Title: Alone Girl

Author: Marva Seaton

Genre: Romance

 

Amelia is a teenager living with her mother, Violet, and her mother’s boyfriend, James, in Jamaica. Amelia is taken aback by James’s frequent drunkenness and his abusive behavior toward Violet. Soon Violet announces she is expecting another child and the domestic situation begins to settle down. Amelia and Violet possess a close relationship, yet there are underlying issues which threaten to cause a rift.

Violet gave birth to Amelia at seventeen years old and the relationship that led to the pregnancy threatened a scandal and led to Violet being exiled from her family. Amelia’s questions about her father are often brushed aside. However, Amelia’s curiosity refuses to abate. Amelia has also begun to see a classmate socially, and Violet has expressed reservations about Amelia rushing into things. This concern reaches a fever pitch when Violet meets the young man.

The path of a young girl’s ascent into womanhood comes equipped with ups and downs and often shattering revelations in Marva Seaton’s moving novel. The story’s primary focus is on Amelia and her life as she progresses from high school into an uncertain future as long-kept secrets are divulged and tragedy strikes close to home. Amelia’s full growth as a character stems from her resolve in how she deals with each event.

Solitude is one of the chief elements that is dominant in the story. Initially, Amelia takes comfort in being alone with her thoughts and having another world exist in her mind. As her fate begins to change for the worse, being alone is the exact opposite of what Amelia needs. The admission of a deep-rooted secret from her mother leaves Amelia shattered and alienated. This feeling is only compounded with further misfortune. Amelia’s remoteness is understandable and further adds to her authenticity.

Secrecy is a second aspect of the narrative that consumes Amelia’s life. The author deftly portrays the dual nature of secrecy with mother and daughter. Violet keeps the paternity of Amelia to herself in order to spare Amelia pain and embarrassment. Amelia views Violet’s secrecy as a betrayal and the hurt lingers. As the circumstances in her own life begin to go sideways, Amelia begins to keep her own secrets. She wants to avoid shame and also preserve relationships with those closer to her. However, the lies of omission take a toll and threaten to undo everything in the long run. Amelia transitions from the curious teen desiring transparency to the taciturn adult resembling her own mother, which is a credible role reversal.

Amelia’s story possesses drama and romance in near equal amounts. The story’s dynamic could be further improved with more scenes between Amelia and her later boyfriend Chad as they go from classmates to a relationship over time. The addition of a scene between Violet and Amelia’s biological father would add some welcomed backstory as well.

Alone Girl may not be a traditional romance but more a coming-of-age drama with romantic undertones. Seaton has written an emotionally satisfying book that will evoke a broad range of emotions from beginning to end as Amelia’s life journey comes with laughter, tears, and pain.

 

 

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