Reader Wants Protagonist to Escape His Grief

7 - PARRY SOUND NORTH STAR • Wednesday May 13, 2009 Reader wants protagonist to escape his grief BY CHARLOTTE STEIN the life that is in store for her. but it is Kit who loves him. It is Tamsin a way out of his grief, into healing, and into As a young teen Lewis’ life becomes an who plays with Lewis, and in manipulating life. There were a couple of opportunities escalating spiral of self-destruction. And Lewis she is infuriating her father. And along the way when someone could have The Outcast by Sadie Jones drinking. The time is the 1950s – there Lewis is finding it more and more difficult made a huge difference in Lewis’ life if The Outcast, a first novel by Sadie Jones, was a lot of social drinking – and much to cope – he’s been in trouble for fighting they’d only held him, or expressed their won the prestigious British Costa Book beyond. Lewis takes a drink for the first time and Gilbert is threatening that there will love and concern. Sadie Jones, herself, Award (formerly the Whitbread Award) for “The drink felt hot in his empty stomach. be consequences: “If Lewis was careful, in interviews says repeatedly “he’ll be best First Novel in 2008, and was shortlisted He felt his throat burning dryly…. the he could keep it all under control, and alright, he’ll be alright.” for the Orange Prize. This usually indicates hit of it in his blood and his heart felt it still get by at school, just about. He just I hope he is, and I thank Sadie Jones to me that this is a novel worth reading. too. The hit went through him and it was has to balance it right. He just had to for her insight, and for this intensely The Outcast was no exception. dangerous and comforting….His thoughts keep control.” absorbing book. It is August 1957 and 19-year-old Lewis were slowed down, and the repetitive, At a local gathering “Lewis sat at the card Aldridge has been released from prison. loathing rush of them eased. He lifted the table by the window and went invisible”. He takes himself to Victoria Station in bottle and drank some more. …He knew By April 1955 it is all coming to a head. London and heads home, to a village in he’d found something then. He knew he’d When Lewis sits in church with his father the south of England. found something that worked.” and stepmother he looks around at the We now go back in time to Lewis’ If you ever want to comprehend what congregation – what sort of lives to do all childhood, idyllic at first. He is an only is going through the mind of a self- these people have. child, his father off at war in the beginning, destructive teen read this book. It has “None of these children knew anything, Community Living Parry Sound coming home when Lewis is a young boy. left me with a better understanding of the and they thought tiny things important and would like to thank Those years of the war had left Lewis pain and the overwhelming need for love cried over test results and cricket scores. and his mother alone together, forming a and understanding required to heal the He was locked out of it. He couldn’t even Mike and the staff at strong bond. Lewis is ten years old when broken heart of a child – and perhaps to remember when he’d had any idea how to his mother suddenly dies; he is more than save them from self-destruction. live like other people seemed to live.” Wellington’s devastated. Gilbert Aldridge is employed by his Lewis snaps and the consequence is Families deal with grief and tragedy neighbour, the wealthy Dickey Carmichael. that he is imprisoned. Pub and Grill in all sorts of ways, often not capable of Dickey is the husband of Claire – who he We re-join the story where we began and for making the giving each other the support they need beats; father of Tamsin - the beautiful, move forward. Tamsin is the first to see – and in this case no one was able to give the perfect and spoiled daughter; and Kit Lewis on his return, as he walks along the 10th Annual Breakfast young Lewis the care, attention, and love - the younger daughter who is never good road she pulls up in her car and offers him that he so desperately required. enough. Tamsin and Kit are well aware a ride home – and he re-enters the world with the Mayor His father, Gilbert, found it very difficult of their father’s abuse; “Dickey often hit he left. The last place he needs to be. a huge success! to be with Lewis, to be so reminded of his Claire, it was his habit, and part of the As I read, I so badly wanted this boy to find 517773 wife, that he spent as little time as possible pattern of the family, and it wasn’t even with his son. Most of the year Lewis was questioned between them at all.” at a boarding school where his mother’s At the age of six, Kit imagined killing death was never referred to, and at home him and thought that God would then tell Thank You in the holidays with his father “the silence her father that he is “a very very bad man The Avery Seca Youth In Sports Foundation around her memory had become so brittle and I’m going to send you to hell.” It is and dangerous that neither dared break Kit who later suffers her father’s abuse, Thank you for your generous support of the 2nd Annual Golf it.” Gilbert quickly re-marries; Alice, a as she grows older. Tournament held July 19, 2008. The Foundation was fortunate to be able young and innocent girl, with no idea of It is Tamsin that Lewis is attracted to, to assist 15 youth the opportunity to play organized sports. Anderson Lumber - Sundridge Jeremy Schumacher Construction - Huntsville Anonymous - Sundridge Kelly Reid - Party Lite - Whitby Aunt Olive and Aunt Dot - Janetville Kidds Home Hardware - Sundridge Bill Buck & family - Markham Kinsman Club - Parry Sound Bill & Greg DeVries - Sundridge Lynda & John Blackmore - Sundridge Boston Café Hockey Team - Parry Sound Lynn Mantha Branham Family - Midland Marshall Well Drilling - Emsdale Bray Motors - Sundridge Mike Turner, Accountant - Burk’s Falls Brite Manufacturing - Bolton Morgan Construction - Parry Sound Cameron Dempster Northridge Inn - Sundridge - SWS Summer Water Sports Novar Boys Canadian Auto Workers - Toronto Opatovsky Funeral Home - Sundridge Crystalle Laamenen Rose Point Contracting - Great Slave Helicopters Royal Bank - Sundridge Danny’s Pasta - Sundridge Royal Bank Staff - Sundridge Denise & Randy Leighton - South River Sally & Alden Moore - Sundridge DePeuters Decorating - Sundridge Seguin Bruins - Humphrey Donohue family - Toronto Sherri & Kirby Macintosh - Sundridge Donna & Jim MacLachlan - Sundridge Silverscreen Printing - Sundridge Double Decker - Sundridge Sobey’s - Parry Sound Eagle Lake Golf Club - South River Sonja & J. C. Doyle - South River Earl Ferguson Construction - Port Carling South River Foodland Ed Campbell Construction - Minett Stillar Family - Sundridge Enzo’s Pizza & Subs - Sundridge Ten Gables Golf - Sundridge The Flower Garden - Sundridge Wendigo Lake Expeditions - South River Hidden Valley Resort - Huntsville Wes & Jan Parent - Midland Howard Wager - South River Westburne Ruddy Electric - Parry Sound Independent Grocers - Huntsville Wolf Den - Parry Sound Ingrid O’Gorman - South River Zak’s - Sundridge Carli Whitwell/North Star The 2009 Golf Tournament will be held July 18, 2009 Leading by example at The Ridge Golf Club in Sundridge. William Beatty music teacher William McArton leads the school’s band as they fundraise for For inormation on the Tournament or if you wish to donate their trip to Musicfest Canada in Markham. Along with Rotary volunteers, on a rainy Saturday to this charity, please contact: Serena Wager 705-386-2120 the school raised $430 for their trip. They left Tuesday morning and return tonight. The Avery Seca Youth In Sports Foundation is now a Registered Charity 516697 464191.

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