Patrick Maher shows what life is like for a girl who attends a private school and who lives warmly dressed, everything is provided. If the cord on her laptop burns, he calls her father and asks for a replacement. She does her writing homework and goes about her life as she would expect of a school girl.
But there is more to what meets the eye. Pleng’s thoughts reveal that she longs for her parents’ attention: her father is always away on business, and her mother lives at night and sleeps during the day. He has issues with authority at school and has brash tendencies when it comes to his approach to his teachers. The description of her character must sound like that of an insecure and troubled girl, but she is unaware of her gifts and talents.
Maher is an incredible writer and it shows in Pleng’s voice and written works.
Characterization
Patrick Maher takes perspective very well, and that is reflected in Pleng’s characterization.
Pleng takes everything personally. Based on his observations, his writing teacher’s statements, Mr. James is always against him. He feels as if her mother’s drinking problems were caused by her. His actions then are the result of a girl with attitude problems. To be a smart girl, she believes in horoscopes and treats money so lightly because it’s not what she worked hard to earn.
There are two sides to Pleng, the scared kid, trying to be an adult, and the bratty brat who causes trouble just to get attention. His thoughts and words are excellently translated and described in the book.
But the monotony of his life is about to change when he identifies the real problems in his life, runs away from home and discovers how to survive them all.
Water is said to cleanse and purify, but does flood water work the same way?
book highlights
His thoughts and feelings are revealed in his outings most of the time and his imagination deepens into the way he wishes his life was. Some underlying themes in the book touch on family relationships, the school environment, and the way we treat the people around us, as well as envy.
There are facts that have a supernatural treatment. The timeline and facts are well supported as the events unfold one by one. This is a modern folklore.
Pleng’s Song is a book suitable for people of all ages. The book teaches that determination and common sense can help you survive life’s challenges and that regret comes in the end.
