Book Review: Name All the Animals, by Alison Smith

Alison and her brother had been so close that their mother called them both "Alroy." When he was gone, the family seemed to have difficulty helping each other deal with their grief. They weren't the sort of family that talked things out. Indeed, their mother's reaction to anything unpleasant was what Alison and Roy had called "playing Kremlin." She just pretended that the unpleasant event had never happened. Everyone had difficulty sleeping after Roy's death, but they kept up the facade that they were getting a good night's sleep by avoiding each other when they got up in the night. They couldn't seem to open up even to each other, though I would say they were there for each other in the only ways they knew how.

Roy had died during the summer, shortly before the family would make their annual trip to Cape Cod. When Roy was killed, Alison and Roy's mother bought a new camper van and spent the next three weeks building a bed, cupboards, and a camper kitchen for the new van. Then the family went to Cape Cod as always, where of course it was extremely difficult to have a good time, so soon after Roy's death and with all the reminders of him there.

Adolescence is always difficult, but it was even more so for Alison. Roy died right before he tenth-grade year. Alison had her own grief to deal with, and her parents understandably became overprotective of her, their only surviving child. Alison practically stops eating, to the point where I thought she might die of starvation. She saves food for Roy and brings it to their fort. In an interview at the end of the book, Alison notes that she did not have the body image distortion typical of anorexics, but she became addicted to starving herself. She later worked through her issues with a therapist.

However, amazingly, the book is full of hope as well as grief. Alison meets her first love some time after Roy's death, opening up a whole new world for her, but the relationship is taboo and one with which her staunchly religious, Catholic parents are not happy. Alison herself experiences a crisis of faith when Roy dies, but again, it's not something she feels she can discuss with her parents, or anyone, for that matter.

In the end, the author notes that she does not think of this as a sad book, though writing about losing Roy was of course very sad. Writing about growing up with Roy, about people who helped her grow up, and about her first love brought her joy. I think that's why the book is ultimately hopeful in its message.