Small Blue Thing, by S.C.Ransom
Age: 12+
S.C.Ransom captivates her readers with this imaginative and unusual romance set in London. 17 year old Alex finds an amulet bracelet washed up in the Thames. Little does she know when she puts it on her wrist, that the amulet will be the start of her romantic relationship with Callum. Callum however, is no human boy but a dirge – Ransom’s creation of a ghost like spirit trapped between life and death.
As you can imagine, forging a relationship with a dirge is no plain sailing. Small Blue Thing is the first in the trilogy, recounting Callum and Alex’s determined battle to be together.
In Small Blue Thing, S.C.Ransom interweaves themes of selfless love, jealousy, betrayal and sacrifice… a good recipe for teenage girl readers. Written from the viewpoint of Alex, the heady, all-consuming intensity of teenage love is convincing.
If I had to pick a flaw in Small Blue Thing, it would be the over-frequent reference to Callum’s ‘intensely beautiful eyes’, ‘dazzling beauty’, ‘chiselled cheekbones’, and similar smulchy descriptions. They became rather nauseating at times. However, perhaps this is a necessary ingredient for teen romance.
I particularly enjoyed the important role that memory plays in this book. The ghost-like dirges survive by consuming the happy memories of living people. This raises the idea that our own personal memories are vital to our own identity. A favourite quote from Small Blue Thing might be when Alex is realising the invaluable worth that her memories have:
“The idea of someone interfering with my thoughts and memories – with what made me who I was – was a scary one…[without them] what would be left of me?”
The story ends with a tantalising twist which will be sure to whet your appetite for the sequel, Perfectly Reflected.
For all fans of romantic fiction, Small Blue Thing is definitely worth a read.
Themes: romance, friendship, fantasy, memory.
Wright Reading 