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The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir
A stark but uplifting story of bullying and redemption, for anyone who's ever been a weirdo.
Almost too terrified to grip the phone, Biddy Weir calls a daytime television show.
The subject is bullying, and Biddy has a story to tell.
Abandoned by her mother as a baby, Biddy lives in her own little world, happy to pass her time watching the birds - until Alison Fleming joins her school.
Popular and beautiful, but with a dangerous, malevolent streak, Alison quickly secures the admiration of her fellow students. All except one. And Alison doesn't take kindly to people who don't fit her mould . . .
A story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman's battle to learn to love herself for who she is, The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is Lesley Allen’s startlingly honest debut novel, perfect for fans of Rowan Coleman and Julie Cohen.
Almost too terrified to grip the phone, Biddy Weir calls a daytime television show.
The subject is bullying, and Biddy has a story to tell.
Abandoned by her mother as a baby, Biddy lives in her own little world, happy to pass her time watching the birds - until Alison Fleming joins her school.
Popular and beautiful, but with a dangerous, malevolent streak, Alison quickly secures the admiration of her fellow students. All except one. And Alison doesn't take kindly to people who don't fit her mould . . .
A story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman's battle to learn to love herself for who she is, The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is Lesley Allen’s startlingly honest debut novel, perfect for fans of Rowan Coleman and Julie Cohen.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
About the author
Lesley Allen
2 books65 followersLesley Allen lives in Donaghadee, County Down. She is a freelance copywriter, ghostwriter, and communications consultant.
Lesley was named as one of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s 2016 Artist Career Enhancement recipients for literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
April 29, 2016
There are about three books this year for which I have been desperate to tell the world about but have dreaded writing a review, feeling decidedly inarticulate in comparison to the beautiful writing I've been wallowing in and a definite inability to fully express the effect the author's work has had on me. This is one of those books!
"The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir" is not an easy book to read at times. We first meet Biddy, aged 30, making a telephone call to a chat show running a phone in about bullying. The opening description is full of bird imagery - a theme which permeates the entire novel- and not only effectively captures Biddy's trepidation and emotion at this moment in the narrative, but is also used to illustrate her fragile yet unique and naively innocent personality as the book continues.
"Butterflies as big as bats flapped ferociously in her stomach, thrashing against her ribcage, soaring into her chest.....what if it all goes wrong? What if they catch you out? ...She tried to ignore the cresecendo what ifs and focus on the dream instead...."
Biddy admits to the researcher, to whom she is first put in contact with, that she suffered psychological bullying for 7 years. When asked what the worst thing the girl did to Biddy was, she replied "I nearly died because of her."
So the stage is set, the reader hooked, the premise established. We then begin "Part One" which takes us back to the small seaside town of Ballybrock when Biddy was two months shy of her tenth birthday; to the moment when the bullying began and she discovered she was Biddy Weir the "Bloody Weirdo"- or simply B W for short. "From this day forward, her life was defined not by her religion, colour of her skin, her sex, the school she attended....but by her oddness.." Biddy is the only daughter of Howard, now retired, who was forced to marry Biddy's much younger mother following a "fumble" and discovering she was pregnant. Biddy's mother left them when Biddy was 6 months old and he has struggled to bring her up ever since. The conventional description of Biddy through her appearance ("curly, unruly red hair ") is helpful but what really captures the reader's imagination (and then their heart) is the description of her clothes and belongings. Her school uniform was either too big or too small. It's never quite right and her school bag is a string shopper with "broken handles packed together with sellotape." Everything is makeshift, broken, drab, brown, grey and old. Biddy is doomed. With a father who is much too old and clueless, her complete lack of self awareness or care for appearance and commodities and to really top it off - a fascination and love for bird poo! Yes, indeed, Biddy is an "individual".
But she is happy. Or has been. Until Alison Fleming arrives at the school. Alison is a "clever, accomplished and manipulative little bitch." What a brilliant line! So up front and so true! And I'm sure reminds us of the Alison Fleming's we've met in the past. Alison is as captivating a creation as Biddy. She will make your blood boil. I could hear her snarling over my shoulder as I read the book. I could see her lips curling unpleasantly at the corner as she glared derisively at the beautifully naive and utterly vulnerable Biddy.
It takes a little while to adapt to Allen's narrative style. She is a master of language and description but at first this is disguised through the simple, childlike manner of writing. However, this understated, innocent voice effectively reflects and mimics not only Biddy's character but I think also reduces some of the impact of the events of which we read. By keeping a more childlike perspective on events it helps to not overwhelm the reader or make it sensationalised or sentimental. It remains raw, real and authentic. It's been a while since I've become so entranced by characters that I feel my pulse rate increase as I read about them and find myself muttering responses under my breath as I see them acting out their role in the novel. I really lived and breathed this story.
Biddy has never been aware that she is different before. She has got to the age of 11 without ever crying. She's carefree. She looks to the sky and birds for meaning and company. She sketches. She's unaffected. As events progress, the depiction of the "halo of sunlight highlighting her wild copper curls....her pale eyes glistening like slivers of broken glass....looked like a miserable angel" is surely metaphorical of something more significant and special within Biddy. But this naivety and frankly, stunted emotional development, is what makes Alison's behaviour towards Biddy even more significant - threatening and dangerous; destructive and fundamentally damaging. All from a spoiled, indulged child with her own significant insecurities and a basic hatred for Biddy spurned merely out of the fact she will not "clamour to be part of Alison's gang of followers". She is an ugly character. Allen really exposes the real mechanics of a bully and the fears which push them to become bullies rather than risking a revelation of their own anxieties and rejection.
Allen's presentation of teachers is interesting. All but one are reluctant to probe in any depth into any nagging suspicion that something is amiss. They don't want to meddle, or open a can of worms. They don't really want to get involved with an oddball and her misfit of a father, especially if it means crossing a perfect student who has rather voluble, wealthy parents. Apart from Penny Jordan the PE Teacher. Penny is so affected by the "heavy mist of persecution" that clings to Biddy that she decides to take some control and help Biddy. It's a beautiful friendship. But, Allen hints that it cannot last and my heart was absolutely in my mouth throughout this whole section, the tension of waiting for Fleming - junior and senior- to destroy any happiness or healing was just so paramount. Oh, oh and oh. There was so much insight in these pages about care, compassion, love, jealously, hatred and downright sadness; I wept.
The novel continues, following a bit of an epiphany or more ethereal experience for Biddy on a school trip - exquisitely written, laden with metaphor and meaning. And then moves into "Part Two" where we meet Biddy as a woman in her mid 20s.
This section is as hauntingly tragic and as traumatic but then, with the introduction of the bright, warm, sensitive and intuitive friendship of Terri Drummond, becomes one of hope, resolution and rehabilitation. Biddy grows both emotionally and physically. "Part Two" is filled with warmth and optimism.
The final denouement is fantastic. I was air punching, high-fiving empty spaces, smiling and wriggling with satisfaction and glee. It is heartwarming, uplifting, with a clear message of healing and hope.
I am reluctant to say anything that isn't exceptionally effusive about this book (did you get that yet?!) but I guess, if forced to, I would say the ending was a little contrived and convenient. However, it was also immensely satisfying and added humour, lightness and resolution that the book needed to stop it from becoming a depressing and bleak tale of a damaged soul. It is in keeping with Biddy Weir's legacy.
I hope this has managed to convey how special this book is. It tackles a depressing topic but through it has created a character of stunning uniqueness. You will be enthralled. It is a captivating read and Allen's prose is impressive. This is her debut and I can't wait to read more of her writing - she is clearly talented and full of imagination and talent.
Finally, all I can say is read it. And may this book be dedicated to all Biddy Weirs. May all of them overcome their demons, survive and learn to live again.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in return for a fair review. I have truly enjoyed it.
"The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir" is not an easy book to read at times. We first meet Biddy, aged 30, making a telephone call to a chat show running a phone in about bullying. The opening description is full of bird imagery - a theme which permeates the entire novel- and not only effectively captures Biddy's trepidation and emotion at this moment in the narrative, but is also used to illustrate her fragile yet unique and naively innocent personality as the book continues.
"Butterflies as big as bats flapped ferociously in her stomach, thrashing against her ribcage, soaring into her chest.....what if it all goes wrong? What if they catch you out? ...She tried to ignore the cresecendo what ifs and focus on the dream instead...."
Biddy admits to the researcher, to whom she is first put in contact with, that she suffered psychological bullying for 7 years. When asked what the worst thing the girl did to Biddy was, she replied "I nearly died because of her."
So the stage is set, the reader hooked, the premise established. We then begin "Part One" which takes us back to the small seaside town of Ballybrock when Biddy was two months shy of her tenth birthday; to the moment when the bullying began and she discovered she was Biddy Weir the "Bloody Weirdo"- or simply B W for short. "From this day forward, her life was defined not by her religion, colour of her skin, her sex, the school she attended....but by her oddness.." Biddy is the only daughter of Howard, now retired, who was forced to marry Biddy's much younger mother following a "fumble" and discovering she was pregnant. Biddy's mother left them when Biddy was 6 months old and he has struggled to bring her up ever since. The conventional description of Biddy through her appearance ("curly, unruly red hair ") is helpful but what really captures the reader's imagination (and then their heart) is the description of her clothes and belongings. Her school uniform was either too big or too small. It's never quite right and her school bag is a string shopper with "broken handles packed together with sellotape." Everything is makeshift, broken, drab, brown, grey and old. Biddy is doomed. With a father who is much too old and clueless, her complete lack of self awareness or care for appearance and commodities and to really top it off - a fascination and love for bird poo! Yes, indeed, Biddy is an "individual".
