The Icarus GirlHelen Oyeyemi
I chose to read The Icarus Girl, as I was looking for a challenging read, that was different to my habitual reading style. Throughout the book, I found that it was captivating on both an emotional level, as well as an interest one, as it was eerie and compelling, focusing mainly on the theme of twins, doubles and ghosts.
The story is told in the third person, and is focused from the point of view of the protagonist, eight year old Jessamy Harrison. Despite being a playful, whimsical child with an extraordinary imagination, Jessamy is an extremely sensetive person, and by being half Nigerian and half English, her schoolmates feel that she dosen't belong. Her extreme sensetivity means that when situations become too tough, she can only cover her ears and scream and scream. Unaware of how to help their daughter, Jessamy's parents Sarah and Daniel decide to take her to her mother's family compound in Nigeria. Here, she meets all of her mother's family for the first time, as well as a little girl her own age, called TillyTilly. Although there is something odd about her, Jess befriends TillyTilly, as she is someone innocent and playful like herself, but more importantly - someone who understands her. As time goes on and the bond between the two girls grows stronger, Jess, now powerless, watches as the people around her begin to get hurt, and starts to question the innocence of Tilly, why nobody else can see her, and just what she is seeking in return for friendship....
I found this book to be a thoroughly entertaining read; one that was phsycological, and slightly disturbing. I would gladly recommend it to anybody looking for a story to grip them from beginning to end.
I would rate this book 4/5 stars.
