What do you think?
Rate this book
Alarm Girl
A sensitively written tale of a young girl coping with loss and changeWhen 11-year-old Indigo and her older brother Robin arrive in South Africa to stay with their father, they find a luxury lifestyle that is a world away from their modest existence back in England. But Indigo is uneasy in the foreign landscape and confused by the family's silence surrounding her mother's recent death. Unable to find solace in either new or old faces, she begins to harbor violent suspicions in place of the truth. Steeped in the dry heat of a South African summer, this keen and touching debut seamlessly interweaves the voices of Indigo and her mother, and beautifully captures the human desire to in a family, in a country, in your own skin.
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2014
32 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 27, 2014
‘Being in Africa is like being on a different planet, not just a different country,’
---Indigo, Alarm Girl
Hannah Vincent, an English writer's debut book, Alarm Girl is not only an emotional roller coaster ride but also a poignant tale which instantly grips you with the pain and sorrow seen through the young eyes of Indigo.
Synopsis:
For 11-year old Indigo and her older brother, Robin being in South Africa is more like being on whole new different planet. After their mother's sudden death, Indigo and Robin are more like orphaned even though they are survived by their father who happens to live in South Africa for his tourism business. Living with their maternal grandparents in England was quite suitable for Indigo and Robin, but living with their father over the Christmas break in a different country sounds difficult for both of them. Moreover, their father looks quite posh and has kept his mouth shut with the mystery behind his wife's sudden death, which Indigo finds it hard and suspicious of his father's intentions. Not recognizing her own father is fine for Indigo, but not getting the proper answers behind her mother's mysterious death bothers her the most. Indigo finds solace in her father's pet, Tonyhog- which is a domesticated bush pig. And together with Zami, who used to work in their garden, Indigo tends the pig with care and love and eventually a sweet, innocent friendship blossomed between them.
Alarm Girl is bound to take you on a roll from England's cold and sad life to South Africa's hopefulness and new beginnings. We not only learn about Indigo's life, but also that of her mother Karen's life. Indigo's tale is infused with that of her mother, Karen's story- along with Indigo, we too are in dark about her mother’s sudden demise and as we grow with Karen, we can see the light behind this unraveling mystery. Karen's life is portrayed from her childhood to getting married to giving birth to Indigo. So yes, there are two protagonists in Hannah Vincent's story.
In Indigo's narrative, we can see how she is adjusting with pre-adolescence things in her life, and also how she handles the adult things with her wisdom. And Karen's narrative was quite dark with too many tensions.
To be honest, in the beginning, the narration of both the protagonists left us confused and the focus often shifted from one protagonist to another without giving the readers any time to adjust with the sudden shift of the storyline. But eventually, the author got hold of her narration and in the end, I can say, that the narration turned out to be completely perfect.
South Africa- Oh well! What can I say about the background! No one could have captured South Africa so evocatively with just using words. I was immediately transported to the enchanting and exotic lands of South Africa while I was reading the book. With the vivid descriptions of myriad of colors to the sensory descriptions to its glorious cultural aspect, everything felt perfectly well with the storyline. And also even some amount of racism is also portrayed by the author, which is not only acute but also arresting. It's a must read book if you want to experience South Africa with just your eyes and mind.
You cannot miss out this coming-of-age story that will only arrest your mind and soul with intrigue and compassion seen through the eyes of an 11-year old girl.
Courtesy: Thanks to Trip Fiction for the review copy.
---Indigo, Alarm Girl
Hannah Vincent, an English writer's debut book, Alarm Girl is not only an emotional roller coaster ride but also a poignant tale which instantly grips you with the pain and sorrow seen through the young eyes of Indigo.
