If You Find Me
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Review: If You Find Me
Overall rating
5.0
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Wow. This book is stunning. Dark yet also light. Pretty yet also with ugly secrets. Every page reveals a little more of what is unexpected.
This book is the best I had read in quite a while. It is mindblowing. Every word, every sentence, every paragraph will echo in the reader's head.
Carey... The main character who is the victim with a lot of dark secrets. She is the one narrating the book. Carey gives a little information one bit at a time. It's also as if she is afraid of what the reader might think of her. Carey is a perfectly balanced character. She is light and kind and protective. But she is also dark, shameful, and full of guilt. She balances all the responsibilities her mother gave her. She is badass. (She could fire a shotgun. Badass, for sure.) Carey has a unique view of the world. She believes that a certain of group of people are like that, but they are not. She slowly learns that there are good people in the world. Not everyone is as horrible as she thinks. Carey is slow to trust people because of the time she spent in the woods. Carey's big secret was dark, yet Carey doesn't realize that her secret isn't really dark at all. She is just guilty, but it isn't her fault. Carey, like a lot of women in the world, is slow to forgive things. Carey is such a complex character with a lot of depth like the Pacific Ocean. And she is only fourteen years old. Totally like a huntress.
Jenessa... Carey's sister (biological). Who couldn't fall in love with a girl like Jennessa? She is so adorable. Jenessa is six years old. She seems much more mature than how old she really is. I wish there are more six year olds like her. The world of six years old will suddenly be a whole lot more cuter! Jenessa is selectively mute. The why question? Because of Carey's dark secret.
Del... Carey's other sister (by marriage). And evil stepsister. I love how her attitude change throughout the book. When Carey discovers her sister's dirty secrets, Carey and her stepsister are a little closer to each other. They are friendlier. I love the character change.
The plot was good. The twists and turns can make the reader's jaw drop all the way to the ground. Some of it was just outrageous in a good way, of course. Many of it was shocking. Other twists and turns, you'll have to put the book down just to catch your breath because the twists/turns were...shocking and mindblowing and... Just WOW!
I mentioned that Carey drops a little of her past bit by bit right? Every little word or sentence or even paragraph will echo in the reader's mind until they can process it. Actually, even if the reader can process it, the words will echo for a very long time. The darkest secret was so dark that I shut the book and didn't start reading it again for a long time.
I love all these little references to Winnie the Pooh, Emily Dickinson, and other famous poets. These little references totally helped me understand the story. The little sections of poems and references to Winnie the Pooh somehow made the book a little more realistic.
SPOILERS (Skip this section if you didn't read this book)
1) Carey's darkest secret:
She killed a man. With her shotgun. Because he was a threat to Jenessa and Carey. He wanted money and Carey's mother.
2) Jenessa will start talking again.
3) Del's secret:
She is sleeping with some boy in her school. Del's a Sophomore.
4) Carey and Jenessa attacked.
End Spoilers
This book's rating is a five out of five.
-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com
This book is the best I had read in quite a while. It is mindblowing. Every word, every sentence, every paragraph will echo in the reader's head.
Carey... The main character who is the victim with a lot of dark secrets. She is the one narrating the book. Carey gives a little information one bit at a time. It's also as if she is afraid of what the reader might think of her. Carey is a perfectly balanced character. She is light and kind and protective. But she is also dark, shameful, and full of guilt. She balances all the responsibilities her mother gave her. She is badass. (She could fire a shotgun. Badass, for sure.) Carey has a unique view of the world. She believes that a certain of group of people are like that, but they are not. She slowly learns that there are good people in the world. Not everyone is as horrible as she thinks. Carey is slow to trust people because of the time she spent in the woods. Carey's big secret was dark, yet Carey doesn't realize that her secret isn't really dark at all. She is just guilty, but it isn't her fault. Carey, like a lot of women in the world, is slow to forgive things. Carey is such a complex character with a lot of depth like the Pacific Ocean. And she is only fourteen years old. Totally like a huntress.
