It is about a young teenager who decides to become a different person and ends up being invited to join a secret society which is orchestrating a reign of terror at his new school.

Since its first publication by Orion Children's Books it has been translated into more than ten languages and become a worldwide critically acclaimed bestseller.

At various points during the story Elliot thinks of himself as wearing a 'mask', and a sympathetic teacher refers to 'the armour' that most people put on each day.

Elliot wishes that he could fit in with the people in his school, but in doing this he allows evil to happen, risks becoming a bully himself, and ends up losing the two real friends that he has.

The book is extremely influenced by the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, a story about a totalitarian state in which the government is attempting to eliminate freedom of thought.

Like Winston Smith, the hero of Nineteen Eighty-Four, Elliot struggles to hide what he really thinks and feels, and is terrified of the truth coming out, yet also longs to be free.

Holminster High is effectively ruled by a single organization, just like the fictional country of Airstrip One in Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Another important influence is The Chocolate War, a controversial novel for young adults written by the US writer Robert Cormier.

The boy from The Chocolate War is innocent; before he makes his stand, he does not understand that his actions will represent a real threat to those in power, and that no one will support him.

[2] Translated into 10 languages, including French, German, Spanish, Greek, Albanian, Korean and Dutch, Inventing Elliot has been a worldwide bestseller and received widespread critical acclaim.

Inventing Elliot has been translated into 10 languages, including French, German, Spanish, Greek, Korean, Dutch and Polish.