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The Unwritten Girl
by James Bow
Dundurn, 2006. 205 pages.
Reviewed by Christy Risser-Milne
Every once in a long while, I read a book that leaves me delighted. Today, that book is The Unwritten Girl. First-time novelist James Bow has created what is being marketed as a “young adult” novel that will be an excellent read for anyone who has a love affair with books.
Rosemary Watson is an outsider in her Canadian junior high school. Befriended by the new kid, Peter McAllister, Rosemary quickly finds herself caught up in an adventure she did not invite. Her older brother Theo is literally trapped inside the story of a book he was reading. He has been captured and is being held prisoner by fictional characters from books Rosemary has stopped reading midstream.
Rosemary is a tender-hearted girl for whom the suffering of characters in books is as real as the suffering of actual human beings in the real world.
“Stop it!“ Rosemary burst into tears. “Don’t you care about these people? Don’t you have any idea how they suffered?”
Peter frowned. “Rosemary, they’re just characters!”
“There is nothing ‘just’ about being a character!” Rosemary yelled. “Characters are born, they grow old, they fall in love, and they die! We are born, we grow old, we fall in love, and we die! What’s the difference?”
“B-but Rosemary,” said Peter, “they’re not people!”
“To me they are! I can feel them!”
It is this very reality of the fictional characters that allows them to draw Rosemary and Peter—along with their guide Puck (yes, that Puck)—into the Land of Fiction to save Theo. There are challenges, heroes, villains, and myriad unexpected twists and turns.
Delightfully, Bow has drawn from numerous sources throughout literature to create the Land of Fiction through which Rosemary, Peter, and Puck venture. It is great fun to see how many of the books are recognizable via their partial incarnation within the Land of Fiction. I am acquainted with Bow via a listserve that reads and discusses the work of my favorite author, Madeleine L’Engle. Bow’s own love for Miss Madeleine shines forth on every page of The Unwritten Girl.
Do not think for a moment, however, that this is a derivative story. It is original, funny, and Bow takes punning to new levels of groaning.
“What is that?” asked Peter.
“An idea—the fruit of an idea tree.” Puck grinned.
“Ideas grow on trees?” said Rosemary.
“Where else would they be?” said Puck. “Tis a shame they are not more common.” He bounced the ball once and twirled it to Peter and Rosemary. . . .
“Neat,” said Peter, “But why is this ‘fruit’ made of rubber?’”
“So I can do this,” said Puck. He snatched up the ball and bounced it off Peter’s head.
“I am bouncing an idea off you!” Puck held it up. It read: “What am I doing here?”
The story is wholly engaging and very difficult to put down—which is itself ironic when you realize the conflict of the story is about a girl who doesn’t finish reading three out of every four books she starts.
The Unwritten Girl is slated for a mid-May release by its Canadian publisher, Dundurn. This is a good book that you will want to read before you give it to your resident young adult.
Christy Risser-Milne is a freelance writer, editor, and photographer.
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