Review: The M Word by Brian Conaghan

 

Maggie Yates tells her best friend Moya everything. Well, that is – she used to, when Moya was alive. Now, the only way she can talk to Moya is through made up conversations in her head, but it’s better than nothing. Ever since Moya left, Maggie’s life has been a roller coaster with no brakes, and she’s barely holding on. Between being forced to see a counsellor and self-harming, to starting at a new college and her mum losing her job, Maggie’s not exactly having an easy time. To cheer her mother up, she’s come up with a plan: find a man to make mum smile.

With Moya cheering her on, Maggie is determined to remedy her mother’s depression, and get their lives back on track. Despite this, the process isn’t as easy or as gratifying as she imagined, and Maggie slowly starts to spiral further into darkness.

Hidden behind the cheerful cover of The M Word is an astonishingly raw world. And while it takes a few chapters for Maggie to find her voice and not sound like an older male author trying too hard to get into a teen’s head, once Conaghan finds his rhythm, you’ll be hooked. Between the angsty internal monologue of a teenage girl are a collection of profound, poignant and heart-breaking realizations that are all the more powerful for being hidden in plain sight. Maggie’s subconscious is a literal embodiment of the ogre/onion complex – we slowly peel away layers throughout the book to uncover the hidden truth held close to Maggie’s chest – all of her fears and insecurities. Most impressive of all is how relatable this character is – not for her potty-mouthed sass and sarcasm, but for her need to put up a front to disguise the battles raging within her.

Brian Conaghan has managed to hit every important note int his book, despite its shaky start. Between howling with laughter, quietly agreeing with the protagonist’s darkest fears, and crying your eyes out at her struggle, this book will put you through the emotional ringer, and it’s worth every second.

The M Word by Brian Conaghan is published by Bloomsbury, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.