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kblincoln's review against another edition
5.0
17&Gone is just as atmospheric, mesmerizing, disturbing, and raw-emotioned as Nova Ren Sum's Imaginary Girls.
One of my favorite tropes--the unreliable narrator-- is used to perfection here. Even at the end of the book I was left questioning what I know and what I think I know about Lauren's unexplained connection with missing girls.
Lauren seems to have a decent life. She has a van, a loving boyfriend, a best friend, a mother to whom she can tell anything--until one day she starts seeing Abby, a girl who went missing from a nearby summer camp. Abby's followed by her ex-babysitter, Fiona-- also missing at age 17-- and soon Lauren's hearing other missing girls' voices, obsessing over the details of their disappearance, and digging herself into a deeper and deeper hole of loneliness and sorrow.
And you can't help but go with her. Nor can you fault her for caring so deeply about these missing girls, the same age a Lauren, and her constant digging to find out why, how, and are they still alive?
Nova Ren Sum's writing takes you to that half-dream, half awake feeling you get right before you doze off at night--as if anything can happen and anything that happens is perfectly natural.
The visitations of the gone girls are creepy in the extremem, only Lauren's matter-of-fact acceptance keeps this from being full on horror for me.
Matching excellent writing with Lauren's unreliable narration and shedding light on a real problem that often gets overlooked? Jackpot.
This Book's Snack Rating: Parmesan Kettle Chips for the creamy bitterness of Lauren's downward spiral along with a solid crunch of creepy visitations and excellent supporting characters
One of my favorite tropes--the unreliable narrator-- is used to perfection here. Even at the end of the book I was left questioning what I know and what I think I know about Lauren's unexplained connection with missing girls.
Lauren seems to have a decent life. She has a van, a loving boyfriend, a best friend, a mother to whom she can tell anything--until one day she starts seeing Abby, a girl who went missing from a nearby summer camp. Abby's followed by her ex-babysitter, Fiona-- also missing at age 17-- and soon Lauren's hearing other missing girls' voices, obsessing over the details of their disappearance, and digging herself into a deeper and deeper hole of loneliness and sorrow.
And you can't help but go with her. Nor can you fault her for caring so deeply about these missing girls, the same age a Lauren, and her constant digging to find out why, how, and are they still alive?
Nova Ren Sum's writing takes you to that half-dream, half awake feeling you get right before you doze off at night--as if anything can happen and anything that happens is perfectly natural.
The visitations of the gone girls are creepy in the extremem, only Lauren's matter-of-fact acceptance keeps this from being full on horror for me.
Matching excellent writing with Lauren's unreliable narration and shedding light on a real problem that often gets overlooked? Jackpot.
This Book's Snack Rating: Parmesan Kettle Chips for the creamy bitterness of Lauren's downward spiral along with a solid crunch of creepy visitations and excellent supporting characters
bestdressedbookworm's review against another edition
2.0
This started well
Then started to get a little boring
Then got very boring
Then got really interesting for a couple of chapters
Then got confusing again and stayed that way for the rest of the book.
Wasn't my thing.
Then started to get a little boring
Then got very boring
Then got really interesting for a couple of chapters
Then got confusing again and stayed that way for the rest of the book.
Wasn't my thing.
missprint_'s review against another edition
3.0
"The snow came down and the bristly trees shuddered in the wind, sharing secrets, and no one stopped to listen. Until I did."
When seventeen-year-old Lauren first sees the Missing flyer for Abigail Sinclair, she knows it was left for her. Against all odds, Lauren is certain that she was meant to find this poster, to find out Abigail's story, maybe even to find her.
As Lauren digs into Abigail's disappearance she finds out that the missing girl preferred to be called Abby. She hated the summer camp where she was working. And she definitely didn't just run away.
The problem is no one else seems to care. The more Lauren investigates, the more missing girls she finds. All of them seventeen. All of them gone without a trace. Abby went missing in the summer. But it's winter now. Any girl could be next. Maybe even Lauren herself.
While trying to find Abby, Lauren will have to face secrets from her past and confront several uncomfortable truths in 17 & Gone (2014) by Nova Ren Suma.
17 & Gone is a chilling blend of suspense and what may or may not be ghosts. As Lauren grapples with the missing girls that are haunting her she also comes to realize that her mind may not be as reliable as she thought. Suma deftly unravels the stories of the missing girls and also examines Lauren's mental state from a variety of angles.
Eloquent prose and a gripping story come together here in a story that is as literary as it is unexpected. Recommended for readers who like their mysteries to be open-ended and their heroines to be clever and determined.
Possible Pairings: Find Me by Romily Bernand, The Night She Disappeared by April Henry, Damaged by Amy Reed, Missing Abby by Lee Weatherly, Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten, Cathy's Book: If Found Call 650-266-8233 by Jordan Weisman and Sean Stewart
When seventeen-year-old Lauren first sees the Missing flyer for Abigail Sinclair, she knows it was left for her. Against all odds, Lauren is certain that she was meant to find this poster, to find out Abigail's story, maybe even to find her.
