"The good thing about telling stories: you can change them as you wish."

Seven-teen year old, orphaned Rhiannon Morgan spontaneously decides to runaway from her Aunt Diana's home, located in a small Welsh village called Llandymna. Taking very little with her, she finds shelter in the woodland near by and begins to create a new life for herself.

Diana Morgan is well known and respected (and even a bit feared) due to her position on Llandymna's community council. The disappearance of her niece causes a string of events that unearth some ugly truths buried deep within this small village's history. Although the past may be painful to dig up, it may just give the villagers the hope they need to overcome it and the courage to move on.

[author:Claire Wong|10046233]'s debut novel [book:The Runaway|34231866] is told from two alternating POV's: Rhiannon's (first person) and that of the other villagers written in a third person perspective. The world building is good and the characters become more fleshed out as the story progresses.

Who hasn't fantasized about running away from home as a child? I know I did, and into a forest too! (I always thought all the magic laid deep in wooded areas, haha) I never acted on it though, because truthfully it was more so the adventure I wanted rather than to leave home forever.... But still. I did. I would plan everything out, and dream up the different adventures I'd go on.

Despite the small similarity between the MC and I, I didn't feel I could relate to her very much. She was just months away from her 18th birthday, and the decisions she made seemed a bit immature for her age. Since nothing was planned, she just grabed the nearest bag to her and flees. Luckily for her, it was one of her old camping packs, but it contained very little: a sleeping bag, a lighter, a folding pan, an empty water bottle, and some food. Yes, she managed to survive in the woods on her own, but her instinct for survival and her reasons for leaving should have been stronger for her age. I could understand if she lived in an abusive household, but it was just stressful.

She said she wanted to feel respected and to be seen as an adult. If she would've waited until her 18th birthday, she could have moved out and showed everyone that she was capable of adult responsibilities in a more productive way. Yes, as a child I did fantasize about running away from home, but as I got older my fantasies became more realistic. By the time I Was 17/18 years old I was dreaming up what colleges I'd like to go to, what career path I would take and what sort of house I would one day buy. Everyone's different, and everyone matures at different ages, but it was hard to see Rhiannon as an almost 18 year old. I would have been able to ignore her age, if only the fact that her 18th birthday didn't keep coming up. Then again, I'm a mom, so maybe I'm putting too much thought into this?

I did love the role of story telling in this book and the impact the myths and folklore had on the village. The stories that Maebh, Nia and Rhiannon tell through out the story are entertaining. Maebh's are the most interesting because she's been in Llandymna for a very long time, and her stories have a lot of truth to them. I also enjoyed the stories Rhiannon made up while she was alone in the forest, and the character she looked up to from a story that she grew up listening to, Sparrow girl.

This contemporary novel by Claire Wong shows why you should never runaway from your problems - whether it be by literally running away, or figuratively. The Runaway sends an important message that all teens and YA readers could benefit from. This is a light read with some mystery and good pacing.



**** I received an eBook copy of this title via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. **** ( )

Rhiannon lives in a small Welsh village on the edge of a dense forest. She never knew her father and her mother died years ago so Rhiannon has been brought up by her aunt. Relations become more strained and shortly before her 18th birthday Rhiannon walks out. She enters the forest and realises that she could actually survive for quite a while on her own, so she does. Meanwhile in the village, new arguments and visitors threaten to reveal secrets kept for a generation or more.

This book tries to bridge the gap between young adult and normal fiction and at times it succeeds very well. The plot is unrealistic - Rhiannon has one lighter but manages to keep a fire during for weeks, she tames a sparrowhawk and she survives on damsons and nuts - but there is a trajectory about outsiders. I really liked the way that the ancient tales wove themselves into the narrative. Overall this is not a bad book, it just tried a little too hard to be all things to all and did not succeed for me. ( )

The power of story is one of the main themes of Claire Wong’s debut novel, The Runaway. Stories can hurt or heal, convict or cover up, bring peace or create turmoil. And as story is the center of her novel, it is only right that she has produced a well-crafted novel with a fairy tale-like essence. Beautiful prose, complex and compelling characters, and a story to make you ponder — all elements in this highly recommended book.

Rhiannon is desparate to escape the village that confines her body and imagination. After a shouting match with her aunt, Rhiannon runs to the forest that borders the town of Llandymna. Dyrys Wood is the place of legends and folklore and the place Rhiannon believes will bring her peace and comfort. But Llandymna is not far enough away for a true escape.

As stated above, Wong’s prose is beautifully articulated with a once upon a time quality, although the time period is contemporary. The confining village of Llandymna and the vastness of the forest can be felt by the reader. Sense of place is very important in The Runaway and is almost a secondary character. Real characters, main and secondary, are well-developed with relatable emotions and motives. Pettiness and nobility are on display within the pages of this novel and certainly mirror real life. The book is told in Rhiannon’s first person perspective, as well as a third person point of view — very effective in bringing about a complete narrative. This book contains several runaways, some new and others from the forgotten past. All bring perspective on the characters’ willingness to see the truth as they want it displayed.

The Runaway is a bit of a coming of age story, for both the main characters and the village itself. Village life is rather simple, yet below the surface, undeniably complex There is much to think about, making this book a good choice for book clubs.

Highly Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: older teens to adults.

(Thanks to Kregel and Lion Hudson for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )