We follow Ann Ransom, the beguiling, brilliant, and loveable heroine of Elizabeth McKenzie’s novel in stories, Stop That Girl, from her early childhood alone with her mother to her adulthood, where we leave her alone with her son, which for Ann is the perfect way to be:
If our tribe had been driven off the earth, if Will and I were the only ones left, then we’d eventually have to learn the customs of those around us. Of course. We were cooperative, reasonable types. But would there be any reason to rush?
The strength of this book lies in Ann–that we believe in her, hope for her future, and, ultimately, that we fall in love with her. She is not perfect–far from it. Even as a child she acts out and behaves in a way that we might otherwise feel inappropriate, and yet there is something so winning in her manner that you can’t help but feel everything she does is the right thing.
Some readers might find holes in time between stories, but I found that the author handled the transitions deftly and left us with just the information we needed. Not too much, just enough. All in all, a truly enjoyable read.
myfanwy collins 