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shemene's review against another edition
3.0
Ik geef het voor nu 3,5 ster. Ik weet niet goed wat ik van het boek vind.
Ik snap de “les” die ze erin heeft verwerkt maar ze heeft het einde afgeraffeld (als ik dat zo kan zeggen?). Het einde mocht langer zijn in vergelijking met onnozele onderwerpen die wel pagina`s lang werden beschreven.
Leuk boek met weinig pagina`s voor tussendoor maar thats it..
Ik snap de “les” die ze erin heeft verwerkt maar ze heeft het einde afgeraffeld (als ik dat zo kan zeggen?). Het einde mocht langer zijn in vergelijking met onnozele onderwerpen die wel pagina`s lang werden beschreven.
Leuk boek met weinig pagina`s voor tussendoor maar thats it..
stephxsu's review against another edition
3.0
One night, 15-year-old Lucas Swain enters a taxicab company office and is immediately attracted to a strange urn sitting on the shelf. He learns that it contains the ashes of one Violet Park, a well-known pianist who lived in the neighborhood, and that the urn was left in the backseat of a taxi years ago. Lucas doesn't understand exactly why Violet called out to him from the dead, but he feels certain that it has something to do with his father's disappearance five years ago. Peter Swain, lifetime ladies' man and difficult to love, simply vanished into thin air one day, leaving behind a distressed wife with two children and another on the way.
The more Lucas finds out about Violet, however, the more he may be forced to admit that his father was never the hero that Lucas makes him out to be by wearing his clothes and clinging to memories of him.
ME, THE MISSING, AND THE DEAD has a simple but powerful premise. One may hardly believe that a story about a teenage boy who is obsessed with some lady's ashes would work, but it does, and it works beautifully. Lucas (by way of Valentine) keeps a morbid subject funny by constantly interspersing lists in different fonts and by having normal adolescent male observations about his older sister, his friends, and girls. Valentine's language is captivatingly easy to read, even delving into the mystical at appropriate times.
Ultimately this book is about family, forgiveness, and growing up. It should appeal to most audiences and makes for a good, lingering one-time read.
The more Lucas finds out about Violet, however, the more he may be forced to admit that his father was never the hero that Lucas makes him out to be by wearing his clothes and clinging to memories of him.
ME, THE MISSING, AND THE DEAD has a simple but powerful premise. One may hardly believe that a story about a teenage boy who is obsessed with some lady's ashes would work, but it does, and it works beautifully. Lucas (by way of Valentine) keeps a morbid subject funny by constantly interspersing lists in different fonts and by having normal adolescent male observations about his older sister, his friends, and girls. Valentine's language is captivatingly easy to read, even delving into the mystical at appropriate times.
Ultimately this book is about family, forgiveness, and growing up. It should appeal to most audiences and makes for a good, lingering one-time read.
thebrainlair's review against another edition
4.0
Lucas Swain walks into the cab office because he is too tired to walk home. He's got money that his sister, Mercy, accidently left in his coat and he plans on using it. Everyone was staring at him. He looked away and then he saw her - the urn, I mean, Violet Park, she was in the urn. He didn't know her name then. But she was calling to him, compelling him to take her home. So he did, eventually.
"The main thing about my mom is that she's sad." (42) Lucas' dad, Pete, disappeared five years ago, when Lucas was 11. He wears Pete's clothes in the hopes that it will help everyone remember him. His mom hasn't moved on because no one knows what happened to Pete, and for Lucas this means he may be coming back any day now!
It turns out the dead lady in the urn, Violet Park, knew Lucas' dad The more Lucas uncovers about Violet the less he thinks it's a coincidence that he found her. His hope is that Violet will lead him to his dad and help Lucas bring Pete home. Funny though, the more he learns about Violet, the more he learns about Pete and he has to wonder, "Have I been remembering my dad correctly?" (88)
As Lucas uncovers the mystery of how Violet and Pete's connection he learns things about his mom, and his Gramps, and his little brother, Jed. Some things he wish he didn't know. "I went to my room and punched a hole in the wall, but I didn't cry." (200)
This was a fast but satisfying read. I felt as if I knew Lucas and could understand his need to idolize his dad and to find out what actually happened to Pete. I enjoyed this book very much and will book talk it April 16th.
