Cultural References and hidden gags you may have missed in The North Star novel
The North Star is a newly published epic fantasy adventure novel that is set in primarily Sunderland and the North East. The book tells the story of Wearside girl Sophie Scott, who finds herself on the path to become an ancient hero of the book’s title, standing in the footsteps of the legendary King Oswald, and must save her region.
Despite the book’s relatively serious narrative, there are a number of humorous cultural references and gags present giving shoutouts to local culture and popular culture in general! Which ones did you spot?
Crowtree Leisure Centre
When William Parker-Fulton holds his rally at the beginning of the story outside The Bridges, a brief is alluded to by Millie about people “going on about that old leisure centre.” This is a clear reference to the former Crowtree Leisure centre and the constant nostalgia from locals about it, as well as the long running meme on social media for it to be brought back.
The “Bird Painted” Mowbray Park Walrus
The Mowbray Park walrus sculpture outside of the Museum and Winter Gardens is a nod to the poem by Lewis Carol, known for his ties with Sunderland, “The Walrus & The Carpenter.” The North Star novel, however, takes a more humorous reference to this sculpture by overtly alluding to the reality it is often covered in bird droppings!
Michael Rosen
Michael Rosen is an acclaimed children’s author who has also been immortalised into an internet meme through his highly expressive storytelling videos and poems on Youtube. When the two girls are being questioned in the headmistresses office, a reference is made to a poster on the wall of a funny looking man saying “NOICE”, which for those who know the meme, is a memorable quote from Michael Rosen.
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
The classic fantasy game, the Elder Scrolls III Morrowind was in fact a key inspiration in the creation of the North Star, which was not lost on some reviewers. While the story is original, the author deliberately paid homage to the game’s legacy by referencing quotations from it, in particular certain dialogue spoken by the Redcaps in the battle of Foxy Island towards the middle of the book, and then again by Glanfeoil towards the end of the story who speaks a similar line from the game’s main antagonist, Dagoth Ur referencing his “How can you kill a god?” speech.
GB News
The right-wing news channel GB News is given an explicit mention by William Parker-Fulton when he undertakes his speech at the Dun Cow event, where he says he was interviewed by the channel. This is a reminder of the book’s deliberate effort to reflect real world themes in its narrative and its ultimate critique of how this type of politics has taken root in Sunderland.
Adam and the Ants: Stand and Deliver
Near the end of the story, the campy 1980s song “Stand and Deliver” by Adam and the Ants is given a random shoutout after it is accidentally played on the radio as Mickey seeks to search for news coverage of events in Sunderland. Its inclusion was purely for comedic purposes.
