“My gramma’s dead,” I explain. “I don’t have a daddy.” That’s what my Mama always says. She says I’m like a Cabbage Patch doll, that she found me growing in a garden and took me home.
Six-year-old Aoife attempts to navigate life amidst a winding family dilemma. With her mother recently institutionalized and her brother Theo dead, Aoife seeks to unearth the truth of her brother’s death with the help of her imaginary friend.
The emphasis of this book is on family and mental illness. Does a mental illness mean you are not capable of love? Can a damaged family heal? Is lying okay if it protects those closest to you?
Told from Aoife’s point of view, the tone throughout the story was childlike, yet astute. Her playful imagination revealed her childlike innocence even amid crisis. “Sometimes when grown-ups ask if you can do something, they are really just telling you to do it.” As a result of a six-year-old point of view, it was a quick, easy, and enjoyable read. On the other hand, for such a young age that provided the POV, it limited the use of language and literary devices in the story. Still, a delightful story.
A wonderful debut novel. Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, Eliza Nellums, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.