Borribles

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Borribles are the central characters from a book series for young people by the British author Michael de Larrabeiti . They are children who have run away from their homes and who lead a life in secret, away from the rules and laws of the adult world and modern society. At some point they stop growing, from then on outwardly they remain in the form of twelve-year-olds. Their ears take on a pointed shape, the sure identification of a Borrible. They deny their lives with theft and do not shy away from violence. If a borrible's ears are clipped, he grows into a normal adult and forgets the life he led away from society.

Larrabeiti's trilogy is considered to be a departure from popular youth literature, because it addresses violence and the decline of values ​​without glossing over them. The narrative language of the novels comes from the streets of London , the dialogues are blunt and streaked with gutter jargon. These circumstances led the critics to be skeptical about the works, which ultimately contributed to the fact that they were initially only recognized by insider circles. The strongly anti-authoritarian character of the novels is also noticeable: the adult world is depicted here as compulsive and boring, it stands in sharp contrast to the free and exciting world of borrowed books. As well as structure and organization, the material orientation of modern society is mocked and caricatured - although the Borribles are dispossessed, they lead full lives, while the haves who hoard material wealth inevitably become the villains of the tales. Friendship, loyalty, and cohesion are highlighted as core moral values that a Borrible will protect at all costs. Although the novels were published as books for young people, they deal with extremely serious subjects and lead an ideological discourse about the value of things.

Borrible novels

  • Off to the big rumble hunt (orig: The Borribles ) 1976
  • In the labyrinth of the Wendels (orig: The Borribles go for Broke ) 1981
  • The trawling (orig: Across the Dark Metropolis ) 1986
  • The Borribles (trilogy in one volume) 2007, ISBN 978-3-608-93787-9