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boyishkid's review against another edition
3.75
this book was super solid, i loved the way she writes and all the shifting pov’s were really engaging.
kymme's review against another edition
2.0
I picked up this book because of the word "Disapparation," not gonna lie. It was not, however, remotely connected to what that word means in the world of Harry Potter. At least not connected in any way that could be considered fun or whimsical or awesome. A much more accurate title might have been the Disappearance of James, but I would not have picked up that book, so marketing-wise, smart move.
I didn't love this book, and sometimes I was skimming through (super short chapters from many different characters' points of view), but in the midst of the moments I didn't like were a few true gems. Ursu gives good 7 yo girl--I fully believed the scenes from the daughter's perspective, and I loved her thinking she could draw her brother back into their lives. I also enjoyed getting into Tom the cop's head, and overall I appreciated the intention of showing the myriad people affected by a missing child beyond the parents. The parents themselves, eh. The rest of the story, eh. But great title.
I didn't love this book, and sometimes I was skimming through (super short chapters from many different characters' points of view), but in the midst of the moments I didn't like were a few true gems. Ursu gives good 7 yo girl--I fully believed the scenes from the daughter's perspective, and I loved her thinking she could draw her brother back into their lives. I also enjoyed getting into Tom the cop's head, and overall I appreciated the intention of showing the myriad people affected by a missing child beyond the parents. The parents themselves, eh. The rest of the story, eh. But great title.
roscoehuxley's review against another edition
3.0
I see Anne Ursu's Shadow Thieves mentioned, so thought I'd add this one. It is not a sci fi book, but is quite clever. It is intense, and for a parent, perhaps a bit disturbing. I had a tough time reading every word, until I did the horrible thing and read the end. It is about a boy who disappears into thin air. Literally. And the trauma and disruption it causes.
I read it because not only is she a good Minnesotan, but I was acquainted with her brother a few years ago, AND my sister has a best-friend's-brother is married to her type relationship, so it was interesting to read after hearing about her that way.
I read it because not only is she a good Minnesotan, but I was acquainted with her brother a few years ago, AND my sister has a best-friend's-brother is married to her type relationship, so it was interesting to read after hearing about her that way.
library_brandy's review against another edition
4.0
Language and sentence structure really captures how scared and frantic the parents are after their son disappears during a magic act, and the confused optimism of their 7-year-old daughter. No big surprises in the plot, but compelling en route to the ending anyway.
rosseroo's review
4.0
The disappearance or death of a child is quite literally a parent's worst nightmare, and there are countless thrillers revolving around such scenarios. Here, Ursu takes that nightmare and twists it just enough so that the focus is not on the hunt for the missing child, but on the effect on the parents and family. It's a clever way into the topic that neatly sidesteps the procedural plot points that dominate thrillers about the same topic, and allow for a much richer exploration of the psychology of such an event.
The Woodrow family is at the circus for their 7-year-old daughter Greta's birthday and their possibly developmentally disabled 5-year-old son, James, is fidgety and withdrawn until the appearance of Mike the Clown. All of a sudden, the normally shy James perks up and even volunteers to be part of a trick. However, the clown's disappearing act becomes all too real when the Woodrow's son vanishes in a puff of smoke, and no one, not the clown, the cops, or the parents have the remotest understanding of how it happened, or where's he gone. Each family member copes with the loss in their own way (mother sinks into near-catatonic depression, father has wild rages, and Greta creates a rich tale about where her brother has gone), and while these are somewhat obvious reactions, they are vividly and realistically rendered (it should come as no surprise that the least obvious coping mechanism of the three, Greta's story, is the most interesting).
The obvious message of the book is that no matter how closely we watch and guard over our children, we ultimately have only the illusion of control over what happens to them. In the case of this story, the fates can literally spirit them away. This is the kind of theme that I'm not sure I would have found interesting in any way prior to becoming a parent, but now that I am, strikes me with intensity. A thought-provoking read, especially for parents.
The Woodrow family is at the circus for their 7-year-old daughter Greta's birthday and their possibly developmentally disabled 5-year-old son, James, is fidgety and withdrawn until the appearance of Mike the Clown. All of a sudden, the normally shy James perks up and even volunteers to be part of a trick. However, the clown's disappearing act becomes all too real when the Woodrow's son vanishes in a puff of smoke, and no one, not the clown, the cops, or the parents have the remotest understanding of how it happened, or where's he gone. Each family member copes with the loss in their own way (mother sinks into near-catatonic depression, father has wild rages, and Greta creates a rich tale about where her brother has gone), and while these are somewhat obvious reactions, they are vividly and realistically rendered (it should come as no surprise that the least obvious coping mechanism of the three, Greta's story, is the most interesting).
The obvious message of the book is that no matter how closely we watch and guard over our children, we ultimately have only the illusion of control over what happens to them. In the case of this story, the fates can literally spirit them away. This is the kind of theme that I'm not sure I would have found interesting in any way prior to becoming a parent, but now that I am, strikes me with intensity. A thought-provoking read, especially for parents.
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