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Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite
Blaming the Child by KT Bowes tells the story of Callister Rhodes, a sixteen-year-old girl growing up in New Zealand, with anything but a normal home life. After working diligently at school, she is expected to care for her two younger siblings. Since their older brother passed tragically in an accident while riding his bike, the children's mother, Marcia, has never been the same. It isn't long before this takes a toll on Calli and she confronts Marcia, asking if she ever loved her. Calli's mother reveals a horrible family secret that causes Calli to flee, seeking comfort with a Christian neighbor boy, Declan, asking him to help her run away. Together, they spend a week traversing the brush and forging a strong relationship, despite the religious differences between the two. After another unexpected discovery, Calli is found and taken back home where she begins another journey to find out who she really is and where she came from.
I was drawn in instantly to the story of Calli in Blaming the Child. The characters are so relatable and the descriptions take you to each new location. I am not ashamed to admit that I shed more than a few tears while reading this coming of age tale. Miss Bowes weaves an intoxicating story and is to be commended for this engaging plot line. I know nothing about New Zealand so it was very informative as well. I enjoyed the parts where Calli and Declan were out in the wilderness on their own, as well as the social commentary on conflicting religions and how both teenagers come to terms with this. Overall, this is an amazing read and very well written.
