Trapped in a world that won’t let her be free. The children’s home, the foster home, her own mind, all putting pressure and expectations on her that she feels she cannot succeed. Holly Hogan needs to get out. Finding comfort in an old blonde wig, she changes from plain, boring old Holly to the beautiful and extravagant Solace, a girl daring enough to take to the open road otherwise known as the A40. She is tracking down her mother who was forced to leave her as a child because of the cruel Denny-boy and chase takes her on the way to the place where the grass is green, across the sea, Ireland. Mixed emotions and experiences greet as she embarks on this soul searching journey where she must stay focussed on her own target, the main goal: her Mammy. This is a flowing novel that links in details that will appeal to all sorts of people. The interpretation of a young girl’s mind is fascinating as Siobhan Dowd tells this emotional tale. It is a novel to which you are drawn by the real-life experiences that are not only suffered by Holly but by the other multiple characters that are introduced through the story. It is a book that is representative to the fact that hope and solace can be found in all sorts of surprising and unexpected places which is why I recommend the book to anyone age 12+ for an enjoyable and emotional read.
Douglas, 15