But she is happy. Or has been. Until Alison Fleming arrives at the school. Alison is a "clever, accomplished and manipulative little bitch." What a brilliant line! So up front and so true! And I'm sure reminds us of the Alison Fleming's we've met in the past. Alison is as captivating a creation as Biddy. She will make your blood boil. I could hear her snarling over my shoulder as I read the book. I could see her lips curling unpleasantly at the corner as she glared derisively at the beautifully naive and utterly vulnerable Biddy.
It takes a little while to adapt to Allen's narrative style. She is a master of language and description but at first this is disguised through the simple, childlike manner of writing. However, this understated, innocent voice effectively reflects and mimics not only Biddy's character but I think also reduces some of the impact of the events of which we read. By keeping a more childlike perspective on events it helps to not overwhelm the reader or make it sensationalised or sentimental. It remains raw, real and authentic. It's been a while since I've become so entranced by characters that I feel my pulse rate increase as I read about them and find myself muttering responses under my breath as I see them acting out their role in the novel. I really lived and breathed this story.
Biddy has never been aware that she is different before. She has got to the age of 11 without ever crying. She's carefree. She looks to the sky and birds for meaning and company. She sketches. She's unaffected. As events progress, the depiction of the "halo of sunlight highlighting her wild copper curls....her pale eyes glistening like slivers of broken glass....looked like a miserable angel" is surely metaphorical of something more significant and special within Biddy. But this naivety and frankly, stunted emotional development, is what makes Alison's behaviour towards Biddy even more significant - threatening and dangerous; destructive and fundamentally damaging. All from a spoiled, indulged child with her own significant insecurities and a basic hatred for Biddy spurned merely out of the fact she will not "clamour to be part of Alison's gang of followers". She is an ugly character. Allen really exposes the real mechanics of a bully and the fears which push them to become bullies rather than risking a revelation of their own anxieties and rejection.
Allen's presentation of teachers is interesting. All but one are reluctant to probe in any depth into any nagging suspicion that something is amiss. They don't want to meddle, or open a can of worms. They don't really want to get involved with an oddball and her misfit of a father, especially if it means crossing a perfect student who has rather voluble, wealthy parents. Apart from Penny Jordan the PE Teacher. Penny is so affected by the "heavy mist of persecution" that clings to Biddy that she decides to take some control and help Biddy. It's a beautiful friendship. But, Allen hints that it cannot last and my heart was absolutely in my mouth throughout this whole section, the tension of waiting for Fleming - junior and senior- to destroy any happiness or healing was just so paramount. Oh, oh and oh. There was so much insight in these pages about care, compassion, love, jealously, hatred and downright sadness; I wept.
The novel continues, following a bit of an epiphany or more ethereal experience for Biddy on a school trip - exquisitely written, laden with metaphor and meaning. And then moves into "Part Two" where we meet Biddy as a woman in her mid 20s.
This section is as hauntingly tragic and as traumatic but then, with the introduction of the bright, warm, sensitive and intuitive friendship of Terri Drummond, becomes one of hope, resolution and rehabilitation. Biddy grows both emotionally and physically. "Part Two" is filled with warmth and optimism.
The final denouement is fantastic. I was air punching, high-fiving empty spaces, smiling and wriggling with satisfaction and glee. It is heartwarming, uplifting, with a clear message of healing and hope.
I am reluctant to say anything that isn't exceptionally effusive about this book (did you get that yet?!) but I guess, if forced to, I would say the ending was a little contrived and convenient. However, it was also immensely satisfying and added humour, lightness and resolution that the book needed to stop it from becoming a depressing and bleak tale of a damaged soul. It is in keeping with Biddy Weir's legacy.
I hope this has managed to convey how special this book is. It tackles a depressing topic but through it has created a character of stunning uniqueness. You will be enthralled. It is a captivating read and Allen's prose is impressive. This is her debut and I can't wait to read more of her writing - she is clearly talented and full of imagination and talent.
Finally, all I can say is read it. And may this book be dedicated to all Biddy Weirs. May all of them overcome their demons, survive and learn to live again.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in return for a fair review. I have truly enjoyed it.
September 5, 2023
Short version - Powerful and moving - 4.5/5 I think.
Long version
I really liked the look of the blurb for this book however I confess initially I found it a little hard to get into. I'm not sure if it was the writing or the very simple narrative of how Biddy Weir became a (the) Bloody Weirdo but it didn't grab me. However around 10% of the way in that changed and I started to be drawn into Biddy's unusual (maybe) life. Her mother has left her, her father is an isolated and reserved character and is bringing her up on his own and the children at her school think she is weird. Egged on by one particular individual she is bullied persistently and this is her story.
The writing generally is powerfully understated which actually adds to the often emotional nature of this book for me. Biddy gradually develops as a character and is extremely well written. You ache with her frequently. I found it authentic, compelling and often uneasy reading. In a sense it is just so sad at times however if that is the case then it is because the writing is so effective. You just know that things will go wrong for Biddy and often they do. I did wonder if one of the reasons I felt uncomfortable reading this was because I am male and maybe the main audience would be female. However, if you are male, don't let it put you off this powerful read. I'd call this a 4.5/5 but I'm happy to round that up in this case - excellent debut tale and I'd really like to read more from this author.
Note - I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
Long version
I really liked the look of the blurb for this book however I confess initially I found it a little hard to get into. I'm not sure if it was the writing or the very simple narrative of how Biddy Weir became a (the) Bloody Weirdo but it didn't grab me. However around 10% of the way in that changed and I started to be drawn into Biddy's unusual (maybe) life. Her mother has left her, her father is an isolated and reserved character and is bringing her up on his own and the children at her school think she is weird. Egged on by one particular individual she is bullied persistently and this is her story.
The writing generally is powerfully understated which actually adds to the often emotional nature of this book for me. Biddy gradually develops as a character and is extremely well written. You ache with her frequently. I found it authentic, compelling and often uneasy reading. In a sense it is just so sad at times however if that is the case then it is because the writing is so effective. You just know that things will go wrong for Biddy and often they do. I did wonder if one of the reasons I felt uncomfortable reading this was because I am male and maybe the main audience would be female. However, if you are male, don't let it put you off this powerful read. I'd call this a 4.5/5 but I'm happy to round that up in this case - excellent debut tale and I'd really like to read more from this author.
Note - I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review
March 12, 2017
While I was reading this book, I kept putting it down for a break but I couldn't stop thinking about poor Biddy.
November 4, 2016
Biddy Weir calls a daytime television show. The subject is bullying and Biddy has a story to tell.
Biddy was abandoned by her mother when she was a baby. She lives in her own little world spending most of her time watching the birds.
When Alison Fleming joins her school she is popular, beautiful but also has a dangerous streak. Alison does not like people who don't fit in with her.
This is a good debut novel. It covers abuse and survival. One woman's fight with herself to accept who she really is.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Publishing and the author Lesley Allen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Biddy was abandoned by her mother when she was a baby. She lives in her own little world spending most of her time watching the birds.
When Alison Fleming joins her school she is popular, beautiful but also has a dangerous streak. Alison does not like people who don't fit in with her.
This is a good debut novel. It covers abuse and survival. One woman's fight with herself to accept who she really is.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Publishing and the author Lesley Allen for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2017
All my reviews can also be found at noveldeelights.com
Writing this review is incredibly daunting as nothing I say will in any way be as powerful as this absolutely amazing novel, nor do it justice.
Biddy Weir didn't get the best start in life. Abandoned by her mother when she was a baby, she's raised by her father who really doesn't know the first thing about girls and is somewhat emotionally stunted. But Biddy knows she's loved and is happy in her own little world. Until Alison Fleming joins her school.
Alison is beautiful, popular, spoilt, used to getting her own way. Manipulative and able to wrap everyone around her little finger. Except Biddy. What follows is a brutal bullying campaign with devastating results.
This is such a heartbreaking tale. I'd been warned I would need tissues and felt quite proud of myself that I hadn't used any. Not that I have such a black heart that the story didn't affect me. I just don't like crying. And then I reached the last page. I don't normally say anything about endings but this one here broke me so I felt it deserved a mention.
I adored Biddy. Despite her unconventional upbringing, she was happy. All she really needed was a mother figure and a friend, to teach her the ways of the world. What she got instead was a vile and selfish young girl, who didn't care one bit about the devastating consequences of her actions.
There are so many emotions I went through in reading this novel. I shed a tear (it was the onions) and I smiled. I felt anger and a whole lot of frustration. If just one person would have taking responsibility, things could have been so different. Instead many chose to turn a blind eye.
There's a message here. Be kind to each other. In this day and age of social media especially, where people hide behind their anonymity on the internet, think before you speak. Your words and actions can really hurt someone who doesn't at all deserve it.
Thank you Mairead at swirlandthread.com for bringing this novel to my attention. I may not have had the pleasure to read it otherwise. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it high and low as it will stay with me for a long time to come.
Writing this review is incredibly daunting as nothing I say will in any way be as powerful as this absolutely amazing novel, nor do it justice.
