If You Find Me
User reviews
3 reviews with 4 stars
7 reviews
Overall rating
4.6
Plot
4.4(7)
Characters
4.7(7)
Writing Style
4.6(7)
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N/A(0)
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Ordering
Warm and touch
Overall rating
4.0
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N/A
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The hype machine being what it is, and my tendency to reject well-loved books being what it is, I started reading If You Find Me with no little nervousness. I’d read enough reviews to figure out that it had all the buzzwords I tend to look for, and when not one but two mystery packages showed up at my doorstep containing this book, I figured the heavens were sending me a sign. And I am very glad to report that Emily Murdoch did not disappoint.
In a sentence, If You Find Me is about two sisters’ reintegration into society after spending several years living in a camper in the woods. The story is simple. But I’ve oftentimes found that the most simple stories carry the strongest weight. For me, this was a book about relationships. Sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, friendships. One the topic of relationships, I can only say “bravo!”
The book is told in first-person from fourteen-year-old Carey’s perspective. As the elder of the two sisters, Carey has functioned as a parent for her sister Nessa for years. Carey has lived in the woods for over ten years, and with only her meth-addict mother and her junkie friends as a point of contact to the outside world, her perspective is understandably skewed. She views her newfound father with suspicion, her ideas of family and (in particular) sexuality are skewed, and she acts more like a middle-aged parent than a teen girl. Her gradual adjustment to “normal” life was rewarding and heartwarming.
One thing that YA fiction needs to see more of, in my opinion, is nice people. Genuine, caring people who try their best to do the right thing and make other people comfortable. I’d heard that If You Find Me was populated by just such characters, but I didn’t believe it until I was a hundred pages in, ready to strangle-hug every single person in Carey’s life. There were no bad guys in this book, and it was such a wonderful change of pace. From Carey’s new family to the kids at school, everyone was so nice. Even Carey’s stepsister, who started off nasty, ended up showing a soft side. I loved watching all these people interact with each other, find new footing, and resolve the issues of the past. It was so wonderful to watch.
Sadly, as much as I’d like to say If You Find Me was perfect, it wasn’t for me. As much as I adored the characters and the story, it felt like there was something missing. Some touch of emotion, depth to secondary characters, loose threads. I can’t say for sure. I wish I did know. That missing piece, however, did not affect my overall enjoyment of the book at all, and I would hate to drive anyone away from this book because of it—because this book is ultimately very fulfilling.
I’m going to have to thank everyone for pushing this book into a place where I could notice it. Emily Murdoch is a debut author to watch out for, and If You Find Me was absolutely fantastic. I think this is a great book for those in search of issue books that don’t stomp on your heart and smush it to pieces—the emotion is there, but it’s much more joyful and bright than is typical of realistic fiction. I found this book to be authentic and touching.
In a sentence, If You Find Me is about two sisters’ reintegration into society after spending several years living in a camper in the woods. The story is simple. But I’ve oftentimes found that the most simple stories carry the strongest weight. For me, this was a book about relationships. Sibling relationships, parent-child relationships, friendships. One the topic of relationships, I can only say “bravo!”
The book is told in first-person from fourteen-year-old Carey’s perspective. As the elder of the two sisters, Carey has functioned as a parent for her sister Nessa for years. Carey has lived in the woods for over ten years, and with only her meth-addict mother and her junkie friends as a point of contact to the outside world, her perspective is understandably skewed. She views her newfound father with suspicion, her ideas of family and (in particular) sexuality are skewed, and she acts more like a middle-aged parent than a teen girl. Her gradual adjustment to “normal” life was rewarding and heartwarming.
One thing that YA fiction needs to see more of, in my opinion, is nice people. Genuine, caring people who try their best to do the right thing and make other people comfortable. I’d heard that If You Find Me was populated by just such characters, but I didn’t believe it until I was a hundred pages in, ready to strangle-hug every single person in Carey’s life. There were no bad guys in this book, and it was such a wonderful change of pace. From Carey’s new family to the kids at school, everyone was so nice. Even Carey’s stepsister, who started off nasty, ended up showing a soft side. I loved watching all these people interact with each other, find new footing, and resolve the issues of the past. It was so wonderful to watch.
