The shelves of McKay Library in Adelphia Memorial Hall hold more than just extra copies of assigned reading books. Scattered across the tables and shelves in the library are a host of amazing novels and many popular young adult books. There are genres for all your reading tastes, so whether you are looking for a “crossover between Sherlock Holmes and Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” or a “unique and wonderful picture of adolescence,” the library has something for you.
The latter descriptor was used by a critic of the novel The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Anne Foley. Indeed, the novel is a very real translation of what it is like to be a teenager. Set in 1993, the heroine of the story is sixteen year old Maggie Lynch, a Chicago native forced to move to Bray, Ireland when her mother remarries. Left behind in Chicago are Maggie’s grandmother, Nanny Ei, and her more-like-an-older-brother Uncle Kevin. Spending time with Uncle Kevin makes Maggie feel like an adult, and it is his friendly phone calls and care packages that keep her from being crushed by loneliness in her new home. The only other thing keeping Maggie afloat in Ireland is a boy, Eoin (pronounced like Owen), who makes Maggie feel like she could belong in Bray someday.
The time period is easy to relate to and helps provide context for Maggie’s fashion and music tastes. Very frequently mentioned are flannel shirts, Doc Martins, and Kurt Cobain. Sound familiar? The (less familiar) lack of social media in the nineties makes Maggie’s time in Bray seem even more lonely, while the Nirvana craze provides a much needed outlet for her feelings. Foley truly blooms when it comes to the task of creating a realistic town in Bray. It is very easy to feel present with Maggie, listening to the rain on the roof or dancing along with the music in the town’s pub.
If a reader is searching for understanding of the complexities of teenage emotion, it will be found in The Carnival At Bray. Foley successfully and sometimes blatantly expresses the chaos of the teenage mind through Maggie. Sometimes she feels anxious when she is supposed to feel sad, or sad when she is supposed to feel angry. She often feels confused and alone, as if she constantly has to prove herself. The need to fit in and grow up often causes Maggie to make impulsive or confusing actions, resulting in some amazing adventures that help Maggie learn about the meaning of home, loyalty, and growing up.
Recommended by the Prep Library, this book is for fans of stories like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Love Letters to the Dead. Readers who enjoy the attempt at putting the experience of a teenager into words will love this book. And check out the other awesome selection of novels in the library, like 100 Sideways Miles for John Green book fanatics, and The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender for fans of Bless Me, Ultima.