The Courage Game

by Jeni Whittaker

Gladys Hazel grows up in a large family in late 19th-century Ireland with six brothers and sisters. When her older brother Jim invents the courage game, in which all the children face tests to keep a stiff upper lip, little does she know she’ll be called to recall the game years later during her challenges as a suffragette.

Gladys was the great-aunt of The Courage Game author Jeni Whittaker. Because Gladys died when Jeni was young, she had only dim memories of an old lady. But after seeing a film about the suffragettes with her father, the truth about her ancestor’s courage began to emerge. Using family treasures including handwritten notes and poetry, Jeni reimagines Glady’s story, from the poverty of her childhood, through to her time as a suffragette. Because the suffragette cause was so all-encompassing for those involved, it’s easy to forget that the women involved had lives outside of the protests. This is something that Jeni addresses, as she ably portrays Gladys trying to juggle work, home, relationships and the everyday minutiae of everyday life as she fights for the cause she believes in so wholly.

• Published by Troubador at £10.99 (paperback) ISBN: 978100464513; £4.44 (ebook) ASIN B09FM11GBR. RB