By Erica Wiggins
Content warnings: child abuse, depression, self-harm, suicide
Why I’m Here follows 15-year-old Gale who is desperate to get out of Whitehorse. Gale has been having panic attacks, one of which sent her to the hospital. Helen, a counsellor who has been assigned to work with Gale, discovers that her distress stems from being separated from her little sister, Buddie, who is back in Ontario. Why I’m Here is written by Jill Frayne, who herself was a family counsellor. She has previously written a travel memoir and many outdoor adventure articles. This is her first novel.
Let me start by saying that I was incredibly excited to read this novel. I am from Ontario but spent four summers in Whitehorse at a summer camp. It is a place to be experienced and so hard to describe the beauty of it. I wanted to see how the author brought this story and this place alive.
I was not disappointed! Frayne does an extraordinary job of describing this beautiful and remote place. The story flips between a northern town in Ontario and Whitehorse, and she truly makes these places come alive. It was incredibly easy to drop yourself into the story—to feel and see the snow, to experience the locations. I felt like I was riding on the snowmobile and shivering in the cold in the best possible way.
Frayne approaches the story of Gale with thoughtfulness and compassion. It’s easy to grow attached to this young woman who has not had the easiest time in life. She just wants to protect her younger sister from their abusive mother. By being in Whitehorse, away from Buddie, she is losing herself and unable to let go of her past.
Helen, the counsellor, is a transplant to Whitehorse from Ontario. She has a younger sister as well and it is easy to see the parallels between these two women—the want and need to love and keep your sister safe. We get to explore Whitehorse through Helen’s eyes. While Gale is struggling with wanting to be near her sister, Helen is working to try to keep her own relationship with her sister from affecting the way she interacts with Gale.
I loved watching these two women grow and develop through the pages and the careful way the author draws attention to not only the importance of family but what people are willing to do for them. We are given a glimpse into the life of a counsellor—the challenges for both the counsellor and the person receiving support. We are reminded of the limited resources in remote areas. At times, it is heartbreaking to read about these experiences.
This is a slower read, however, I felt immediately immersed in the story. The descriptions are thoughtful and create beautiful images of landscapes and adventures. The main characters Gale and Helen are relatable, and I found myself rooting for both. I loved this story and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a glimpse into counselling, the isolation of Whitehorse, or a story about the dynamics and importance of family.
Thank you, NeWest Press, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.