Biddy Weir didn't get the best start in life. Abandoned by her mother when she was a baby, she's raised by her father who really doesn't know the first thing about girls and is somewhat emotionally stunted. But Biddy knows she's loved and is happy in her own little world. Until Alison Fleming joins her school.
Alison is beautiful, popular, spoilt, used to getting her own way. Manipulative and able to wrap everyone around her little finger. Except Biddy. What follows is a brutal bullying campaign with devastating results.
This is such a heartbreaking tale. I'd been warned I would need tissues and felt quite proud of myself that I hadn't used any. Not that I have such a black heart that the story didn't affect me. I just don't like crying. And then I reached the last page. I don't normally say anything about endings but this one here broke me so I felt it deserved a mention.
I adored Biddy. Despite her unconventional upbringing, she was happy. All she really needed was a mother figure and a friend, to teach her the ways of the world. What she got instead was a vile and selfish young girl, who didn't care one bit about the devastating consequences of her actions.
There are so many emotions I went through in reading this novel. I shed a tear (it was the onions) and I smiled. I felt anger and a whole lot of frustration. If just one person would have taking responsibility, things could have been so different. Instead many chose to turn a blind eye.
There's a message here. Be kind to each other. In this day and age of social media especially, where people hide behind their anonymity on the internet, think before you speak. Your words and actions can really hurt someone who doesn't at all deserve it.
Thank you Mairead at swirlandthread.com for bringing this novel to my attention. I may not have had the pleasure to read it otherwise. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it high and low as it will stay with me for a long time to come.
October 26, 2016
The lonely life of Biddy Weir
Wow, just wow.
Ok at the start of this year and up until rather recently I have been annoyed and disappointed by the books that I have read. For a massive book worm who has had her Head in a book and in the clouds since I could read this has been truly annoying and frustrating. That was until I found NetGalley. It made me look at books that I would never have read previously and by liking a description I have thought. What the hell why not give it a while. I have been lucky enough to find some amazing books and this book is simply no exception. This book made me cry buckets and I love nothing more in a book then an emotional connection.
This book is about a topic that at this time of cyber bullying, trolling and physical bullying has gotten worse over time. I was one of those people who got bullied at school I hated it. And I think that is why I connected with this book so much. In some ways Biddy Weir reminded me of myself.
I will warn you that at times this book is not an easy read. It's not comfortable and it's not meant to be. This book is meant to make you think of your actions and the actions of those around you. What I will say is this book is incredibly moving and I'd like me you like things with an emotional connection this book is for you.
One day Biddy Weir is listening to a radio station the topic that day is bullying. Biddy aged 30 has a story to tell and she only now feels brace enough to tell someone her story.
Biddys life has been full of turmoil. From the age of 7 she was physiologically bullied by a father who didn't care for her in the slightest. Biddy was only in his care because her mother let him holding the baby and never came back. Her father is absolutely clueless about what to do with his daughter and it just gets worse as she gets older. Biddy has to wear a school uniform that is several sizes too big her school bag is a carry bag all broken and torn out back together with sellotape. Her hair hangs in curls limp and messy on her head. Biddy stands out so strongly from the crowd that her father has basically put his daughter as the open target of bullying a turmoil.
Biddy was happy getting on with things. Just trudging through life in her own little world.
That is until the day that Alison Fleming arrives at the school. Alison is a bitch plain and simply. I absolutely hated Alison she is evil, manipulative and cruel. She made my blood boil and I really wanted to slap her.
Biddy hasn't been aware that she is different before Alison turns up. Biddy has lived her life in her happy bubble. She has never cried, she is carefree, her head is always I. The clouds and she is happiest sketching and being in her own little world.
Unfortunately what makes us love Biddy make her the prime target for Alison. Alison is a self untitled, spoiled and over indulged kid. Everything she wants she gets. Her parents thinks she is wonderful and couldn't ever possibly do anything wrong. But Alison's behaviour towards Biddy is more that cruel its threatening, dangerous, destructive and worse still damaging. All caused by the fact that Biddy doesn't want to be one of Alison's many followers and doesn't worship the ground that she walks on.
Alison reminds me of the Hunter king in the true story of Lexi Ainsworth in the film 'A girl like her'. Like in the movie Hunter and Alison are the same bitchy character bullying someone just because they are different and don't worship the ground they walk on. They both made me stop however and think about what makes a person become a bully. What makes them so cruel and vindictive. Why are they like they are. Why do they become bullies instead of owning up and confronting their own insecurities.
I found Allens portrayal of teachers true to life. Teachers just turn their back pretend it's not happening. Tell you to stand up to them more. Don't want to get involved in case those children turn on them. They can see what is going on but they never want to get involved.
The only person who doesn't care that Alison's family have influence over the school due to the amount of money they can throw at it. Is Penny Jordan a PE teacher. That is so disturbed by what she is seeing that she decides to help Biddy. Penny is a lovely caring, compassionate, teacher that it breaks my heart that she can't help Biddy as much as she wants too.
After a horrific school life which has left Biddy feeling traumatised and haunted by the events. Time has moved on to when Biddy is in her twenties. Where She has a spark of hope she finally meets someone a woman who wants to be her friends Terri Drummond who sets about restoring our Biddy to the character we loved.
The ending for Biddy is a lovely one of hope, and is immensely satisfying to the reader. This book is truly special. One of those rare gems that you only come across once every so often. One is think everyone should read. A truly emotional read.
I hope that those like me who find a bit of Biddy in themselves realise that although those school days were dark and dreary there is a light at the end of the tunnel you will survive and you will come out the other end fighting and life will be good.
For others out there who were Alison's in their year please
Read this book and realise how
Much hell you put people though. How your actions and words made people feel. I hope this book makes you a better person.
I want to thank NetGalley, Lesley Allen and publisher Bonnies publishing for the opportunity to read this incredibly moving book. Lesley Allen you have a truly remarkable gift. This book will stay with me for a long time to come. I hope you have massive success with this book and get the acknowledgement that you deserve for it. It really has touched my heart and I will remember this book for years to come. Thank for you the pleasure of reading your remarkable book.
Happy reading everyone.
Wow, just wow.
Ok at the start of this year and up until rather recently I have been annoyed and disappointed by the books that I have read. For a massive book worm who has had her Head in a book and in the clouds since I could read this has been truly annoying and frustrating. That was until I found NetGalley. It made me look at books that I would never have read previously and by liking a description I have thought. What the hell why not give it a while. I have been lucky enough to find some amazing books and this book is simply no exception. This book made me cry buckets and I love nothing more in a book then an emotional connection.
This book is about a topic that at this time of cyber bullying, trolling and physical bullying has gotten worse over time. I was one of those people who got bullied at school I hated it. And I think that is why I connected with this book so much. In some ways Biddy Weir reminded me of myself.
I will warn you that at times this book is not an easy read. It's not comfortable and it's not meant to be. This book is meant to make you think of your actions and the actions of those around you. What I will say is this book is incredibly moving and I'd like me you like things with an emotional connection this book is for you.
One day Biddy Weir is listening to a radio station the topic that day is bullying. Biddy aged 30 has a story to tell and she only now feels brace enough to tell someone her story.
Biddys life has been full of turmoil. From the age of 7 she was physiologically bullied by a father who didn't care for her in the slightest. Biddy was only in his care because her mother let him holding the baby and never came back. Her father is absolutely clueless about what to do with his daughter and it just gets worse as she gets older. Biddy has to wear a school uniform that is several sizes too big her school bag is a carry bag all broken and torn out back together with sellotape. Her hair hangs in curls limp and messy on her head. Biddy stands out so strongly from the crowd that her father has basically put his daughter as the open target of bullying a turmoil.
Biddy was happy getting on with things. Just trudging through life in her own little world.
That is until the day that Alison Fleming arrives at the school. Alison is a bitch plain and simply. I absolutely hated Alison she is evil, manipulative and cruel. She made my blood boil and I really wanted to slap her.
Biddy hasn't been aware that she is different before Alison turns up. Biddy has lived her life in her happy bubble. She has never cried, she is carefree, her head is always I. The clouds and she is happiest sketching and being in her own little world.
Unfortunately what makes us love Biddy make her the prime target for Alison. Alison is a self untitled, spoiled and over indulged kid. Everything she wants she gets. Her parents thinks she is wonderful and couldn't ever possibly do anything wrong. But Alison's behaviour towards Biddy is more that cruel its threatening, dangerous, destructive and worse still damaging. All caused by the fact that Biddy doesn't want to be one of Alison's many followers and doesn't worship the ground that she walks on.
Alison reminds me of the Hunter king in the true story of Lexi Ainsworth in the film 'A girl like her'. Like in the movie Hunter and Alison are the same bitchy character bullying someone just because they are different and don't worship the ground they walk on. They both made me stop however and think about what makes a person become a bully. What makes them so cruel and vindictive. Why are they like they are. Why do they become bullies instead of owning up and confronting their own insecurities.
I found Allens portrayal of teachers true to life. Teachers just turn their back pretend it's not happening. Tell you to stand up to them more. Don't want to get involved in case those children turn on them. They can see what is going on but they never want to get involved.
The only person who doesn't care that Alison's family have influence over the school due to the amount of money they can throw at it. Is Penny Jordan a PE teacher. That is so disturbed by what she is seeing that she decides to help Biddy. Penny is a lovely caring, compassionate, teacher that it breaks my heart that she can't help Biddy as much as she wants too.
