Other editions of book The Nest

Sixteen-year-old Robin lives with his single father in the Victorian alps where they run a snowmobile hire business. Robin lives in fear of his bullying father and believes that it was his (Robin's) fault that his mother left them when he was a baby, which is why his father hates him and is the cause of all his problems. Robin has a mental condition - a fear of fear. As events unfold, he runs from his father, he runs from the girl he loves, he runs into trouble, he runs from himself. His suspicions about his mother's disappearance grow. Could this be a murder mystery, or is this all part of his tortured mind? What has the swallows' nest got to do with it? As Robin starts to piece things together towards a dramatic climax, so too builds the intensity of everything else going on in his life: his fears and confusions, his unwanted images, his hopeless relationships, the desire of his first love. How this plays out in the fast-paced thriller of a finale will have the listener guessing to the end. This audiobook features an interview with Paul Jennings. Jennings discusses the inspiration behind The Nest, its setting and characters, and the writing process, with narrator Stig Wemyss.

I hear a dragging sound followed by my father's limping appearance at the door. I look at him in horror. He's starting at me, glasses askew, waving the birds' nest. 'You imbecile. You left me hanging there. What were you trying to do? Kill me?' If only he knew. I'm not trying to kill him. I'm trying not to kill him! 'The tender yet unsparing depth of characterisation in the novel is matched by the limped beauty of the writing, the sensual evocation of the snowfields setting and the compelling nature of the story.' Weekend Australian 'A dark, gripping tale.' The Age 'The ending is a dramatic as they come.' Sydney Morning Herald

I hear a dragging sound followed by my father's limping appearance at the door.I look at him in horror.He's starting at me, glasses askew, waving the birds' nest.'You imbecile. You left me hanging there.What were you trying to do? Kill me?'If only he knew. I'm not trying to kill him.I'm trying not to kill him!'The tender yet unsparing depth of characterisation in the novel is matched by the limped beauty of the writing, the sensual evocation of the snowfields setting and the compelling nature of the story.'Weekend Australian'A dark, gripping tale.' The Age'The ending is a dramatic as they come.'Sydney Morning Herald

Robin’s life is a mess. His father’s a tyrant, his mother’s disappeared and he’s just been tempted by the wrong girl …He can’t stop the images flashing across his mind. What does Robin really know about his past? Are there clues in his own writing? And what secrets lie beneath the frozen forest?Love and loss. Mystery and madness. Paul Jennings’ first book for older readers is a stunning and original series of interwoven tales combining to tell the dark and ultimately uplifting story of a boy who dares to stare into the spider holes of his own mind.

Robin’s life is a mess. His father’s a tyrant, his mother’s disappeared and he’s just been tempted by the wrong girl …He can’t stop the images flashing across his mind. What does Robin really know about his past? Are there clues in his own writing? And what secrets lie beneath the frozen forest?Love and loss. Mystery and madness. Paul Jennings’ first book for older readers is a stunning and original series of interwoven tales combining to tell the dark and ultimately uplifting story of a boy who dares to stare into the spider holes of his own mind.

Robin’s life is a mess. His father’s a tyrant, his mother’s disappeared and he’s just been tempted by the wrong girl … He can’t stop the images flashing across his mind. What does Robin really know about his past? Are there clues in his own writing? And what secrets lie beneath the frozen forest? Love and loss. Mystery and madness. Paul Jennings’ first book for older readers is a stunning and original series of interwoven tales combining to tell the dark and ultimately uplifting story of a boy who dares to stare into the spider holes of his own mind.

Robin's life is spiralling out of control. His father's a tyrant, his mother's disappeared and the wrong girl's luring him into her web . . . Intolerable images keep flashing through his head. What does Robin really know about his past Are there clues in his own writing And what secrets lie within the frozen forestPaul Jennings' first novel for older readers is a stunning and original network of crossing trails that combine to tell the dark, tense and ultimately uplifting story about a boy who dares to stare into the spider holes of his own mind.

Robin’s life is a mess. His father’s a tyrant, his mother’s disappeared and he’s just been tempted by the wrong girl … He can’t stop the images flashing across his mind. What does Robin really know about his past? Are there clues in his own writing? And what secrets lie beneath the frozen forest? Love and loss. Mystery and madness. Paul Jennings’ first book for older readers is a stunning and original series of interwoven tales combining to tell the dark and ultimately uplifting story of a boy who dares to stare into the spider holes of his own mind.

Sixteen-year-old Robin lives with his single father in the Victorian alps where they run a snowmobile hire business. Robin lives in fear of his bullying father and believes that it was his (Robin's) fault that his mother left them when he was a baby, which is why his father hates him and is the cause of all his problems. Robin has a mental condition - a fear of fear. As events unfold he runs from his father, he runs from the girl he loves, he runs into trouble, he runs from himself. His suspicions about his mother's disappearance grow. Could this be a murder mystery, or is this all part of his tortured mind? What has the swallows' nest got to do with it? As Robin starts to piece things together towards a dramatic climax, so too builds the intensity of everything else going on in his life: his fears and confusions, his unwanted images, his hopeless relationships, the desire of his first love. How this plays out in the fast-paced thriller of a finale will have the listener guessing to the end.

Robin’s life is a mess. His father’s a tyrant, his mother’s disappeared and he’s just been tempted by the wrong girl … He can’t stop the images flashing across his mind. What does Robin really know about his past? Are there clues in his own writing? And what secrets lie beneath the frozen forest? Love and loss. Mystery and madness. Paul Jennings’ first book for older readers is a stunning and original series of interwoven tales combining to tell the dark and ultimately uplifting story of a boy who dares to stare into the spider holes of his own mind.

Part horror, part mystery, part thriller, but also a story with heart and depth. The story is contemporary, set in the Victorian alps in winter, on the slopes and in the forest. Sixteen-year-old Robin lives alone in a hut in the alps with his father, a crude and deeply unpleasant man. Robin is terrified by his own internal demons, which frequently urge him to kill his father. Robin is also in love with a girl, Charlie, who has a kind heart and strong social conscience, but he fears he is not good enough for her, and Robin's loathing for his father is preventing him from feeling normal around people.