With the new house comes with it a new school and new friends and, curiously enough, a man in the garage. Calling himself Skellig, the man is crotchety, complaining about having arthritis and demanding very specific take out and drink. Michael assumes Skellig is homeless, but doesn't notify his parents about their odd guest. Instead, he takes care of Skellig and even converses with him, which is how Michael hears about a story regarding human shoulder blades were originally for angel wings.
It isn't long before Michael prioritizes Skellig over school, leading his friendships there to fall to the wayside. He begins to hang out more with Mina, a neighbor girl about Michael's age who's home-schooled. When their friendship gets to the point where Michael believes she can keep a secret, he takes Mina to see Skellig. It's probably for the best that Michael has an accomplice because two of his other friends, Leakey and Coot, are becoming suspicious and are trying to figure out just what Michael is hiding.
As Michael desperately tries to keep Skellig hidden, Michael's baby sister's condition gets worse. Unbeknownst to everyong is that the mysterious Skellig may be the key to helping her.
Skellig is a 1998 urban fantasy children's novel by David Almond. It was originally released in Britain with a US publication following a year later. A prequel titled My Name Is Mina was released in 2010.
The novel has had a few live-action adaptations, the most well known of which is a 2009 film called Skellig or Skellig: The Owl Man, depending on your region. The film was directed by Annabel Jankel and the screenplay written by Irena Brignull.
This novel provides examples of:
- Angel Unaware: It's heavily implied that Skellig is an angel. He claims to be ancient, has discussed the idea that humans once had angel wings attached at their shoulder blades, and even cures Michael's baby sister's heart condition.
- Animal Eyes: In the film, Skellig repeatedly demonstrates he has a nictating membrane, similar to that of birds.
- Cloud Cuckoolander: Mina is an artsy girl who lives across the street from Michael. She loves nature and poems, and often has her head in the clouds.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Skellig is cynical, snarky and rude, but he's a good guy at heart. He helps cure Michael's baby sister's condition before disappearing, for no other reason than because he could.
- Magic Realism: The novel is set in real life, but also includes an element of the supernatural. Skellig is an odd man who hangs out in the garage of Michael's new home and seems content to stay there. He claims to be very, very old and it's heavily implied that he's an angel.
- Meaningful Name: Skellig Michael
is an island and site of an ancient monastery off the coast of Ireland. Considering Skellig's possible status as an angel, having a connection to a monastery isn't so far fetched. - Our Angels Are Different: If Skellig really is an angel, than he's quite different from the usual depictions of them. Instead of looking youthful and graceful, he's an elderly man that Michael initially mistakes to be homeless. Skellig also has an unpleasant disposition instead of being outwardly kind and thoughtful.
- Plot-Induced Illness: Had the baby never been sick, Michael likely wouldn't have felt so alienated from his family and therefore wouldn't have gone exploring by himself in dangerous places like the garage. Or he might've been enlisted by his parents to help more around the house or with the baby, in which case he just wouldn't have had the free time and might not have ever discovered Skellig.
- Riddle for the Ages: It's never made clear exactly who or what Skellig really is, especially since he dances around the issue when asked. If he isn't an angel, then how has he managed to survive all alone in that garage for who knows how long? And if he is an angel, why is he on earth and in that specific house?
- Who Wants to Live Forever?: Skellig says he is as old as the earth and has utterly given up on life, but is unable to die.
- Winged Humanoid: Skellig has a pair of wings, lending credence to the theory that he's an angel.
