Author: Alison Acheson
Publisher: Coteau Books
ISBN: 9781550504309
Book Source: review copy from publisher
All Molly's ever wanted is to be a great actress like her Grand. But Grand has died, and as Molly starts her first high school drama class, she learns that, despite the stories and the dress-up trunk and the photographs of famous people on the walls, Grand never set foot on a stage. The knowledge is devastating, and for the first time in her life, Molly is crippled by stage fright. She loses the lead role in the school play. She can't even go to class. Fortunately, Molly's friend Candace is there to help her find her voice again.
The thing I liked most about this book is the way's Molly's perceptions change throughout the story. At the outset, she sees herself as a star, and that conviction blinds her to realities of her life, her family, and her friends. Learning the truth about her grandmother causes her to question everything, and in doing so, she sees things clearly for the first time. I also liked that every character had some form of creative outlet, some of which were unusual, or downright quirky.
Author: Alison Acheson
Publisher: Coteau Books
ISBN: 9781550503548
Book Source: review copy from publisher
Abi lives in a house on stilts, set on the bank of a muddy tidal river. It's a precarious house for a precarious life. Her father's out of work, and since Abi's mom left, he can barely form words, let alone be a parent. Abi suspects that her Big Sister may have a hidden agenda. And while she's amazed and thrilled by his attention, Abi doesn't understand why the handsome Jude is more interested in her than in taking care of his two-year-old son. More than anything, Abi needs answers. Why did her mother go away? How can she help her father? Is there any way to drag herself out of the mud and up into the light?
I didn't like Mud Girl quite as much as Molly's Cue, largely because I found the third-person-present tense somewhat distancing. But I really enjoyed the parallel between Abi's environment and her emotional turmoil, and the book's ending - with its unvarnished, real-life messiness - is both heartbreaking and uplifting.
In both books, Acheson captures the power of teenage emotion without becoming angsty. She also does a great job of creating adult characters that are real, flawed people, facing serious issues of their own. Very refreshing to read YA novels that give teen characters freedom to tackle their problems, without resorting to boarding schools or fatal parental accidents!
Molly's Cue is lighter reading, good for younger teens. Mud Girl is both more serious and more mature. Both are good choices for readers who want their fiction certified vampire-free.
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For more information on Alison Acheson and her books, visit her website.
1 comments:
Will be sure to watch for these two. Thanks!
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