Ministry of Pandemonium

Chris Westwood (author)

Frances Lincoln Children's Books, UK: Australian release May 2011; 372pp

ISBN: 9781847801906

Genres: adventure, fantasy

Issues: family, friendship, gifted, identity

Ben Harvester has a talent for drawing. He sees things differently to others. It is not until Mr October enters Ben's life that he realises that he also sees things other people can't. Ben can see the dead.

Mr October recognises Ben's remarkable gift and seeks to recruit him for a very unusual group – the Ministry of Pandemonium. In the constant battle between good and evil, the Ministry tries to ensure that the souls of the dying find
their way to the right place, with a little guidance from a friendly operative. But dark powers are also at work and Ben is already vulnerable due to the mysterious disappearance of his father when he was much younger. When Ben's beloved mother develops a strange illness, the dark powers threaten. Will Ben's new-found talent put everyone he loves at risk? Will his choices alter the all-too delicate balance between the powers of good and evil?

An experienced writer in many fields of endeavour, Chris Westwood is skilled in the novelist's craft. Ministry of Pandemonium is a darkly whimsical tale that uses a somewhat gothic, adventure-laden context to explore the difficulties of being different. Ben, like many gifted children, is sensitive and thoughtful, characteristics that often leave him feeling isolated from his peers. The mysterious extension of reality provided by his work at the Ministry helps him feel useful, valued and accepted. Westwood recognises the need for balance in all things and it is only by balancing between the real and surreal that Ben is able to find peace of heart and mind.

His experience in film and television production has honed Westwood's ability to relate a highly visual text with dramatic scene changes, entrances and exits. With plenty of action and special effects to keep the reader entertained, there is also sufficient depth of character and tension in relationships to provide interest.

A clever, entertaining novel, Ministry of Pandemonium is a refreshingly original reshaping of an old idea.