After a horrific school life which has left Biddy feeling traumatised and haunted by the events. Time has moved on to when Biddy is in her twenties. Where She has a spark of hope she finally meets someone a woman who wants to be her friends Terri Drummond who sets about restoring our Biddy to the character we loved.
The ending for Biddy is a lovely one of hope, and is immensely satisfying to the reader. This book is truly special. One of those rare gems that you only come across once every so often. One is think everyone should read. A truly emotional read.
I hope that those like me who find a bit of Biddy in themselves realise that although those school days were dark and dreary there is a light at the end of the tunnel you will survive and you will come out the other end fighting and life will be good.
For others out there who were Alison's in their year please
Read this book and realise how
Much hell you put people though. How your actions and words made people feel. I hope this book makes you a better person.
I want to thank NetGalley, Lesley Allen and publisher Bonnies publishing for the opportunity to read this incredibly moving book. Lesley Allen you have a truly remarkable gift. This book will stay with me for a long time to come. I hope you have massive success with this book and get the acknowledgement that you deserve for it. It really has touched my heart and I will remember this book for years to come. Thank for you the pleasure of reading your remarkable book.
Happy reading everyone.
November 12, 2016
All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com
I have had to psych myself to write this particular review due to the nature of the storyline and my own personal memories because of it. It takes a lot of strength to read a novel with contains such emotional situations, especially when those situations are still incredibly raw for the reader.
Meet Biddy Weir; a girl who is extremely content in her own company and enjoys the simple things in life. After all, that is all she has ever known her life to be. Seeing as Biddy was brought up by her father, the ‘basic’ female tasks had to be discussed with someone other than her father. She didn’t have a female role model. She didn’t have her mum. As soon as Alison Flemming came onto the school scene, Biddy’s life got turned upside down and suddenly her life and her thoughts became all too suffocating. The thing is, what exactly can you do when your normal is too abnormal for everyone else…
‘The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir’ has been published in paperback to coincide with National Anti-bullying Month. A subject that has thousands upon thousands of victims and not enough people doing anything about it. As soon as I realised what this book was about, I knew that I had to read it. I also knew that it would be extremely hard for me to do so. Why? Because, like many other people, I was bullied at school from the age of five until the age of thirteen. Lesley’s book has given me nod to write about my own bullying (which I will do later on in the week on here), and hopefully others will realise it is ok to speak out.
Biddy Weir’s life was made hellish all because of one girl and her ‘gang’. The outcome of every single attack on Biddy was jaw-dropping and incredibly numbing, I felt so sorry for her. There were times (most of the book), that I wanted to climb into the book and take her away from it all, try to keep her safe. But I couldn’t. Biddy couldn’t speak out. She needed someone to speak out for her, yet no-one would believe her because they all thought she was a ‘bit weird’. Everyone around her didn’t want to do the right thing and stick up for poor Biddy; instead, they watched/joined in with the ring leader so that they could stay in the gang. I felt physically sick reading what Biddy was subjected to, as well as reading about the toll it took on poor Biddy’s mental state. Absolutely devastating that people get a kick out of physically and emotionally attacking others. How is that fun?
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir contains a lot of hard to read events, most definitely, but the way Lesley Allen has written them is real. Lesley didn’t fluff it up or make the situations completely unrealistic and completely fixable. She made Biddy’s life into a powerful journey. A journey that we, as readers, took with her. A journey that will open readers eyes and minds to the devastating impacts that bullying has on a person, especially as some people believe the impacts to be short-term. More often than not, the effects of bullying can last, and, just like Biddy, the scars never truly fade.
I began reading this book with my eyes and mind fully open to the implications of such a devastating topic. What I didn’t realise was how beautifully and powerfully written this book would be. I don’t want to say that I loved this book due to the subject within the book, however, I did love the book due to the powerful, raw and emotional messages that Lesley Allen incorporated beautifully into it. During the last third of the book I felt like I was getting a pep talk, and not in a bad way. The colourful character that took charge in that third, came with such a strong voice. So strong in fact, I felt as though she was talking to me and having stern words with the demons. If all schools came with such a colourful and beautiful character as that one, the stigma that surrounds bullying would be abolished.
An emotional, powerful and beautifully written book about life, re-birth, bullying and learning how to love yourself, quirks and all.
Thank you BonnierZaffre.
I have had to psych myself to write this particular review due to the nature of the storyline and my own personal memories because of it. It takes a lot of strength to read a novel with contains such emotional situations, especially when those situations are still incredibly raw for the reader.
Meet Biddy Weir; a girl who is extremely content in her own company and enjoys the simple things in life. After all, that is all she has ever known her life to be. Seeing as Biddy was brought up by her father, the ‘basic’ female tasks had to be discussed with someone other than her father. She didn’t have a female role model. She didn’t have her mum. As soon as Alison Flemming came onto the school scene, Biddy’s life got turned upside down and suddenly her life and her thoughts became all too suffocating. The thing is, what exactly can you do when your normal is too abnormal for everyone else…
‘The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir’ has been published in paperback to coincide with National Anti-bullying Month. A subject that has thousands upon thousands of victims and not enough people doing anything about it. As soon as I realised what this book was about, I knew that I had to read it. I also knew that it would be extremely hard for me to do so. Why? Because, like many other people, I was bullied at school from the age of five until the age of thirteen. Lesley’s book has given me nod to write about my own bullying (which I will do later on in the week on here), and hopefully others will realise it is ok to speak out.
Biddy Weir’s life was made hellish all because of one girl and her ‘gang’. The outcome of every single attack on Biddy was jaw-dropping and incredibly numbing, I felt so sorry for her. There were times (most of the book), that I wanted to climb into the book and take her away from it all, try to keep her safe. But I couldn’t. Biddy couldn’t speak out. She needed someone to speak out for her, yet no-one would believe her because they all thought she was a ‘bit weird’. Everyone around her didn’t want to do the right thing and stick up for poor Biddy; instead, they watched/joined in with the ring leader so that they could stay in the gang. I felt physically sick reading what Biddy was subjected to, as well as reading about the toll it took on poor Biddy’s mental state. Absolutely devastating that people get a kick out of physically and emotionally attacking others. How is that fun?
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir contains a lot of hard to read events, most definitely, but the way Lesley Allen has written them is real. Lesley didn’t fluff it up or make the situations completely unrealistic and completely fixable. She made Biddy’s life into a powerful journey. A journey that we, as readers, took with her. A journey that will open readers eyes and minds to the devastating impacts that bullying has on a person, especially as some people believe the impacts to be short-term. More often than not, the effects of bullying can last, and, just like Biddy, the scars never truly fade.
I began reading this book with my eyes and mind fully open to the implications of such a devastating topic. What I didn’t realise was how beautifully and powerfully written this book would be. I don’t want to say that I loved this book due to the subject within the book, however, I did love the book due to the powerful, raw and emotional messages that Lesley Allen incorporated beautifully into it. During the last third of the book I felt like I was getting a pep talk, and not in a bad way. The colourful character that took charge in that third, came with such a strong voice. So strong in fact, I felt as though she was talking to me and having stern words with the demons. If all schools came with such a colourful and beautiful character as that one, the stigma that surrounds bullying would be abolished.
An emotional, powerful and beautifully written book about life, re-birth, bullying and learning how to love yourself, quirks and all.
Thank you BonnierZaffre.
June 17, 2017
This is a much more honest portrayal of bullying and how it affects teens than the suicide-romanticizing and offensive “Thirteen Reasons Why”. In this novel, you see how bullying harms someone as they turn into the saddest and weakest versions of themselves, and how it causes so much unnecessary obstruction of life. But, I guess most people think human life isn’t valuable till it’s physically gone; and no one gives a crap about what the survivors go through, mentally.
June 25, 2016
I received a copy of this book for free through NetGalley
This one surprised me. I was instantly struck by the synopsis but I didn’t realise how much I would become engrossed by this story having never been bullied myself. The characters are dynamic and the story is emotionally raw. I will say it took me a little while to get into but about 15 – 20% in I was hooked.
This one surprised me. I was instantly struck by the synopsis but I didn’t realise how much I would become engrossed by this story having never been bullied myself. The characters are dynamic and the story is emotionally raw. I will say it took me a little while to get into but about 15 – 20% in I was hooked.
December 29, 2016
Loved this book. Could not put it down. Thank you Lesley Allen and looking forward to your next book!
December 11, 2019
This novel is what all great reading experiences should be: I was totally engrossed in a colorful, believable narrative, empathizing with the characters, able to relate the action of the book to my own life. Biddy's story stuck with me when I put the book down and I know I'll continue to think of it was a long while to come. Author Lesley Allen grounds this story in a very specific time and place, but even if you're not from Northern Ireland, or if you didn't grow up in the 1980s, what she vividly describes is so universal that as a reader you feel immediately connected to what is happening. I found this novel incredibly powerful, thanks in large part to how well-written and well-structured it is. This moving book is a triumph!
September 27, 2020
Lovely book, well written
Very sad story about the consequences of extreme bullying. Read it in two sittings. Biddy will remain with me for a while
Very sad story about the consequences of extreme bullying. Read it in two sittings. Biddy will remain with me for a while
March 22, 2017
Biddy Weir, raised by her elderly father, appears to her school mates an outsider. Book smart but clueless and conversation-less on everything else, she becomes an obvious target for bullies, who haunt her from pre-teen right through her teenage years.
