This book is very readable. There's enough of a mystery to keep you turning the pages and the characters are sufficiently quirky for you to be interested in their lives past, present and future. There are some nice one liners and perceptive observations.
I found this book thought provoking. Butland shows us that Loveday had obviously spent alot of time making sense of her life and creating her version of it. The reader works through Loveday's epiphany with her when she finds out that things may not have been as she believed.
Butland reveals Loveday's story slowly. When the reader finds out her secret, it is a little hard understand why she doesn't take her Mother's side. However Butland has shown a great understanding of how a ten year old would perceive family life......adoring her father and blocking out actions that detract from his wonderfulness. Her recollections of family life are cosy and naive : accurate in their childishness simplicity.
I loved Archie and I loved the way Butland merely hints at his back-story. She tells the reader just enough for the purposes of the story. This cleverly mirrors Loveday's relationship with him : He is a constant in her life, a 'rock' for her, yet they barely interact and she knows as little about him as we do. Also he provides the antithesis of her character - gregarious, perceptive, open and generous. He sort of oils the wheels of her life and provides her with opportunities and possibilities that she'd be unlikely to have as a withdrawn solitary person.
As a perfectionist, obviously, I have some niggles. It's a shame that Butland has to spell out that Loveday is a goth. She could have been a little more subtle and lost some of the references to DMs. Loveday could then have been less stereotypical and thus more interesting. Nathan was a little 2D for me and a little too good to be true. However I loved that he 'grew some' when Loveday was in hospital and became instrumental in opening her mind to an alternate way of seeing things.
I really enjoyed this book
I found this book thought provoking. Butland shows us that Loveday had obviously spent alot of time making sense of her life and creating her version of it. The reader works through Loveday's epiphany with her when she finds out that things may not have been as she believed.
Butland reveals Loveday's story slowly. When the reader finds out her secret, it is a little hard understand why she doesn't take her Mother's side. However Butland has shown a great understanding of how a ten year old would perceive family life......adoring her father and blocking out actions that detract from his wonderfulness. Her recollections of family life are cosy and naive : accurate in their childishness simplicity.
I loved Archie and I loved the way Butland merely hints at his back-story. She tells the reader just enough for the purposes of the story. This cleverly mirrors Loveday's relationship with him : He is a constant in her life, a 'rock' for her, yet they barely interact and she knows as little about him as we do. Also he provides the antithesis of her character - gregarious, perceptive, open and generous. He sort of oils the wheels of her life and provides her with opportunities and possibilities that she'd be unlikely to have as a withdrawn solitary person.
As a perfectionist, obviously, I have some niggles. It's a shame that Butland has to spell out that Loveday is a goth. She could have been a little more subtle and lost some of the references to DMs. Loveday could then have been less stereotypical and thus more interesting. Nathan was a little 2D for me and a little too good to be true. However I loved that he 'grew some' when Loveday was in hospital and became instrumental in opening her mind to an alternate way of seeing things.
I really enjoyed this book