Jenessa... Carey's sister (biological). Who couldn't fall in love with a girl like Jennessa? She is so adorable. Jenessa is six years old. She seems much more mature than how old she really is. I wish there are more six year olds like her. The world of six years old will suddenly be a whole lot more cuter! Jenessa is selectively mute. The why question? Because of Carey's dark secret.
Del... Carey's other sister (by marriage). And evil stepsister. I love how her attitude change throughout the book. When Carey discovers her sister's dirty secrets, Carey and her stepsister are a little closer to each other. They are friendlier. I love the character change.
The plot was good. The twists and turns can make the reader's jaw drop all the way to the ground. Some of it was just outrageous in a good way, of course. Many of it was shocking. Other twists and turns, you'll have to put the book down just to catch your breath because the twists/turns were...shocking and mindblowing and... Just WOW!
I mentioned that Carey drops a little of her past bit by bit right? Every little word or sentence or even paragraph will echo in the reader's mind until they can process it. Actually, even if the reader can process it, the words will echo for a very long time. The darkest secret was so dark that I shut the book and didn't start reading it again for a long time.
I love all these little references to Winnie the Pooh, Emily Dickinson, and other famous poets. These little references totally helped me understand the story. The little sections of poems and references to Winnie the Pooh somehow made the book a little more realistic.
SPOILERS (Skip this section if you didn't read this book)
1) Carey's darkest secret:
She killed a man. With her shotgun. Because he was a threat to Jenessa and Carey. He wanted money and Carey's mother.
2) Jenessa will start talking again.
3) Del's secret:
She is sleeping with some boy in her school. Del's a Sophomore.
4) Carey and Jenessa attacked.
End Spoilers
This book's rating is a five out of five.
-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com
Beautiful
Overall rating
4.7
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
A heartbreaking and sad but beautiful story about a girl kidnapped by her meth-addicted mother when she was only four years old that will make you think what true love can do to save the people we love. Carey and her mother live in a broken broken-down camper in the woods after she kidnapped her from her father who had her custody. Carey had to grow much faster than any child should after Jenessa her little sister was born. She practically become her Ness (as Carey called her)mother, taking care of her while their mother left them for moths to get supplies and her drugs. They live there hidden from the world for almost as long as they can remember, but one day their mother lefts and never returns. The girls are taken by their long lost father to live a normal life after all the pain and suffering. That's when Carey and Nessa's lives change forever and they discover true love apart from the only love they ever had, each other.
I felt in love with the story right away because of Carey's courage and loyalty; I could not put it down. The writing was absolutely gorgeous. The best part of this book is the strong, unbreakable and breathtaking sisterly bond between Carey and Jenessa. I love how there relationship develops and becomes more power with each passing page. This story will make you want to protest Carey and Ness from all the harm and suffering they endured. This book will never leave my heart, I will always remember how strong Carey and Ness were. I am so glad I won this book in the first reads giveaway.Such a uplifting story that makes love and family the most important theme in the story. I wish Murdoch makes a sequel; I want to know what happens to Carey after her secret is revealed. It was a special story with lots of love put into. 5 stars
I felt in love with the story right away because of Carey's courage and loyalty; I could not put it down. The writing was absolutely gorgeous. The best part of this book is the strong, unbreakable and breathtaking sisterly bond between Carey and Jenessa. I love how there relationship develops and becomes more power with each passing page. This story will make you want to protest Carey and Ness from all the harm and suffering they endured. This book will never leave my heart, I will always remember how strong Carey and Ness were. I am so glad I won this book in the first reads giveaway.Such a uplifting story that makes love and family the most important theme in the story. I wish Murdoch makes a sequel; I want to know what happens to Carey after her secret is revealed. It was a special story with lots of love put into. 5 stars
If You Find Me
Overall rating
4.7
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
I never thought I'd feel this way after reading the book. I didn't feel the connection in an instant the moment I started reading the book but as the story progressed, it pulled me towards it. It was heartbreaking, compelling and poignant. There's reality in it no matter how rare those things happen in real life. The emotions were there and the characters were tangible. Everything felt real.
