THE LIBRARY
THE LAST TIME I SAW HER by Alexandra Harrington A REVIEW BY SARAH BUTLAND
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n River John, winter comes racing over the hills without much of a warning.” Although it’s now spring, this new book, The Last Time I Saw Her, brings River John to its readers along with many sensitive topics; but, especially for a first-time author, it is done beautifully. Alexandra (Lexi) Harrington packs a punch in her first middle-grade fiction and honours our county by setting it in the streets of River John.
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ah! Spring 2022
“When I was a kid, we used to spend time in River John every summer,” says Harrington. “My grandparents had a cottage up there, and being on the North Shore was the best part of any summer vacation. As an adult I am still up there frequently, usually looking for beach glass.” Harrington continues,“I started writing this book when I was so young, like 14, and I started plotting it out when I was in River John one summer. I was attracted to the idea of the small village as the setting, and it was a place I knew well. Good place for mystery and drama!” If you’ve ever visited the village, you will likely understand how special and memorable it is, even outside of the Read by the Sea Literary Festival and Sheree Fitch’s Mabel Murple’s Book Shoppe and Dreamery. Harrington included the few local businesses and honoured the charming characteristics while aligning them with the shadow side that could be possible for any location. While the imagery of the plot stood out to me, some lines completely stopped me and forced me to take a moment to stare at nothing. It doesn’t happen often, but then the author includes a line like “…but the only thing certain as a storm coming was the promise that it would end,” or “The space between them as she held his gaze was full with the weight of them.” I need to remember to breathe. This is a tale of Charlotte, AKA Charlie, returning after almost a year away from the village and everything she ever knew—and now life was completely different. Meeting her former best friend, she realized quickly how long 11 months was for a senior in high school. This novel is filled with mystery, romance, drama, life lessons and so much more. I do highly recommend you add it to your reading list, no matter your age. Through email, I had the privilege of asking Harrington a few questions about her work.
At Home on the North Shore
