roguepingu's review against another edition
5.0
The Shadow Girl is a novel by Australian writer, John Larkin, that follows the story of a fourteen year old girl forced into homelessness due to her domestic situation at home. The story is beautifully narrated and the occasional changes in narrator help complete the story and complete the background of the main character.
This is a moving book, tracing out the tale that is similar to so many others out there. This story also explores simple human compassion which may come from complete strangers yet dwells on the dark side of people that either causes or arises from these difficult situations.
The Shadow Girl is based on a true story. John Larkin, who recently gave a talk at my school [name deleted from transcript] about the girl he based this remarkable narrative on.
John Larkin was visiting a school out in the western suburbs. It wasn't a very nice looking place. It was an ugly, grey building with a concrete play-yard. No nice vegetation and grass. But there was a wall to keep the students in and the vandals out. It was here that he gave his usual talk and it was here, while talking to the eighth grade that, amongst these kids, not really known for their intellectual ability, let's just say, there was a small, fourteen year old girl. She had come in late, apologising profusely, and sat down to listen. It was during this talk (I forget the details how) that Larkin soon discovered this girl, in this school of more or less ruffians, had read Pride and Prejudice as well as Bleak House , a huge brick of a book.
Afterwards, everyone had been dismissed for recess. What Larkin noticed was that this little girl was sitting amongst her friends and was collecting food off them, putting all sorts of snack and what-not in her plastic bag. Larkin asked the teachers about this and that was when they told him about the trains. What this girl did was catch the train every afternoon and, during the night, travel all the way down one line and, in the morning, travel all the way back. Forster care hadn't worked out and there was some issue at home. The teachers couldn't do too much about it but they gave her lunch and helped her out a bit here and there. Legally, they should have reported her in but, as said, Forster care hadn't worked out. There was also an older sister involved but she had dumped the younger sister and had gone to live with her boyfriend.
After more or less shocking our grade by this story, we then proceeded to discuss covers for the novel. I am happy to say we helped with the choice of the current cover and our grade had all agreed that the letters on the font should be pink, orange or green (of course, they ended up being orange). Also, just in case anyone is curious, the 'straw hat and blazers' references in the book are all referring to Knox Grammar School where John Larkin is the writer-in-residence.
This is a moving book, tracing out the tale that is similar to so many others out there. This story also explores simple human compassion which may come from complete strangers yet dwells on the dark side of people that either causes or arises from these difficult situations.
The Shadow Girl is based on a true story. John Larkin, who recently gave a talk at my school [name deleted from transcript] about the girl he based this remarkable narrative on.
John Larkin was visiting a school out in the western suburbs. It wasn't a very nice looking place. It was an ugly, grey building with a concrete play-yard. No nice vegetation and grass. But there was a wall to keep the students in and the vandals out. It was here that he gave his usual talk and it was here, while talking to the eighth grade that, amongst these kids, not really known for their intellectual ability, let's just say, there was a small, fourteen year old girl. She had come in late, apologising profusely, and sat down to listen. It was during this talk (I forget the details how) that Larkin soon discovered this girl, in this school of more or less ruffians, had read Pride and Prejudice as well as Bleak House , a huge brick of a book.
Afterwards, everyone had been dismissed for recess. What Larkin noticed was that this little girl was sitting amongst her friends and was collecting food off them, putting all sorts of snack and what-not in her plastic bag. Larkin asked the teachers about this and that was when they told him about the trains. What this girl did was catch the train every afternoon and, during the night, travel all the way down one line and, in the morning, travel all the way back. Forster care hadn't worked out and there was some issue at home. The teachers couldn't do too much about it but they gave her lunch and helped her out a bit here and there. Legally, they should have reported her in but, as said, Forster care hadn't worked out. There was also an older sister involved but she had dumped the younger sister and had gone to live with her boyfriend.
