Lesley Allen

Firstly, I just have to say that this book has a simply stunning cover. It reminds me of the forest that grew around Sleeping Beauty, shielding her from the outside world...which links very nicely to my feelings towards Biddy Weir. I would have liked to have created a shield of thorns to protect her from spiteful girls with such hurtful words, but unfortunately the world is cruel and apparently what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

Biddy isn't like the other children at school, she's very comfortable with her own solitude and is happy to spend her time painting birds and examining their poo. She lives with her father and without a female influence she has to find her own way in the world. This is something that the other children exploit and Biddy finds herself the cruel butt of jokes at the hands of the ringleader, Alison Flemming. Alison is a spiteful girl who will do anything to be the most popular and pretty girl in the school. She doesn't realise that when you peel away her outer layer, underneath it all she is an ugly, bitter girl.

All the cruel taunts and name calling have a heartbreaking effect on Biddy and many years later she finds herself living as a recluse. She has been told so often that she is weirdo that she believes it and acts like one. Of course, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being weird, it's part of the beauty of the human race. Who is to say what is weird and what is not? Then one day Biddy is introduced to Terri, who is a little bit weird herself, and Biddy can finally talk about what happened to her as a child. As she talks, she begins to heal and I hope perhaps finally realises just how special she is.

This was an emotional rollercoaster of a read. I was furious with Alison Flemming and her team of mean girls, albeit fictional characters but we all know they exist. Through their cruel jibes they have scarred Biddy for life and no matter how many times you tell yourself that 'sticks and stones may break your bones', unfortunately words do ultimately hurt you. I wanted to tell young Biddy what my Nanna told me: 'You'll see your day, pet.' but you'll just have to read this fantastic book to find out whether Biddy sees her day.

You will go through a rainbow of emotions on this journey with Biddy Weir: anger, sadness, heartbreak and happiness as the beautiful Biddy-shaped butterfly emerges from her weird chrysalis. An uplifting, brave and stunning debut from Lesley Allen worthy of every single one of the 5 stars I have awarded.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.… (más)

Some books you choose; some books choose you. 'The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir' chose me; there's no doubt about that. It wasn't a book that held an immediate appeal for me, perhaps because the slightly odd name of the protagonist suggested a dated storyline, perhaps because of the floral cover design, or perhaps simply because the concept didn't immediately intrigue me and I was distracted by other books with their dramatic blurbs and concepts screaming READ ME NOW!

But everywhere I looked online, people were discussing Biddy. They all loved the book. They all loved Biddy. I began to wonder if I was missing out on something special. Then I had the pleasure of meeting the author and hearing her talk about the long birth process of this, her debut novel, and Lesley Allen was so completely lovely herself that I knew I'd have to give Biddy a try.

-- What's it about? --

Ten year old Biddy Weir is motherless, friendless and being raised by a father who finds it difficult to express affection or pride in his only daughter. She's no other family since her cantankerous paternal grandmother died and so there's no one to help her learn how to be a typical young girl or to advise her father on how best to support her. Oh, and she's fascinated by birds and their poo.

This isn't an ideal start to life, but when Alison Flemming starts at Biddy's primary school her life takes a distinct turn for the worse. Alison informs Biddy that she's a Weirdo. No, worse than that. She's a Bloody Weirdo and that's the worst kind there is. Using Biddy's vulnerabilities to shore up her own public status as most-wanted-friend, Alison takes increasingly brutal steps to ensure that everyone else knows Biddy is a B.W. too.

Having made Biddy's life almost unbearable at primary school, our protagonist is horrified to learn that she will be attending the same secondary school as her nemesis. What will happen to her now? Will Biddy survive it?

-- What's it like? --

Deeply sad. Matter-of-fact. Illuminating.

This is a horrifying insight into the power of bullies and the damage their actions can cause. The most painful scenes are those in which Alison isn't even interested in tormenting her prey but Biddy tortures herself with her expectation and anticipation of trouble. This insight into the mind of a victim is deeply affecting and helps readers to comprehend why victims of bullying don't "just report it".

Allen also reminds us that those who do oppose bullies can become as vulnerable as the victims they seek to protect. It's frustrating but almost inevitable that the one person who tries to help young Biddy is punished for their efforts in a way that further isolates poor Biddy. This is a deeply sad story and I suspect many readers will be moved to tears by it.

But before you consign this book to the "too sad to read" category, know this: the book opens with an adult Biddy, anxious, trembling, but making a decision to be brave, and the final third of the book re-introduces us to this Biddy. How she develops in this section is genuinely moving and I really enjoyed following her progress. The ending is lovely and I can only hope all victims of such severe bullying are granted their own guardian angels.

-- Final thoughts --

In 'The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir' Lesley Allen has crafted a deeply affecting tale of a life brutally and permanently scarred by bullying. In a sense it is a coming-of-age story, as her social isolation means that Biddy retains a childlike innocence and anxiety well past her teenage years, until a significant life event encourages one concerned individual to take more of an interest in her.

This is a story where readers can easily anticipate what will happen in the plot (e.g. what will happen to Penny and Biddy's friendship) but this helps to build suspense (e.g. how exactly will Alison destroy this alliance?) The characterisation is crucial and is deftly handled, from Alison's rather pathetic father to Biddy's impatient and oblivious teachers.

Few characters are truly cruel, most are simply indifferent to or unaware of the causes and depths of Biddy's suffering. I think this adds a powerful punch to the emotional impact of the story as we are forced to wonder how many Biddy's walk among us every day. What will happen if we continue to ignore them?

Biddy's physical escape from her bullies is traumatic enough, but her psychological escape takes many more years. Allen reminds us that it is not enough to do your baseline 'duty' (the neighbour who offers a lift in the knowledge it's likely to be refused; the teacher who enquires after a pupil's well-being in a sufficiently desultory manner to ensure they need not worry about finding out anything important); instead, we must all actively care for each other, especially those who are naturally more vulnerable.

It's ultimately beautiful and even uplifting. Recommended.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.… (más)