In this sequel to When I Was Joe (2010), "Joe" (formerly Tyler, now Jake) continues to make bad decisions based on his very partial understanding of his own past even as he tries hard to escape the present. "Joe" was the new identity given to Tyler as part of the witness-protection program he entered in order to keep his testimony safe from influence after he witnessed a fatal stabbing. Tyler had been an insecure loner, while Joe was popular and made friends, but Jake barely knows who he is, and his new situation is even more confusing than the last. His fear for everyone’s safety combines with his ignorance and a hair-trigger temper to keep the danger level high. Readers must have read the first book in order to understand this one, but for those in the know, Tyler/Joe/Jake is an enormously sympathetic character in fascinating, extraordinary circumstances. The swift pace will keep those already attached hooked to the end. The story is set in Great Britain, and a modicum of familiarity with their justice system is helpful, though not totally necessary. Framing the typical adolescent search for identity within the travails of a threatened witness—who may well be lying about various parts of his story or who may just be confused—makes for a high-octane survival tale. (Adventure. YA)
Pub Date: April 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-84780-141-8
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: April 6, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2011
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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