Lesley Allen has identified perfectly the way Biddy and victims of bullying are swallowed-up by the situation they find themselves in. Biddy absorbs their name for her, BW – bloody weirdo, and feels she is one, until it threatens to destroy her.
Some weeks ago, I was in the check-out queue in Marks and Spencer, when I saw, amazingly, a woman who had been one of a group of girls who used to lie in wait for me after school. When the friend I was with me spoke my name, I experienced a spike of fear in case it was overheard and I was recognised, even though almost fifty years had passed. Nothing of course in comparison with the suffering of Biddy, but sufficient to identify with.
This is excellent writing, a bit long perhaps, but with good characters and flexible enough to be YA and adult.
For the record, neither milk nor tinned tuna is overly good for cats.
Lesley Allen has identified perfectly the way Biddy and victims of bullying are swallowed-up by the situation they find themselves in. Biddy absorbs their name for her, BW – bloody weirdo, and feels she is one, until it threatens to destroy her.
Some weeks ago, I was in the check-out queue in Marks and Spencer, when I saw, amazingly, a woman who had been one of a group of girls who used to lie in wait for me after school. When the friend I was with me spoke my name, I experienced a spike of fear in case it was overheard and I was recognised, even though almost fifty years had passed. Nothing of course in comparison with the suffering of Biddy, but sufficient to identify with.
This is excellent writing, a bit long perhaps, but with good characters and flexible enough to be YA and adult.
For the record, neither milk nor tinned tuna is overly good for cats.
March 19, 2018
This book broke my heart. I loved it.
June 15, 2018
I just loved this really sad story with brilliant characters and well written
December 20, 2016
Biddy Weir is strange in the eyes of her peers. She doesn't have the right clothes, she doesn't have any social skills and she's extremely introvert. She's quite special with her fiery red hair and love for birds. Biddy is great at drawing and she enjoys creating. At home there's mainly silence, she and her dad hardly speak. Biddy hasn't got a mother, she left when Biddy was a baby and Biddy's father has no idea how he's supposed to raise a child. Therefore Biddy is different, which was never much of a problem until she meets Alison Flemming.
Alison is new at school and wants to be popular. She needs someone to make fun of and that is when the bullying starts. She chooses Biddy as her victim and Biddy is defenseless against Alison's evil scheming. Alison makes Biddy's life at school a living hell and Biddy silently undergoes it all. If only there would be someone who sees her for who she really is, someone who can appreciate the special and wonderful personality of Biddy Weir.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is a heartbreaking story about bullying, being an outcast and not fitting in. Biddy doesn't stand a chance against her tormenter. Alison is world-wise, she's mean and she's ruthless. I instantly disliked her. Lesley Allen has put so much into this character and the way Alison thinks is both scary and interesting at the same time. She's written an amazing heartfelt story about what it's like to be bullied and I think she's perfectly described the feelings of fear and dread, the constant stress of having to be on guard and the unbearable pain the victim has to deal with. I was greatly impressed with the way she tells her story.
Biddy is terribly naïve. She has no idea how the world actually works. Her father brings her up, but he doesn't know much about raising a child. He loves Biddy, but he doesn't really see her. My heart ached because nobody notices how wonderful she is. Biddy is sweet, talented and passionate. Being different isn't bad, it's fascinating. I loved that message. Biddy has to learn to stand up for herself. With a little help she might even start to love herself again. I had tears in my eyes when I read about her journey. Lesley Allen doesn't exaggerate, she describes everything exactly the way it is. This makes her story intimate and because of that it's incredibly moving. I held my breath when I read about the ending of Biddy's high school days and I had tears in my eyes when I finished that part of the story. Lesley Allen made me feel so many different emotions, which is something I loved very much.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is a beautiful story with many different layers. It's a thought-provoking novel. It's honest and raw and there's no sugarcoating, what happens to Biddy is something that easily could have happened in real life. I hope all 'Biddies' in the world will meet someone good who makes them find their true value again. I think The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is an absolute must-read and I highly recommend this brilliant book.
Alison is new at school and wants to be popular. She needs someone to make fun of and that is when the bullying starts. She chooses Biddy as her victim and Biddy is defenseless against Alison's evil scheming. Alison makes Biddy's life at school a living hell and Biddy silently undergoes it all. If only there would be someone who sees her for who she really is, someone who can appreciate the special and wonderful personality of Biddy Weir.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is a heartbreaking story about bullying, being an outcast and not fitting in. Biddy doesn't stand a chance against her tormenter. Alison is world-wise, she's mean and she's ruthless. I instantly disliked her. Lesley Allen has put so much into this character and the way Alison thinks is both scary and interesting at the same time. She's written an amazing heartfelt story about what it's like to be bullied and I think she's perfectly described the feelings of fear and dread, the constant stress of having to be on guard and the unbearable pain the victim has to deal with. I was greatly impressed with the way she tells her story.
Biddy is terribly naïve. She has no idea how the world actually works. Her father brings her up, but he doesn't know much about raising a child. He loves Biddy, but he doesn't really see her. My heart ached because nobody notices how wonderful she is. Biddy is sweet, talented and passionate. Being different isn't bad, it's fascinating. I loved that message. Biddy has to learn to stand up for herself. With a little help she might even start to love herself again. I had tears in my eyes when I read about her journey. Lesley Allen doesn't exaggerate, she describes everything exactly the way it is. This makes her story intimate and because of that it's incredibly moving. I held my breath when I read about the ending of Biddy's high school days and I had tears in my eyes when I finished that part of the story. Lesley Allen made me feel so many different emotions, which is something I loved very much.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is a beautiful story with many different layers. It's a thought-provoking novel. It's honest and raw and there's no sugarcoating, what happens to Biddy is something that easily could have happened in real life. I hope all 'Biddies' in the world will meet someone good who makes them find their true value again. I think The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is an absolute must-read and I highly recommend this brilliant book.
January 19, 2018
Quando leggo alcuni libri che so già in partenza amerò e che però andranno a "tormentare" cose che di solito cerco di ignorare, ci metto sempre più del solito.
Non perché siano difficili da leggere, non perché siano magari in un'altra lingua e non perché io voglia particolarmente "godermeli" - è solo che ogni tanto il vaso di Pandora va aperto poco alla volta se non si vuole rischiare di esserne travolti.
E il rischio, con libri così, di scrivere qualcosa che assomigli più ad una pagina di diario che ad una recensione è sempre molto alto.
Se volete un libro con rose e unicorni... questo non fa decisamente per voi.
Il libro si apre con Biddy Weir all'età di trent'anni nell'estate del 2000, mentre con estrema difficoltà telefona ad una trasmissione televisiva che segue tutti i pomeriggi e che quel giorno ha come argomento della puntata il bullismo. Ed è con un coraggio incredibile che Biddy confessa all'operatrice dall'altra parte della cornetta - che sta raccogliendo la sua testimonianza per scoprire se è "adatta" alla diretta televisiva - che a causa della sua aguzzina è quasi morta quando era adolescente.
Torniamo indietro al 1979, quando Biddy viene etichettata pubblicamente per la prima volta come "strana" e poi come "maledettamente strana". Se mai questo libro venisse tradotto, sarebbe difficile trovare un modo in italiano (senza cambiarle drasticamente nome) di rendere altrettanto efficacemente il soprannome di Biddy Weir - che prima diventa Biddy Weirdo e poi Bloody Biddy Weirdo, per poi risolversi "semplicemente" in Bloody Weirdo.
La vita di Biddy non è mai stata facile fin dall'inizio.
Abbiamo Gracie Flynn, una ragazza giovane e figlia di girovaghi che, quasi per scommessa, va a letto con un suo collega di cinquant'anni - Howard Weir.
Abbiamo Howard Weir, sempre stato al guinzaglio della madre che per la prima volta in vita sua si ubriaca e praticamente senza sapere come genera una figlia.
E Gracie, dopo aver dato alla figlia il nome di una gatta che avevano avuto in famiglia, decide che non è adatta a fare la madre e fugge.
Howard, un uomo silenzioso e già "vecchio" per fare il padre, farà del suo meglio e la sua vita con Biddy sarà sempre isolata e ridotta all'osso - sia per quanto riguarda il cibo, i vestiti, le conversazioni e tutto il resto.
Fin dal piccola Biddy viene evitata dagli altri perché vista come "strana" - ha i capelli rossi, è affascinata dagli uccelli e non si veste e non si comporta in modo "normale" come tutti gli altri bambini della sua età.
Biddy viene ignorata, ma fino a quel momento non se ne cruccia - però tutto cambia quando Alison Flemming entra nella sua scuola e nella sua vita.
Raccontato in terza persona da un narratore "onnisciente", non seguiamo solo Birdy ma anche Alison - una ragazzina ricca, viziata, prepotente e arrogante con la pretesa di essere amata e venerata da tutti e pronta a fare qualsiasi cosa per essere la più bella e la prima in tutto. Non sarebbe mai diventata sua amica, ma il fatto che il suo primo giorno Biddy la ignori completamente e non rimanga affascinata da lei è per lei un affronto troppo grande - da qui inizierà l'inferno di Biddy Weir.
Seguiranno anni di prese in giro e umiliazioni, soprattutto psicologiche ma che sfoceranno anche nel fisico in alcune occasioni. Biddy arriverà al punto di sentirsi fisicamente male all'idea di andare a scuola, al terrore di cosa potrebbe architettare Alison seguita da tutto il resto della classe prima e della scuola poi.
