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The Icarus girl by Helen Oyeyemi
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The Icarus girl

by Helen Oyeyemi, Bahni Turpin (Narrator)

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9422822,187 (3.47)44
Truly creepy and definitely not something I’ve read before. I was very interested in the glimpses of Yoruban Nigerian culture and system of beliefs. Jessamy’s point of view was compelling, and my feelings toward her went from tender to traumatized to terrified and back again. Though I found the narrative oddly meandering and episodic and the ending abrupt and unsatisfying, I would still recommend this for its utterly believable child’s narrative voice and its utterly believable horror. ( )
  Charon07 | Jul 16, 2021 |
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Showing 25 of 25
Truly creepy and definitely not something I’ve read before. I was very interested in the glimpses of Yoruban Nigerian culture and system of beliefs. Jessamy’s point of view was compelling, and my feelings toward her went from tender to traumatized to terrified and back again. Though I found the narrative oddly meandering and episodic and the ending abrupt and unsatisfying, I would still recommend this for its utterly believable child’s narrative voice and its utterly believable horror. ( )
  Charon07 | Jul 16, 2021 |
I seem to have gone in reverse order, reading Oyeyemi’s latest book first, and reading her first novel second, but at least I was a bit more prepared for the oddness of her narratives this time around. Once again, her chosen protagonist is a young, troubled girl, but the supernatural elements of the story played a more central role in exploring the themes around psychology and childhood behaviour. It is unclear whether Jessamy is truly schizophrenic (I don’t think so), or whether her demons are a part of the outside world and have latched on to her since she is the only person who can see them. Her story starts out simply enough, with a trip to Nigeria to visit her mother’s extended family, but Jessamy develops a friendship with a girl who it seems pretty clear to readers is not of this world. I’m no expert on African mythology, but the idea of deceased family members (especially twins) coming back as ghostly beings of varying power is common to most mythos and it was immediately clear that Titiola was some sort of familiar spirit who had latched on to Jessamy. At the beginning of the story she seems friendly enough, but Jess is an isolated child at this point, and once she begins to stand up for herself against the schoolyard bully, get counselling for her behavioural problems, and makes a real friend the behavior of Titiola becomes increasingly unpredictable and selfish. The climax of the story comes in waves of sorts, as Jessamy realizes that Titiola is not looking out for her best interests and is uncontrollable, but Oyeyemi leaves readers on the edge of their seats as the story ends with Jess gathering her psychological strength to face her rival in the midst of a coma but not revealing the outcome. In some ways I’m annoyed by this ending, but it leaves me in mind of the often unrealized finales of most fairytales whose conclusions have been lost to time, so ultimately I’m left rather enjoying this tale. ( )
  JaimieRiella | Feb 25, 2021 |
Deliciously creepy. I was underwhelmed by the ending, though. I would like to have known more about TillyTilly. Obviously, the Grandfather knew SOMETHING. It felt that there was a rich story buried in there and I wish it had been further explored. ( )
  kohrmanmj | Sep 21, 2020 |
Odd story. The writing was good but I didn't care for the characters. ( )
  Siubhan | Feb 28, 2018 |
There was a touch of 'magical realism' about this book, and normally that would put me off right from the start, but in this case once we got to the bit where Jess and her friend TillyTilly are invisible and poking around in the house of the school bully, I was gripped. It didn't matter how improbable the whole thing was, it was top entertainment!

I liked the way the story touched on Nigerian culture, particularly surrounding the birth of twins, however I wish this area had been explored more, rather than the endless stream of supernatural incidents which the book became. ( )
  jayne_charles | Dec 27, 2016 |
this book, and this author, are so good. interesting themes about identity and belonging, but i was especially into the ideas of reality, mythology, and the realm of the mind. there are some things that she brought up that i was looking forward to hearing more about ("Sometimes it can be hard to really love someone or something when you can't see anything of yourself in them" regarding Jesus being depicted as white) that weren't revisited. but i'm not sure that is really a complaint or a lack in this book, that there are so many things she covers, but i think more shows her ability and her knowledge. i'm super impressed by her and am seriously blown away that she was about 18 when she wrote this.

