Perfectly Able

by C.M. Power

Thirteen year old Ella Wilde is starting high school for the second time, a year after a hit and run driver left her paralysed from the waist down. When her best friend’s brother is expelled for alleged drug-dealing, Ella vows to clear his name; after all, he was the one who saved her life after the accident. With the help of her new friend Lacey, they try to discover what is going on with Sean, only to realise that he is not all he seems to be.
Ella quickly discovers that sometimes finding out the truth is not always the best idea.

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 10, 2018

Reviews

[Katina Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve just enjoyed reading ‘Perfectly Able’ by C M Power . ‘Perfectly Able’ is an upper #MG #YA story that combines tension, heartfelt emotion, profound subjects and has a page turning mystery at its centre. The main character, Ella, is a strong likeable female protagonist, who is easy to champion and empathise with. Thirteen-year-old Ella was recently in an accident that left her paralysed from the waist-down and wheelchair bound. The book isn’t about her being in a wheelchair, but her daily experience of managing her disability, and other people’s reactions to it, are realistically woven into Ella’s story. Employing a mix of humorous and poignant scenes, Ella’s daily reality is wonderfully illustrated as part of the larger plot and her own personal journey as a teenage girl. As someone with disabilities, I smiled, cheered and empathised with Ella at many points; especially at other people’s reactions to her disability. And I can’t forget Lacey (aka Phoenix), whose story is revealed later in the book (so I don’t want to leave spoilers). I absolutely adored her character. And again, I have similar personal experience relevant to Lacey’s story, via my own teenage daughter. I love that this book has a strong female lead who is also disabled: a character that young and old people with disabilities can see themselves in. But it’s equally enjoyable for all teenagers who will recognise Ella and her friends’ feelings of not fitting in, and the experience of teenage anxieties and challenges. When I started reading this book I didn’t realise just how much I would feel for and empathise with all the characters, children and parents. ‘Perfectly Able’ was an enjoyable read which has touched my heart and connected with me personally, in many ways.

[Amy Kitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfectly Able is the debut novel by the author CM Power. It aimed at upper-Middle Grade / lower-Young Adult readers, although there is a lot there to commend it to adult readers, too (like me!) We follow the main character, thirteen-year-old Ella Wilde as she sets about trying to discover why her friend's older brother is dealing drugs. What she eventually uncovers is far more shocking than she bargained for.

Things I loved:
The portrayal of friendship - CM Power perfectly captures the complicated nature of friendship for teenage girls
Lacey - she is a great character, very funny, loyal and brave. I'd happily read a sequel from her point of view
The 'gentle' nature of the book. This was not a fast-paced page-turner by any means, instead, it was a relaxing read. Perfect for bedtime
The major twist that I genuinely did not see coming at the end
The positive messages about disability. I left this point until last because - for me - the book is about so much more than disability. Ella's character is well-drawn and her disability is only one aspect of her

I did have two issues, however. The first was Ella's maturity and the 'authenticity' of her voice. I had to remind myself regularly that she was thirteen. There was a scene where she wants to go to nearby Chester with her friend Grace and her Mum is really hard to persuade. Her Mum's reticence confused me - until I remembered Ella was only thirteen, not sixteen as I kept imagining her. The second issue was the abrupt ending. One moment you're in the middle of the climax - a really fraught scene with well-written drama - and then, with no explanation of how that situation was resolved, you're *somewhere else* [I'll leave it vague to avoid spoilers] I think after sticking with Ella for the whole book, the reader deserves more denouement.

A well-written debut with a lot to recommend it. Fans of Keris Stainton would enjoy this.

[Serena Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the interesting female characters, so nicely drawn by Power. A lovely depiction of female friendships and a cracking little story with a great twist. I would definitely recommend this one!

[Susan Hussey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story

Brilliant piece of writing and well worth the read
Looking forward to reading the next story when it comes out

[Stuart White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I defy anyone not to fall in love with Ella, a main character who more than overcomes the obstacles that life has thrown at her. Her agency makes it easy to follow her through the detective aspect of the story, and the teen relationships and dialogue feel authentic and easily woven into the story to make the characters both dynamic and empathetic. Perfectly Able is perfectly titled and it delivers with powerful themes and a strong message.