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  • Published: 1 June 2006
  • ISBN: 9780099482130
  • Imprint: Definitions
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 256
  • RRP: $32.99

Hellbent



A brilliantly funny, occasionally tender and always surprising view of a sixteen-year-old boy's Hell - an explosive cross between Terry Pratchett and Dante!

Anthony McGowan is the Carnegie Medal 2020 winning author of Lark.
Sent to Hell for typical teenage misdemeanours, Conor is surprised to find that it's not all pitchforks and leaping flames. But an eternity in a fusty cave full of philosophy books and obscure classical music is actually worse.
Then Conor realizes that his personal version of Hell might be someone else's idea of Heaven - and vice versa. He sets out on a filthy, funny and forbidden journey to search for his opposite number, accompanied by his repulsive pet dog, a depressed cross-dressing Viking and a stumpy devil called Clarence. What he sees is disgusting and what he discovers is shocking, but oddly enough Conor learns a hell of a lot about life - now that he's dead!

  • Published: 1 June 2006
  • ISBN: 9780099482130
  • Imprint: Definitions
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 256
  • RRP: $32.99

About the author

Anthony McGowan

Date: 2004-06-24
Anthony McGowan was born in Manchester. Educated at a Catholic comprehensive, he won't say that his characters' schooldays are exactly based on his own, but he certainly writes from experience. Before turning to writing full-time, Anthony gained a PhD in Philosophy, worked as a nightclub bouncer, an Open University tutor, a journalist and a civil servant. He is married with two children.

His first book, Hellbent, was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award. He won the Teenage Booktrust Prize for Henry Tumour, which was also shortlisted for the Sheffield Children's Book Award, the Lancashire Children's Book of the Year Award, the Redbridge Teenage Book Award and the Catalyst Award. The Knife that Killed Me was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. Anthony is also the writer behind the Donut Diaries books.

Anthony McGowan is a multi-award-winning author of books for adults, teenagers and younger children. He has a life-long obsession with the natural world, and has travelled widely to study and observe it. He has also written feature articles and travel journalism for The Times, Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard and Mail on Sunday.

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Praise for Hellbent

Anthony McGowan made a hilarious debut with Hellbent, a modern take on Dante which manages to mix existentialist and determinist philosophy with quite surprising amounts of poo

Anthony Horowitz, Sunday Telegraph

A wisecracking helterskelter . . . Real boys' stuff . . . but watch out for a twist in the novel's devilish tail

Hepzibah Anderson, Observer

A brilliantly nauseating thriller . . . It is a devilishly funny, clever and moving novel

Amanda Craig, The Times

Dante for beginners with a serious moral message

Geraldine Brennan, TES

Every writer hates to hear the words "stunning new talent" applied to someone else, but in the case of Anthony McGowan nothing else will do

Meg Rosoff