i loved this book from the first page, and wasn't disappointed at any point throughout. ( )
  overlycriticalelisa | Jan 17, 2016 |
Jessamy Wuraola Harrison is eight, the child of a Nigerian immigrant author, Sarah, and an English accountant father, Daniel. Jess is precocious, intensely verbal and disarmingly sensitive. She is awash with feelings and emotions that she doesn’t understand or even accept. And she can’t even put into words the depths of her fears. So when, while on a visit to her Nigerian grandfather’s compound, she meets a little girl who seems to just ‘get’ her, Jess is understandably delighted and a bit in awe. Moreover, Titiola, who Jess calls TillyTilly, appears to have remarkable powers. TillyTilly can open locked doors, float in the air, appear at an instant and is willing to put her powers to use at Jessy’s behest (even if Jessy doesn’t say she wants this) in order for Jess’s enemies to be ‘got’. When TillyTilly shows up in London after Jess’s Nigerian summer holiday, Jess is at first over the moon. But soon she is a bit frightened at what TillyTilly is capable of. And soon enough, terrified.

Bracketed by sections set in Nigeria, the lengthy middle section of this intriguing novel takes place in London. We follow Jess through her unhappy school year, her tantrums and friendships, and her numerous ‘illnesses’. Clearly something is wrong with Jess, but her parents are at a loss as to what it might be. And while light begins to shine on various areas of her life, the source of Jess’s internal strife remains obscure. This might be an account of childhood mental illness. Or it might be an intrusion into the real world by the not entirely real. Or, it might be ancient Nigerian spirits wreaking havoc.

This is Helen Oyeyemi’s first novel, which was written when she was a teenager. As such, it displays remarkable agility and imaginative power. It may also suffer from a certain degree of exuberance and meandering (in the middle section). But if you set aside the precociousness of the writing, you’ll still be left with a remarkable tale of cross-cultural conflicts and anxieties, and a sensitive treatment of the switchback emotional confusions of childhood. In the end, the reader is left bemused, perhaps, and possibly a bit anxious. But not disappointed. Oyeyemi’s career will be a pleasure to watch develop. Gently recommended. ( )
1 vote RandyMetcalfe | Aug 10, 2015 |
Lovely, creepy ghost story eight-year-old Jess finds herself in when she meets a strange girl while visiting her grandparents and extended family in Nigeria. It turns out that the strange friend she makes also follows her back home, and she finds out more about herself and her friend back in England.

I love Jess, who is one of the best-written small children that I've encountered. She is stubborn, likeable, and complex. I read this more or less in one sitting and found it very worthwhile. I can imagine that it draws heavily on Yoruba traditions, especially those around twins, which, being completely ignorant of them myself, I sadly didn't recognise. ( )
  Mothwing | Feb 15, 2015 |
The Icarus Girl is a strange story about a lonely eight-year-old girl named Jessamy (Jess) who acquires an imaginary friend/double/doppelganger/ghost twin/personal demon/evil spirit she calls TillyTilly. Like most such beings, TillyTilly can be a good companion when she wants to be, but, more often than not, she is jealous and destructive. Lots of mysterious things happen and there is always plenty of screaming when TillyTilly's around. Only Jess can see TillyTilly, and the girl's British father and Nigerian mother believe that Jess does all the bad things she blames on her invisible friend, such as smashing her mother's computer and pushing another girl down the stairs.

I have mixed feelings about this novel, which according to the jacket copy "draws on Nigerian mythology to present a strikingly original variation on a classic literary theme, the existence of 'doubles', both real and spiritual, who play havoc with our perceptions and our lives." I feel sorry for young Jess. TillyTilly is an impossible burden to bear, and Jess's distracted parents are clueless about their daughter's anguish. The writing is generally good, and I particularly liked the descriptions of Jess's mother's family's everyday life in Nigeria (where soft drinks are called "minerals" and a delicacy called "puff-puff" is considered a real treat), but the scenes involving TillyTilly are over-the-top. Despite its literary aspirations, The Icarus Girl is essentially a rewrite of "Living Doll," the Twilight Zone episode in which a character played by Telly Savalas is tormented by his stepdaughter's doll/doppelganger "Talky Tina".

