Vicky Angel is a young adult novel by British children's author Jacqueline Wilson, first published in 2000. It tells the story of Jade Marshall, a shy teenage girl who is beyond devastated when her vivacious best friend Vicky Waters is killed in a car accident. Even though Vicky is gone, Jade remains quite literally haunted by her memory, as she can still see and talk to her ghost. We follow her subsequent journey of moving on from her grief over Vicky's death and making new friends. As well as bereavement, the novel also deals with themes of survivor's guilt and toxic friendship.
Tropes:
- Anyone Can Die: As suggested by the title, Vicky passes away only a short way into the book.
- Barred from the Afterlife: It's implied Vicky comes back as a ghost as she wasn't exactly a good person when she was alive. She ultimately manages to move on to the afterlife when she saves Jade from getting hit by a car.
- Big Fun: Sam is overweight and a class clown type. It's implied he acts this way so people will laugh with him rather than at him.
- Bittersweet Ending: Jade isn't exactly over Vicky's death, but with Mrs Wainwright's help, she is beginning to move on and has found new, nicer friends in Sam and Madeleine. Also, Vicky saves Jade's life when she runs into the road, meaning she can finally grow angel wings and proceed to the afterlife.
- Broken Bird: Poor Jade is a shy, downtrodden girl who lives in a rundown flat. Her parents' marriage is on the rocks and then her best friend dies.
- Can't Get Away with Nuthin': The one time Jade actually tries to stand up to Vicky, she ends up dying in a car accident.
- Childhood Friends: Vicky and Jade became friends when they were in pre-school together.
- Cool Old Lady: Stevie Wainwright, Jade's bereavement counsellor.
- Costume Porn: Being a ghost, Vicky can instantly change her clothes on a whim, much to Jade's envy. Lengthy outfit descriptions ensue.
- Death of a Child: Vicky is only 13-14 when she dies, and Jade's bereavement counsellor Mrs Wainwright is haunted by the death of her five-year-old daughter.
- Driven to Suicide: When Jade is on the train, Vicky tries to convince her to jump out so they can be together. Although Jade does seriously consider it, she comes to the conclusion that she doesn't want to die.
- Dub Name Change: All the characters are given new Welsh names in the Welsh-language translation of the novel, Lowri Angel.
- Embarrassing Nickname:
- Some of the boys start calling Jade "Jumpy Jade" as she is anxious and twitchy after Vicky passes away.
- "Fatboy" Sam.
- Vicky refers to Madeleine as "Marshmallow Madeleine" due to her weight.
- Extreme Doormat: Jade acknowledges that Vicky can be quite nasty, but still goes along with whatever she says, even if it's not what she actually wants to do.
- Fat Idiot: Vicky and Jade initially see Sam this way, but it turns out he is actually kind and compassionate.
- Fiery Redhead: Vicky was a spirited, often temperamental girl with red hair.
- Hidden Depths:
- Jade is timid but secretly harbours a burning ambition to become an actress. When she and Sam imitate each other in a drama lesson, everyone is surprised at how well she can act.
- She also turns out to have potential as a distance runner.
- Sam acts the carefree class clown but knows when to be serious. He is very supportive at Vicky's funeral and looks out for Jade, even making allowances when she's mean to him.
- Hospital Hottie: Averted with the "greasy-haired" young doctor who tries to resuscitate Vicky after her accident.
- Hot for Teacher: Jade comments that lots of the girls she knows at school fancy Mr Lorrimer, the handsome PE teacher.
- Important Haircut: Jade has one late in the book to signify her moving on from Vicky's influence.
- Killed Off for Real: At first it seems like Vicky might pull through as the car that hit her wasn't going very fast, but she passes away in hospital from her internal injuries.
- Lost in Character: Jade loves acting as her best friend Vicky to the point she can write better essays as her than she can as herself.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: It's not made clear whether Vicky's ghost is really there or she is just a grief-induced hallucination. When asked,
Jacqueline Wilson simply says, "You will have to make up your own mind!" - The Mistress: Jade's mum starts up a relationship with a married man she knows from work, who claims his marriage is on the rocks. His wife later finds out and sends her a guilt-inducing letter about their kids.
- Oblivious to Love: Jade is convinced Sam is spending time with her because he had a crush on the late Vicky, but it's not hard to see that Jade herself is the one he really likes.
- One-Steve Limit: Subverted - there is another Vicky in Jade's class who is nicknamed "Vicky-Two". Jade is upset when the "two" gets dropped following Vicky's death.Jade: She'll always come second to my Vicky!
- Redheads Are Ravishing: Vicky has "deep-red waves" and is popular with the boys.
- Shrinking Violet: Jade is shy and passive. It's hinted she may become more confident after taking up drama and running and making new friends.
- Stern Teacher: While she goes above and beyond to look out for Jade's welfare, Mrs Cambridge is also the only teacher who doesn't let her get away with not bothering to do her schoolwork.
- Survivor Guilt: Jade tries to block out her memory of Vicky's accident because she feels it was her fault. Towards the end of the book we learn they were arguing when Vicky ran out into the road.
- Teens Love Shopping: Jade skips school to go on a shopping trip to London with Ghost Vicky. Vicky also writes in her "Reasons To Be Cheerful" essay that she thinks their town's shopping centre is "seriously beautiful".
- There Are No Therapists: Subverted. Mrs Cambridge suggests to Jade's parents that she could have some counselling but they are sceptical. Later, she arranges for Jade to see Mrs Wainwright, who helps Jade begin to move on.
- Trauma Conga Line: Jade is in a toxic friendship, then loses her best friend in a car accident, then her mum reveals she's having an affair. Oh, and she's haunted by Vicky's ghost who refuses to let her move on.
- Too Good for This Sinful Earth: Subverted. When Vicky dies some people talk about her this way, but even her best friend Jade admits she could be really mean when she was alive.
- With Friends Like These...: Although Jade insists Vicky is her best friend, Vicky displays some spiteful and controlling behaviour towards her.
