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Competition Showcase –
The Siege by Esther Chilton |
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Judging comment
Librarians are surprisingly vulnerable. Their premises can be a resort
for the down-and-out seeking refuge from the cold or the rain. Heaven
knows what kind of loners you can find lurking in the library.
You can obviously find the Kevins of this world. The rejected misfits.
But rejected misfits don’t have to end up as loners. Lesley
didn’t, for example. There is a lot of empathy between misfit
loner Kevin and librarian Lesley, and that makes the characterisation
interesting through this story. But if, like Lesley, you were once
a rejected misfit, then you carry a lot of baggage with you even in
later years. You don’t expect affection, and therefore you don’t
always see it when it is offered – just as Lesley doesn’t
see the love that Daniel offers. |
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