A final note: although the title "The Icarus Girl" implies a story of overreaching ambition and failure, these themes are not present in the book. There are no references to Greek mythology that I could find, either.

I chose this book because I liked the cover, which depicts a young, resolute girl carrying feathered wings. However, unless I'm missing something, the cover, like the title, has nothing to do with the book's content. ( )
1 vote akblanchard | Jan 30, 2015 |
I am not sure what it was about this book that didn't engage me. I have to admire the fact that it was written when the author was in her last year at secondary school. And there is some very good writing in this novel. But somehow the book just misses the mark.

The premise is interesting, if familiar, and suited to magic realism. A highly sensitive and imaginative child divided between cultures (the Nigerian of her mother and white British of her father) goes visit her grandfather in Nigeria where she meets TillyTilly who may or may not be a figment of her imagination, who may or may not be a ghost or spirit of her dead twin. But the book's ending comes in a rush and doesn't resolve matters. It leaves you in mid-air. I have no problem with ambiguity, I wouldn't like magic realism if I had, but this ending did not work. I think that as a white Brit I probably needed more clarity about the Nigerian folk beliefs that lie behind the story.

The book is written very much from the point of view of Jess, although on a few occasions the viewpoint slips, for example becoming that of Jess' friend Shivs, before flicking back to Jess once more. Whilst having a single person point of view can strengthen a book and the reader's empathy with the main character, it can also cause problems. As Jess is alienated from her friends, teachers and parents, so I found my understanding of them tended to be limited and two dimensional. The other problem was that I lost empathy for Jess, who came over as a hysterical and possibly manipulative little girl.

I realize this review has been pretty negative so far but the book does have a lot going for it, including some lovely writing. The concept is ambitious and the subject matter - sisters, friends (imaginary and otherwise), twins, alienation and dual nationality - is promising (maybe the writer was trying to do too much as is so often the case with a first book) and overall I would give the book three stars, were this a blog that graded books. It's just that I have read some incredible books as part of this challenge and I would recommend you read them first. ( )
  ZEBrooks | Aug 22, 2013 |
And when he'd gone, the ibeji statue
(dull unbelieved-in wood)
guarded the corner for the little twin who needed its help
needed the forgiveness it brought
needed to win
more than ever.


This is the story of 8-year-old Jessamy Harrison, the troubled daughter of a Nigerian mother and an English father, and what happens when they go to Nigeria on holiday for the first time, to stay with her mother's family. I loved this wonderfully poetic book, and can't believe that the author wrote it while she was still at school. ( )
  isabelx | Mar 16, 2011 |
Very good. Reminded me a bit of The Yellow Wallpaper, Anansi Boys, and something else I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe The Salt Roads? Something else though, I think.
After stupidly going to bed at four o'clock in the morning last night, I stayed awake till 7 reading this. Then I wouldn't get up in the morning until I nearly had it finished. ( )
  mollydot | Jan 6, 2011 |
Jessamy Harrison, the child of a British father and a Nigerian mother, is a sensitive, intelligent, and altogether difficult child. Prone to reading Shakespeare and writing haiku at the tender age of 8, she is also antisocial and regularly throws screaming tantrums that literally make her feverish and ill. Her mother, concerned that her mixed-race child has no connection to Nigeria, takes Jess to visit her extended family there. Making few connections other than to her beloved grandfather, Jess feels almost as isolated in Nigeria as in England. When she meets a Nigerian girl about her own age, therefore, Jess is desperate to make friends. Nicknaming her new friend TillyTilly because she has trouble pronouncing her Yoruba name, Jess throws herself wholeheartedly into making TillyTilly like her. After Jess and her family return to England, however, the strange and fey TillyTilly shows up there as well, claiming her family has moved into the area. Jess is too thrilled by having her friend back to really question that story, or even to question why no one but she herself ever seems to see TillyTilly. Soon, their friendship turns cruel and obsessive as TillyTilly demonstrates a strange knowledge of dark magic and darker secrets and Jess begins to realize that her friend is no friend at all, but might just be a spirit out of Yoruba myth—or might be a repressed part of Jess’s own psyche.

