THE RUNAWAY
by
Claire Wong
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Shortly before her eighteenth birthday, Rhiannon Morgan runs away from the remote Welsh village of Llandymna. Camping out in Dyrys Woods, she starts to make a new life for herself and she finds space for her active imagination to run wild. Weaving together the stories she loves and memories of her past, including the mother she lost thirteen years ago. Back in the village, Rhiannon's disappearance triggers a series of events that uncovers the cracks in Llandymna's quiet surface. Quick-tempered Callum finds himself reluctantly drawn into search parties, while a young police officer is forced to investigate his neighbours, and the village's elderly story-teller hints at a secret that the older generation have kept for decades...
THE AUTHOR
Claire Wong is the co-founder and Joint Artistic Director of Checkpoint Theatre. Trained in both Asian and Western performing arts, Claire obtained her Master of Fine Arts (MFA, Theatre Arts) from Columbia University.
As a theatre director, Claire recently directed "The Way We Go" by Joel Tan, "For Better or for Worse" by Faith Ng, and Huzir Sulaiman’s "The Weight of Silk on Skin". She also co-directed "Dream Country: a Lost Monologue", a dance-theatre production for the Singapore Arts Festival 2012. As an actress, Claire’s memorable lead roles include her one-woman performances in "Madame Mao’s Memories", "Atomic Jaya", and "Occupation". She has performed in landmark Singapore productions and in international arts festivals (Edinburgh Fringe; Telstra Adelaide Arts Festival; Theatre der Welt).
Claire is a co-founder and Senior Consultant of Studio Wong Huzir.
MY THOUGHTS
The author gives us a strong character in Rhiannon. She is a dreamer, of which there is nothing wrong with that. We all dream, but when it's time to be in the real world, we have to set those dreams aside. When she ran away to the woods, there weren't many to become friends with, just Maebh and a hawk that she takes under her care and helps to heal. Here her imagination could run wild but she doesn't realize that her disappearance from Llandymna has created quite a stir. The people are trying to find her and the police are questioning everyone. Rhiannon's disappearance has brought up some of the past that has been wanted to be forgotten by many. But as always, the past comes back to haunt. The villagers are hoping they learn to deal with the past and move on for a better life. The story is told from a first person view and a third person view, Rhiannon and the villagers. Rhiannon although just shy from her 18th birthday seemed to make some rather rash and not thought through. She did no planning and just grabbed a few things and off she goes to make a life in the forest. Immature? How she managed to survive is beyond me, but she did. I have always loved myths and the ole' time lore of days ago so I loved that part of the book. I think the moral of the story is: You can't run away from your problems, they follow you wherever you go. I had a hard time relating to Rhiannon. She seemed like a small child, not an almost adult. You can't run from your problems You have to stand and face them. If you run, they will surely follow and you will eventually have to face them, only it gets harder with time.
I received this book from Kregel Blog Tours and decided to review it.
I would give this book 3 STARS.
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