Natalie begins to lose her sight at age eight because she was born with a congenital disease. In the story she fights the help and aids that the school and her family give her as her sight worsens. She continues to be in denial until one day the doctor says that she has to go to a "blind school" to learn skills for when the inevitable happens. Even while there, she doesn't want to admit how much worse the disability is becoming. Meanwhile, Natalie has to contend with typical teenage problems, such as losing and gaining new friends, boy interest, and school problems. While at the school, she wakes up one morning and has lost her sight. This section was particulary heartbreaking because you can't help but imagine - what if it were me?
Along with the almost docu-drama description of her life and learning the skills to cope with blindness, like Braille and a cane, there were some exciting moments too. While going to rescue a friend from a cafe, she and that friend get attacked by some men and the girls have to use the self-defense skills learned in class. Near the end of the story, she is in her parents' barn helping a goat to give birth and a bear attacks. There are a lot of interesting levels to the story. Some of them, I wish were a little more fleshed out, but all in all, a very good story.
No comments:
Post a Comment