Stray by Tanya Marquardt
Product description:
Brutal and beautiful, Stray is the true story of a girl who runs away and finds herself.
After growing up in a dysfunctional and emotionally abusive home, Tanya Marquardt runs away on her sixteenth birthday. Her departure is an act of rebellion and survival—whatever she is heading toward has to be better than what she is leaving behind.
Struggling with her inner demons, Tanya must learn to take care of herself during two chaotic years in the working-class mill town of Port Alberni, followed by the early-nineties underground goth scene in Vancouver, British Columbia. She finds a chosen family in her fellow misfits, and the bond they form is fierce and unflinching.
Told with raw honesty and strength, Stray reveals Tanya’s fight to embrace the vulnerable, beguiling parts of herself and heal the wounds of her past as she forges her own path to a new life.
My Review
Sometimes teen rebellion is a matter of survival.
The author does an excellent job of portraying how parents use their children as weapons in a failed relationship, and the difficulties of moving into adulthood without the life skills a young person needs and deserves.
She has some lifesaving mentors who teach her to value herself and her abilities, which strengthens her resolve to succeed.
It was well written considering this is her first novel, and that her background is as poet and playwright. There are few errors and the story line flows extremely well, making this an easy read that I was eager to return to. I would encourage Tanya to continue her storytelling using the varied experiences of her youth.
While Tanya was my favourite character, Lana came a close second as she provided help and encouragement to the struggling teen on a difficult journey.
I would recommend Stray to people who enjoy coming of age, relationship drama and autobiographies.
As an author myself I enjoy supporting other writers by reviewing their work, a
good investment of the time I put in to finish the book. If you enjoy reading
books, I would encourage you to pay it forward by leaving a few words on the
site you bought it from. Just one word is enough, although a negative comment
would be more helpful with a little explanation. Try it sometime.