11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great book by Dowd (and sadly probably the last), October 17, 2009
Honestly, I'm not sure how to approach this review. I'm sad because, to my knowledge, this is Siobhan Dowd's last book. Both Bog Child and Solace of the Road have been published posthumously, and I feel that although I still have a few books of hers to read that were published prior to these two, I am already internally mourning over the loss of such a great writer.
Dowd seems always able to find the perfect balance between telling the character's story in an engaging way and bringing the reader into an understanding of why the story is important, that it is more than simply a story about a person, but that there are larger elements at work, things that people should generally know about and empathize with, broaden their worldviews to understand and incorporate the messages that Dowd is so deftly communicating through her stories.
Solace of the Road is no exception. At first I found myself irritated with the first person narrative of a young girl who is stricken with a difficult past and struggling with who she is and was as she begins her journey maturing into a woman. So often I wanted to reach into the story and say, "Please stop thinking this way and making these kinds of decisions. You're only going to end up hurting yourself." However, even that sentiment brought me the realization that Dowd is so masterful in her storytelling. Dowd wants us to feel that way in order to show us the story, partner with us in our reading rather than just telling us something and giving us the easy answers. She forces us to grapple with many of the same difficult aspects of life that Holly/Solace is going through.
I often felt exactly the same way when reading Bog Child. Having grown up in America with two parents who loved me, I have no idea what a person in Holly's shoes is going through. Even now, I can't say that I truly know any more than I did before, but I will say that I have a stronger sense of empathy for people in Holly's position, or even Holly's mother, who often make decisions reacting to their circumstances rather than thinking things through and landing on the best possible choice. They make the best of what they have, and although they hurt others in the process, it doesn't happen without a sense of self-awareness and self-loathing they must work through. Holly is a complex character who feels very tangible. I wouldn't be too surprised if I actually met a `Holly' one day, and she turned out to be exactly the way that Dowd has described her. I recommend this book to all readers 12+.
[...]
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An incredibly thoughtful, compassionate, beautifully written story of a young girl's heartache, November 23, 2009
Fifteen-year-old Holly Hogan bides her time in yet another foster home before running away again. With her silvery-blonde wig, she is transformed into the fierce and fearless Solace, bound for the green hills of Ireland to find her Mam. In what will regrettably be Siobhan Dowd's last novel, her superb story forces you to relive the dreams and horrors of the girl's life.
Ray and Fiona Aldridge, Holly's foster parents, were a joke. Holly's key worker, Miko, seemed to think they were good people, but she's just not comfortable around them. It should have been a foregone conclusion that she'd run. They're too squeaky clean and formal, a far cry from the kind of people she'd have picked. Fiona has a crooked bob and a fancy mantle clock, and Ray trims the hedges. They don't smoke, so Holly has to sneak up to her bedroom to smoke in secret. Their house is fancy, all wood..."posh and phony," as Holly calls it. Fiona wants to take her shopping and for Holly to use coasters (of all things!). Her foster mom couldn't have kids of her own, so it seems Holly is now her pet project. Ray barely even speaks to her. It all makes Holly feel out of her element --- it's like they want someone else but not the real her.
But while they are strange people, there is one thing that's incredible about the Aldridges: Fiona's wig. It's a silvery-blonde kind of magic that adds three years to Holly's age. With it on, she's not Holly anymore --- she's suave, dangerous and determined. She becomes Solace, the name of Mam's winning horse in a race. And Solace is hitting the road, not staying here another minute. She's off to find Mam in Ireland where they lived before. So with just a little money and a few things stashed in her lizard purse, Holly/Solace walks out the door.
On foot, Holly walks as Solace toward the A40. It's the road to freedom, she says, to Ireland, to Mam. She stops first at a glamour store for a slinky dress and heels. And while the cashier is chatting away, she stuffs the dress in her purse: Easy. The shoes she knicks even easier; while pretending to look at something else, she just heads out the door. Now Solace is glamorous, beautiful, sleek and gorgeous. Ahead of her waits a new place every day: a bus ride, a dance club, a museum, a coffee shop. But always she runs back to the road.
Holly walks for miles and miles and then she hitches. And all the way, she's scared stiff. Those heels she knicked are now blistering and slicing her feet to pieces. When it rains, the slinky dress sticks to her and freezes. There are times when cars seem to follow her and frightening men hover near. When she thumbs it, all she can think of is what truckers want with her. She's only ever hoping she'll get by without getting hurt. But Solace is different --- fearless and ready, she points Holly back down the road.
"Gotta find somewhere to hole up. Homeless people wrap themselves up in cardboard and curl up under bridges and pee against the walls like dogs. I didn't fancy it. I thought of better places. I made a list in my head.
Churches
Cinemas
Sheds
Houses where curtains aren't drawn, showing how the owners are on holiday
Churches get locked up at night, like the one I'd tried earlier. Cinemas chuck you out after the last show. Sheds are good but you have to break into them. Same goes for houses where the people are gone. Knowing my luck I'd get caught breaking in by the people at the wrong time."
Holly runs into a few good souls who help her, and in her desperation, they seem to be her guardian angels. But the road gets harder and harder every day. She's "cash-free," completely alone and frantic. And there's always the question of what she'll find if and when she gets there --- that's the one thing Holly won't let herself consider.
Reading SOLACE OF THE ROAD has left me absolutely speechless --- it's one book I know I will remember. What an incredibly thoughtful, compassionate, beautifully written story of a young girl's heartache. It saddens me to have to say goodbye to such a commendable writer. To witness the full power of Siobhan Dowd's writing, you must experience it for yourself, from beginning to end. There is beauty in the story, yet her writing goes much, much deeper than that. Her work has the hallmarks of a literary genius.
I urge you to go out and buy SOLACE OF THE ROAD. All proceeds go to Dowd's charity, which supports reading for disadvantaged kids.
--- Reviewed by Melanie Smith
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, January 26, 2010
Life has not been exactly fair to Holly. She has grown up in a series of group and foster homes surrounded by social workers who say they care, but it certainly doesn't feel like they do.
As the story begins, Holly is headed toward a new home. A childless couple arranges for a few test visits and then decide they are willing to offer Holly a place in their lives. It should be the answer to Holly's dream, but her sights are set on finding her Irish mam and not relying on the kindness of strangers.
Maybe it's the constant disappointments over the years and the repeated caregivers who have abandoned Holly. Whatever the reasons, she doesn't feel that she can go through it again. After a short stay with the new couple and one heated outburst, Holly decides it's time to leave.
She stumbles across a blond wig that adds several years to her own almost fifteen, and when she looks in the mirror, she reinvents herself with a new name - Solace. Solace has the courage and the calm attitude needed to strike out and find her mam.
The journey takes Solace (Holly) into a world of roadside diners, truck drivers, and adventure spiced with bits of humor and potential danger. She's a girl in search of her past and, hopefully, a future filled with a promise of real family and real love.
Siobhan Dowd, author of several other award-winning YA books, tragically died of cancer at age 47. SOLACE OF THE ROAD features her typical Irish flare with colorful characters leading less-than-perfect lives. She captures the loneliness and desperation of Solace as she searches for what most of us take for granted.
American readers may find SOLACE OF THE ROAD a challenging read due to its definite Irish/British dialect and tone, but once they are caught up in the story, they will find it a rewarding read. Dowd's exceptional talent will be missed.
Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
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