Title: The Woman in the Wall
Author: Patrice Kindl
First published March 31, 1997
192 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780141301242 (ISBN10: 0141301244)
Rating: 3.83
Overview
Meet Anna, she’s not just shy, she’s practically invisible. At a young age, Anna’s fear of school leads her to seek refuge within the walls of her family’s massive house.
There, she spends years constructing a secret world full of hidden rooms and passages. As time goes on, even her own family forgets she exists.
But when a mysterious note finds its way into her hiding place, Anna must decide if she’s ready to face the outside world. Patrice Kindl’s imaginative and captivating novel seamlessly blends reality with fantasy, creating a story that will stay with readers long after the final page.
About the Author
I was born in 1951 in Alplaus, New York as the youngest of four daughters. My mother was a housewife and my father was a mechanical engineer.
I had a great family and loved spending time with them. As a child, I was obsessed with animals and reading.
My family has a cottage on Lake George, where I spent many summers. We have lifelong friends who live next door, and during my childhood, there were ten females living in the two houses with no males.
Because of this, I feel like I understand girls better than boys, which is why I primarily write for girls.
After high school, I attended Webster College in St. Louis, Missouri, which was an excellent theater school. However, I dropped out after a year and a half because I wanted to attend a real drama school in New York City.
I spent a few years in the city, appearing in TV commercials, auditioning, modeling, and waitressing. But after a while, I realized that I wasn’t getting anywhere, and I came back upstate.
I worked for a consulting engineering firm called Encotech as a secretary, first full-time and then part-time after my son was born.
It wasn’t until I was in my late thirties that I started taking writing seriously and was first published in my early forties. While writing my first book, OWL IN LOVE, I also became involved in a program called Helping Hands.
I raised two monkeys, Kandy and Susi, to be aides to quadriplegics. You can find their pictures on the website.
My husband Paul is the president of Encotech, and my son Alex is 25. His art rock band Bible Study (with no religious connotation) lives with us part-time, and they rehearse directly over my office.
Luckily, I think they are great musicians, and the vocalist is one of America’s few female Master Falconers. When the band is in residence, we also have several hawks or falcons.
Editoral Review
Patrice Kindl’s The Woman in the Wall is a beautifully written novel that captivates readers with its unique concept and engaging characters. First published on March 31, 1997, Kindl’s work falls under the genre of young adult fantasy, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the importance of human connection.
The novel tells the story of Anna, a young girl who discovers that she has the ability to move through walls and live within them. As she hides away from the world, Anna develops a deep connection with the family who lives within the walls of the house.
However, her world is turned upside down when a new family moves in, and Anna must face the reality of her isolated existence.
Kindl’s writing is lyrical and poetic, immersing readers in the magical world of Anna’s inner walls. The novel is set in a timeless world, with no specific historical or cultural references, allowing readers to fully focus on the characters and their struggles.
The characters themselves are well-developed and relatable, with Anna’s inner turmoil and desire for connection resonating with readers. The conflict between Anna and the new family adds tension and suspense to the plot, keeping readers engaged until the very end.
One of the strengths of The Woman in the Wall is its exploration of the importance of human connection and the dangers of isolation. In today’s world, where technology has made it easier than ever to disconnect from others, this message is more relevant than ever.
Kindl’s use of a fantastical setting to explore this theme adds depth and nuance to the novel.
However, the pacing of the novel may be too slow for some readers, and the lack of a specific time and place may be off-putting for others. Additionally, the supernatural elements of the novel may not resonate with all readers.
Overall, The Woman in the Wall is a beautifully crafted novel that is sure to captivate readers with its unique concept and engaging characters. Fans of young adult fantasy will enjoy this book, as will anyone interested in exploring the themes of identity and human connection.
The novel earns a rating of 4 out of 5 stars, based on its excellent writing, well-developed characters, and thought-provoking themes.
