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A review by kba76
October, October by Katya Balen
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
October is our free-spirited protagonist, a girl who lives in the woods with her father. She sees herself as wild, a part of nature.
On her eleventh birthday she takes Stig, the baby barn owl she rescued, out into the woods. Unfortunately, October gets spooked by the arrival of her mother and runs away. Climbing to safety she hides in the trees. When her father and mother come searching for her, he tries to climb up after her. When he falls, it marks a drastic shift in October’s circumstances.
With her father needing medical care, she cannot remain in her woodland home. She is transported to London, where her mother lives, and expected to settle into a new life there.
October’s discomfort at being taken from her surroundings is evident. However, we follow her as she navigates her journey through school for the first time and socialising with her peers. We see her come to terms wit( letting Stig be reformed to take her rightful place in the wild…and we see her come to accept the change in circumstances and accept both parents playing a role in her life.
Part of me wondered how the family came to have such an unusual living arrangement in the first instance, and we never get this question answered. However, it’s hard not to fall in love with October and her rather unconventional approach to life.
On her eleventh birthday she takes Stig, the baby barn owl she rescued, out into the woods. Unfortunately, October gets spooked by the arrival of her mother and runs away. Climbing to safety she hides in the trees. When her father and mother come searching for her, he tries to climb up after her. When he falls, it marks a drastic shift in October’s circumstances.
With her father needing medical care, she cannot remain in her woodland home. She is transported to London, where her mother lives, and expected to settle into a new life there.
October’s discomfort at being taken from her surroundings is evident. However, we follow her as she navigates her journey through school for the first time and socialising with her peers. We see her come to terms wit( letting Stig be reformed to take her rightful place in the wild…and we see her come to accept the change in circumstances and accept both parents playing a role in her life.
Part of me wondered how the family came to have such an unusual living arrangement in the first instance, and we never get this question answered. However, it’s hard not to fall in love with October and her rather unconventional approach to life.