UK Writer
Annabel Pitcher
Silence is Goldfish
Hachette NZ 2015 $24.99pb 365pp
ISBN 978 1 5101 0043 5
Themes: Blogs/ Search of identity/ Sperm donors
By chance Tess reads on her father’s Blog that when he first
saw her within seconds of her birth he felt nothing but revulsion and rejection
at this little, red, squalling creature and could hardly bear to touch her. Her
first thought is to run away, away anywhere but when that doesn’t work she runs
away mentally and emotionally. It’s a pity Tess hadn’t asked some questions or
relooked at the Blog the next day when the Post was complete but then, of course,
there wouldn’t have been a story to tell. There are characters to believe in
(and feel great sympathy with) and an original plot that I don’t think other
writers have touched on. There are plenty of stories when young people discover
they have been adopted but I can’t think of one where a young person finds that
although her mother is indeed her mother her, ‘father’ is no relation and her
conception was due to a sperm donor.
In other words just the originality we would expect from the writer of My Sister Lives
on the Mantelpiece (Orion 2011) and On Ketchup
Clouds (Indigo 2012). Just to lighten the story
there are several very funny moments.
Year 8 up/ Age 12 up
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