Synopsis:
For 11-year old Indigo and her older brother, Robin being in South Africa is more like being on whole new different planet. After their mother's sudden death, Indigo and Robin are more like orphaned even though they are survived by their father who happens to live in South Africa for his tourism business. Living with their maternal grandparents in England was quite suitable for Indigo and Robin, but living with their father over the Christmas break in a different country sounds difficult for both of them. Moreover, their father looks quite posh and has kept his mouth shut with the mystery behind his wife's sudden death, which Indigo finds it hard and suspicious of his father's intentions. Not recognizing her own father is fine for Indigo, but not getting the proper answers behind her mother's mysterious death bothers her the most. Indigo finds solace in her father's pet, Tonyhog- which is a domesticated bush pig. And together with Zami, who used to work in their garden, Indigo tends the pig with care and love and eventually a sweet, innocent friendship blossomed between them.
Alarm Girl is bound to take you on a roll from England's cold and sad life to South Africa's hopefulness and new beginnings. We not only learn about Indigo's life, but also that of her mother Karen's life. Indigo's tale is infused with that of her mother, Karen's story- along with Indigo, we too are in dark about her mother’s sudden demise and as we grow with Karen, we can see the light behind this unraveling mystery. Karen's life is portrayed from her childhood to getting married to giving birth to Indigo. So yes, there are two protagonists in Hannah Vincent's story.
In Indigo's narrative, we can see how she is adjusting with pre-adolescence things in her life, and also how she handles the adult things with her wisdom. And Karen's narrative was quite dark with too many tensions.
To be honest, in the beginning, the narration of both the protagonists left us confused and the focus often shifted from one protagonist to another without giving the readers any time to adjust with the sudden shift of the storyline. But eventually, the author got hold of her narration and in the end, I can say, that the narration turned out to be completely perfect.
South Africa- Oh well! What can I say about the background! No one could have captured South Africa so evocatively with just using words. I was immediately transported to the enchanting and exotic lands of South Africa while I was reading the book. With the vivid descriptions of myriad of colors to the sensory descriptions to its glorious cultural aspect, everything felt perfectly well with the storyline. And also even some amount of racism is also portrayed by the author, which is not only acute but also arresting. It's a must read book if you want to experience South Africa with just your eyes and mind.
You cannot miss out this coming-of-age story that will only arrest your mind and soul with intrigue and compassion seen through the eyes of an 11-year old girl.
Courtesy: Thanks to Trip Fiction for the review copy.
September 30, 2014
A novella set in South Africa (“Africa Time”)
Once in a while a little gem of a book comes across our path. And Alarm Girl is one such gem. A short and cracking read.
Indigo and Robin are two children whose mum, Karen, has died, and they are currently living with their maternal grandparents in the UK. Dad has relocated to South Africa and this is the story of the first trip the two children undertake to visit him in his new home at Christmas. It is written through the eyes of 11 year old Indigo, who prowls around the house and grounds, just like the lions in the bush, observing and ingesting what she experiences. “Africa Time” is the slow speed at which daily life unfolds, a stark contrast to life back in the UK. She slides from her all encompassing South African experience, to reminiscing in her mind with mum about their life before her death. This is a curious construction for a book but once the flow settles it is very easy to appreciate the quality of the prose and the rhythm of the story as it builds. There are gentle clues about Mum’s fragile health as the story builds to expounding the reasons behind her death, and the author finds just the right line between what the child in her narrative is taking on board, and what the adult pressures on the parental couple have been. She also creatively develops the backstory of the early relationship of Indigo’s parents, which cradles this vignette of their power-packed, south african visit.
Indigo even toys with the possibility that her mum may somehow have been killed by her dad, brought into sharp relief by the harsh realities of the South African environment around her – the Alarm Girl of the title is her personal emergency alarm that she has to keep with her, even in the gated environs of her dad’s luxury dwelling. As she observes the people who work for her dad, and explores the Bush, and comes face to face with brutal poverty, her imagination is fired by crawling thoughts. And as her Dad now seems to be in a relationship with with Beautiful, his new girlfriend, Indigo simply cannot shake off the feeling of mistrust. The tensions and social divide between black and white are acutely portrayed, as are her forays beyond the closed gates and out into wilderness encounters and township hardship.
One of her pleasures in her new environment is the company of Tonyhog, a domesticated bushpig that lives on the compound and trails around. Together with Zami, who works around the house and garden, they tend the pig and with their care of him, a friendship between two young people – from two vastly different backgrounds – begins to build.