I love how Murdoch maintained few characters and avoided a circus out of it. It was more believable because of Carey's background. The way each scenes rolled out was well-paced. It built suspense and makes you wanna read faster but at the same time, I felt like I wanna be suspended in time and slowly take it all in. It contributed to the right emotion I felt while I was reading Carey's confession.
The characters were amazingly written. I loved each of them, even Delaney! Among all of them, my favourite would be Melissa. I have read tons of books, fairy tales even, and step-mothers don't have a clean record but Melissa was so nice and motherly. She makes me wanna curl up beside my mother and make her read to me some stories.
Jenessa's vulnerability is heart-wrenching. If this was a movie, I'm pretty sure you'd see it in their eyes how they lost they were. Carey too. She acts tough and fearless for the sake of her sister but underneath it is a girl who's afraid and clueless on what to do next.
This is story will break your heart, but you'll love it.
I love how Murdoch maintained few characters and avoided a circus out of it. It was more believable because of Carey's background. The way each scenes rolled out was well-paced. It built suspense and makes you wanna read faster but at the same time, I felt like I wanna be suspended in time and slowly take it all in. It contributed to the right emotion I felt while I was reading Carey's confession.
The characters were amazingly written. I loved each of them, even Delaney! Among all of them, my favourite would be Melissa. I have read tons of books, fairy tales even, and step-mothers don't have a clean record but Melissa was so nice and motherly. She makes me wanna curl up beside my mother and make her read to me some stories.
Jenessa's vulnerability is heart-wrenching. If this was a movie, I'm pretty sure you'd see it in their eyes how they lost they were. Carey too. She acts tough and fearless for the sake of her sister but underneath it is a girl who's afraid and clueless on what to do next.
This is story will break your heart, but you'll love it.
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
(Updated: March 30, 2013)
Overall rating
5.0
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
This and other reviews can be found on http://readingbetweenclasses.blogspot.ca/
Title: If You Find Me
Author: Emily Murdoch
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Rating: 5/5
Cover Impressions: The cover is not particularly attractive and I don't feel it will stand out on a shelf. This is unfortunate, because the story that is held within it's pages would never blend in and deserves to be highlighted appropriately.
The Gist: As a child, Carey was spirited away by her meth addicted mother to a camper in the woods. Suffering abuse, mal-nutrition and the ever-aching cold, she manages to carve out an existance for herself and her sister, Jenessa. When two strangers enter the woods and claim that their mother has left them for good, the two girls are brought back to society and must learn a whole new way of life. As the girls attempt to put the past behind them, Carey finds she cannot escape not only what was done to her, but the horrific things that she has done.
Review:
In If You Find Me, we are introduced to Carey and Janessa. Carey has spent most of her life attempting to survive in the most awful of circumstances and raising Janessa in the absence of their mother. Carey has one of the most incredible voices that I have encountered in quite a while. As the narrator, Carey's speech patterns are authentic, using colloquialisms and speech patterns, without becoming gimmicky and distracting. Her sister also plays a very important role in the narrative. Neglected and suffering from selective mute-ism, Janessa still manages to steal the hearts of everyone that she encounters - readers included. Though, I must admit, I found it a little hard to believe that a child born and raised in the woods would not find this new world at least a little overwhelming. Rounding out the cast are Carey's father, his wife, Melissa and her daughter, Delaney. The relationships of the entire family are well written and realistic. Carey and Delaney certainly do not get along right away and there are some moments where I wanted to strangle the spoiled princess, but, eventually, we do get a glimpse of the situation through Delaney's eyes and are able to see how Carey's kidnapping has impacted the lives of all of those left behind.