Dark, disturbing, and creepily ambiguous, “The Icarus Girl” adroitly captures the confusion and fear of an intelligent, but young, child thrust into situations beyond her ability to grasp. The mingling of Yoruba myth and Western psychology is apt and compelling. ( )
1 vote kmaziarz | Apr 15, 2010 |
An exquisite story. ( )
  katcat | May 17, 2009 |
Excerpt from www.HomeGirl.typepad.com:
I didn't go to sleep last night. I got into bed and attempted to read my chapter or two and ended up reading until I was done...at 5 o'clock in the morning! Every time I finished one chapter, I had to read the next and then the next.

FULL REVIEW:
http://homegirl.typepad.com/home_girl/2005/12/the_icarus_girl_1.html ( )
  HomeGirlQuel | Apr 14, 2009 |
Its a good book. I think it has less description than The Lights Go On Again but its very good. ( )
  7B._.Carmen | Nov 4, 2008 |
The story of a precocious 8 year-old girl seemingly unable to cope with the pressures of skipping a grade, The Icarus Girl opened strong and certainly captured my interest. Told from the perspective of the main character Jess, the story unfolds in an appropriately disjointed fashion as she moves between England and Nigeria. Her internalization of Nigerian folk-tales as she attempts to process emerging family secrets is well-drawn, and I certainly felt her pain as her world fractures around her. Ultimately though, I was disappointed with the deus-ex-machina ending and the total lack of resolution of any of the questions raised in the novel. The story was haunting, and Oyeyemi skillfully built tension with her talented prose, but those skills seemed to evaporate in the final 25-page section of the book. Regardless, the book was a good read, and probably rates 3.5 stars. ( )
1 vote ForeignCircus | Oct 20, 2008 |
Firstly, I didn't like it a lot.But the ending was really amazing.There were times when I felt anxious and amazed thanks to the atmosphere that the writer had created.Good work ( )
  actinie | Sep 26, 2008 |
Fairly compelling book, but seemed to lack structure. It drifted from incident to incident and nothing really changed. It seemed that it didn't matter what the characters learned or how they changed because their situations still remained the same until the very end which was slightly frustrating.
  Kiora | May 22, 2007 |
This book is about a young girl who is troubled in many ways. During a visit to her mother's native Nigeria, the girl encounters an "imaginary friend" who causes different sorts of trouble. Interesting but bizarre. ( )
  Libdragon | Apr 10, 2007 |
There's a cracking hundred pages or so where the realistic and fantastic are held in balance. Not so good on either side. ( )
  priamel | Apr 1, 2007 |
Superb first novel - mysterious, chilling, emotional yet bizarrely authentic. Oyeyemi shows potential. ( )
1 vote jomango | Dec 27, 2006 |
During the first few chapters the narrative has the same feel as Life of Pi, in that it is not clear whether what is happening is actually all in the narrator's head/imagination, or real. The style of writing is very good (and this from a 18 year-old!), this is an enjoyable read. The story raises lots of questions, with the answers (or at least some of them) being slowly revealed as the plot progresses. All the characters feel very real, especially Jess’s dominating/distracted mother, her quiet father, her obnoxious cousin Dulcie, and her unkind schoolfriends. And who is TillyTilly? What is TillyTilly?
Having now finished the book I can report that the story held together well until the final 1/3rd of the book where it all got a bit muddling; the ending failed to deliver a satisfactory conclusion, which was disappointing.

http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/review.cfm?id=84612005 ( )
  murraymint11 | Sep 18, 2006 |
Great book, although a bit scary. Definitely need to read it again. ( )
  sandraany | Aug 22, 2006 |
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