Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Protagonist archetypes
Synopsis
This is the story of a bricklayer. A master of his craft, he keeps its sacred teachings secret. For him a house is the dwelling place of a soul, and a house must be built in the right spirit or the soul inside it will suffer. The building of an arch is a ritual to obtain a right relation with the earth and a connection with the truth. The bricklayer recalls his previous life as a Druid priest. He talks about the creation of the sacred landscape of these islands; how even a simple stick lying on the ground would tell people the direction they needed to go in; how when people stared at the stars, they were staring at their own mind. The reader sees the world through the eyes of this great, magical being at the time of the Roman invasion, and learns how he tricked Julius Caesar and set in train the series of events that would lead to Caesar's assassination on the Ides of March. But as the bricklayer continues, he worries he is losing his ancient, sacred powers. The vision begins to fray at the edges as we learn how he has recently taken violent revenge on yobs who have mocked him. Is he really connected to a once living Druid priest, or is he gradually losing himself in his own fantasies?
Is Bricks appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 16 and up.
A philosophical fantasy exploring a bricklayer who believes he's the reincarnation of a Druid priest, with moderate violence when he takes revenge on those who mock him. The narrative blurs reality and delusion, raising questions about sanity.
What to know going in
This book has moderate violence, no sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include violence, mental illness, and delusion (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Older teens interested in mind-bending stories about ancient magic and unreliable narrators will find this intriguing.