24 October 2014

Review #34: Alarm Girl by Hannah Vincent




My rating: 4 of 5 stars


‘Being in Africa is like being on a different planet, not just a different country,’
---Indigo, Alarm Girl

Hannah Vincent, an English writer's debut book, Alarm Girl is not only an emotional roller coaster ride but also a poignant tale which instantly grips you with the pain and sorrow seen through the young eyes of Indigo.

Synopsis:
For 11-year old Indigo and her older brother, Robin being in South Africa is more like being on whole new different planet. After their mother's sudden death, Indigo and Robin are more like orphaned even though they are survived by their father who happens to live in South Africa for his tourism business. Living with their maternal grandparents in England was quite suitable for Indigo and Robin, but living with their father over the Christmas break in a different country sounds difficult for both of them. Moreover, their father looks quite posh and has kept his mouth shut with the mystery behind his wife's sudden death, which Indigo finds it hard and suspicious of his father's intentions. Not recognizing her own father is fine for Indigo, but not getting the proper answers behind her mother's mysterious death bothers her the most. Indigo finds solace in her father's pet, Tonyhog- which is a domesticated bush pig. And together with Zami, who used to work in their garden, Indigo tends the pig with care and love and eventually a sweet, innocent friendship blossomed between them.


Alarm Girl is bound to take you on a roll from England's cold and sad life to South Africa's hopefulness and new beginnings. We not only learn about Indigo's life, but also that of her mother Karen's life. Indigo's tale is infused with that of her mother, Karen's story- along with Indigo, we too are in dark about her mother’s sudden demise and as we grow with Karen, we can see the light behind this unraveling mystery. Karen's life is portrayed from her childhood to getting married to giving birth to Indigo. So yes, there are two protagonists in Hannah Vincent's story.

In Indigo's narrative, we can see how she is adjusting with pre-adolescence things in her life, and also how she handles the adult things with her wisdom. And Karen's narrative was quite dark with too many tensions.

To be honest, in the beginning, the narration of both the protagonists left us confused and the focus often shifted from one protagonist to another without giving the readers any time to adjust with the sudden shift of the storyline. But eventually, the author got hold of her narration and in the end, I can say, that the narration turned out to be completely perfect.

South Africa- Oh well! What can I say about the background! No one could have captured South Africa so evocatively with just using words. I was immediately transported to the enchanting and exotic lands of South Africa while I was reading the book. With the vivid descriptions of myriad of colors to the sensory descriptions to its glorious cultural aspect, everything felt perfectly well with the storyline. And also even some amount of racism is also portrayed by the author, which is not only acute but also arresting. It's a must read book if you want to experience South Africa with just your eyes and mind.

You cannot miss out this coming-of-age story that will only arrest your mind and soul with intrigue and compassion seen through the eyes of an 11-year old girl.

Courtesy: Thanks to Trip Fiction for the review copy.
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Author Info: 
Hannah Vincent began her writing life as a playwright after studying drama at the University of East Anglia. Her plays include The Burrow, Throwing Stones (Royal Court Theatre) and Hang (National Theatre Studio). She joined the BBC as a television script editor, working on classic adaptations as well as original drama serials from 1996 – 2001. She now teaches Creative Writing for the Open University. She completed the MA in Creative Writing at Kingston University London in 2012 where she received the Faber MA Prize for Outstanding Creative and Academic Achievement. She is currently studying for her PhD at the University of Sussex.
Alarm Girl is Hannah’s first novel, an extract from which was shortlisted for the Writer's Retreat Competition. It was also shortlisted for the 2013 Hookline Novel Competition.
 Visit her here

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