Già silenziosa di natura, Biddy sentirà come non mai la mancanza di una madre che le insegni a vestirsi, a truccarsi, a diventare grande e ad essere "normale" come tutti gli altri e tutti gli insulti quotidiani arriveranno a minare profondamente la sua autostima e a lasciare cicatrici - a volte anche fisiche quando l'unico modo per far tacere il dolore nella sua mente è quello di ferirsi con spille e aghi, mentre anche gli insegnanti sembrano non vedere abbagliati come sono da Alison.
In fondo, se anche avesse parlato, perché mai avrebbero dovuto credere a Biddy - quella ragazzina strana figlia di quell'altro uomo strano - e non ad Alison, così amata da tutti?
Biddy diventerà un'adulta con molti problemi relazionali e solo dopo un percorso - che probabilmente non finirà mai - troverà il coraggio di parlare di quello che Alison e la sua gang le hanno fatto.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir è un libro triste, con un tocco di speranza alla fine ma pur sempre molto, molto realistico perché certe cicatrici restano per sempre - perché quando ti senti ripetere certe cose sin da quando eri solo una bambina e nessuno sta dalla tua parte, nessuno le contraddice... beh, è fin troppo semplice cominciare a crederci e a ripeterle allo specchio.
Sempre ammesso che tu riesca a trovare la forza di ricambiare quello sguardo riflesso - ma le voci nella testa quelle comunque non se ne vanno mai.
Ho dovuto fare molte pause durante la lettura perché, come ho scritto all'inizio, il vaso di Pandora va aperto un po' alla volta.
Perché in questo libro ho trovato la mia vita - molta di più di quanta me ne aspettassi.
Avrete notato che i libri con il bullismo come tema centrale non mancano nelle mie letture. E forse è questo il vero masochismo, altro che aver letto tutta la serie di After di Anna Todd.
Perché sottopormi volontariamente alla tortura se so in partenza che sarà un libro da affrontare poco alla volta? Bella domanda.
Il punto è che di solito sono libri ambientati alle superiori, con un sistema scolastico abbastanza diverso dal nostro e quelli li so gestire - pur trovando similitudini perché i bulli adolescenti sono tremendi uguali a qualsiasi latitudine, le "difficoltà" sono minori perché in qualche modo riesco a distaccarmi.
Qui invece mi sono trovata colta totalmente alla sprovvista con una protagonista che viene presa in giro quando è ancora praticamente una bambina e con un sistema scolastico - quello dell'Irlanda del Nord - fin troppo simile al nostro. E non starò a scendere nei dettagli perché non è questo il luogo, ma le somiglianze tra me e Biddy sono state così tante che è stata davvero dura.
Credo che ci sia davvero una differenza tra un tipo e l'altro.
È qualcosa da condannare a prescindere, ma il bullismo adolescenziale è diverso da quello che comincia a dieci anni.
Perché se fino alle superiori hai avuto una vita "normale" con amici e compagni di classe "normali", il bullismo durante l'adolescenza fa un male cane ma con una base solida alle spalle e sotto i piedi puoi riuscire ad uscirne ammaccato, ma comunque indenne.
Ma se comincia già nell'infanzia e prosegue nell'adolescenza, quello per me è già tutta un'altra storia - un vaso di Pandora a se stante di dolore e cicatrici.
E se Biddy vi può sembrare esagerata o troppo vittima... no, non lo è.
Ma detto questo, trovo che questo libro sia eccellente.
Scritto benissimo, dà un ritratto sincero e spietato del bullismo e delle sue conseguenze, è crudele nella descrizione degli atti perpetrati da Alison ai danni di Biddy ma non è troppo esplicito in maniera "fisica" quando si tratta dell'autolesionismo.
Leggiamo della sofferenza di Biddy, della malvagità di Alison e come questa la giustifica, della repulsione dei compagni di scuola e dell'indifferenza degli insegnanti, delle voci sporadiche di chi invece vede Biddy per quella che è ma non sempre riesce ad aiutarla.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir è un libro che lascia il segno, che insegna che l'individualità va invece riconosciuta e che nessuno è davvero "strano" solo perché non è uguale agli altri come modo di vestire oppure di vivere, che è possibile guarire da quegli anni di bullismo - ma solo con tanta pazienza e supporto.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir è un libro che insegna a trovare la propria voce, a rialzarsi e che non dovremmo mai abbassare lo sguardo di fronte a qualcuno che ci ritiene inferiori perché non lo siamo.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir è un libro che fa male, ma che è anche catartico se avete vissuto anche solo in parte quello che ha vissuto Biddy.
E forse, in fondo, siamo tutti un po' "maledettamente strani" - o semplicemente siamo tutti normali a modo nostro.
Non perché siano difficili da leggere, non perché siano magari in un'altra lingua e non perché io voglia particolarmente "godermeli" - è solo che ogni tanto il vaso di Pandora va aperto poco alla volta se non si vuole rischiare di esserne travolti.
E il rischio, con libri così, di scrivere qualcosa che assomigli più ad una pagina di diario che ad una recensione è sempre molto alto.
Se volete un libro con rose e unicorni... questo non fa decisamente per voi.
Il libro si apre con Biddy Weir all'età di trent'anni nell'estate del 2000, mentre con estrema difficoltà telefona ad una trasmissione televisiva che segue tutti i pomeriggi e che quel giorno ha come argomento della puntata il bullismo. Ed è con un coraggio incredibile che Biddy confessa all'operatrice dall'altra parte della cornetta - che sta raccogliendo la sua testimonianza per scoprire se è "adatta" alla diretta televisiva - che a causa della sua aguzzina è quasi morta quando era adolescente.
Torniamo indietro al 1979, quando Biddy viene etichettata pubblicamente per la prima volta come "strana" e poi come "maledettamente strana". Se mai questo libro venisse tradotto, sarebbe difficile trovare un modo in italiano (senza cambiarle drasticamente nome) di rendere altrettanto efficacemente il soprannome di Biddy Weir - che prima diventa Biddy Weirdo e poi Bloody Biddy Weirdo, per poi risolversi "semplicemente" in Bloody Weirdo.
La vita di Biddy non è mai stata facile fin dall'inizio.
Abbiamo Gracie Flynn, una ragazza giovane e figlia di girovaghi che, quasi per scommessa, va a letto con un suo collega di cinquant'anni - Howard Weir.
Abbiamo Howard Weir, sempre stato al guinzaglio della madre che per la prima volta in vita sua si ubriaca e praticamente senza sapere come genera una figlia.
E Gracie, dopo aver dato alla figlia il nome di una gatta che avevano avuto in famiglia, decide che non è adatta a fare la madre e fugge.
Howard, un uomo silenzioso e già "vecchio" per fare il padre, farà del suo meglio e la sua vita con Biddy sarà sempre isolata e ridotta all'osso - sia per quanto riguarda il cibo, i vestiti, le conversazioni e tutto il resto.
Fin dal piccola Biddy viene evitata dagli altri perché vista come "strana" - ha i capelli rossi, è affascinata dagli uccelli e non si veste e non si comporta in modo "normale" come tutti gli altri bambini della sua età.
Biddy viene ignorata, ma fino a quel momento non se ne cruccia - però tutto cambia quando Alison Flemming entra nella sua scuola e nella sua vita.
Raccontato in terza persona da un narratore "onnisciente", non seguiamo solo Birdy ma anche Alison - una ragazzina ricca, viziata, prepotente e arrogante con la pretesa di essere amata e venerata da tutti e pronta a fare qualsiasi cosa per essere la più bella e la prima in tutto. Non sarebbe mai diventata sua amica, ma il fatto che il suo primo giorno Biddy la ignori completamente e non rimanga affascinata da lei è per lei un affronto troppo grande - da qui inizierà l'inferno di Biddy Weir.
Seguiranno anni di prese in giro e umiliazioni, soprattutto psicologiche ma che sfoceranno anche nel fisico in alcune occasioni. Biddy arriverà al punto di sentirsi fisicamente male all'idea di andare a scuola, al terrore di cosa potrebbe architettare Alison seguita da tutto il resto della classe prima e della scuola poi.
Già silenziosa di natura, Biddy sentirà come non mai la mancanza di una madre che le insegni a vestirsi, a truccarsi, a diventare grande e ad essere "normale" come tutti gli altri e tutti gli insulti quotidiani arriveranno a minare profondamente la sua autostima e a lasciare cicatrici - a volte anche fisiche quando l'unico modo per far tacere il dolore nella sua mente è quello di ferirsi con spille e aghi, mentre anche gli insegnanti sembrano non vedere abbagliati come sono da Alison.
In fondo, se anche avesse parlato, perché mai avrebbero dovuto credere a Biddy - quella ragazzina strana figlia di quell'altro uomo strano - e non ad Alison, così amata da tutti?
Biddy diventerà un'adulta con molti problemi relazionali e solo dopo un percorso - che probabilmente non finirà mai - troverà il coraggio di parlare di quello che Alison e la sua gang le hanno fatto.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir è un libro triste, con un tocco di speranza alla fine ma pur sempre molto, molto realistico perché certe cicatrici restano per sempre - perché quando ti senti ripetere certe cose sin da quando eri solo una bambina e nessuno sta dalla tua parte, nessuno le contraddice... beh, è fin troppo semplice cominciare a crederci e a ripeterle allo specchio.
