Wow. What a wonderful book. It kept me reading and reading and reading. I had to wipe away tears more than once, and I kept shaking my head at the power the story had over me.For me, How Not to Disappear is not a Young Adult book, and I cannot understand how it is classified as one. If I had read it as a young adult, I would have been traumatised. There's violence, abuse, isolation, drunkenness ...Hattie, who thinks she is in love with Reuben, needs to make an important decision. The one thing she takes a while to realise is that it is a decision. She must make a conscious choice, and it is not wise to base her decision on Reuben's reaction.The most important bit of advice she receives is from an old lady called Gloria, who has the beginnings of dementia. Do not be afraid of regret.Gloria and Hattie, two isolated and vulnerable individuals, embark on a journey together. … [Read more...]
My Favourite Female Characters in Fiction
A question that always bothers me when I'm writing is whether I should concentrate on plot or character. Plot has the power to transport me, make me gasp and thrill me. But characters... Ah, they're the people who become lifelong friends.1) Pollyanna: Too good to be loved, but how I love her! She should be a saccharine goody two-shoes, but she's not. Her glad game changed my world.2) Anne: Anne in Anne of Green Gables is the best of the lot. That's where my beloved "Carrots" emerges as the imaginative and dreamy spitfire I long to befriend.3) Deborah Grantham: Faro's daughter - she won my admiration the very first time around. Independent, headstrong and dignified - the woman in control of her life. What's not to fall in love with there?4) Darrell Rivers: No, I no longer think she is magnificent, but I cannot deny the role she played in my life as a ten-year-old. Passionate and … [Read more...]