Jane Anonymous: A Novel

 
4.8 (2)
 
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Jane Anonymous: A Novel
Age Range
12+
Release Date
January 07, 2020
ISBN
978-1250303707
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Bestselling author Laurie Faria Stolarz’s thrilling novel Jane Anonymous is a revelatory confessional of a seventeen-year-old girl’s fight to escape a kidnapper―and her struggles to connect with loved ones and a life that no longer exists. Seven months. That’s how long I was kept captive. Locked in a room with a bed, refrigerator, and adjoining bathroom, I was instructed to eat, bathe, and behave. I received meals, laundered clothes, and toiletries through a cat door, never knowing if it was day or night. The last time I saw the face of my abductor was when he dragged me fighting from the trunk of his car. And when I finally escaped, I prayed I’d never see him again. Now that I’m home, my parents and friends want everything to be like it was before I left. But they don’t understand that dining out and shopping trips can’t heal what’s broken inside me. I barely leave my bedroom. Therapists are clueless and condescending. So I start my own form of therapy―but writing about my experience awakens uncomfortable memories, ones that should’ve stayed buried. How far will I have to go to uncover the truth of what happened―and will it break me forever?

Bestselling author Laurie Faria Stolarz’s thrilling novel Jane Anonymous is a revelatory confessional of a seventeen-year-old girl’s fight to escape a kidnapper―and her struggles to connect with loved ones and a life that no longer exists. Seven months. That’s how long I was kept captive. Locked in a room with a bed, refrigerator, and adjoining bathroom, I was instructed to eat, bathe, and behave. I received meals, laundered clothes, and toiletries through a cat door, never knowing if it was day or night. The last time I saw the face of my abductor was when he dragged me fighting from the trunk of his car. And when I finally escaped, I prayed I’d never see him again. Now that I’m home, my parents and friends want everything to be like it was before I left. But they don’t understand that dining out and shopping trips can’t heal what’s broken inside me. I barely leave my bedroom. Therapists are clueless and condescending. So I start my own form of therapy―but writing about my experience awakens uncomfortable memories, ones that should’ve stayed buried. How far will I have to go to uncover the truth of what happened―and will it break me forever?

Editor reviews

4 reviews
Overall rating
 
4.8
Plot
 
4.5(2)
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5.0(2)
Writing Style
 
5.0(2)
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Intense psychological thriller
Overall rating
 
4.7
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JANE ANONYMOUS follows two timelines: one while Jane was captured for 7 months and one after she is back home. While she is captured, she is confused and disoriented, unsure of where she is or why she was taken. Once she's back home, she struggles to adjust to her previous 'normal.'

My favorite part of Laurie Faria Stolarz's latest novel is the voice. Jane's narrative is emotional and compelling, and the tonal shift between her 'then' and 'now' is pitch perfect. While I expected to find myself more drawn to the mystery of her capture, I ended up equally enraptured with her healing journey. Her progress to find her new normal isn't linear. There are many ups and downs, steps forward and steps back. It felt completely realistic.

I also appreciated the relationships between Jane and her parents and Jane and her old friends. You can tell how much her parents want to help but don't quite know how. When it comes to her friends, Jane's primary response is avoidance and mixed emotions, but you get to see her work through those and identify why she's feeling the way she is.

Overall, this was a highly enjoyable thriller that I couldn't put down.
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completely engrossing and captivating read
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5.0
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Told from the perspective of a girl who was captured and escaped, JANE ANONYMOUS is a thriller of both physical and emotional survival. "Jane" is writing the book as a method for healing, as writing is how she copes, and she takes us back and forth between then (during the capture) and now, as she is trying to deal with her life and the way that she feels (described as being in pieces).

This book is completely captivating and engrossing, and even though it was pretty easy to guess who was behind it all, the journey is breath-taking. This is very much a thriller with plenty of suspense, but it also features a large emotional journey that is on the path of healing. It is difficult to put into words how much this is a page-turner, but highly recommend for fans of Caroline B. Cooney, SADIE, and other YA thriller masterpieces.

I completely devoured this book in less than a day because it was impossible to put down. This book is something different and an atmospheric page-turner. While I don't want to give anything away, I certainly recommend picking this one up. Also, if you are concerned about cliffhangers, the main plots are resolved herein. I also want to give bonus points for showing the process of selecting a therapist and finding your own journey to be ready for therapy. This is quite a potent read.

Fans of thriller/suspense YA reads, you will need to add this to your TBR.
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