These characters though: Sarah Crew and Paloma Josse

"Tortured Geniuses"

This is the first time I am doing a double book review. It seems like so much fun in my head and besides I have just finished reading two amazing books about young girls that I can't help but admire.

Surprisingly enough, both of these books have been made into motion pictures. I knew them first as just good movies and now as awesome reads too!

Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of A Hedgehog [2006], is centered, on a twelve-year-old tortured genius, at least in my opinion, of number 7 Rue de Grenelle, Paris. Paloma Josse has wits beyond her age and just cannot wait to 'leave' her very posh and rich life; that she calls as a goldfish bowl. 

To her, the rich, live and breathe in their own little bubble of a world. Her opinion of her own life, as seen in her family as well, is pretentious and cynical. Paloma is convinced that no matter what, this is her destiny and will remain in this bubble forever. But all this is about to change when she finds a good friend in her new Japanese neighbor, Kakuro Ozu.

On the other hand, Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic, A Little Princess [1905] introduces the smart and imaginative, Sara Crewe.

Filipino 90s kids, like me, may know her as Sarah Ang Munting Prinsesa played by the then young Camille Prats in the movies [it was such a dream to be like her]. 

As Sara entices everyone at Ms. Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, with her intelligence and her robust imagination; she is quick to make friends [and enemies] but the good days are short-lived. Her beloved father dies in India due to an illness; apparently caused by an old friend's betrayal. Sara, is left penniless and is then reduced from a real-life princess to a ragged scullery maid.

It is quite different knowing so many things at a young age; like a fish out of water. 

No one understands you and worst of all, nobody even listens to you. You tend to over-analyze everything and, at times, people think you're crazy for doing this. 

Paloma, is so smart that she can even have profound realizations while watching a synchronized diving competition on T.V. She writes haikus and a thought journal called Journal of The Movement of The World.  

She writes about things that other people don't notice like her mother's obsession with plants which is really her own way of coping with depression or that their concierge, Madam Michel, is not really what everyone thinks she is. Despite all these profound thoughts no one seems to notice; even her family fails to understand her. What she really needs right now is not an adult telling her what to do but a friend. Someone to talk to and someone that would listen to her.

Sara thought that the sudden loss of her father was the worst thing that could ever happen to her. Little did she know, that this was just the beginning of her journey. From having her own personal aya to living in a dingy attic. She must now live a different life, a life of a servant, to the girls that used to be her classmates. But no matter, she'll just do what she does best, play pretend. With a seven-year old mind that reads the French Revolution [yikes!], she comes up with the idea of an escape, a kind of distraction from all the negative things going on. She imagines she's a brave soldier going to war, not knowing what is ahead; or a lonely prisoner, trapped with no food but all work. Most of the time, she just gets through her day imagining she's a well-mannered princess; who does her chores well and does not complain [and still gets the respect of the demanding cook].

Paloma's coming-off-age story is a message to young misunderstood girls out there, that change will come, though not as easy or as fast as you want them to, but it will. Nothing is ever really hopeless. 

Sara's test of character encourages others to do the same. No matter what happens, there is always a silver lining. Sometimes determination and a little creativity goes a long way.

I am just amazed at how these young characters can affect me so. Honestly, they are quite unbelievable. 

Do you still believe in a seven-year-old who reads? Or a teenager who thinks twice and reflects on the things that she'll do before she does it? 

Maybe another reason that I love these characters so much is because they raise the bar so high on young girls. I am not really saying that girls today should be like them but it wouldn't hurt to dream, right? In a way, these characters taught me how to handle my own girls, my students. Next time, I might even know what to say to them when they ask me a question about being hopeful or having strength; or advice on a struggle they're currently having. Somehow this realization makes me feel a bit better.

Maybe there aren't a lot of girls like Paloma and Sara today but it doesn't mean we can't have hope. Who knows? As these girls have proven, nothing is ever certain.