Reviewed:
Another BarBar story, another review, at this stage I need to confirm I definitely play favourites...
It is a general truism that kids can and will be vicious to each other, if they can dodge the consequences, for so little reason. But bullying and hints of CSA can be a trigger - take this as a spoiler alert, and potential warning!
The author does things a little differently in this story to the last few of their tales, and instead of traditional conversations with some form of first person/close third person viewpoint, this uses a single voice narration transcript. It took me a while to realise this (I suspected letters at first), but that mistake gets corrected very quickly as you realise the setting and progression that lead to the monologues.
In typical teenage fashion, Isla's "all about me" blinkered viewpoint prevails, at the start, but as self awareness grows, so does the multiple reveals. The evidence of personal growth and understanding from the our only character does seem to happen in a bit of a vacuum, implying the previous exposition as the only driver. For me, that didn't quite ring true, but we get very little insight into time passing or external influences, so I may be overthinking this. Wouldn't be the first time!
--Real spoilers below--
BarBar seems to be able to recreate the viewpoint of unusual and troubled (female) teens believably and embracingly, (that should be a word!) at will.
Here they've painted a solid personality for Tommy in spite of the (obvious) lack of voice for Tommy, and given a vivid characterisation for Isla, and then squewed that personality by the end. I am happy BarBar still managed the (typical for their writing) somewhat slower and stepped reveal of both viewpoints of the bullying timeline clearly.
The final reveals of the Ma/mt CSA and the final details about the timing and true reasons for both fathers absences sit hard and real, and do a lot to anchor the somewhat abrupt ending.
For me this worked, and I felt bookmarks the end of Isla's radical personal development with the arrival of consciousness for Tommy. It allows the reader to anticipate the possibilities of a multitude of alternate endings and beginnings without the burden of knowing how much Tommy "heard", or how established Isla's transformation really proves.
Truthfully, although I love the longer multi chapter/multi episode stories (like those featuring Bec and Jacinta) I think this length of story was right for the tale. Any longer could have been a mistake, and the ending, to me, is final. That's not to say a direct sequel isn't possible, but I suspect it's very unlikely.
For me, this was the least appealing BarBar story to date, but my lower appeal score is in no way a criticism of the premis/writing.
For me the story holds up because like the other stories in this catalogue, it still features the authors usual technically accomplished prose, skillful story weaving, believable characterisations (female brains? a complete mystery to me), and paced delivery/plot development.
Not a long read, and worthy of your download and patronage.
BarBar, thank you for your craft.
Myth