A review by readingwithkt
Alter Ego by Helen Heckety

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Thank you to Dialogue and Renegade Books for the Advance Reader’s Copy of Alter Ego by Helen Heckety. 
 
This novel follows Hattie as she starts her new life in Wales, her new life in which she will no longer be disabled. Hattie has an invisible disability and she’s tired of people treating her differently because of it, she’s tired of all the things she finds difficult and she’s tired of having to explain herself to others. So she comes up with The Plan - to start anew in Wales. She lands a job and does her best to function in our ableist society, but soon comes to realise that it’s much more complicated than she’d imagined to deny her needs. 
 
I’ll be the first to admit that I was a little unsure of Hattie in the beginning of the book and didn’t really understand why exactly she wanted to get away from her life in London, but she grew on me and my understanding grew as I read on and began to learn her personal history. After about 150 pages or so, I’d say I was really truly rooting for her. Hattie is a strong-willed, determined and courageous young woman. She had had quite a lot of trauma in her life, including parental loss, bullying and ableism. She worked hard to overcome these struggles but ended up holding her head just above water. Inevitably that water starts to creep higher as life’s struggles pile on, culminating in a devastating scene. 
 
I enjoyed the writing style of this one and the author’s use of mixed media (always a hit with me). It had some markings of a debut for me in that I felt that some of the speech felt slightly unnatural and some situations were a little too convenient, but that is also the beauty of fiction, I guess. I thought the messaging in the book was powerful - about self acceptance, self love, and expressing yourself and your feelings. And I simply think everyone deserves a friend as lovely as Aiden. 
 
I’d definitely read more from this author - will be looking out for it, in fact - and look forward to seeing what other stories they choose to tell. 
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