The author has a great gift of finding the voice of an 11 year old girl and of setting this condensed glimpse of one family in the dry heat of South Africa. A true achievement.
Once in a while a little gem of a book comes across our path. And Alarm Girl is one such gem. A short and cracking read.
Indigo and Robin are two children whose mum, Karen, has died, and they are currently living with their maternal grandparents in the UK. Dad has relocated to South Africa and this is the story of the first trip the two children undertake to visit him in his new home at Christmas. It is written through the eyes of 11 year old Indigo, who prowls around the house and grounds, just like the lions in the bush, observing and ingesting what she experiences. “Africa Time” is the slow speed at which daily life unfolds, a stark contrast to life back in the UK. She slides from her all encompassing South African experience, to reminiscing in her mind with mum about their life before her death. This is a curious construction for a book but once the flow settles it is very easy to appreciate the quality of the prose and the rhythm of the story as it builds. There are gentle clues about Mum’s fragile health as the story builds to expounding the reasons behind her death, and the author finds just the right line between what the child in her narrative is taking on board, and what the adult pressures on the parental couple have been. She also creatively develops the backstory of the early relationship of Indigo’s parents, which cradles this vignette of their power-packed, south african visit.
Indigo even toys with the possibility that her mum may somehow have been killed by her dad, brought into sharp relief by the harsh realities of the South African environment around her – the Alarm Girl of the title is her personal emergency alarm that she has to keep with her, even in the gated environs of her dad’s luxury dwelling. As she observes the people who work for her dad, and explores the Bush, and comes face to face with brutal poverty, her imagination is fired by crawling thoughts. And as her Dad now seems to be in a relationship with with Beautiful, his new girlfriend, Indigo simply cannot shake off the feeling of mistrust. The tensions and social divide between black and white are acutely portrayed, as are her forays beyond the closed gates and out into wilderness encounters and township hardship.
One of her pleasures in her new environment is the company of Tonyhog, a domesticated bushpig that lives on the compound and trails around. Together with Zami, who works around the house and garden, they tend the pig and with their care of him, a friendship between two young people – from two vastly different backgrounds – begins to build.
The author has a great gift of finding the voice of an 11 year old girl and of setting this condensed glimpse of one family in the dry heat of South Africa. A true achievement.
November 29, 2015
I adored this delicate, nuanced novel. It made me laugh and cry. Hannah Vincent captures the voice of eleven-year-old Indigo, her confusion, pain and fear, without ever resorting to schmaltz. The landscape and heat of South Africa is beautifully conjured, as is the stultifying small town community, which is home to Indy and her late mother, Karen, and the sensitivity in the description of the descent of the black dog of depression is impressive also. Alarm Girl has particular resonance for me because my father died when I was a child (though younger than Indy) and my own family struggled with how to explain. The complexity of the emotions involved is perfectly evoked. No mean feat. Do buy and read this wonderful novel.
August 5, 2014
A moving and powerful story about a young girl coming to terms with her mother's recent death. The tensions within the family - between Indigo and her brother, her grandparents and their son in law are so real you can touch them, and are echoed in the gulf between cosy English suburbia and the South African landscape of her father's new home.
I loved this novel, for the clear, spare prose and the perfectly balanced narrative strands, and the evocation of a different place. But most of all I loved the haunting story of a grieving and confused young girl. I cried, but even though there is a lot of darkness in the novel, there is also love and hope.
I was fortunate to have Hannah as my Open University Creative Writing tutor.
I loved this novel, for the clear, spare prose and the perfectly balanced narrative strands, and the evocation of a different place. But most of all I loved the haunting story of a grieving and confused young girl. I cried, but even though there is a lot of darkness in the novel, there is also love and hope.
I was fortunate to have Hannah as my Open University Creative Writing tutor.
January 23, 2024
Looking for something quick to read, I stumbled on Alarm Girl by Hannah Vincent at my library, and without knowing anything about it, I picked it up and checked it out. After finishing this novel, I’m even more certain that it’s the ones you don’t expect that can affect you the most.
