Solace of the Road, Siobhan Dowd
Solace of the Road, Siobhan Dowd
List: $17.00 | Sale: $11.91
Club: $8.50

Solace of the Road

Author: Siobhan Dowd

Narrator: Sile Bermingham

Unabridged: 7 hr 5 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/13/2009


Synopsis

Holly’s story will leave a lasting impression on all who travel with her.

Memories of mum are the only thing that make Holly Hogan happy. She hates her foster family with their too-nice ways and their false sympathy. And she hates her life, her stupid school, and the way everyone is always on at her. Then she finds the wig, and everything changes. Wearing the long, flowing blond locks she feels transformed. She’s not Holly anymore, she’s Solace: the girl with the slinkster walk and the supersharp talk. She’s older, more confident—the kind of girl who can walk right out of her humdrum life, hitch to Ireland, and find her mum. The kind of girl who can face the world head-on.

So begins a bittersweet and sometimes hilarious journey as Solace swaggers and Holly tiptoes across England and through memory, discovering her true self and unlocking the secrets of her past.

About The Author

Siobhan Dowd lived in Oxford with her husband, Geoff, before tragically dying from cancer in August 2007, aged 47. She was both an extraordinary writer and an extraordinary person. All royalties from her books go to the Siobhan Dowd Trust, a charity set up to support the joy of reading for disadvantaged young people. Look for Bog Child also available from Listening Library.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Anna

Now, when I was researching possible books for my travel month (I say month, but I realise this month is over-running somewhat. Let's pretend no one else has noticed), I soon cottoned onto the fact that finding a comprehensive list of YA travel fiction was going to be a pretty tough task. But I do n......more

Solace of the Road is not a plot heavy book. It's a character driven story where the reader uncovers the history of 14-year-old Holly Hogan. It starts when Holly receives a foster placement after living most of her life in a care home. She doesn't really want a new home or new parents, and she const......more


Quotes

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2009:
"A last gift from Dowd."

Starred Review, Booklist, October 1, 2009:
"With rare, raw honesty, Dowd writes about the legacy of abandonment, memory's comforting tricks, and the painful, believable ways that love heals."


Awards

  • ALA Best Books for Young Adults
  • Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
  • Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year