Title: Since You've Been Gone
Publisher: Dundurn Group
Genre: Young Adult Fiction - Contemporary, Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Source: eARC provided by the publisher, opinions are honest and my own. – review policy here.
Is it possible to outrun your past? Fifteen-year-old Edie Fraser and her mother, Sydney, have been trying to do just that for five years. Now, things have gone from bad to worse. Not only has Edie had to move to another new school she's in a different country.
Sydney promises her that this is their chance at a fresh start, and Edie does her best to adjust to life in London, England, despite being targeted by the school bully. But when Sydney goes out to work the night shift and doesn't come home, Edie is terrified that the past has finally caught up with them.
Alone in a strange country, Edie is afraid to call the police for fear that she ll be sent back to her abusive father. Determined to find her mother, but with no idea where to start, she must now face the most difficult decision of her life." – via Goodreads
Sydney promises her that this is their chance at a fresh start, and Edie does her best to adjust to life in London, England, despite being targeted by the school bully. But when Sydney goes out to work the night shift and doesn't come home, Edie is terrified that the past has finally caught up with them.
Alone in a strange country, Edie is afraid to call the police for fear that she ll be sent back to her abusive father. Determined to find her mother, but with no idea where to start, she must now face the most difficult decision of her life." – via Goodreads
There was a girl...
I was not overly impressed with Edie as a character however I did appreciate some attributes of her personality. While many of her actions/reactions to things were not desirable I did find them human and a realistic byproduct of her situation. As the book would say, teenagers can be little twats. I did like in the end that Edie tried for redemption, another human like quality.
and a whole lot more plot.
The book weighs in at a little over 200 pages which was a way to short to delve into any sort of character development. On the other hand we are raced out of Toronto within the first couple of chapters and onto the busy streets of London. Within a few days the mystery of Edie's mom takes center stage. The pacing is great with each twist and turn keeping Edie on the hunt. There are a couple of points that I feel like could've been modified to really raise the stakes but alas, did not happen. There are a few writing inconsistencies that may be cleared up during the final editing stage but it was noticeable when the story is told in first person.
A great read for...
those looking for a quick and exciting story. I think the subject matter is important and handled with care but could use a higher page count to really flush everything out, not to mention character development.
3 Stars – An exciting, quick read without all the nuts and bolts.
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