The award-winning author of MARY JOHN shares her thoughts on writing from the adolescent perspective, connecting with our inner melancholy, and the beauty of the colour blue
What can you tell us about Mary John?
This novel is essentially a very long letter written by a teenage girl to her childhood friend. And I think that it is precisely this register – the letter! – that sets this novel apart from other YA books. It involves a sender and a receiver and it allows this young woman to address her friend in a very sincere and sometimes rather brutal way. She writes his name (Julio) as if she was calling him. The “you” in the letter sounds both intimate and scary. Very often she applies the imperative mode, which can be very intimidating. “Listen to me,” she says. Or “Say something.” Sometimes she even insults her friend, because she feels so hurt and lonely. There is an accusatory tone in this letter that I really enjoy. I hope the readers will also enjoy it!
Was Mary John’s story inspired by your own adolescence and are any of the central characters based on people you know?
I think that everything I write is somehow based on my own experiences. Having said that, I don’t think I write about my own life. As an example I would say that the story is especially inspired in an atmosphere I know quite well: the suburban neighbourhoods around Lisbon with their residential squares and buildings. Architecture influences our human experience dramatically and I feel that this book is very local because of the square where Mary John grows up. The characters are all fictional, including Mary John, but they do include features from people I’ve come across, of course.
The book is quite unusual (at least, in North America) in its format as one doesn’t often see illustrated young adult novels with the exception of graphic novels. How did you make the decision to include illustrations in Mary John? And was the blue spot colour precisely chosen to complement the story which references the colour numerous times throughout the story? What is “blue” to you?
I work with Planeta Tangerina, a Portuguese independent publisher focused on illustrated books. Illustration was always part of the process, ever since my very first book with them. Of course Mary John could have been published with no illustrations. But it is a true privilege for me to work with such a talented team of illustrators. I believe that the sex appeal of this novel really lies with the graphic design developed by Bernardo P. Carvalho. It is such a beautiful book. I am not sure if the blue colour was chosen to complement the story, but I do remember we were all pretty excited about this blue, which is so nostalgic and happy at the same time. Just like the book! We even considered a blue font for the whole letter at some point. The blue colour brings me home instantly, because it reminds me of the Atlantic ocean and of the Lisbon sky.
In another interview you noted that adolescence is a very special period in our lives where we are caught in contradiction: we want to be original and unique, but we also want to belong to a group and feel accepted. The protagonist in Mary John is a melancholic yet spirited young woman who navigates this tightrope with a great deal of self-awareness. As the author, what tools did you use to convey her story without resorting to condescending or “educating” the reader?
As a writer I can only write if I understand and empathize with the voice of the main character. I imagine that there is a lot of acting in this process. We rehearse until we find the right voice, the right tone, the right mindset, the right pace. Somehow we become this voice. In the book I would say that I am Mary John, in the sense that I write from her perspective. I understand her fully and I feel passionate about her struggles. I could only write from the heart and this means that there is no distance between me — the adult writer — and the teenage girl who writes the letter. There is no space for condescendence basically.
What would you like the reader to take away from Mary John? (The book — and the character!)
I would like the readers to connect with Mary John’s melancholy and to take this nostalgia with them when they finish the book. I feel that there is little time nowadays for melancholy and contemplation. It’s as if we are always being entertained or just too busy to sit down and reflect on our own experiences. We go from one event to the next and we might never again think about what we witnessed or how we felt. It’s as if we live with no memory or knowledge, the precious gifts that make us human. Writing a letter (or reading one) is a way to reconnect with our thoughts and feelings and with other people’s thoughts and feelings.
Mary John has been translated in several European languages including Spanish and Dutch. What does it mean for you to see your book translated into English?
I am very excited about this English edition, because it means I will be finally able to share it with a bigger audience, including friends of mine who don’t speak Portuguese.
You’ve written a number of books for children and youth. When did you publish your first book and what inspired you to take pen to paper?
I published my first book in 2012, just before turning 30. The book is called The Karate Girl’s Red Notebook and it is also beautifully illustrated by Bernardo P. Carvalho and published by Planeta Tangerina. I wrote a lot during my teenage years and I have been living outside Portugal since I was 22. I suppose that, as an adult, when I write in Portuguese, I’m drawn to writing about my past, the country and the language that I have left. That is perhaps the reason I write about adolescence so much.
What are you working now?
Bernardo and I published our first graphic novel in 2020 and we are now working on a new graphic novel about a girl who works at a cafe by the sea side. This book is more of a thriller as it involves a dead body and quite a bit of plot twists. We are both very enthusiastic about this project!
Mary John will release at the end of September. Pre-order your copy here.