After more or less shocking our grade by this story, we then proceeded to discuss covers for the novel. I am happy to say we helped with the choice of the current cover and our grade had all agreed that the letters on the font should be pink, orange or green (of course, they ended up being orange). Also, just in case anyone is curious, the 'straw hat and blazers' references in the book are all referring to Knox Grammar School where John Larkin is the writer-in-residence.
carolinethereader's review against another edition
3.0
THIS book has left me feeling kind of meh. I don't know quite how to describe it, and I'm still not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but I'll try my best. This book is about homelessness. It's a 'true' story (in quotation marks because I'm pretty sure some creative flair has been added). It's about hope and overcoming all the shit which is thrown at you. It should be inspirational but I just didn't feel it.
I feel like I should've finished this book and stopped to reflect on my life and how fortunate I've been. That seems like the kind of reflection this book would encourage. It just didn't inspire those thoughts in me. I didn't like the frequent cuts to the cafe where our main character is recounting her story to this author. I didn't like how cynical he was (despite my own rampant cynicism); constantly making jokes about the situation and just generally coming off as a dick.
I did like that this book made me think and was about such a strong female overcoming a phenomenally tough situation. It touched on a lot of important issues and some pf the scenes were poignant. But I think the main thing bothering me about this book is that it didn't STAY with me. I finished it and picked up another book almost straight away because I just didn't feel that strongly about what I'd just finished. Even now, a day and a half after finishing it, I can't recall a lot of the details... because meh.
I feel like I should've finished this book and stopped to reflect on my life and how fortunate I've been. That seems like the kind of reflection this book would encourage. It just didn't inspire those thoughts in me. I didn't like the frequent cuts to the cafe where our main character is recounting her story to this author. I didn't like how cynical he was (despite my own rampant cynicism); constantly making jokes about the situation and just generally coming off as a dick.
I did like that this book made me think and was about such a strong female overcoming a phenomenally tough situation. It touched on a lot of important issues and some pf the scenes were poignant. But I think the main thing bothering me about this book is that it didn't STAY with me. I finished it and picked up another book almost straight away because I just didn't feel that strongly about what I'd just finished. Even now, a day and a half after finishing it, I can't recall a lot of the details... because meh.
jaxxlee's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
captainamy's review against another edition
5.0
I don't know what made me grab this book off the shelf, but I'm glad I did. It was a truly captivating read, I devoured it in one day whilst on holiday. It actually brought me back to reading, when I had stopped for a while. It brought back the passion to read. It was beautiful and I can't stop thinking about it, even a few years later.
sophiekaelin's review against another edition
5.0
So much suspense in such a small novel. Absolutely loved it! I especially love the characters. Would make an awesome movie. One of the better books I've read this year, for sure!
ray_ray2's review against another edition
5.0
Oof that I was an emotional book. An amazing, heart-wrenching, thrilling and heart warming book. I'm actually a bit sad that it's finished. It is a book about a girl who ends up homeless, how she got homeless and her experiences while homeless. I absolutely loved the character Cinderella.
anneweaver9's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book about teenage homelessness and resourcefulness. For me it started slowly and I considered stopping reading, but then once she moved out, the main character became more heroic and less a victim, and the book became compulsive reading.The secondary characters who helped were inspiring. I also liked the moral conflict faced by the teacher.And I liked the double ending and the style of an interview.
maree_k's review against another edition
4.0
Although it took me a few pages to get into this book, I really enjoyed it. The voice of the strong female protagonist is authentic, the story is fast-paced and although some of the action was a little far-fetched and stretched the logic, I was invested enough in the character and her story to go along for the ride.
The story, while not preachy, does raise important questions about the child protection system and support for homeless kids to stay in school, or even just live a semi-normal life.
Another great contemporary YA novel from an Australian writer. Definitely put it on your 'to read' list if contemporary YA is your thing.
The story, while not preachy, does raise important questions about the child protection system and support for homeless kids to stay in school, or even just live a semi-normal life.
Another great contemporary YA novel from an Australian writer. Definitely put it on your 'to read' list if contemporary YA is your thing.
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