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The Gosling Girl
The Gosling Girl | Jacqueline Roy
2 posts | 2 read | 7 to read
'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' Peter Kalu Monster? Murderer? Child? Victim? Michelle Camerons name is associated with the most abhorrent of crimes. A child who lured a younger child away from her parents and to her death, she is known as the black girl who murdered a little white girl; evil incarnate according to the media. As the book opens, she has done her time, and has been released as a young woman with a new identity to start her life again. When another shocking death occurs, Michelle is the first in the frame. Brought into the police station to answer questions around a suspicious death, it is only a matter of time until the press find out who she is now and where she lives and set about destroying her all over again. Natalie Tyler is the officer brought in to investigate the murder. A black detective constable, she has been ostracised from her family and often feels she is in the wrong job. But when she meets Michelle, she feels a complicated need to protect her, whatever she might have done. The Gosling Girl is a moving, powerful account of systemic, institutional and internalised racism, and of how the marginalised fight back. It delves into the psychological after-effects of a crime committed in childhood, exploring intersections between race and class as Michelle's story is co-opted and controlled by those around her. Jacqueline writes with a cool restraint and The Gosling Girl is a raw and powerful novel that will stay with the reader long after they have turned the last page. Praise For Jacqueline Roy and The Fat Lady Sings: 'This is a novel of daring - enjoyable, surprising and original Bernardine Evaristo 'A strong and humane work of fiction' Jackie Kay 'A striking commentary' Scotsman 'A strong, humorous and moving piece of fiction . . . such is the life injected into the characters that by the end of the novel there remains that reluctance to part with people you have come to love' calabash 'Unflinchingly told . . . harrowing but also shockingly funny' Big Issue 'A joy' Pride
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TrishB
The Gosling Girl | Jacqueline Roy
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I brought this as it was in The Observer‘s thriller book of the month. It‘s not a thriller (bloody marketing again). It‘s a very sad look at child abuse, racism, PTSD and mental health issues. And as that it is very good. And very sad. You never quite get to the bottom of some of the questions, but you learn enough.

Caroline2 I swear they just label everything a “thriller” lately!!! 🙄 3y
squirrelbrain Sounds great - stacked. (Even if the marketing is all wrong!) 3y
TrishB @Caroline2 @squirrelbrain I think it spoils it for a reader if you go in expecting one thing and it turns into another! 3y
Cathythoughts Great review 👍❤️ 3y
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TrishB
The Gosling Girl | Jacqueline Roy
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#bookmail
Didn‘t get cup final tickets yesterday, so a bit of book buying. Another one on its way 😁

GarethSouthwell I fancy Cloud Cuckoo Land - any good? 3y
TrishB @GarethSouthwell has great reviews. Hopefully get to this month! 3y
LeahBergen Cloud Cuckoo Land is a read for my IRL book club this month. 3y
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TrishB @LeahBergen that‘s always a good push! 3y
sarahbarnes Still waiting on Cloud Cuckoo Land from the library. I might have to buy it. 3y
Cathythoughts Nice ones 👍🏻😍 3y
GarethSouthwell @TrishB let me know how it goes 😊 3y
BarbaraBB Are you going to be in the finals again? 3y
TrishB @BarbaraBB just domestic League Cup. 27000 fans in a ballot for 19000 tickets and we didn‘t get any ☹️ 3y
BarbaraBB That sucks. I‘d love to be in a stadium again with thousands of people 3y
TrishB @BarbaraBB going to FA cup match on Sunday 😁 3y
BarbaraBB That‘s so good. Unreal almost! Enjoy!!! (edited) 3y
TrishB @BarbaraBB I‘m really looking forward to it 😁 3y
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