Alexandra and Luisa talk about Rain by Kate le Vann
When Rain goes to her grandmother's in London for the summer, she meets Harry and she finds an old diary from when her mother was her age - sixteen - the age her mother got pregnant. Together with Harry, Rain discovers her mother's old haunts. She explores a mystery that emerges from the diary pages, while her feelings for Harry grow...
A: Did I hear you read this as well? What did
you think?
L: I loved it! I thought
the characters were great and I really sympathised with Rain. I enjoyed the London
setting, too, and I could just picture Rain, Harry and Maddy hanging around in
West London.
A: The plot was really clever, I thought, mysterious
too.
L: Yes, I agree. I liked
the twists, and the way it delivered everything I expected and more.
A: Rain’s gran is great, and Harry, and I really loved
her Dad but I wanted Rain to stop crying every two chapters. Whether it
was in front of Harry, on her own, in front of strangers she just cried all the
time.
L: Oddly, I didn’t notice that,
but now you mention it, I remember! It was definitely a slightly downbeat book.
Rain was always pensive and a bit sad. She wasn’t a typical heroine, either –
she seemed so sensible and careful about everything. In some ways, she’d grown
up fast because of her mother’s death, and in other ways, she seemed immature
for her age (but not unbelievably so).
I agree about Rain’s gran; she’s
possibly one of the coolest grannies I’ve read about in a long time!
So... did you cry? I very rarely cry when I read, but I did find this
book moving, more than a lot of more obvious tearjerkers.
A: No, I didn’t, some of the shifts in the narrative
pulled me out of the story I think as I didn’t attach enough to Rain.
L: What’s your verdict overall?
I’d say it was a touching and sweet coming-of-age story, and I’d definitely
recommend it. I'm giving it a 4.
A: 4 from me, too. Solid read. Have to say I definitely appreciate the way Kate le Vann explores emotional territory. I hope to read many more books by her.
Also read a review of Tessa in Love by Kate le Vann, and watch out for Alexandra's fabulous interview with Kate le Vann, coming soon!