A delicate story following 11-year-old Indy as she and her brother visit their dad in South Africa for Christmas, Alarm Girl explores family dynamics and structure through the lens of the young girl. Reading Indy’s observations reminded me of my own thoughts as a child; Vincent so wonderfully captures the innocence and naivety of youth whilst being unknowingly surrounded by darker forces at play. One of these ominous energies stems from Indy’s deceased mother Karen, whose perspective we also follow throughout the book, albeit in a much more tragic and tense tone. Karen’s narratives switches around in its timeline, mirroring the disorientation she felt internally, whilst Indy’s unknowing innocence towards her mother’s life hones in on how heartbreaking the domino effects of mental illness can be, on children and families at large.
Alarm Girl is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. As Indy grapples with her family changing, and juggles her grief, the novel shows the beauty in trust, reconfiguration, and in creating something new out of what is broken. This is an emotional read, although at times comical and fun. I would like to give this novel 3.5 stars, but have rounded down to 3 just because it wasn’t a particular stand-out for me, as affecting as it was.
A delicate story following 11-year-old Indy as she and her brother visit their dad in South Africa for Christmas, Alarm Girl explores family dynamics and structure through the lens of the young girl. Reading Indy’s observations reminded me of my own thoughts as a child; Vincent so wonderfully captures the innocence and naivety of youth whilst being unknowingly surrounded by darker forces at play. One of these ominous energies stems from Indy’s deceased mother Karen, whose perspective we also follow throughout the book, albeit in a much more tragic and tense tone. Karen’s narratives switches around in its timeline, mirroring the disorientation she felt internally, whilst Indy’s unknowing innocence towards her mother’s life hones in on how heartbreaking the domino effects of mental illness can be, on children and families at large.
Alarm Girl is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. As Indy grapples with her family changing, and juggles her grief, the novel shows the beauty in trust, reconfiguration, and in creating something new out of what is broken. This is an emotional read, although at times comical and fun. I would like to give this novel 3.5 stars, but have rounded down to 3 just because it wasn’t a particular stand-out for me, as affecting as it was.
August 15, 2014
There are stories that are fast-paced, exciting and thrilling. There are stories that are subtle, descriptive and beautiful. There is a place for both of these, but sometimes the slower, more complex and deliciously paced story is the order of the day. Alarm Girl is exactly that; a story narrated by a child who will slowly but surely creep into your head and she's very difficult to shake off.
Indigo and her brother Robin have travelled to South Africa. They are going to stay with their father who is trying to establish a travel business. Their mother has recently died and they've been staying with their maternal grandparents. Nobody has spoken to Indigo about her mother's death. Her brother thinks she's just a stupid girl, her grandparents are overly-protective and grieving themselves and her father seems to have changed into a different person completely.
Indigo finds South Africa quite strange and just a little frightening. The heat, the wild animals, the language. It feels unsafe and dangerous, it's not home. She doesn't want to be there.
Hannah Vincent has taken a big risk by narrating her debut novel in the voice of a young child, but it's a risk that she has proved that she is well qualified to take as her characterisation of Indigo is perfect. She has created a little girl who is innocent, vulnerable and confused, but also perfectly believable. Indigo's childish curiosity, along with her confusion about the death of her mother are blended so elegantly together.
Layered between Indigo's narration is the story of her late mother Karen. The reader learns about Karen's life before her children, her marriage, motherhood and ultimately, her death. This insight into Indigo's heritage is essential, and adds another dimension the story.
The South African setting is exquisite, and the contrast between the wealthy neighbourhood and the slum-like dwellings is stark and pulls no punches and hides nothing.
I am incredibly impressed by this fabulous little novel. It's short, but deals with so many issues, and the story unravels slowly but quite perfectly.
Indigo and her brother Robin have travelled to South Africa. They are going to stay with their father who is trying to establish a travel business. Their mother has recently died and they've been staying with their maternal grandparents. Nobody has spoken to Indigo about her mother's death. Her brother thinks she's just a stupid girl, her grandparents are overly-protective and grieving themselves and her father seems to have changed into a different person completely.
Indigo finds South Africa quite strange and just a little frightening. The heat, the wild animals, the language. It feels unsafe and dangerous, it's not home. She doesn't want to be there.
Hannah Vincent has taken a big risk by narrating her debut novel in the voice of a young child, but it's a risk that she has proved that she is well qualified to take as her characterisation of Indigo is perfect. She has created a little girl who is innocent, vulnerable and confused, but also perfectly believable. Indigo's childish curiosity, along with her confusion about the death of her mother are blended so elegantly together.
Layered between Indigo's narration is the story of her late mother Karen. The reader learns about Karen's life before her children, her marriage, motherhood and ultimately, her death. This insight into Indigo's heritage is essential, and adds another dimension the story.
The South African setting is exquisite, and the contrast between the wealthy neighbourhood and the slum-like dwellings is stark and pulls no punches and hides nothing.
I am incredibly impressed by this fabulous little novel. It's short, but deals with so many issues, and the story unravels slowly but quite perfectly.
July 28, 2014
A darkly compelling coming-of-age story set in South Africa, 'Alarm Girl' is a subtle and yet powerful novel. The undercurrents of tension and danger are well evoked and sustained throughout the book. The relationships simmer with unspoken conversations but the most glaring omission is the question of how and why Indigo’s mother died. In eleven-year-old Indigo’s narrative the author captures the awkwardness of pre-adolescence as well as Indigo’s dawning comprehension of adult things, and in her mother Karen’s narrative she summons a darkness that lurks and threatens to overwhelm...
Read my full review on the Writers' Hub: http://www.writershub.co.uk/reviews-p...
Read my full review on the Writers' Hub: http://www.writershub.co.uk/reviews-p...
November 11, 2014
Interesting read. i wouldn't have bought this to read if I hadn't received it through Good Reads. it was great to be introduced to a new author. It did take some time to get into and I found the writing style rather basic at times - but then she was giving voice to a child so that may have been the purpose.
February 22, 2015
Saw this on a best of 2014 list. What a short, excellent read. The sparse writing style fit the characters and the subject matter perfectly. Not necessarily the cheeriest works of fiction, but one of the more evocative pieces I've read in awhile.
April 30, 2015
Told from the perspective of a young girl as she and her older brother visit their father in Africa. The story fills in backwards to why the kids are living with and being raised by their grandparents in England. It's well written, a quick read, full of little girl insights. Recommended.
November 29, 2014
I one a copy of this book through First Read.
Really enjoyed it. A review will follow on the 7th August, when it's released.
Really enjoyed it. A review will follow on the 7th August, when it's released.
October 7, 2014
Review to follow.
January 4, 2015
This is a short book, fast read. took me a bit to get used to the writing style but once I did it moved fast. I felt that the author did an amazing job at describing the mother's mental illness.
May 28, 2015
This book started off a little slow for me but I ended up falling in love with it. I absolutely loved the writing. So unique. Incredibly sad; incredibly good.
May 29, 2015
Really moving account of a girl trying to come to terms with her mother's death and the story she concocts around this. Also very vivid sense of South African setting.
January 15, 2017
A great read. Loved the 11 year old Indigo child narrator. Highly recommend.
March 17, 2017
Beautiful short read, yet devastatingly sad. My heart breaks for Indigo whose story is told so poignantly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2017
I found the narration difficult at first, but it was effective.
August 31, 2022
A moving and sensitively story, told through the voice of 11 year old Indigo. From a small, dull, unadventurous life in a village in England, with her kindly but rather dull and unadventurous grandparents, Indigo and her older brother Robin are sent to South Africa to live with their father who is setting up a new life for them all with a company aptly named TaylorTours.
The conflict of her new situation un-nerves young Indie as she tries to deal with her changing circumstances - and as she comes to the slow understanding of her mother's death, and the reason she now finds herself in a very different lifestyle and its culture. I thoroughly enjoyed this short and charmingly imagined unravelling of a child dealing with growing up with a new reality.