Carey and Janessa's story is a heartbreaking one that is often difficult to read. Having had a child, I find these books hit me much harder now than they ever did before. They also remind me to think about the secret struggles that my own students might be dealing with at home. The book begins with the girls "rescue" and their history is only revealed through references and flashbacks. I found this style very effective as it starkly compares the struggles of Carey's new life (trying to fit it, bullying and homesickness) with those from her old life. I was very glad that the author chose to portray Carey's longing for the woods and her desire to run back there as a result of the human condition to find beauty in almost any situation and the fact that it was the only home Carey had known for such a long period of her life.
If You Find Me is not an easy read, but it is one worth the effort. If you are considering it for a younger audience, please take note below - this novel contains some disturbing descriptions of child abuse and rape and needs to be read with a certain level of maturity.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing, Sex between teenagers
Violence: Child Abuse (physical, emotional and sexual), Neglect, Kidnapping, Rape, Gunplay.
Inappropriate Language: Yes
Substance Use/Abuse: Meth use, Underage Drinking, Smoking
Title: If You Find Me
Author: Emily Murdoch
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Release Date: March 26, 2013
Rating: 5/5
Cover Impressions: The cover is not particularly attractive and I don't feel it will stand out on a shelf. This is unfortunate, because the story that is held within it's pages would never blend in and deserves to be highlighted appropriately.
The Gist: As a child, Carey was spirited away by her meth addicted mother to a camper in the woods. Suffering abuse, mal-nutrition and the ever-aching cold, she manages to carve out an existance for herself and her sister, Jenessa. When two strangers enter the woods and claim that their mother has left them for good, the two girls are brought back to society and must learn a whole new way of life. As the girls attempt to put the past behind them, Carey finds she cannot escape not only what was done to her, but the horrific things that she has done.
Review:
In If You Find Me, we are introduced to Carey and Janessa. Carey has spent most of her life attempting to survive in the most awful of circumstances and raising Janessa in the absence of their mother. Carey has one of the most incredible voices that I have encountered in quite a while. As the narrator, Carey's speech patterns are authentic, using colloquialisms and speech patterns, without becoming gimmicky and distracting. Her sister also plays a very important role in the narrative. Neglected and suffering from selective mute-ism, Janessa still manages to steal the hearts of everyone that she encounters - readers included. Though, I must admit, I found it a little hard to believe that a child born and raised in the woods would not find this new world at least a little overwhelming. Rounding out the cast are Carey's father, his wife, Melissa and her daughter, Delaney. The relationships of the entire family are well written and realistic. Carey and Delaney certainly do not get along right away and there are some moments where I wanted to strangle the spoiled princess, but, eventually, we do get a glimpse of the situation through Delaney's eyes and are able to see how Carey's kidnapping has impacted the lives of all of those left behind.
Carey and Janessa's story is a heartbreaking one that is often difficult to read. Having had a child, I find these books hit me much harder now than they ever did before. They also remind me to think about the secret struggles that my own students might be dealing with at home. The book begins with the girls "rescue" and their history is only revealed through references and flashbacks. I found this style very effective as it starkly compares the struggles of Carey's new life (trying to fit it, bullying and homesickness) with those from her old life. I was very glad that the author chose to portray Carey's longing for the woods and her desire to run back there as a result of the human condition to find beauty in almost any situation and the fact that it was the only home Carey had known for such a long period of her life.
If You Find Me is not an easy read, but it is one worth the effort. If you are considering it for a younger audience, please take note below - this novel contains some disturbing descriptions of child abuse and rape and needs to be read with a certain level of maturity.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing, Sex between teenagers
Violence: Child Abuse (physical, emotional and sexual), Neglect, Kidnapping, Rape, Gunplay.
Inappropriate Language: Yes
Substance Use/Abuse: Meth use, Underage Drinking, Smoking
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