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Like A Fish Understands A Tree by Helen Collins
01/10/2006 . Source: Phil Jones 
pub: Paradigm. 153 page enlarged paperback. Price: £ 6.99 (UK). ISBN: 0-9543068-3-X. Buy Like A Fish Understands A Tree in the USA - or Buy Like A Fish Understands A Tree in the UK  check out: www.paradigm-uk.org
George's life isn't very fulfilling. He goes to College but from his timetable it's none too exciting. Apart from cooking. He really enjoys cooking and dreams of being a TV chef. His choices of lessons and activities are organised so he can spend a few more moments a day with his girlfriend. Today, though, is m-a-g-a-z-i-n-e-s. He has difficulty reading, unlike his girlfriend Tracy who can read an awful lot better than he can. Both of them have Down's Syndrome.
George's mum is overly protective of him. She doesn't even know about Tracy or the fact he can cook and still views him as a child. George still knows he can't do many things that most people, like his sister Susan can do. Even when he's listening to someone, he has to go away after the conversation and ponder on what he's been told. He can remember it all, just can't process it all there and then. He gets on well with his sister Susan. George can talk to her, unlike mum and his step-dad who seem to just ignore him most of the time.
Susan, though, is finding school difficult. They've recently moved and she's had to change school which basically mean she left all her old friends behind. Isolated, she seeks solace in a new computer game her parents got with her new computer. It appears to be a basic action adventure game but with a few more bells and whistles than your average game. The main character has advanced AI and it comes with a controller that measures your pulse and sweat allowing input of your stress level. Susan finds, on playing, that she gets feedback through the controller and 'feels' the characters' emotion as well. She starts off playing without filling in the preamble of the game journal and the main character started up is from a low level routine called Simon. He experiences the games environment failing initially but also getting feedback from the player (not that he knows that's where it's coming from). Simon's routines are from previous research and have been tagged on and updated in a hurry to use in the new game.
Susan decides to start the game properly and fills in the game journal. Starting the game again, a new character is formed Oemor. He has the memories of Simon but doesn't know the information he gains is from the game journal. He just knows it. The main thing is he knows he needs to rescue Susan. Oemor can feel her somehow and has an overwhelming desire to find her and release her from the labyrinth of caves he finds himself in.
Tracy, after getting a leaflet at the centre, finally gets up the courage to ask George about moving in and living together. He's keen on the idea but knows his mum will not like the idea. They go and see Tim, a social worker. He runs through the possibilities and the pitfalls of them getting a place of their own. Tim sees that the two of them are a bit disheartened especially after saying that they will need their families support. Both of them feel that this may be a problem, so Tim offers to come and talk initially to George's mum and for her to find out and meet with Tracy.
George talks to Susan about moving in with Tracy in a new place. Initially, Susan is not keen and says to George that it's not a good idea and as he is 'different' it would never work. George doesn't quite grasp what she is saying though and goes away to mull it over. Susan, feeling bad for the way she responded to George retreats to the computer to continue the game with Oemor.
I must admit my heart sank when I read on the back cover the words 'disability awareness'. I wasn't quite sure what I was in for. This is Helen Collins' first fictional book. She comes from a background of working in social services with people with high support needs and has run a Sexuality and Health Support Project for learning disabilities services in Leeds.
In a way Helen Collins' has taken all these years of experience and condensed them down into the characters in this book. George's character just shines. I've done voluntary work with Down's Syndrome kids and adults and I was just amazed at how much she got into their heads.
Just for the record, I would like to say I hate tags and labels. People are people. They are not just a condition or genetic disorder. That is not what defines a person and should not be what others view as what defines someone. I think that's what this book does. It highlights peoples similarities rather than their differences. I'm dyslexic and have suffered from bullying at school because of my 'differences' to the supposed 'norm'. I think people should see 'disabled' as people with differing abilities.
Anyway, back to the book. The rest of the ensemble is just as vividly portrayed. Tracy is a bombastic bubbly character but where this book just excels itself is the scenes where there is family group interaction. The overprotective nature of George's mum to the more sympathetic protective nature of Susan is just a joy to read. When they all come together there are sparks and a wonderful portrayal of the tensions in family life. Whether you're in a family with a disabled member or not most people will find some element they can relate to. We all strive for similar goals and aspirations. A place to live, independence and a person to love. The scene where George's mum first meets Tracy is unbelievably impressive in the way it described and how the character respond.
There are one or two minor problems though. The Game side of things shows Helen Collins' slight lack of knowledge on the technical side of things. I think this can be overlooked as the game is really a mirror for the struggles within George's family and acts as an aid to getting across the point of the book. The writing is occasionally a bit on the over simplistic side. This is sometimes an advantage though as it creates a better envelopment of the reader into George's mind. It does however leave some areas of the book a little lacking such as the times when the game is being described.
For a first book, this is truly impressive. George as a character does become real in the reader's eye. It highlights some difficult areas which some people may find hard to deal with. I think the book is aimed at families with members who have high learning needs. This shouldn't stop everyone else from reading it, though, as it is a wonderful little book that deserves much praise. Although I suspect in may be hard to come by. I just hope Helen Collins goes onto write many more and longer books.
Phil Jones
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