The conflict of her new situation un-nerves young Indie as she tries to deal with her changing circumstances - and as she comes to the slow understanding of her mother's death, and the reason she now finds herself in a very different lifestyle and its culture. I thoroughly enjoyed this short and charmingly imagined unravelling of a child dealing with growing up with a new reality.
August 28, 2023
Ended up reading this book in one day. Normally if I read something that fast I’m really loving it, but this book was just ok. The content of it was interesting especially coming from the perspective of a young girl who has faced a lot of trauma early on in life. Despite this I found the writing structure harder to grasp. There were no chapters just slight text separations after certain paragraphs indicating a change in perspective. The shifting perspective took me a while to grasp because it was both a change in narrator and person (I.e., first to third). Luckily I was interested enough in the story to push through that confusion though.
June 23, 2019
A little bit hard to decipher initially, though as the story progresses the narrator's voice becomes easier to understand. Some really excellent turns of phrase in this story.
Content warning: suicide
Content warning: suicide
May 22, 2017
Meh. 2.5⭐️
I didn't love the writing style... I understand that the author was giving voice to a child in her technique, but overall it was confusing and poorly executed
I didn't love the writing style... I understand that the author was giving voice to a child in her technique, but overall it was confusing and poorly executed
May 19, 2020
I understand the choice to leave this short book relatively unstructured but it was confusing. I spent the majority of the time flipping back to figure out what I just read.
September 1, 2023
The poignant aftermath of a mother's death. Loved the girl's voice and scenes in South Africa.
September 11, 2023
the bit where the awful biscuit packaging had such an affect on karen was honestly so relatable
October 9, 2018
Disturbing novel about mental health. It was difficult to read as the narrator would switch without any warning, and therefore I often wondered who was "speaking". An important message, but a very depressing tale.
February 23, 2016
Picked up randomly in the library using my highly selective criteria (slim, no pastel colours, female author decent font).
A lovely book, subtle, poignant, delicate. First person, almost brusque narration built up a deep emotional world. 5*s.
A lovely book, subtle, poignant, delicate. First person, almost brusque narration built up a deep emotional world. 5*s.
March 28, 2017
This was a present; I had never heard of it, but was glad to find a short, light read after recent monsters. It was OK; the author teaches creative writing and there did seem to be hints of that: "write in the voice of an eleven-year-old girl". If the whole book had been written in this style, it would have been really irritating, but luckily there are flashback parts of it from the point of view of Indigo's mother. These were very well done, conveying the mental fog of someone in the depths of clinical depression. Overall, a quick read that didn't leave that much of an impression on me; I suspect I'll have forgotten about it in a few months.
April 4, 2018
In the novel Alarm Girl by Hannah Vincent there is a girl named Indigo who is trying to find out more about her mother's death. Indigo and her brother, Robin, live in England with their grandparents. In the beginning of the book Indigo and Robin go down to South Africa to visit there father for Christmas. There father moved to South Africa after there mother died to start a business carrier. Indigo is motivated to find out what truly happened to her mother once she realizes that nobody will talk about it. In the end she finds out that her mother killed herself. One thing that I liked about this book was how you could tell what each character was feeling at all times. The author did a good job of making sure that each character expressed their thoughts which allowed the reader to feel more for the characters. One thing that I did not like about this book was that it switched narrators throughout. Parts of the book were told by Indigo and other parts were told by her mother, Karen, as if she was talking to the characters telling them what happened. By doing this it made it hard to follow because at times you could not tell which character was talking. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery books or touching books. The book has the mystery of Indigo trying to find out the truth about her mother's death and is sad because she is also dealing with the death of her mother.
