Metal Fish, Falling Snow - Softcover

Moore, Cath

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1922330078 ISBN 13: 9781922330079

Publisher: Text Pub Co

Synopsis

When her mother dies, Dylan struggles to find her identity. An outback road-trip with her mum’s grieving boyfriend sees an unlikely bond develop. But it won’t last…

Dylan dreams of sailing across the ocean to France with her mother. Paris, Dylan imagines, is a place where her black skin won’t make her stand out, a place where she might feel she belongs.

When she loses her mother in a freak accident, Dylan finds herself on a very different journey: a road trip across the Australian outback in the care of her mother’s grieving boyfriend, Pat. As they pass through remote towns further and further from the water Dylan longs for, she and Pat form an unlikely bond: a bond that will be broken when Pat leaves Dylan with a family she has never known.

Metal Fish, Falling Snow is about a young girl’s search for an identity as she navigates unthinkable grief. A warm, funny, and original look at families lost and found, this Own Voices novel celebrates the resilience of the human heart and the meaning of home.

About this title

About the Author

Cath Moore was born in Guyana and is of Irish/Afro-Caribbean heritage. She was raised in Australia and has also lived in Scotland and Belgium. Cath is also an award-winning screenwriter, teacher, and filmmaker. She holds an MA in screenwriting and a PhD in Danish screenwriting practices. Metal Fish, Falling Snow is Cath’s first novel. She lives in Melbourne.

Reviews

Gr 9 Up—Set in the Australian outback, Moore's debut novel is a challenging, powerful story that follows a biracial (Black/white) teenage girl, Dylan, through the sudden loss of her mother. Dylan and her late mother's boyfriend, Pat, take off on a road trip to meet Dylan's remaining family. Each stop along the way brings new difficulties, including car troubles, racist remarks, and the resulting fall out. The relationship that Dylan and Pat form is strengthened by their mutual love of her mother, but is tested by Dylan's unexpected and unabashed behavior. She sees the world differently and is purely herself, all the while struggling with her biracial identity and her attempts to be "normal"—a.k.a. white. Readers may struggle with the seemingly erratic storytelling in the beginning, but will soon realize the very real grief that Dylan and Pat are experiencing. Teens will be able to relate to at least one aspect of this tale, whether it is relationships, identity issues, or grief. Strong characterization and narration will allow readers to experience Dylan's full range of emotions. Regional vocabulary may cause some confusion for readers unfamiliar with it. Pat is cued as white. VERDICT Strong characterization and voice make this beautiful debut a recommended purchase.—Kristin Unruh, Siersma Elem. Sch., Warren, MI

Edition details

• Publisher: Text Pub Co
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1922330078
• ISBN 13: 9781922330079
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 253