Katie Nash is twelve, the plain younger sister of Diane and army brat daughter of a disciplinarian military father. When their mother died, all the softness went out of Katie’s life, but at least her dad saves most of his anger for her sister. Younger than her classmates, Katie’s best friend and neighbour Cherylanne is almost fifteen – they can’t hang out at school, but once they’re home Cherylanne gives Katie guidance in the ways of the world. All in all, Katie’s reasonably happy with her life. Which is when they get moved to another base. Diane, in love with local boy Dickie, decides to run away to Mexico, and Katie goes with them.
Though some of her usual elements are present Durable Goods is something of a departure for Berg – the novel is shorter and less complex than most of her other work, and though it’s shelved in the adult section, it reads as a young adult book.
Though there are a number of serious elements (Berg touches on mourning, physical abuse and losses of innocence) these are not her main focus - the overall tone is light. Katie is an endearing and honest character, and her relationships with Cherylanne, Diane and her father are developed and realistic. Though the precise year isn’t mentioned, the setting is late fifties or early sixties, and Berg captures the era beautifully. As you’d expect with such a young protagonist, there’s no mention of anything wider than her immediate life, but the time is portrayed through incidental aspects (like Elizabeth Taylor being a role model in the magazines). Berg not only gives a convincing sense of place but of what it’s like to be a young girl poised between the innocence of childhood and the cusp of adulthood. - Alex
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