Astra

by Cedar Bowers

This book is the first book by this B.C. author.  It is the story of a girl/woman called Astra.  Each chapter is told by a different person who meets her in her life.  Astra is a very complex, damaged creature who people feel obliged to help.

Astra was born on a commune.  Her mother died in childbirth and her biological father refused to acknowledge her as his child.  He lets her run wild on the commune and she has lots of accidents which leave her scared physically.  The lack of her father's attention and love leaves her scared emotionally.

She eventually leaves the commune and lives with several people, threeboyfriends; one of whom gets her pregnant, a rich one who keeps her and her baby in find style until she decides to leave and a man she marries an later divorces; a family she babysat for and a woman she knew from the commune who turns out to be her most enduring supporter.  As Astra leaves a  path of confusion behind her she loves her son in her way but they don't necessarily have a good relationship.  Eventually the boy leaves her to go to Toronto to meet his birth father.  Against his mothers wishes he moves in with his girlfriend, they eventually marry and have a child.  After a few months they take the baby to meet Astra.

Eventually the old lady from the commune dies, leaving Astra not only her house but also the deed to the commune land.  Astra is shocked to find out that the woman had been sending her father money for years as he couldn't make enough money to support himself on the commune.  At first Astra thinks about selling the commune land but she keeps pay her father some money.  Eventually she finds out her father has dementia and she is called to deal with her father.  He is moved to a demetia ward.  She goes to visit him.  He asks if she knows his daughter, she eventually says she does.  He tells her he didn't want Astra to be beholding to him or something like that.  That seems to make her forgive him for all the hurt he caused her.  I am sorry I don't think that would make me forgive a jerk who abandoned me my whole life.

It was an interesting read the way we got the story of her life from various people's persepectives.  The author did a great job of portraying this poor troubled girl but in the end she seemed to be getting herself together.