Market Blues
Kirsty Murray

Allen & Unwin 2001

240p pbk $13.95

1-86508-284-8

Sam’s parents are divorced and are always fighting. This greatly upsets Sam and when he finds a way to go back to the past and to change his future he jumps at the chance. Has he made the right decision? And most importantly will it work? Along the way he meets Gertie and Flea, who are from the 1900’s and with whom he becomes great friends with. What is their fate?

Market Blues is a story about choice, change and responsibility. It points out the differences between now and then. You learn of the hardships of the poor back then.

This story was very well written. My congratulations to the author. I, myself, don’t usually enjoy fantasy but this time I really did. I recommend it for 11 years old to 14 years old.

Market Blues, written by Kirsty Murray and published by Allen & Unwin Book in 2001, is a fictional sci-fi / adventure book about a young boy called Sam, who discovers by accident, that he can travel 100 years back through time. His boring and monotonous daily routines are changed dramatically when he goes through the time warp, and meets fun, crazy, daring and interesting street kids from Melbourne in 1900. His adventures are many, and go from betting on horses at the Ikey mo, giddy goat, Tote, to fighting with other street kids and ‘newsies’. Fun this may be for a while, but Sam faces a tough decision, which time would he rather live in?

This exciting story is about growing up, responsibility and the contrast between kids now and 100 years ago.

Market Blues was easy to get into and fairly easy to understand. The story was enjoyable, and the storyline was original. It was obvious that the author had researched street kids in the 1900’s, and this reflected well on the story. The characters were compelling, and I think it was written well for the target audience of about 14 to 17 year olds. The language used was fairly simple to understand, and the text size and layout was sufficient. I enjoyed Market Blues, and it was fun to read. It wasn’t a very fast-paced story, but it was great to read anyway. I would recommend it to anyone interested on how children lived in the past and looking for a fun adventure story. Thumbs up.

It often seemed that travelling back in time would be a good idea especially if the present isn’t such a great place.  This is what happens to Sam the main character in Market Blues by Kirsty Murray.

He is having a rotten time in his life in the present, because of his parents divorcing and he decides to bus to get some money.  While playing his trumpet under the John Batman obelisk near the Victoria Markets in Melbourne, he slips through a wormhole activated by the music.  However far from being a solution to his present dilemmas the past produces even more problems for Sam including an accidental shooting of another boy and a betting scam that goes wrong.

Market Blues investigates the theme that you can’t escape your problems, in this case, by hiding in the past.  The book has appeal to readers as young as ten and up to adults.  Sam is a likeable if unlucky hero and the story is interesting for it’s descriptions of life in Melbourne at the turn of the century.  I really enjoyed reading it.