Wild Talent: A Novel of the Supernatural [Anglais] [Broché]

While Wild Talent is very different from Eileen Kernaghan's 2000 novel, The Snow Queen, there are two major themes that the two novels have in common. Both feature young girls striking out precipitously on their own into an unsafe world. Both also address the frustrations of intelligent women up against the repressive mores of Victorian society. The result, in both cases, is a gently feminist coming-of-age tale with a strong sense of place and time.

Wild Talent tells the story of Jeannie Guthrie, a young Scottish farm girl who flees her home suddenly, fearing charges of witchcraft and murder after a telekinetic talent helps her fight off a would-be rapist. She reaches London, where she befriends Alexandra David and finds employment with Helena Blavatsky. The historical characters are fascinating, and Jeannie herself is delightfully complex -- unusually courageous in some ways and so very unsure in others.

The greatest strength of Wild Talent is its vivid portrayal of the tumultuous times in which Jeannie lives. The drudgery of rural poverty, the decadence of absinthe-soaked artists, the glamour of the Paris world's fair, and the spiritual debates among London's occult circles are all handled with skill. When I finished Wild Talent I felt that I'd paid a visit to the late 19th century, that I'd been right there with Jeannie all along.

Also well-handled were the questions of what is "real" and what is not. The book is teeming with the supernatural -- some of it real, some of it staged by charlatans, some of it in that gray area of uncertainty where the reader isn't sure whether it's real or a dream.

There's a spot toward the middle of the book that was rough going in a way, and ironically, it's because of something Kernaghan did very, very well. As the reader, I was feeling a little adrift and not sure whether the story was moving, and then a little light bulb went on over my head and I realized it was because Jeannie felt adrift and wasn't sure whether she was getting anywhere. Alone in London, with her fondest dream postponed for the sake of day-to-day survival, Jeannie is understandably depressed. Kernaghan's portrayal of Jeannie's depression is true to life and really made me feel for the character.

Spoiler Alert:
The ending leaves open the question of whether Jeannie achieves her goal of becoming a writer -- but as I remembered her musings at the beginning of the book about the power of words, I realized that the novel's text itself was meant to be the answer. Well played.

When she is accosted in a barn by a young man named George who attempts to rape her, Jeannie Guthrie lets loose a whirlwind of telekinetic power which sends a pitchfork into George's flesh. Believing she has killed him, Jeannie flees her Scottish home and farm. Fearing she will be labelled a witch, and punished for a murder she had not intended to commit, she heads to London. There, she encounters a kind young woman named Alexandra David who helps her get settled and find work with Helen Blavatsky, a woman known for her psychic medium abilities. From that moment on, Jeannie finds herself immersed in the world of the supernatural where she must navigate its treachery while she learns to understand and control her own powers. Ever-present is her fear of repercussion for her crime, which motivates her actions throughout the story. Frightened by her wild talent, Jeannie Guthrie, speaks to the reader in first person narrative as she writes in her journal.

In this coming of age, young adult novel that takes place during the fascinating Victorian era, Eileen Kernaghan has written an endearing tale of a young woman alone in a harsh world. It is clear right from the start that the author has done a great deal of research into the times, portraying the Victorian interest in the occult magnificently. The novel touches on the plight of a young woman alone, with no means of support, who is forced to make a living in difficult circumstances. The novel sweeps the reader from countryside of Scotland, to high society London, and then to the opulence of Paris during the time of the world's fair. Aspects of the supernatural is well-explored including real occurrences and tricks common during the time.

Although this novel is listed as a young adult novel, it transcends this limitation easily into adult or women's fiction. It is richly written with a high regard for historical detail, making this novel a true and accurate journey into the richness of the Victorian world.

Wild Talent is another tour de force by Kernaghan.

Although it is listed as young adult, this novel should not be passed over by any adult interested in the spiritual goings-on in late-1800 London and Paris. There is no doubt that Kernaghan has written it for both age groups.

She wrote the book in the form of a journal belonging to a Scottish lassie who runs away to London and is drawn into the occult world of Madame Blavatsky and befriended by Alexandra David. Kernaghan's skill in drawing the character using just the right voice is a joy to read. So are her word pictures of the strange world of London's and Paris's spiritualism circles. Her attention to detail of the period and places, as well as her word choices, bring the story to life.

Highly recommended for both adults and teens who love to read. Buy it for your own bookshelf or as a gift for someone close.