The Gosling Girl

Reviews

‘(a)…provocative tale of institutional racism, and how the marginalised fight back’  ‘It was refreshing to read a thriller that wasn’t full of twists, though I kept waiting for them, as I’ve been conditioned to expect them. This well-plotted story follows Michelle, who’s recently been released from prison. Does someone who’s committed an awful crime deserve to start again?’  ‘A powerful read’  ‘A powerful look at institutionalised racism and the after-effects of childhood crime’  ‘This intriguing procedural is above all a portrait of two damaged women and a moving demonstration of how race and class have affected their lives' 'This is a beautifully written, insightful and thought-provoking novel. Michelle's story drew me in immediately, and while it's heartbreaking in places, it's uplifting in others. Jacqueline Roy writes with deep compassion and empathy, and I have a feeling this wonderfully compelling novel will stay with me for a long time' 'A thoughtful, slow-burn exploration of how damaged children damage, The Gosling Girl asks whether some children are born evil - and shows emphatically that an abusive childhood is to blame. I felt increasing sympathy for Michelle Cameron, in all her manifestations. At times, disturbing, poignant, and thought-provoking' 'A tour de force of engaged storytelling. With heart-wrenching pathos, The Gosling Girl delineates the bleak aftermath for all concerned when one child kills another'  'An absorbing, powerful slow-burn' ‘I loved this novel. Compelling, meticulously crafted, unflinching but rarely bleak, it gripped me from the first page. As in The Fat Lady Sings, Roy writes with astonishing tenderness about characters the likes of whom the real world excludes, ignores or vilifies. As hopeful as it is heart-breaking, this is a beautifully rendered and haunting coming-of-age story’ ‘The skill and sensitivity with which Jacqueline Roy approaches this story is astounding. Her novel is full of humanity and compassion for the people and experiences that society would otherwise look away from...once I started reading I couldn’t put it down’ ‘Roy’s writing is powerful, unflinching, empathetic and, above all, thought provoking, never shying away from the darker, uncomfortable realities of our society. It’s not an easy read – and it shouldn’t be – but it feels like an essential book for our times too' Expand reviews