"A happy child uses childhood to embrace life,
A sad child uses a lifetime to heal childhood."
"Thorn Hill" is a novel that touches upon the deprivation of family affection, the longing for a friend, the coldness of adults, and the irresponsibility of those around us. These wounds create a profound sadness, conveying a sense of despair, melancholy, and, above all, loneliness—feeling lost with no one to accompany.
When reading "Thorn Hill," you'll notice that half of the book consists of illustrations, while the other half is prose. They don't describe each other but narrate the stories of two different characters, unfolding in two timelines—past and present.
In 1982, Mary, a girl suffering from selective mutism, finds solace in expressing her suppressed emotions in her diary. It portrays the daily struggles of her body and mind, from bullying and violence to the mocking faces and annoying gestures that make her life troublesome.
In 2017, Ella, a girl who has just moved to a new home, is not accustomed to her mother's absence. She wishes to share a meal with her father, hoping to see him instead of receiving cold notes. She seems to be forgotten even by her own family.
It appears that Ella has to live with this solitude until she discovers Thorn Hill, where she faintly perceives Mary's soul. At that moment, Ella's desire for a friend seems about to come true. She visits Thorn Hill, searches for Mary, and offers small gifts to express sincere feelings, hoping that Mary will sense it and become friends.
What's special here is that Mary experiences selective mutism. Hence, she can't speak, yet she narrates the story and has a voice. On the other hand, Ella, who can speak, is portrayed through black-and-white illustrations without any dialogue. Both girls are unconsciously bound by the loneliness arising from their neglect of everything around them and their inability to speak up.
Loneliness and fear flood every word. The diary pages and illustrations immerse readers in the prolonged deprivation of the characters. It feels like standing in a closed room with a tightly shut door, echoing a thud in the dark night. It feels like witnessing a girl curling up, trying to suppress fear, feeling like being that girl silently walking behind her friends. It feels like... breathless before the lines of text.
However, no matter what, in the end, when both timelines collide, both girls find each other, discovering what they missed throughout their lives: a friend who loves them for who they are.
We often think children's worlds are so simple, believing that the issues they face are trivial compared to ours. But we forget that we, too, were once children before becoming "adults." In our youth, we also struggled to overcome terrible things. Therefore, treating every child gently is treating the world kindly.
Content: Van Khanh
Design: Huynh Hai
For more details, visit: https://www.facebook.com/clb.sachvahanhdong.uit/posts/pfbid02MdzwwNSW...
Ha Bang - Media Collaborator, University of Information Technology
Nhat Hien - Translation Collaborator, University of Information Technology
