A beautiful review for The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden

Coming Jan. 2014, available for pre-order now

"The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden is the kind of coming-of-age story that resonates. Combining teen angst with magic and a dash of mystery creates a richly layered story, and Dowding presents a heroine that readers of all ages will surely be able to relate to. Humorous and touching, The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden is like a finely-tuned musical instrument that, when thrummed, you feel in your very bones." 
Giraffe Days

What a beautiful review for my upcoming YA novel, The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden. It seems like the reviewer not only understood WHY I wrote the book, but possibly even how I wrote the book.

My favourite passage is this:

"Yet despite Gwen’s habit of blowing up at small provocations at school, she narrates her story with intelligent wit and more than a dash of irony. Like many teens, the character of Gwen is a precarious and sometimes volatile balance of childlike immaturity and wisdom, naïveté and insight, adolescent foolishness and glib artfulness. Gwen is on the cusp, and this is her coming-of-age story. What I really admired, alongside the writing itself, was Dowding’s ability to maintain this fine balance. She put Gwendolyn in situations that forced her to confront her issues, thus putting her on the path to maturity, without making her grow up too fast. Gwen was able to keep hold of her childhood; it just became richer. I’m reminded of one of my favourite characters who similarly embodies this fine line between childhood and maturity: Danny from Roald Dahl’s Danny the Champion of the World."

Thank you Shannon, I'm really honoured. And a comparison to the great Mr. Dahl, too! 

Find the full review on Giraffe Days website here.

Or visit The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden Goodreads Page, for a look at Shannon's review and others.