Niamh compares her biography to Leah’s (p.22). Why do you feel Niamh was so dismissive of her own abilities?
She had tremendous self doubt. The grass is not always greener somewhere else but she could not see this nor begin to take stock of her own self worth and accomplishments or talents.
It’s likely Niamh didn’t know how to deal with her mom’s fictitious young woman. Annie wrote many books about Leah, a strong, successful protagonist. Niamh didn’t need to compete with Leah except in her own mind.
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How does one compete with a fictional character? Niamh was jealous of the “relationship” her mother had with Leah. They actually had arguments about what Leah would and would not do in her books. Niamh felt she couldn’t live up to any of her mother’s expectations so she thought Leah was her mother’s attempt to create a “dream” child, living the life her real child would never have. Niamh was relegated to the background role of bag handler for her mother at book events.
For some reason Niamh didn’t think she had any talent. I didn’t understand why she felt that way.
Nianh had very low self-esteem. She feels worthless. She comes from a family of divorce and simply doesn’t feel connected to their parent. Her mother may have been a very successful writer, however, she did not have good parental skills.