adults that have all come and gone in his life. Being forced to move to stay with a complete stranger who is reluctant to have him isn’t going to make him settle any time soon. It’s hard work helping Mrs F in her dilapidated zoo, and he just wishes he can go home and be with his Dad. But it’s 1940 and the war has other ideas. The bombs are constantly dropping and sooner or later, they are going to breach the enclosures and Adonis will need to be dealt with for the safety of everyone. But while they both clearly hated one another, a trust is slowly building between the resentful boy and the powerful ape. This fragile bond can’t be broken, can it?

This story had engaging characters that shine through the harsh life of wartime. The elements of the true story of the protection/ threat of a wild animal from the zoo added extra depth and made this tale unique. I liked the gruff Mrs F and warmed to her even more as her past was revealed. Friendships and trust are the heart of this delightful novel that shows not only a snapshot of history but asks the reader how far would you go to protect life.

The striking cover design is extremely well done and this actually first drew my attention to this book.

It’s 1940 and the war is raging across Europe, and closer to home, in Joseph’s heart. He is angry. Joseph feels let down by the adults who are supposed to care for him, feeling abandoned by them all. This is mainly because they had not taken the time to talk to him to explain why they had to leave or why he was being evacuated from his home rather than through lack of love, but Joseph had thought the worst. So when he arrives in a new place, sent to stay with a women he had never met and who is abrupt, unfriendly and holding secrets close to her own heart, Joseph is angry at the whole world.
He doesn’t listen to instructions, always trying to do the opposite to exert an authority of his own to retain some sense of control. This includes teasing Adonis, a mighty Silverback Gorilla, at the zoo run by Mrs F. Things don’t get any better when he starts school as the school bullies sense they have to show the new boy their power, then are shocked at Joseph’s temper outburst, the outcome of which is worse for Joseph.
He is offered help by Mrs F, by his class teacher and by Syd, a girl his own age who helps at the zoo. However he rejects all this, never let slip the high walls he has built up around himself for protection.
But Adonis also needs protection and when faced with bombs and bullets, will there be any winners?
This is more than a war story of an evacuee, but an intense relationship of inner conflict and trust. Joseph struggles with reading too, and to readers of today, it is obvious what his problem is, but in the 1940s this wasn’t recognised and the blame was laid squarely on laziness and stupidity. The ending is fast, furious and shocking but we are also left with hope because of love.

Phil Earle has created something truly special in this piece of historical fiction. When The Sky Falls is a profoundly moving book: it’s raw and intense, it’s gritty and dark yet, at its heart, it’s a tale of hope.

In the midst of World War Two, Joseph - a troubled and difficult child - is sent to live with an equally abrupt and unfriendly stranger. Mrs F owns a rundown zoo where Joseph meets silverback gorilla, Adonis. Like everyone else in his life, Adonis takes an instant dislike to the boy leaving him feeling even more rejected and alone. What follows next is a story of unlikely friendship and impossible decisions.

This story of love and loss, of friendship and compassion, has the feel of a modern classic. It’s action-packed, exciting and unpredictable. The backdrop of the city being bombed intertwines perfectly with the war of emotions battling inside the protagonist - it’s pathetic fallacy at its finest. The whole book feels like a master class in writing and is a truly exceptional piece of literature.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC - I very much look forward to adding this book to my classroom bookshelf.

This is a beautifully crafted story set during the Blitz. It is a story of courage and friendship.
Joseph is sent by his grandma to live with Mrs F in London. He is angry with the world after his Mum leaving and Dad going to fight and throws himself into the 'bad boy' persona, not wanting to let anyone in.
Mrs F owns the zoo and Joseph meets Adonis, the lone silverback gorilla.
This is an incredible story of opening up and building relationships. I liked the additional characters and how the relationships gradually developed.
I finished this book through tears and would highly recommend. This left a real impression on me.