"The main thing about my mom is that she's sad." (42) Lucas' dad, Pete, disappeared five years ago, when Lucas was 11. He wears Pete's clothes in the hopes that it will help everyone remember him. His mom hasn't moved on because no one knows what happened to Pete, and for Lucas this means he may be coming back any day now!
It turns out the dead lady in the urn, Violet Park, knew Lucas' dad The more Lucas uncovers about Violet the less he thinks it's a coincidence that he found her. His hope is that Violet will lead him to his dad and help Lucas bring Pete home. Funny though, the more he learns about Violet, the more he learns about Pete and he has to wonder, "Have I been remembering my dad correctly?" (88)
As Lucas uncovers the mystery of how Violet and Pete's connection he learns things about his mom, and his Gramps, and his little brother, Jed. Some things he wish he didn't know. "I went to my room and punched a hole in the wall, but I didn't cry." (200)
This was a fast but satisfying read. I felt as if I knew Lucas and could understand his need to idolize his dad and to find out what actually happened to Pete. I enjoyed this book very much and will book talk it April 16th.
saslovesbooks's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Pointless, meandering and with no real conclusion.
I liked the writing and the scene setting which is the only thing that gets it a star.
I liked the writing and the scene setting which is the only thing that gets it a star.
hedvig's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
3.5
rowananne's review against another edition
3.0
Ik had eigenlijk niet verwacht dat ik dit boek met zoveel plezier zou lezen, maar het zat goed in elkaar en heeft me aangenaam verrast!
cathyatratedreads's review against another edition
3.0
Me, the Missing, and the Dead is a satisfying book for a teen or older reader.
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/me-missing-and-dead-young-adult-book-review/
Read my full review, including a rating for content, at RatedReads.com: https://ratedreads.com/me-missing-and-dead-young-adult-book-review/
coinchantal's review against another edition
2.0
If ADHD was a book... it would be this book. I could not focus on it because it went from one end to the other in seconds. Didn't like the writing style, the story was to slow.
maudreeskamp's review against another edition
4.0
Dit is het eerste boek dat ik van Jenny Valentine lees en dat was een aangename ontmoeting! Valentine schrijft met een verfijnde, soepele pen over een puberende jongen die de verdwijning van zijn vader als enige in zijn gezin nog niet wil en kan accepteren.
Naast het originele plot vond ik het heel verfrissend dat de schrijfster de gedachten van een puberende jongen zo gevat op papier kan zetten.
Naast het originele plot vond ik het heel verfrissend dat de schrijfster de gedachten van een puberende jongen zo gevat op papier kan zetten.
xylandriel33's review against another edition
4.0
This book is one of those books that I'm still sitting here (a couple of hours after having finished it) trying to figure out how I feel about it.
Lucas Swain is a sixteen-year-old kid who is trying to keep the memory of his dad alive as his family attempts to move on from his disappearance (it's been five years). His world goes topsy-turvy when he accidentally meets Violet Park (while she is in her urn on a shelf). She makes her feelings well known to Lucas as she communicates things to him, aiding him in figuring out what happened to his father.
I will say, this is a novel that doesn't end how you think it will, but I think it ended the way it's supposed to. It's a coming of age story that talks about the truths of growing older, and how much it sucks to find out that your parents aren't exactly the faultless heroes you thought they were. And even knowing that, being able to move on.
Lucas Swain is a sixteen-year-old kid who is trying to keep the memory of his dad alive as his family attempts to move on from his disappearance (it's been five years). His world goes topsy-turvy when he accidentally meets Violet Park (while she is in her urn on a shelf). She makes her feelings well known to Lucas as she communicates things to him, aiding him in figuring out what happened to his father.
I will say, this is a novel that doesn't end how you think it will, but I think it ended the way it's supposed to. It's a coming of age story that talks about the truths of growing older, and how much it sucks to find out that your parents aren't exactly the faultless heroes you thought they were. And even knowing that, being able to move on.