Sadly, as much as I’d like to say If You Find Me was perfect, it wasn’t for me. As much as I adored the characters and the story, it felt like there was something missing. Some touch of emotion, depth to secondary characters, loose threads. I can’t say for sure. I wish I did know. That missing piece, however, did not affect my overall enjoyment of the book at all, and I would hate to drive anyone away from this book because of it—because this book is ultimately very fulfilling.
I’m going to have to thank everyone for pushing this book into a place where I could notice it. Emily Murdoch is a debut author to watch out for, and If You Find Me was absolutely fantastic. I think this is a great book for those in search of issue books that don’t stomp on your heart and smush it to pieces—the emotion is there, but it’s much more joyful and bright than is typical of realistic fiction. I found this book to be authentic and touching.
Inspiring sisters
Overall rating
4.3
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
I loved how close Carey and Janessa are as sisters.
Good Points
I received If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch from Net Galley for my honest review.
If You Find Me is about two young girls Carey, and her little sister Janessa who live with their mother in a camper in the woods. But after awhile Joelle their mother abandons them which means the two girls are left to fend for themselves in the woods in the middle of the winter. Luckily though Carey’s dad and a social worker finally finds them and this is where we start off in the book.
When I started the book I was a little confused by what was going on in the beginning but as the book went on it got clearer. We start of seeing these two young girls bond and it was a great thing to see. Most sisters have some type of close bond but these two had the greatest bond I’ve ever seen between two sisters, and yes the reason why they have such a strong bond is unfortunate but it was still beautiful to see.
Carey is a really strong character and I said this many times while reading she is really a character that people should look up to. No matter what was happening she was always thinking about her younger sister first making sure she was okay and safe and I loved that about her. I absolutely loved Janessa’s character she was the sweetest little girl ever! She always made me smile while reading!
One of the only things that I didn’t really like were sometimes in the book Carey would go off into her own little world. Sometimes it’s fun to be inside someone else’s head to see what there thinking but it just seemed like we were in her head way too much sometimes all the thoughts weren’t needed but this did not take away too much for me I still loved the book.
This happens to be this authors debut young adult book and I have to say that I definitely do want to read everything she writes because I fell in love with this book! I kind of wish there was a second book so I could see how the two sisters get along with their new parents and Delaney. In the end it gets a 5 out of 5 stars I definitely recommend this book to anyone it was fantastic!
If You Find Me is about two young girls Carey, and her little sister Janessa who live with their mother in a camper in the woods. But after awhile Joelle their mother abandons them which means the two girls are left to fend for themselves in the woods in the middle of the winter. Luckily though Carey’s dad and a social worker finally finds them and this is where we start off in the book.
When I started the book I was a little confused by what was going on in the beginning but as the book went on it got clearer. We start of seeing these two young girls bond and it was a great thing to see. Most sisters have some type of close bond but these two had the greatest bond I’ve ever seen between two sisters, and yes the reason why they have such a strong bond is unfortunate but it was still beautiful to see.
Carey is a really strong character and I said this many times while reading she is really a character that people should look up to. No matter what was happening she was always thinking about her younger sister first making sure she was okay and safe and I loved that about her. I absolutely loved Janessa’s character she was the sweetest little girl ever! She always made me smile while reading!
One of the only things that I didn’t really like were sometimes in the book Carey would go off into her own little world. Sometimes it’s fun to be inside someone else’s head to see what there thinking but it just seemed like we were in her head way too much sometimes all the thoughts weren’t needed but this did not take away too much for me I still loved the book.
This happens to be this authors debut young adult book and I have to say that I definitely do want to read everything she writes because I fell in love with this book! I kind of wish there was a second book so I could see how the two sisters get along with their new parents and Delaney. In the end it gets a 5 out of 5 stars I definitely recommend this book to anyone it was fantastic!
Fantastic Debut
Overall rating
4.3
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
I was seriously impressed by Emily Murdoch’s debut novel. In fact, I think it is the strongest that I have read this year.
The book is not perfect by any means. The romance was a bit awkward and just a little too smooth (and perhaps even unnecessary) for my liking but that was a minor issue. Everything else though, was absolutely amazing.
I am always wary of realistic novels because they often deal with difficult subjects that I usually dive into the fiction world to avoid. The themes are dark and pain is a prerequisite. They call it “problem novels” in some circles (usually accompanied by a sneer or an unflattering twist of the lips). What made If You Find Me stand out for me was not just the premise but how completely Murdoch was able to immerse herself in Carey’s voice and world. World building, as my writing professor pointed out, is not just limited to fantasy. It is an essential part of any story whether it be set in a fantastic world or the real one. Carey’s voice never wavers, never slips – it is always Carey with her flaws, hesitations and thousand and one issues.