Sempre ammesso che tu riesca a trovare la forza di ricambiare quello sguardo riflesso - ma le voci nella testa quelle comunque non se ne vanno mai.
Ho dovuto fare molte pause durante la lettura perché, come ho scritto all'inizio, il vaso di Pandora va aperto un po' alla volta.
Perché in questo libro ho trovato la mia vita - molta di più di quanta me ne aspettassi.
Avrete notato che i libri con il bullismo come tema centrale non mancano nelle mie letture. E forse è questo il vero masochismo, altro che aver letto tutta la serie di After di Anna Todd.
Perché sottopormi volontariamente alla tortura se so in partenza che sarà un libro da affrontare poco alla volta? Bella domanda.
Il punto è che di solito sono libri ambientati alle superiori, con un sistema scolastico abbastanza diverso dal nostro e quelli li so gestire - pur trovando similitudini perché i bulli adolescenti sono tremendi uguali a qualsiasi latitudine, le "difficoltà" sono minori perché in qualche modo riesco a distaccarmi.
Qui invece mi sono trovata colta totalmente alla sprovvista con una protagonista che viene presa in giro quando è ancora praticamente una bambina e con un sistema scolastico - quello dell'Irlanda del Nord - fin troppo simile al nostro. E non starò a scendere nei dettagli perché non è questo il luogo, ma le somiglianze tra me e Biddy sono state così tante che è stata davvero dura.
Credo che ci sia davvero una differenza tra un tipo e l'altro.
È qualcosa da condannare a prescindere, ma il bullismo adolescenziale è diverso da quello che comincia a dieci anni.
Perché se fino alle superiori hai avuto una vita "normale" con amici e compagni di classe "normali", il bullismo durante l'adolescenza fa un male cane ma con una base solida alle spalle e sotto i piedi puoi riuscire ad uscirne ammaccato, ma comunque indenne.
Ma se comincia già nell'infanzia e prosegue nell'adolescenza, quello per me è già tutta un'altra storia - un vaso di Pandora a se stante di dolore e cicatrici.
E se Biddy vi può sembrare esagerata o troppo vittima... no, non lo è.
Ma detto questo, trovo che questo libro sia eccellente.
Scritto benissimo, dà un ritratto sincero e spietato del bullismo e delle sue conseguenze, è crudele nella descrizione degli atti perpetrati da Alison ai danni di Biddy ma non è troppo esplicito in maniera "fisica" quando si tratta dell'autolesionismo.
Leggiamo della sofferenza di Biddy, della malvagità di Alison e come questa la giustifica, della repulsione dei compagni di scuola e dell'indifferenza degli insegnanti, delle voci sporadiche di chi invece vede Biddy per quella che è ma non sempre riesce ad aiutarla.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir è un libro che lascia il segno, che insegna che l'individualità va invece riconosciuta e che nessuno è davvero "strano" solo perché non è uguale agli altri come modo di vestire oppure di vivere, che è possibile guarire da quegli anni di bullismo - ma solo con tanta pazienza e supporto.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir è un libro che insegna a trovare la propria voce, a rialzarsi e che non dovremmo mai abbassare lo sguardo di fronte a qualcuno che ci ritiene inferiori perché non lo siamo.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir è un libro che fa male, ma che è anche catartico se avete vissuto anche solo in parte quello che ha vissuto Biddy.
E forse, in fondo, siamo tutti un po' "maledettamente strani" - o semplicemente siamo tutti normali a modo nostro.
February 15, 2018
Wow!
I was totally drawn in to this story. A young girl with a difficult start in life and then the bullying. The description of the bullying is so accurate and compelling as indeed is impact upon this vulnerable young girl. This part of the novel is compelling and thought provoking - then we shift to Biddies twenties.
Her relationship with Terri the counsellor is contrived as is her emergence from the damage done by the bullying. The conclusion is unbelievable and weak 0- despite all of my reservations I would still recommend t
I was totally drawn in to this story. A young girl with a difficult start in life and then the bullying. The description of the bullying is so accurate and compelling as indeed is impact upon this vulnerable young girl. This part of the novel is compelling and thought provoking - then we shift to Biddies twenties.
Her relationship with Terri the counsellor is contrived as is her emergence from the damage done by the bullying. The conclusion is unbelievable and weak 0- despite all of my reservations I would still recommend t
October 28, 2019
Fabulous book read this when it was first published and went back to read again. Ms. Allen has a way with words and I look forward to reading more from her in the future!
June 28, 2017
This is one brilliant book. I found myself thinking about Biddy on a daily basis and wanted to keep on reading to see if she'd be ok. It is heart wrenching and it makes you wonder how anyone could be so cruel as they are to Biddy.
August 16, 2018
This is a really sad book, but a good read about bullying. It makes me sad to think that children are subject to this every single day! If reading this book helps you to make a difference in the life of someone who is being bullied, then everyone should read it.
November 10, 2016
Absolutely magical, probably my book of the decade.
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
November 22, 2016
Excellent read A real page turner Couldn't predict the end
June 7, 2020
A very emotional and raw story about Bullying. Such a sad portrayal of the victim and how she had to endure years of torment. I enjoyed the story though.
October 14, 2020
Loved this book from start to finish
A really heartwarming read about a girl who overcomes grief, tragedy, and soul destroying bullying.. every page beautifully written. X
A really heartwarming read about a girl who overcomes grief, tragedy, and soul destroying bullying.. every page beautifully written. X
February 24, 2020
The blurb says "perfect for fans of Rowan Coleman and Julie Cohen" which put me off as I have never heard of either author. I'm glad I stuck with this though, it is a book that's going to stay with me.
If I had to pick another book that reading The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir put me in mind of it would be A Little Life. The abuse Biddy suffers is very different, but there are many of the same resulting handicaps cast over her life. One big difference, and I'm not sure if this is a good or a bad thing, is that where A Little Life keeps us guessing about the protagonist's fate until the end of the book, while the blurb for The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir states: "a story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman's battle to learn to love herself for who she is". I don't think it is wise to put such a glaring spoiler in the blurb for a book. That said it did give me the strength to keep reading when things got too depressing.
This is a book that will make you cry, repeatedly. It did me.
I found this book through an odd path. I like to keep an audio book on the go alongside the other books I am reading. I had just finished Milkman narrated by Bríd Brennan. I loved listening to Brennan reading so I had a look on Audible to see what else she'd narrated. Bingo, this book. It is interesting that Brennan toned down her accent a bit for this book (or dialed it up for Milkman?)
Having read (well listened to) The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir I am left frustrated by how little moral fibre kids seem able to invoke. But then I think back to my own school years (I think I am about five years older than Biddy) and I can remember times I was bullied, once when I tried to bully someone, and countless times when I should have stepped in to help. But I didn't. We don't. Thinking about my kids' school experience it does seem better now than it was in the seventies and eighties. I hope that's true.
Biddy will live on with me, and I will never look at bird poo in the same way again.
If I had to pick another book that reading The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir put me in mind of it would be A Little Life. The abuse Biddy suffers is very different, but there are many of the same resulting handicaps cast over her life. One big difference, and I'm not sure if this is a good or a bad thing, is that where A Little Life keeps us guessing about the protagonist's fate until the end of the book, while the blurb for The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir states: "a story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman's battle to learn to love herself for who she is". I don't think it is wise to put such a glaring spoiler in the blurb for a book. That said it did give me the strength to keep reading when things got too depressing.
This is a book that will make you cry, repeatedly. It did me.
I found this book through an odd path. I like to keep an audio book on the go alongside the other books I am reading. I had just finished Milkman narrated by Bríd Brennan. I loved listening to Brennan reading so I had a look on Audible to see what else she'd narrated. Bingo, this book. It is interesting that Brennan toned down her accent a bit for this book (or dialed it up for Milkman?)
Having read (well listened to) The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir I am left frustrated by how little moral fibre kids seem able to invoke. But then I think back to my own school years (I think I am about five years older than Biddy) and I can remember times I was bullied, once when I tried to bully someone, and countless times when I should have stepped in to help. But I didn't. We don't. Thinking about my kids' school experience it does seem better now than it was in the seventies and eighties. I hope that's true.
Biddy will live on with me, and I will never look at bird poo in the same way again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2016
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is the debut novel by Lesley Allen, published in e-format in March 2016 and will be released in paperback later in the year. I received my ARC from Bonnier Zaffre Publishing & NetGalley in return for an honest review.
‘A stark but uplifting story of bullying and redemption, for anyone who’s ever been a weirdo.
Almost too terrified to grip the phone, Biddy Weir calls a daytime television show.
The subject is bullying, and Biddy has a story to tell.
Abandoned by her mother as a baby, Biddy lives in her own little world, happy to pass her time watching the birds – until Alison Fleming joins her school.
Popular and beautiful, but with a dangerous, malevolent streak, Alison quickly secures the admiration of her fellow students. All except one. And Alison doesn’t take kindly to people who don’t fit her mould . . .
A story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman’s battle to learn to love herself for who she is, The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is Lesley Allen’s startlingly honest debut novel.’ (Courtesy of Goodreads)
In your life, you always hope to come across books that leave an indelible mark on you. The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is such a book. When I first read the story line I knew I was going to be reading a novel that would make me sad but it was a sadness I was willing to bear, as bullying is a subject that I am very aware of. Although, personally, never the victim of such a deplorable act of cowardice, I have two girls and my one fear is always…what if this happened to them?
