Review: Thyla by Kate Gordon

The Story:

There are only four things that Tessa knows about herself. Her name. That she is strong. That she is brave. That she does not cry. Found in the Tasmanian bush with no memory and strange scars on her back, Tessa wants to remember who she is, but something tells her that the truth is terrifying.

Through the kindness of Connolly, the police woman who found her, Tessa is enrolled in a prestigious boarding school where mean girls stalk the halls by day and even meaner things stalk the night. Connolly's daughter Cat went missing while on a school bush walk and though Tessa doesn't remember why she's afraid, she feels that there is a connection between herself and Cat's disappearance and in solving one mystery, she may find out who she is.

My Thoughts:

I am having major love for books by Australian authors right now. Thyla is no exception. Set in my dream location, Thyla is the story of convicts, Tasmanian tigers, centuries old feuds and a menace that left me reeling. Written as a journal entry to Connolly, the novel paints a realistic yet fantastical picture of what life in Tasmania would have been like during convict times. The author was very creative in her mingling of Australian animals and modern fantasy and anything Aussie is a huge plus in my opinion.
           Tessa is both an innocent and wise narrator and I really felt for her being stuck at a strange school with no one to depend on but herself. This novel is quite short but the action never stops and I found myself ripping through the pages wanting to know more about Tessa's story. Overall, I loved this book and am eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Rating:

8.5/10

What the?/Cover your eyes: Spoiler Alert

 I have real respect for authors who can make a love interest work without the character being in the novel much. Perrin is the epitome of less is more. Looking forward to seeing how this relationship progresses in Vulpi. 

My Image of Tessa: 

I know the novel described Tessa as having blondish hair, but thanks again to the cover I couldn't get the image of Summer Glau out of my head. This is how I pictured Tessa the whole way through.

* Belated note: Kate Gordon is super cool and has a blog! Her ramblings can be found here Kate Gordon.