The Tightrope Walkers

David Almond’s 2014 novel follows Dominic Hall as he grows up in North East England during the 1960s. Set against the area’s shipyards, the story presents Dominic as caught between opposing forces. One source of freedom comes through Holly Stroud, the unconventional young artist who lives next door and joins him when he slips away. The novel is a coming-of-age story shaped by northern England, artistic companionship, and Dominic’s pull toward a less confined life.