The main character in the novel is Biddy Weir, a child who was destined to stand out for all the wrong reasons. Her mother had left her not long after her birth, leaving Biddy in the care of her elderly Grandmother and a father, who clearly loved her but was incapable of giving her the care and affection every child needs. Biddy was always dressed in cast offs, with sellotape keeping her excuse of a school bag together. Her clothes were always mismatched, her hair unruly. ‘They were always keeping their money for a rainy day, but even when those rainy days arrived, they still went out with holes in their umbrellas.’ None of the children in her estate or school befriended her, but Biddy could handle that, as she was very comfortable with her own company, never knowing any better. But all this changed the day Alison Fleming started in her school.
‘Biddy Weir was two months shy of her tenth birthday, when she discovered she was a bloody weirdo. The awful revelation was a shock to her at any rate,and from that fateful day Biddy’s life was defined not by her religion, the colour of her skin, or her sex; nor by what school she went to, her political persuasion or even which side of town she lived in: but by her oddness, by the undeniable, irrevocable fact that she was a weirdo, and a bloody one at that.’
These are the words that first struck me as just so sad when I started reading this book. These are Biddy’s thoughts & feelings. From such a young age the new girl in school decided from the get-go that Biddy was a target. Biddy Weir would become Alison Fleming’s Golden Ticket to the number one position of popularity in their year (& school). Alison had come from a very wealthy background. She’s a girl used to getting her own way. She makes Biddy’s life a hell on earth. The taunts, the jeering, the ‘accidents’ that Biddy has to endure are just heartbreaking. Biddy is unable to standup for herself and for reasons I cannot fathom, the system leaves her down completely. It appears Biddy just slips under the radar of every teacher, her father, the local community….the list goes on.
There is a bit of hope given to Biddy in secondary school but Alison quickly sees this light extinguished. ‘…her desolation, her isolation, the heavy mist of persecution that clung to the girl….Biddy was going through the motions of life: alive, but not really living.’
As time passes, Biddy gives up on everything. Her life takes a few twists & turns but the bullying taunts of her years in the education system stay with her for years to come. It eventually takes a kind ear, a person with strength & courage to come to Biddy’s side and offer her the help she so badly needed all her life.
I could quote from nearly every single page of this novel but then I would leave nothing for you to discover yourself. I truly and very strongly believe that this novel should be mandatory in every post-primary educational system….everywhere. Never have I come across a book that I have felt so compelled to share and talk about.
I hesitated today before starting this review, as I felt in no way could I possibly do it justice.
I cannot recommend it enough to both adult & teenager. It is such an important book in it’s portrayal of the horrors of bullying.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is currently available in Kindle edition for £3.49 in the Amazon shop. Please consider making that purchase or alternatively the paperback version will be published later in the year.
If there was a 6* rating I would give it.
Please let me know what you think.
Til Next Time
Mairéad
About The Author
Lesley Allen lives in Bangor, County Down, with her teenage daughter. She is a freelance copywriter and the press officer and assistant programme developer for Open House Festival. Following the completion of her degree in Drama and English, Lesley spent several years working in PR and marketing before embarking on a freelance career. Whilst crafting words for other people has been her bread and butter for the past two decades, her heart lies with writing fiction.
Lesley was named as one of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s 2016 Artist Career Enhancement recipients for literature. She is using the award to complete her second novel.
‘A stark but uplifting story of bullying and redemption, for anyone who’s ever been a weirdo.
Almost too terrified to grip the phone, Biddy Weir calls a daytime television show.
The subject is bullying, and Biddy has a story to tell.
Abandoned by her mother as a baby, Biddy lives in her own little world, happy to pass her time watching the birds – until Alison Fleming joins her school.
Popular and beautiful, but with a dangerous, malevolent streak, Alison quickly secures the admiration of her fellow students. All except one. And Alison doesn’t take kindly to people who don’t fit her mould . . .
A story of abuse and survival, of falling down and of starting again, and of one woman’s battle to learn to love herself for who she is, The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is Lesley Allen’s startlingly honest debut novel.’ (Courtesy of Goodreads)
In your life, you always hope to come across books that leave an indelible mark on you. The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is such a book. When I first read the story line I knew I was going to be reading a novel that would make me sad but it was a sadness I was willing to bear, as bullying is a subject that I am very aware of. Although, personally, never the victim of such a deplorable act of cowardice, I have two girls and my one fear is always…what if this happened to them?
The main character in the novel is Biddy Weir, a child who was destined to stand out for all the wrong reasons. Her mother had left her not long after her birth, leaving Biddy in the care of her elderly Grandmother and a father, who clearly loved her but was incapable of giving her the care and affection every child needs. Biddy was always dressed in cast offs, with sellotape keeping her excuse of a school bag together. Her clothes were always mismatched, her hair unruly. ‘They were always keeping their money for a rainy day, but even when those rainy days arrived, they still went out with holes in their umbrellas.’ None of the children in her estate or school befriended her, but Biddy could handle that, as she was very comfortable with her own company, never knowing any better. But all this changed the day Alison Fleming started in her school.
‘Biddy Weir was two months shy of her tenth birthday, when she discovered she was a bloody weirdo. The awful revelation was a shock to her at any rate,and from that fateful day Biddy’s life was defined not by her religion, the colour of her skin, or her sex; nor by what school she went to, her political persuasion or even which side of town she lived in: but by her oddness, by the undeniable, irrevocable fact that she was a weirdo, and a bloody one at that.’
These are the words that first struck me as just so sad when I started reading this book. These are Biddy’s thoughts & feelings. From such a young age the new girl in school decided from the get-go that Biddy was a target. Biddy Weir would become Alison Fleming’s Golden Ticket to the number one position of popularity in their year (& school). Alison had come from a very wealthy background. She’s a girl used to getting her own way. She makes Biddy’s life a hell on earth. The taunts, the jeering, the ‘accidents’ that Biddy has to endure are just heartbreaking. Biddy is unable to standup for herself and for reasons I cannot fathom, the system leaves her down completely. It appears Biddy just slips under the radar of every teacher, her father, the local community….the list goes on.
There is a bit of hope given to Biddy in secondary school but Alison quickly sees this light extinguished. ‘…her desolation, her isolation, the heavy mist of persecution that clung to the girl….Biddy was going through the motions of life: alive, but not really living.’
As time passes, Biddy gives up on everything. Her life takes a few twists & turns but the bullying taunts of her years in the education system stay with her for years to come. It eventually takes a kind ear, a person with strength & courage to come to Biddy’s side and offer her the help she so badly needed all her life.
I could quote from nearly every single page of this novel but then I would leave nothing for you to discover yourself. I truly and very strongly believe that this novel should be mandatory in every post-primary educational system….everywhere. Never have I come across a book that I have felt so compelled to share and talk about.
I hesitated today before starting this review, as I felt in no way could I possibly do it justice.
I cannot recommend it enough to both adult & teenager. It is such an important book in it’s portrayal of the horrors of bullying.
The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is currently available in Kindle edition for £3.49 in the Amazon shop. Please consider making that purchase or alternatively the paperback version will be published later in the year.
If there was a 6* rating I would give it.
Please let me know what you think.
Til Next Time
Mairéad
About The Author
Lesley Allen lives in Bangor, County Down, with her teenage daughter. She is a freelance copywriter and the press officer and assistant programme developer for Open House Festival. Following the completion of her degree in Drama and English, Lesley spent several years working in PR and marketing before embarking on a freelance career. Whilst crafting words for other people has been her bread and butter for the past two decades, her heart lies with writing fiction.
Lesley was named as one of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s 2016 Artist Career Enhancement recipients for literature. She is using the award to complete her second novel.
September 28, 2017
This book took me a while to read, not because I wasn't enjoying it, I found it a fantastically written story, and I loved Biddy, so much, it was the subject matter that kept me from wanting to get back to it whenever I got interrupted.
Bullying is a big issue these days and is currently getting a lot of media attention, and rightly so, it really does affect people, not just as it is occuring, but can follow them into adulthood and beyond, affecting their entire lives, and this book is an excellent portrayal of this, which I can say with absolute certainty, as if it weren't for some fantastic family and friends, I could be Biddy.
Honest, raw, this book should be required reading for children who have been bullied, and more important, who are bullies!
Bullying is a big issue these days and is currently getting a lot of media attention, and rightly so, it really does affect people, not just as it is occuring, but can follow them into adulthood and beyond, affecting their entire lives, and this book is an excellent portrayal of this, which I can say with absolute certainty, as if it weren't for some fantastic family and friends, I could be Biddy.
Honest, raw, this book should be required reading for children who have been bullied, and more important, who are bullies!
December 31, 2020
A super but very upsetting read. Set in Northern Ireland, this is a story of bullying in school and its far-reaching impact. The ‘alone-ness’ of Biddy and the cruelty of the bullying is almost unbearable, it is truly tearful. Alison is unfortunately an excellent caricature of the school bully who rallies the forces against her chosen victim. The story also captures how evasive bullying can be. It is hard to prove and difficult to quantify as it is often conducted under covert conditions. This book would be ideal for the school curriculum, even the least attentive pupil could not miss the message. It is very well written and very well paced.
June 22, 2020
Prepare to get sucked in. The need to find out how poor, lonely Biddy ends up is real. I loved this book and struggled to put it down.
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