The other thing that impressed the hell out of me was Murdoch’s use of “dialect” to separate Carey and create her as an outsider in her community. It is so gracefully done without any explicit narrative necessary to paint Carey as different. All she needs to do is think in the way (in the language) that comes naturally to her and the reader will see her as separate and distinct. Very well done.
Another beautiful aspect of this novel was the relationship between the two sisters. It was heart wrenching and heartwarming. Their interactions served to speak volumes about their characters without actually saying anything. Even the resident mean girl has a story and motivation and their relationship is not black and white but rather complex and layered.
Also refreshing is the binary portrayal of parents in this novel. The mother is beyond horrible and there were moments when I was choked by grief or anger or both at the atrocious things Carey’s mother did to them. The way Carey’s father is portrayed is masterful. First the reader approaches him with the same distrust and caution Carey does and then, gradually, as Carey warms to him so do the readers. Kinda like sitting in the dark just before dawn and watching the sun come up and slowly illuminate everything.
I couldn’t understand the purpose of making Carey beautiful. Is there some kind of subtext that I am not getting or is it to say that beautiful things and people emerge from horrible surroundings and people? I am not sure. I could come up with a dozen other explanations but I am just going to let it go without thinking too much about it. The ending is beautiful but it did make me feel a bit anxious because I am not sure what happens to Carey and I need her to have a happy ending. Wendy told me that the paperback copy will have an epilogue that spells things out but that will be a long wait unless the author takes pity on us and release it as an e-copy.
In conclusion, I strongly recommend this title. Grab a box of tissues, a cup of tea and snuggle up. It might make your list of best books of the year. I know it made mine.
The book is not perfect by any means. The romance was a bit awkward and just a little too smooth (and perhaps even unnecessary) for my liking but that was a minor issue. Everything else though, was absolutely amazing.
I am always wary of realistic novels because they often deal with difficult subjects that I usually dive into the fiction world to avoid. The themes are dark and pain is a prerequisite. They call it “problem novels” in some circles (usually accompanied by a sneer or an unflattering twist of the lips). What made If You Find Me stand out for me was not just the premise but how completely Murdoch was able to immerse herself in Carey’s voice and world. World building, as my writing professor pointed out, is not just limited to fantasy. It is an essential part of any story whether it be set in a fantastic world or the real one. Carey’s voice never wavers, never slips – it is always Carey with her flaws, hesitations and thousand and one issues.
The other thing that impressed the hell out of me was Murdoch’s use of “dialect” to separate Carey and create her as an outsider in her community. It is so gracefully done without any explicit narrative necessary to paint Carey as different. All she needs to do is think in the way (in the language) that comes naturally to her and the reader will see her as separate and distinct. Very well done.
Another beautiful aspect of this novel was the relationship between the two sisters. It was heart wrenching and heartwarming. Their interactions served to speak volumes about their characters without actually saying anything. Even the resident mean girl has a story and motivation and their relationship is not black and white but rather complex and layered.
Also refreshing is the binary portrayal of parents in this novel. The mother is beyond horrible and there were moments when I was choked by grief or anger or both at the atrocious things Carey’s mother did to them. The way Carey’s father is portrayed is masterful. First the reader approaches him with the same distrust and caution Carey does and then, gradually, as Carey warms to him so do the readers. Kinda like sitting in the dark just before dawn and watching the sun come up and slowly illuminate everything.
I couldn’t understand the purpose of making Carey beautiful. Is there some kind of subtext that I am not getting or is it to say that beautiful things and people emerge from horrible surroundings and people? I am not sure. I could come up with a dozen other explanations but I am just going to let it go without thinking too much about it. The ending is beautiful but it did make me feel a bit anxious because I am not sure what happens to Carey and I need her to have a happy ending. Wendy told me that the paperback copy will have an epilogue that spells things out but that will be a long wait unless the author takes pity on us and release it as an e-copy.
In conclusion, I strongly recommend this title. Grab a box of tissues, a cup of tea and snuggle up. It might make your list of best books of the year. I know it made mine.
N
Nafiza
Top 1000 Reviewer
3 results - showing 1 - 3
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