Faraway Girl

Faraway Girl is the 19th published book from Fleur Beale, the author of the renowned I Am Not Esther. Beale has taken a very different route with Faraway Girl, delving into the world of time-traveling science fiction. Our main character Etta is struggling with her brother Jamie's sudden illness, when a mysterious girl from 1869 materialises in her family's kitchen. Constance is desperately trying to escape her arranged marriage back in 1869. It turns out, the time travel goes both ways, and the girls' problems are more interconnected than they realise.

However, Beale has deftly avoided this throughout. The idea of each girl going to the others' time was highly enjoyable. I was slightly confused as to why they flaunted the fact that they were time travelling to other people (time warp, anybody?) but I am willing to forgive this in favour of a fresh take on the genre.

Unfortunately, the language rubbed me the wrong way nearly immediately. The WTF from the third paragraph instantly threw me off. The impression was that the author was trying to appeal to the younger generation that this book is meant for. As part of that younger generation, it can be a bit iffy when authors do this. There is a fine line between being cool and relatable, and unrealistic and patronising. From the outside, this boundary can be hard to perceive, and I personally much prefer to see the world through the eyes of an older author. Unfortunately, there were several other instances of this throughout, but the usage did seem to decrease as the book went on.

One last note on this subject, and one I believe to be very important. Everybody, particularly women, please be mindful that this book does contain themes of sexual assault, toxic relationships, and predatory men. These are all important themes that need more visibility and are a reality of the period much of this book is set in (our current times also). So, I bring this up partly as a trigger warning, and partly to start a conversation. While these themes are brought up, they aren't always handled with appropriate gravity or sensitivity.

One such is example is the offhand phrase 'not in a #MeToo way'. Without giving too much away, this is used when Etta notices a man looking at her and this is how she describes his gaze. Why Beale couldn’t have just written ‘not in a creepy way’, I have no idea. #MeToo is an incredibly important step in combating sexual abuse. It is women standing up for themselves using the tools they have been equipped with. It is not a verb. It is a movement. It is real human experiences, experiences that should never be appropriated, regardless of the author's gender. The lens of appropriation is very personal to every reader, and this is simply my take. So, if you disagree, that's fine, but just please be aware.

I cannot comment much on characters, because there simply isn't much to say. I can tell you a lot about what they did, but I can tell you next to nothing about who they are as people. The book was mostly plot driven, and the characters were never really fleshed out. Between the two main characters, I gravitated to Constance more. Her spirit and determination were inspiring, and it was great to see her grow in confidence throughout the book. I did also enjoy watching the friendship between Etta and Constance blossom, despite their rocky start.

Even though the book was meant to be plot driven, it didn't truly kick in until the last third of the book. Once it did, I couldn't wait to find out what happened. Because of the intriguing concept, the plot had the ability to be suspenseful right from the start, but it got there eventually. I think that if the connection between Etta's dreams and Jamie's sickness was not handed to the reader immediately, there would have been more plot tension. There were also times that I predicted the events, but that is what happens when you read a book written for younger readers.

In addition, the narrative style was slightly confusing at times. It was mainly third person limited, meaning the reader was experiencing the plot in third person, but only with the knowledge that Etta had. However, at times it seemed to slip into Constance's perspective. For example, one chapter was started with the quote ‘Constance thought for a terrifying moment...’. Obviously, Etta can’t read Constance’s mind, so this was a bit disorientating. I think this was simply a symptom of not much character development, and it did not hugely affect the story.

There was one thing that I found particularly interesting about this book. While it was published in 2022, the story was set in 2019. This is either an insight into how long it takes to get a book written and published, or a decision that Beale made for narrative purposes. Jamie's illness wouldn't have been as effective if everybody was catching COVID-19. This was still a largely mysterious sickness in 2020, a year which Beale has completely skipped over. Of course, these time discrepancies wouldn't catch my eye if it had been any other time period. Either way, how much the world changed in 2020 is an interesting thought that doesn't pass through our minds very often in 2025.

In conclusion, this book is a nice read. You can whip through it in a day or two without it taking over too much of your life and brain space. Aside from some light language and references to sexual abuse, the book is suitable for YA readers. If you prefer to be challenged or completely absorbed by your book, this is perhaps not the book for you and that is okay. While this book didn't suit my tastes, not every book is for everybody. That is why we need so many authors! However, if you need a light read, I hope you enjoy your time travel adventure.

- Nell is 17, homeschooled, and lives in Dunedin