I just finished reading Head Games by Eileen Dreyer. I’ve loved her work ever since I read A Rose For Maggie (written as Kathleen Korbel). A Rose for Maggie is one of the best (if not the best) book I’ve ever read about what it’s like to have a child with Down Syndrome.
What both books have in common are heroines who are very human. Heck, all the characters are human. They have flaws. They struggle with issues in their lives—as we all do. What makes them heroines is that they rise above those flaws. They do not see themselves as rising above their flaws and challenges, but they do. We, as readers, can identify with their fears, their hopes, their EMOTIONS.
Head Games is a tightly plotted book. Even if she had cardboard characters the story would be compelling. The action is nonstop and the stakes incredibly high. What makes it extraordinary, however, is that the characters feel so genuine that one forgets one is reading a story and begins to feel as if it’s all really happening. We want to know Molly Burke and Frank and Winnie and Sasha. Every character is absolutely true to who he or she is.
I believe that as writers we can learn a great deal by reading the best that’s out there. Eileen Dreyer is one of the best writers when it comes to characters. Whether you just want a great read or whether you want to learn how to write better, you can’t go wrong by picking up one of her books.
April
