The Second Life of Abigail Walker is a mesh of topics–bullying, peer pressure, self-identity and self-realization, and the psychological aftermath of war on soldiers. The protagonist, Abigail, was genuine, with real-world problems; I admired her strength and cheered for her as she learned to stand up for what she was and what she wanted.
The book was also a mesh of formats–a real-life girls’ experience alternated with that of a nebulous, fable-like fox. The format seemed a bit forced at times and the fox’s story added very little to Abby’s storyline. Throwing in a bit about the Lewis and Clark Expedition further made the book feel like a hodgepodge, rather than a seamless whole.
As usual, Frances O’Roark Dowell’s writing was solid and she has explored another real-world situation to add to her ever-growing collection.
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: 2 religious exclamations
Violence/Gore: Report of deaths in war; animal bites a character; recollection of brief image of explosion and implied deaths.
Sex/Nudity: None
Mature Subject Matter:
Post traumatic stress syndrome, war, bullying.
Alcohol / Drug Use:
An adult takes medications prescribed by a doctor.
