Grace notes by Karen Comer

‘Follow your heart’ – this is the essential message of Comer’s verse novel about two young teenagers, each with artistic talent, but each struggling with the differing expectations of their parents. Grace loves the violin and wants to pursue music performance after high school. But her parents push her to excel in more career oriented subjects. Similarly Crux’s parents want him to put his education before his passion for street art. Opportunities open up: for Grace it is the chance to play violin with her music teacher in a bar in the evenings; and Crux gets invited to join a group of street artists working on painting commissions. When by chance, their paths cross, the two young people develop a close friendship built around their shared love of music and art. But everything they do seems to meet with parental disapproval.

The setting is Melbourne, 2020, with people becoming increasingly anxious about the threat of Covid-19.  The chapters, alternating the voices of Grace and Crux, in a melodic easy-to-read verse form, or in brief text conversations, are at times followed by a ‘Corona chorus’ providing updating COVID statistics and accompanying online comments.  So just when Grace and Crux get the chance to explore some of their dreams, their difficulties are compounded by lockdown and isolation.

Comer’s novel presents a very realistic portrayal of the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on young people’s school life, on essential workers, on the arts industry, on family life, and on aged care homes and hospitals. It adds another layer of problems to the struggle that Grace and Crux are already experiencing in trying to work out their relationship and their aspirations.

The resolution provides really good messages about honesty and assertive communication. The characters are mostly acting from good motives; the conflicts can only be resolved by talking and listening, and being open to each other.

Themes: Music, Street art, Emotions, Parent and child, Coronavirus.

Helen Eddy