Review ~ The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir by Lesley Allen

Twenty7
2016

The Blurb..

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.

My thoughts..

Reading as many books as I do, invariably I get a feeling that some books are going to be rather more special than others, and that was entirely the case with The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir.

Being caught up in the story of how Biddy Weir was cast aside and ostracised by her peers gives a whole new meaning to the phrase being 'immersed' in a story. There is no other way but to read this in one sitting, and that's just what I did, setting aside a quiet afternoon, I rolled with the story, completely at one with Biddy, and more than a little bothered by just how the story was opening up.

To say more would be to do this book a grave injustice, as it should be read with no preconceived notions, but I absolutely guarantee that by the end of the first chapter you too will be immersed and, if you are anything like me, you won't let up until Biddy's sad and sorrowful story is told.

It's a very clever author who can get so immersed in the psyche of a character that it becomes so totally believable that as the story progresses it becomes more and more difficult to read without a whopping big lump in your throat. Biddy's story broke my heart into a million pieces, I wanted to wrap her is one of my home made blankets, I wanted to cherish and protect her and keep her safe from harm and more than anything else I wanted to stop the bullies saying that she was a weirdo.

There are a few select books in my arsenal of books that everyone should read and Lesley Allen's debut novel , The Lonely Life of Biddy Weir is one of them.

Best read with... a man size box of tissues and comforting packet of Kimberley biscuits..

About the author

Lesley Allen lives in Bangor, County Down. She is a freelance copywriter and the press officer and assistant programme developer for Open House Festival. Lesley is previous recipient of the James Kilfedder Memorial Bursary, and two Support for the Individual Artist Art’s Council Awards. She was named as one of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s 2016 Artist Career Enhancement Scheme (ACES) recipients for literature. She will be using the award to complete her second book.

Find her on Facebook

Follow on Twitter @Lesley_Allen_


Read an interview with the author by clicking here 

Huge thanks to Emily at Bonnier Zaffre for sending out a copy of this book to me

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