Book review: The Improbable Life of Ricky Bird by Diane Connell

The Improbable Life of Ricky Bird was recommended to me as a ‘strange’ read, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect from it.

It turns out that it was an engrossing read about a tumultuous time in the life of a 14-year-old who moves to a new estate after the break up of her parents’ relationship.

While dealing with the family breakdown, Ricky also faces an even bigger problem as her beloved brother develops an illness that leaves him bed-bound.

Diane Connell really captured the storm inside Ricky’s head as her life changed and those she loved were no longer by her side (she missed her Dad and resented her mother’s new boyfriend).

There was also tenderness in Ricky’s life that helped her endure her new struggles, with an estate garden providing her solace and a writing class enabling her to express her creativity. Her young brother, wise beyond his years, is also a source of love and solace for Ricky as she finds herself braving the social wilds of her new home.

I also enjoyed the depiction of the spikiness and betrayal of teenage girls who each struggled to maintain their own place in the social heirarchy. I found the way the girls spoke to each other hilarious at times, but also often troubling and sad. One particularly beautiful girl obsessed over her perceived flaws while another led by her mother’s example in lording it over those who betrayed any sense of weakness.

In the end, there is great sadness alongside the humour and beauty of the novel, along with its strangeness.