In the novel the setting takes place in South Africa. In the beginning Indigo and Robin leave England to go and visit there father in South Africa. The setting plays an important role in the story and the author does a good job of explaining what the characters are seeing. One of the first things that Indigo notices in South Africa is how poor the people living there are. In the novel Indigo says, “I saw some kids playing football, but not with a ball - with a clump of something all bundled up with string. They didn’t wear shoes and some didn’t have any tops on. Some wore T-shirts so big they reached down to their knees like dresses. Then there were falling-down sheds and Portaloos, all slanting among bits of metal and planks of wood.” (Vincent 3). Indigo notices how poor the people living here are and the author does a very good job of explaining every detail that you can picture what she is seeing. This is an important part in the story because Indigo is releasing how different some people live from what she thinks is a normal way of living. Another example in the novel were the setting plays an important role is when they are all scared because a bunch of hyenas are close by. In the novel Indigo says, “the thought of the dead antelope with hyenas all over it made me want to go back to Dads house.” (Vincent 142). This quote shows how Indigo is feeling more comfortable around her father because she feels safe when she is at his house. If the setting was not in South Africa there would not have been as much wildlife that scared the characters which brought the characters closer together. Those are two ways in which setting played an important role in the novel.
One of the themes in this novel is that grief can control your actions. Indigo and her family are dealing with the death of there mother and each of them take it differently. There father moves all the way to South Africa and leaves his old life behind. Indigos brother, Robin, does not want to talk about what happened to there mother. Indigo is determined to find out what truly happened to there mother. In the novel the author says, “When we got dressed I found out I had lost my scarf. Dad was asking me why I was hopping up and down but I couldn’t help it.”(Vincent 112). Indigo would keep her mother's scarf with her wherever she went, but when she lost it she went crazy. This shows how much she misses her mother and that she is holding on to whatever she has left of her. Another part that shows grief in the story is when Indigo finds out how her mother truly died. In the novel Indigo says, “ … when you stopped taking it you felt even worse than you did before and you didn’t want to feel like that so you killed yourself.” (Vincent 164). You can see how Indigo is finally putting all the pieces together about her mother's death and found out how she truly died. Indigo is very sad about what she just found out and afterwards she goes and cries with her grandfather. These are two examples of how the theme in the novel is that grief can control your actions.
In the novel the setting takes place in South Africa. In the beginning Indigo and Robin leave England to go and visit there father in South Africa. The setting plays an important role in the story and the author does a good job of explaining what the characters are seeing. One of the first things that Indigo notices in South Africa is how poor the people living there are. In the novel Indigo says, “I saw some kids playing football, but not with a ball - with a clump of something all bundled up with string. They didn’t wear shoes and some didn’t have any tops on. Some wore T-shirts so big they reached down to their knees like dresses. Then there were falling-down sheds and Portaloos, all slanting among bits of metal and planks of wood.” (Vincent 3). Indigo notices how poor the people living here are and the author does a very good job of explaining every detail that you can picture what she is seeing. This is an important part in the story because Indigo is releasing how different some people live from what she thinks is a normal way of living. Another example in the novel were the setting plays an important role is when they are all scared because a bunch of hyenas are close by. In the novel Indigo says, “the thought of the dead antelope with hyenas all over it made me want to go back to Dads house.” (Vincent 142). This quote shows how Indigo is feeling more comfortable around her father because she feels safe when she is at his house. If the setting was not in South Africa there would not have been as much wildlife that scared the characters which brought the characters closer together. Those are two ways in which setting played an important role in the novel.
One of the themes in this novel is that grief can control your actions. Indigo and her family are dealing with the death of there mother and each of them take it differently. There father moves all the way to South Africa and leaves his old life behind. Indigos brother, Robin, does not want to talk about what happened to there mother. Indigo is determined to find out what truly happened to there mother. In the novel the author says, “When we got dressed I found out I had lost my scarf. Dad was asking me why I was hopping up and down but I couldn’t help it.”(Vincent 112). Indigo would keep her mother's scarf with her wherever she went, but when she lost it she went crazy. This shows how much she misses her mother and that she is holding on to whatever she has left of her. Another part that shows grief in the story is when Indigo finds out how her mother truly died. In the novel Indigo says, “ … when you stopped taking it you felt even worse than you did before and you didn’t want to feel like that so you killed yourself.” (Vincent 164). You can see how Indigo is finally putting all the pieces together about her mother's death and found out how she truly died. Indigo is very sad about what she just found out and afterwards she goes and cries with her grandfather. These are two examples of how the theme in the novel is that grief can control your actions.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews