Review: A Memorable Journey
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 16, 2014
Annie, the main character in Jigsaw, is a delightfully honest young girl. She's grappling with the angst of adolescence, and yet in many ways she's already mature enough to see through the pretence and hypocrisy of world around her. She's Norwegian, and has come to England to live with her mother following the breakup of her parent's marriage. It's a difficult adjustment along with all the rest involved in finding her way in her school, and the world around her. Her classmates are spiteful in their teasing and lack of acceptance of her. When a teacher introduces her to the poetry of WW1, Annie becomes fascinated by the young poets and the terrible circumstances in which they poured out their anguish in their poetry.When she finds she's been allotted a work placement in an old people's home, Annie is deflated but soon finds consolation in the staff, and a veteran of WW1 who doesn't speak. He always draws the same picture. It depicts the horror he witnessed when he served in the war.There's an important thread running through the story of one of Annie's fellow student's who has committed suicide. Nobody knows why. There seems to be no motive. Annie is set on discovering the answer to this and becomes ever more drawn into the mystery, which eventually threatens her own life.The story is complex and holds you through all the twists, turns, joys and sorrows of Annie's journey of self discovery. She's feisty, intelligent and caring, as well as uncertain of her own worth in a world that is bewildering to her. She finds the war poetry helps her through her own brand of war with the world. Finally, she comes to a place of peace through the solution of the mystery she's been trying to solve and by finding the last piece of the jigsaw of the war veteran she has grown to love.This fascinating tale has so much to offer on many levels. It will keep you turning the pages long after you've got to a stopping place at the end of a chapter, so go to bed early or you'll look like hell in the morning. On the other hand it's worth it!!!