The Girl Without Anyone

Susan Patrick is a librarian at Ryerson University in Toronto.

This collection of linked stories unflinchingly depicts a troubled
childhood and the simultaneous despair and promise of adolescence. Each
story centres on the main character, Leah, who grows up in a broken home
and tries to come to terms with her parents’ new partners. Deeth
displays great insight into the workings of the child and teenage mind.
In Leah, we see raw emotions, the loneliness and helplessness of
adolescence, a longing to be accepted and loved, and an equally strong
desire to hurt and exert power over others. From sabotaging the bed of
her father’s girlfriend with a straight pin, to dropping out of
school, to keeping the existence of her runway stepbrother a secret from
their parents, Leah lashes out at others in her struggle to be
recognized. That she ultimately achieves a measure of self-knowledge is
a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.