Rate this book

Girl In Shades (2011)

by Allison Baggio(Favorite Author)

3.85 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1770410503 (ISBN13: 9781770410503)

languge

English

genre

Young Adult Fiction

publisher

ECW Press

review 1: Maya Devine is eleven years old when her mother Marigold is diagnosed with cervical cancer and decides to forgo all medical treatment in favor of spending her last months in a teepee in the backyard.When Maya's mother dies, her father, who had been growing more distant as Marigold's illness progressed, abandons Maya in favor of nights with his secretary. Maya lives more or less alone for a year or two, teased at school, and confused by other people, whose thoughts she can sometimes hear - and whose auras she always sees. Finally, Maya's aunt Leah comes to her rescue and takes her to live with her in Toronto, just as Maya has discovered her mother's journal and is beginning to learn the truth of her family's secret past.There's quite a lot going on in this novel, and it bou... morences around in time, beginning and coming back to - though not quite ending - with Marigold's death. While it can be hard to keep up with the time changes and passing of time, this was a really interesting novel. I was a bit disappointed with the end, though, where it started skipping large chunks of Maya's life in what seemed like a rush to the end.
review 2: I loved this book. I really did. 90% of the time, I don’t finish novels. When I pick up a new book, I usually get half way through and then start asking myself – is anything in the second half of this book going to be substantially different than what’s transpired in the first half? And for most books, the answer is no. Once you’ve got half way through, you’ve got the gist of the entire novel and there’s no need to keep reading.But with Girl in Shades, I found myself caring about Maya (the central character) and wanting to read the entirety of her journey. I even stayed up late and neglected sleep to finish it. Baggio is a very talented writer. There’s something about the way she paces her story. It’s not too fast and not too slow. It’s just right. Baggio is also able to create tight, compact descriptive sentences. In one prepositional phrase, she describes what many writers need entire paragraphs to describe. I highly recommend this book. It’s an excellent novel and a great choice for a book club pick. less

Download links for: Girl in Shades

Advertising