Felicity Castagna, Girls in Boys’ Cars, Pan Macmillan Australia, September 2021, 296 pp., RRP $18.99 (pbk), IBSN 9781760982980
Castagna writes a fast-paced and engaging novel. Narrowing in on that awkward and insecure stage of adolescence as well as the unstable, questioning beginnings of adulthood, she exposes an unglamorous yet very much relatable and realistic side to growing up. She also takes readers on a trip down memory lane with her numerous references to books, particularly childhood favourites including The Princess and the Pea and Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree.
Girls in Boys’ Cars begins at the end. While it is clear from the start what will ultimately happen, curiosity makes us keep reading. Rosa is in a Juvenile Correction Centre, her home for the next six months. Following a suggestion from her counsellor, Rosa begins writing her own story as a way of understanding more about herself. It is through this story, that we learn what leads her to this point in time.
Rosa used to stick to the shadows with her books until outgoing and popular Asheeka befriended her. Asheeka is the kind of girl who wears makeup, owns fashionable clothes, and ensures her hair is immaculately styled. Only Rosa seems to see her struggles. Asheeka feels pressured by her mother to adhere to cultural expectations and she is emotionally abused by her boyfriend, Arnold, who only cares about his car.
Both feeling out of place and pushed to the side, Rosa and Asheeka steal Arnold’s prized possession, his car, and take off on their own journey of self-discovery across New South Wales. They drive through Australian towns and countryside, escaping their past lives, searching for a new beginning. But there is no escaping the law-breaking. They must steal to survive. Then Asheeka goes missing. Again.
A questionable friendship, a spur-of-the-moment road trip, running from the police and dodging both wildfires and reality, Girls in Boys’ Cars really has it all.
Castagna’s words paint a vivid picture. The Australia depicted is harsh and judgemental. Bushfires rage through dry scrub and across the red sands, dust storms torment road users and the criminal justice system is bitter and unimaginable for youth. This darker side makes the novel dramatic and tense at times, but this is balanced out with the much lighter and amusing voice of Rosa whose writing style draws us in.
Girls in Boys’ Cars is a quick and easy read suitable for young adults. However it should be noted there is some strong language and mature themes to be mindful of.
Reviewed by India Boon
