Review Detail

But Then I Came Back is a beautifully written contemporary YA novel focuses on the main character Eden, who has an accident that leads to her falling into a coma. BThe Story focuses on Eden’s struggle to make sense of where she was while in the coma and how to get back into the life of the living. Can she still be the 'old' Eden? Did a part of her stay behind when she came out of her coma? What about the girl she met while in between who still lays in a coma in the hospital?


What I Liked Best: The way Estelle Laure channels Eden's energetic personality in in an honest and bold. She realistically portrays Eden as she wakes up in the hospital and begins the arduous process of returning to her old life. Eden struggles to learn how to speak, swallow, deal with social issues at school and the feeling on just not fitting in her skin. Everything feels real and palpable as you read the book. The confusion and conflict Eden feels dealing with the contrast between her current reality and the pieces of her time In Between lend an otherworldly quality and a sense of urgency to this story.

There’s a bit of a paranormal element to Eden’s story, which helps add an additional layer to the story. It makes you question the fine line between what is real and what is in your subconscious. It is an interesting look into what might lay beyond our worldly realm.

What Left Me Wanting More: At times the pacing was slow, but in no way did that stop me from wanting to turn the page. There were also times where I wish I had read her first book This Raging Light first.

But Then I Came Back is about loss, recovery, self-discovery, and choice. A powerful story about a girl who has to lose a lot before she can find herself again. A book I didn’t want to put down. Highly recommended.

Recommended to those who liked: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, Fracture by Megan Miranda, When We Collided by Emery Lord, The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider, and American Street by Ibi Zoboi