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A review by tcbueti
Brightwood by Tania Unsworth
5.0
Engrossing and charmingly original. Beautifully written.
Daisy has never left Brightwood, living there with her reclusive artist mom, who makes a box of every day so she doesn't lose the memory, after losing her whole living (even though rich) family as a child when their yacht exploded.
Then one day her mom leaves, off her usual shop schedule, and a man appears. Who is he and what does he want?
Ominous. Great. "No one knows you exist."
Daisy not entirely alone: she has her pet rat, Tar, who grades food, water and dirt with relish. She has a lovely horse topiary friend, True, which leads to one of the saddest parts. (And a great discussion of how you know you're real and keeping your "shape") A boy in a portrait. And a black and white girl--great character " may I be honest?"--( Polly) Frank, who took the pictures and saved the life of Clarence, the (clueless) family explorer/adventurer.
And she has her courage.
Plot issue: what did she think would happen in the temple trap? Kill him? Would she have done that on purpose? If not, he's trapped in the house.
Problem: the Crazy. A streak of madness, sociopath, no empathy or extreme sense of entitlement. Ordering troops to their death. Causing "accidents" to get people out of the way. Runs in their family; skips generations (HAS it skipped her mom or not?). Bad portrayal of mental illness.
But people are planning to make sure Daisy and her mom have a less reclusive life going forward.Cf "Room"? Her mum was considering letting her come to the shops.
Daisy has never left Brightwood, living there with her reclusive artist mom, who makes a box of every day so she doesn't lose the memory, after losing her whole living (even though rich) family as a child when their yacht exploded.
Then one day her mom leaves, off her usual shop schedule, and a man appears. Who is he and what does he want?
Ominous. Great. "No one knows you exist."
Daisy not entirely alone: she has her pet rat, Tar, who grades food, water and dirt with relish. She has a lovely horse topiary friend, True, which leads to one of the saddest parts. (And a great discussion of how you know you're real and keeping your "shape") A boy in a portrait. And a black and white girl--great character " may I be honest?"--( Polly) Frank, who took the pictures and saved the life of Clarence, the (clueless) family explorer/adventurer.
And she has her courage.
Plot issue: what did she think would happen in the temple trap? Kill him? Would she have done that on purpose? If not, he's trapped in the house.
Problem: the Crazy. A streak of madness, sociopath, no empathy or extreme sense of entitlement. Ordering troops to their death. Causing "accidents" to get people out of the way. Runs in their family; skips generations (HAS it skipped her mom or not?). Bad portrayal of mental illness.
But people are planning to make sure Daisy and her mom have a less reclusive life going forward.Cf "Room"? Her mum was considering letting her come to the shops.