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canada_matt 's review for:
The Foster Child
by Jenny Blackhurst
Jenny Blackhurst is back with another captivating thriller that grasps the reader’s attention from the opening pages and does not let go until the final sentence. Imogen Reid has been put through the professional wringer. As a psychologist, she was a hard-working thirtysomething toiling away in London. However, an event with one of her patients has forced her and husband, Dan, to flee to Imogen’s grandmother’s home back in the rural English town of Gaunt. Imogen is still not sure how she will be able to reinvent herself, or if there will be work to keep her occupied. Little does she know, but Gaunt is also home to young Ellie Atkinson, an eleven-year-old foster child, whose entire family died in a horrific house fire. Ellie has been vilified by the locals for reasons that Imogen cannot understand, but witnesses first-hand during her first day back. When Imogen is hired to work as a counsellor-liaison with the local school, she is asked to tend specifically to Ellie. The previous counsellor left town under a mysterious shroud of controversy (the party line being “she left to get married) and the notes related to Ellie are both scattered and incomplete. As time progresses, other strange happenings occur in town and Ellie seems loosely tied to them, though there is nothing to put her at the scene. Imogen holds out hope and a soft spot for Ellie, wishing she could understand why everyone has created a monster out of this sweet girl. That said, Ellie has begun to notice that her own thoughts and dreams are not as innocent as she might have hoped. While Imogen harbours a secret of her own, can she keep her suspicions about Ellie’s antics to herself, thereby placing the entire community of Gaunt in more danger? Blackhurst has created a wonderfully dark and captivating story here, sure to leave chills up the spines of those who venture to read it. Those who enjoy a good thriller, full of twists, will surely flock to this one, likely offering much praise for the effort.
This is my first experience with Blackhurst and her writing, leaving me unsure what I ought to expect. My current position in Child Protection left me drawn to this book, wondering how the story might depict foster children and the entire social services industry. Choosing to develop the narrative through the eyes of both Imogen and Ellie proved to be a wonderful idea. Their characters differ greatly, but are able to complement one another in ways that pull the reader deeper into the narrative. Turning first to Imogen, the reader is left with numerous threads dangling during the early portions of the story. Her unspoken childhood in Gaunt and the events in London that left her without a job are keys to keeping the thrill aspect high and the mystery sustained. Imogen’s naïveté as it relates to Ellie and her ongoing harbouring of the great secret in her life help keep the reader wondering how innocent and positive she might be. This contrasts nicely with the Ellie character, who appears innocent on the surface but whose apparent anger-fuelled antics leave the reader to wonder how she could have caused such havoc without lifting a finger. The reader must follow these two protagonists throughout to hash through the many layers of the narrative. There is a strong supporting cast who shape the flow of the story and give the reader much to consider. From a protective foster sister to the girl who vows revenge for being caught in Ellie’s crosshairs, through to the school teacher who begins to stir up trouble, there are a handful of individuals who seek to portray both Ellie and Imogen in various lights. The story itself is strong and develops at a wonderful pace. The reader can form their own opinions in regards to the events around Gaunt. The abuse that Ellie suffers throughout and the vilification for being different flows through the story, balanced only by Imogen’s attempt to justify the need to accept and understand the already difficult life of a foster child. There are many twists throughout that may leave the reader curious about where Blackhurst is taking things, but this only adds to the strength of the novel. The story’s delivery is decent and short chapters keep the reader pushing forward to reach the ultimate reveal, a shocker in an of itself. Blackhurst certainly as a wonderful handle on the story and keeps the reader enthralled through to the end.
Kudos, Madam Blackhurst, for such a great piece of writing. I am intrigued to see what else you’ve penned, hoping it is as captivating as this story.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
This is my first experience with Blackhurst and her writing, leaving me unsure what I ought to expect. My current position in Child Protection left me drawn to this book, wondering how the story might depict foster children and the entire social services industry. Choosing to develop the narrative through the eyes of both Imogen and Ellie proved to be a wonderful idea. Their characters differ greatly, but are able to complement one another in ways that pull the reader deeper into the narrative. Turning first to Imogen, the reader is left with numerous threads dangling during the early portions of the story. Her unspoken childhood in Gaunt and the events in London that left her without a job are keys to keeping the thrill aspect high and the mystery sustained. Imogen’s naïveté as it relates to Ellie and her ongoing harbouring of the great secret in her life help keep the reader wondering how innocent and positive she might be. This contrasts nicely with the Ellie character, who appears innocent on the surface but whose apparent anger-fuelled antics leave the reader to wonder how she could have caused such havoc without lifting a finger. The reader must follow these two protagonists throughout to hash through the many layers of the narrative. There is a strong supporting cast who shape the flow of the story and give the reader much to consider. From a protective foster sister to the girl who vows revenge for being caught in Ellie’s crosshairs, through to the school teacher who begins to stir up trouble, there are a handful of individuals who seek to portray both Ellie and Imogen in various lights. The story itself is strong and develops at a wonderful pace. The reader can form their own opinions in regards to the events around Gaunt. The abuse that Ellie suffers throughout and the vilification for being different flows through the story, balanced only by Imogen’s attempt to justify the need to accept and understand the already difficult life of a foster child. There are many twists throughout that may leave the reader curious about where Blackhurst is taking things, but this only adds to the strength of the novel. The story’s delivery is decent and short chapters keep the reader pushing forward to reach the ultimate reveal, a shocker in an of itself. Blackhurst certainly as a wonderful handle on the story and keeps the reader enthralled through to the end.
Kudos, Madam Blackhurst, for such a great piece of writing. I am intrigued to see what else you’ve penned, hoping it is as captivating as this story.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons