[Updated/footnote a spoiler]
Tilly made her author debut twelve years ago with Singing Songs, the story of a family destroyed by physical and sexual abuses. Though initially billed as fiction, Tilly now says the book is far more true than false. ...
[Meg Tilly:] So I wrote Porcupine. This one is about a young girl, her father goes peacekeeping in Afghanistan. She’s Canadian. He gets killed and her mother falls apart, just unravels, and it's her trying to hold the family together.
-- Interview with Author of Gemma
I read a discussion about how some states allow insurance companies to treat domestic violence as a pre-existing condition and deny coverage, something even worse not too long ago. An appropriate topic while reading Meg Tilly, two of her books in some fashion about domestic violence. Her third book, written particularly for "young adults," also involved children (each had a narrator around twelve, her first book covering things from the time she was a little girl until around twelve) with family problems. This time there was not such abuse, each of the other two in some fashion dealing with sexual and emotional abuse. She had a lot to worry about all the same.
Meg Tilly discusses Gemma, a work of fiction unlike her more only somewhat fictionalized account of her own childhood (Singing Songs) here and here. The second link talks a bit about this organization that is "a recognized leader in therapeutic child care for the youngest victims of abuse and neglect." Tilly also discusses how she was out with her children one day and saw a mother become violent with her child. Tilly told her to stop, that even if their parents did something like that, the mom should not. The mother started to cry, but she was firm.
Fans of Tilly (who does at times sound like her sister Jennifer) would be particular struck since Meg has this soft voice about her in the movies. She also did the audio book for Gemma, which must be something to listen to ... even the opening interview's description of a reading suggests that. Many will not want to read this book. The first half is about sexual abuse ... to suggest how horrible (and I don't say this lightly) it almost seems that having to deal with her drunken mother's boyfriend molesting her is easy. I'm not fan of warning labels, but the "This book is not appropriate for anyone under the age of 15." is truer than most.
The book does something that I like -- provide different points of view of the action, via parallel first person narrators (at times, they are not speaking, but we are basically in their heads). The other narrator is the guy who kidnaps her after not being satisfied with the night with her he purchased from her mother's boyfriend for $100. Now, I tend to visualize things in my head when I read, particularly when it's fiction. But, this quality is rather difficult when dealing with a kidnapped twelve year old who is repeated physically abused, sexual abuse of every disgusting nature not enough for him. I think it is essential we do this all the same, to think as they think, or we will not truly understand. Even when dealing with such people.
[The understanding through another point of view aspect, not necessarily visualizing the specific things in their head as if you were the Profiler or something.]
But, as heartbreaking is Gemma -- she too has her own view of the world, one often as skewered next to the facts as her abusers (we view the twisted views of her mother and her boyfriend secondhand), though of course in a different sense. This helps her all the same because Gemma is often (via "Gemma travel") remove herself from things, to create her own world and survive what is happening. Gemma is also rather matter a fact about things, focusing on being hungry or her turtle, pushing back all the other bad things. In a fashion, this is how many people deal with things they cannot control. Focus on the immediate, deal with what you can.
After we cannot imagine how much more we can take, particularly after a long chapter dealing with her kidnapping closes without an end coming, it is finally over. Gemma now has to deal with the aftermath, including time in a foster home, her mother more concerned with the boyfriend, and then time with her new foster parents -- a detective involved in the case (abused as a child herself) decides to take her in. She is married but we don't learn too much about him. Again, we see things only through Gemma's eyes, including the actions of others around her. She is finally safe, though still has to deal with nightmares and terrors, finally in a good environment. Some on Amazon thought this a bit too good to be true, but I was okay with it ... others found loving foster parents too.
[The foster dad, who has a certain "Josephness" (sic), sounds interesting too. As with good movies, certain small supporting characters are fleshed out -- through other eyes of course -- well. For instance, a couple children at the foster home, or a lesbian detective (tough with a heart) who takes over the case.]
We see less of her abuser after he is shot during the capture, but there remains some flashes, him in the hospital, dealing with his lawyers, in prison, and finally in court. He continues to have his own fantasy view, one that includes a Madonna/whore view of Gemma, an idolized view mixed with one that sees her as a little slut. The book ends like Singing Songs, with a moment of clarity, but an uncertain future -- it ends with Gemma testifying against him, at first scared, but then looking at her new foster mom supporting her, allowing her to be brave and say her piece. The abuser has a new very good lawyer, but the ending of the trial is not discussed. Still, one does not see how he would get off -- even the lawyer suggested she asked for it.
Gemma's new foster mom has a spiritual view of sorts on how to deal with things. She tells Gemma that hate is not the answer, that she is not filled with hate that her own abusive father died of old age without suffering for abusing her as a child. Gemma has to live her life well, be a good person, and not let the hate win out. I think this might -- even if Gemma is totally fictional (except perhaps individual moments, like her getting a turtle) -- match Meg Tilly's own philosophy. Listening to her, it seems that it might be. And, it isn't saintly or anything. It is valid: hate can poison you. Besides, realistically, you can't really just go out and kill someone, and the system can only do just so much.
The second half of the book is somewhat more like Singing Songs in that it deals with the regular happenings of of a child in the midst of great stress. An abused child does not suddenly stop being a child, with child thoughts and dreams. This is what is particularly powerful about her books -- there is a sense of both the ordinary and sublime there, almost like how To Kill A Mockingbird is as much about childhood than race and crime. Meg Tilly has a powerful voice and I hope she writes more books. In fact, a shorter version of this one is due out next year.
Meanwhile, she has children to handle and a life to lead. Like her characters, she survived, and has the promising future they dream about.*
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* To add one thing along with the info in the brackets, the book also deals with Gemma getting pregnant, a pregnancy that ends with a miscarriage. Gemma is pressured to have an abortion, but notes that the President [you know who] was on t.v. saying abortion was wrong, even for rape, should be illegal, and he was elected and all. So, he must be right.
This was one of those dark humor moments akin to some of the fantasies the rapist has about Gemma. I don't know if Tilly wrote this with a wicked feeling inside or as just a reflection about what someone like Gemma would think. But, it does underline that what authority figures say and do matters. It is one reason as well why cynically pragmatic choices on who we elect cannot be the only calculus -- compromises must be made, but message counts. And, voters thinks so.