Review: The Life and Times of Eddie McGrath

The Life and Times of Eddie McGrath opens with a scenario recognisable to many young people: Eddie has won an essay writing competition and has to give a speech. In Parliament. As part of the Member of Parliament for a Day award. But just because Eddie, a happy introvert, can express herself in writing doesn’t mean she feels confident about doing so in actual spoken words.

Eddie’s an avid reader, a cat lover and the youngest of three and while she may shine in certain areas, she displays an honest and identifiable vulnerability in others. Like public speaking. So, from the outset, she’s a relatable – reluctant – protagonist who’s ordinary and dealing with the fact that things don’t always go her way.

Her ambitious older sister, Beth, described by Eddie as “New Zealand’s Greta Thunberg,” is appalled that Eddie intends to turn down the prize. But Eddie changes her mind when their father is injured in a freak accident and declares seeing her in Parliament will be the spur he needs to get back on his feet.

Already feeling anxious, Eddie faces another hurdle when she spends a morning with her local electorate MP who is meant to find a community issue for her to help solve and base her subsequent speech around. But he’s an irritable traditionalist more intent on dodging responsibilities - “it’s not his area” – than assisting his constituents.

It’s a pointed lesson in how democracy does or, in this case, doesn’t work but Eddie can’t quit. There’s her dad to think of. Her friends, “permanently anxious” Liam and the more sociable Meri, also authentically written, do what they can to help. They’re not part of the cool crowd nor are they overly fixated with trying to fit in. They’re slowly, almost innocently and unintentionally, finding out that life can throw curve balls.

This is not to flag The Life and Times of Eddie McGrath as a coming-of-age story with a dramatic turning point which rams home the “be resilient and step up because it might be up to you to make the world better” moral message. Indeed, it’s written almost like a gently amusing anecdote with incidents portrayed entertainingly rather than as seriously as they might be.

In many respects, this a strength of Brigid Feehan’s writing because topics like animal welfare, care of the aged, housing insecurity and peer pressure are heavy-going (and regularly served up to tweens and teens in far more confronting ways which may add to any anxieties they’re already experiencing).

These subjects are themes in this story but it’s delicately done and wrapped in humour and heart designed to show bravery, determination and indomitable spirit in a variety of often quiet forms. Eddie’s Aunt Ruth, a Druid, offers one of the best insights when she explains to her niece her beliefs: “For me it’s more about fun, giving my creative side free rein. Having space in my life for something imaginative makes me better at dealing with the real world.”

The book is aimed at Year 9 – 11 readers but I feel because of its subtle and humorous approach, it probably skews younger to Year 6, 7 and 8 pupils. It’s well plotted but there are some slow patches you’ll need to work your way through – there’s chickens, an elderly woman, five old cats named after members of the Rolling Stones and their entourage and an arthritic dog - to see how Feehan takes these seemingly disparate events and slowly brings them to a cohesive and satisfying conclusion where a gentle bookworm comes out on top.

Reviewed by Dionne Christian