Thornhill

I picked this up “to read for 15 minutes before bed.” Couldn't put it down and finished it in one sitting.

This is a wrenching tale, beautifully told. There are two interwoven tales - one is the story of a silent girl, told in her own words. The other is the silent tale of another girl, told entirely through drawings. It's ultimately a story about desperate loneliness and grief. Does it have a happy ending or a tragic one? I'm not sure.

I know I was immediately invested in Mary's diary entries cataloging a merciless cycle of bullying and exclusion. And the drawings set in the present become more revealing of Ella's inner life and circumstances as you go.

While this story contains great sadness, it's also beautifully crafted and the drawings contribute so much that wouldn't be quite the same if told in words. This is a wonderful, different book that's well worth experiencing.