The Girl Who Fell From the Sky - Heidi Durrow

The daughter of a Danish mother and Black American father, 11 year old Rachel is the only survivor in a tragic incident that killed her mother, brother, and baby sister. In the aftermath of the accident, Rachel goes to live with her paternal grandmother & aunt in Portland, Oregon.

Missing her family as well as struggling to define herself, Rachel morphs into whom she calls "the new girl". The new girl learns how to deal with the kids at school tormenting her. The new girl adjusts to her grandmother's way of thinking. The new girl is both awed & inspired by her Aunt Loretta. The new girl controls her emotions to the point of stuffing all of the bad into an imaginary blue bottle (with a cork stopper) that is settled into the pit of her stomach. As she grows older, the distinction between Rachel & the new girl is blurred. They have morphed into one person, Rachel on the cusp of adulthood.

Told through the perspective of Rachel & others, Heidi Durrow's debut novel examines the ideas of identity and how those around us can shape who we eventually become.

================

I've recently joined an online bookclub & this was our first selection. What a way to begin, let me tell you! I enjoyed so many things about this novel that I don't even know where to begin. I loved the voice of Rachel. I adored the vulnerability that cried out from the pages. The characters were well-rounded, dynamic individuals who made me yearn to know more about them.

I am not bi-racial, but I felt myself being able to connect with Rachel on a visceral level. I am often in situations where I am "the new girl" and find myself using the same coping mechanism as Rachel did throughout the novel. It is much easier to tuck the feelings away instead of dissecting them beyond recognition. I find dumping grounds for when the emotional bottle is nearing its capacity, but I digress...

I recently had the pleasure of attending an event where Heidi read from the novel and held a brief Q&A with the audience. Hearing her read scenes from the novel took it to another place. Clearly when I'm reading, I'm not reading aloud nor am I changing the voice in my head as I read dialogue from each character. Heidi was highly animated & nuanced in her reading. Hearing certain pieces read aloud touched me in a different way. If you have a chance to attend an event at which she is present, I'd say RUN to it. It will most certainly be a delightful experience. Hearing her read aloud also helped me realize that I'd like to see this book as a film, preferribly an indie. I don't want Hollywood to ruin it. :)

If you've read the novel, what do you think? If you haven't, I suggest you mosey on over to your local bookstore and scoop a copy. You won't regret it.