As Lauren digs into Abigail's disappearance she finds out that the missing girl preferred to be called Abby. She hated the summer camp where she was working. And she definitely didn't just run away.
The problem is no one else seems to care. The more Lauren investigates, the more missing girls she finds. All of them seventeen. All of them gone without a trace. Abby went missing in the summer. But it's winter now. Any girl could be next. Maybe even Lauren herself.
While trying to find Abby, Lauren will have to face secrets from her past and confront several uncomfortable truths in 17 & Gone (2014) by Nova Ren Suma.
17 & Gone is a chilling blend of suspense and what may or may not be ghosts. As Lauren grapples with the missing girls that are haunting her she also comes to realize that her mind may not be as reliable as she thought. Suma deftly unravels the stories of the missing girls and also examines Lauren's mental state from a variety of angles.
Eloquent prose and a gripping story come together here in a story that is as literary as it is unexpected. Recommended for readers who like their mysteries to be open-ended and their heroines to be clever and determined.
Possible Pairings: Find Me by Romily Bernand, The Night She Disappeared by April Henry, Damaged by Amy Reed, Missing Abby by Lee Weatherly, Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten, Cathy's Book: If Found Call 650-266-8233 by Jordan Weisman and Sean Stewart
jasmyn9's review against another edition
4.0
This book was nothing like I first expected from reading the blurb. It's more psychological than thriller - even though the story of the lost girls is always present. The book was still an amazing story that I have recommended to many friends already.
Lauren was a great main character and was written a way that was very easy to read. The lost girls looking for Lauren's help all have a little bit of something in common with her that she latches onto and can't seem to let go, especially Abigail, Abby. As Lauren hunts to find out what happened to these girls, she grows and discovers many things about herself.
This is a very good psychological story that has you wondering what is happening next up until the very end - where we find a little bit of a twist.
Lauren was a great main character and was written a way that was very easy to read. The lost girls looking for Lauren's help all have a little bit of something in common with her that she latches onto and can't seem to let go, especially Abigail, Abby. As Lauren hunts to find out what happened to these girls, she grows and discovers many things about herself.
This is a very good psychological story that has you wondering what is happening next up until the very end - where we find a little bit of a twist.
faithsmom's review against another edition
3.0
This was a weird read for me. It started out with a bang and drew me in instantly and then once it got around the last third it really tapered off and I could tell exactly what was going to happen and it wasn't what I wanted.
theloveofinches's review against another edition
5.0
this was wayyyy more The Walls Around Us-esque than Imaginary Girls, and it made me happy as a clam. I don't know if it was the slow start or the fact that I read IG recently (and liked it just okay) but I had to set it down for a while about halfway through before I could really get into the story. I anticipated the ending being similar to the aforementioned and was quite pleased to see something different. this book definitely solidifies Suma as one of my top 10 all-time faves. looking forward to reading the rest of her stuff.
ciaralo's review against another edition
5.0
Okay, let's just start with the obvious. Look at this cover. I mean, um, how many shades of awesome is it? It absolutely fits the book perfectly. I love that they incorporated the missing posters used in the book, as well as the shadowy girl and the decrepit house. It's the perfect cover to clutch the pages of this dark tale.
I was grabbed from the get-go with that absolutely gorgeous prologue. It was so well done, so captivating and such a perfect opening to this novel. Nova Ren Suma has a serious talent for writing and I couldn't help but be awed by it throughout the novel. The detailed description, the foreboding atmosphere, and the powerful characters had me amazed. The writing was just insanely gorgeous and brilliantly excecuted. It made the novel that much more impacting.
I could feel this slow tug pulling me through the story, almost like the girls were urging me to stick with it, that I would find out soon enough. Because that was the only thing that bugged me about this book: I didn't know what was going on. And that's exactly the point. Lauren isn't sure what's happening either. All she knows is that these girls are 17, they're gone, they need her help, and that it's very possible she could be next. I was driving myself bonkers trying to figure out what was happening. I just had to know and know as soon as humanly possible. I also kept having this little squeeze in my chest while reading. I knew this book could be fantastic, and I really truly wanted it to be. I had been looking forward to reading it for a long time and I was hoping I didn't hype it up too much in my head. And once everything came to light I knew this book had solidified a place on my "awesome sauce reads" list. And okay, I had an inkling to where this book was going. I really hoped I was right because I thought it would just be such a fantastic idea. And although I guessed it right, it was executed more beautifully than I could have imagined. More stunning, more gut-wrenching, and more gorgeous then I could have imagined. Nova Ren Suma hit it out of the park.
One of the most brilliant and powerful components of this book is one I'm going to have to dance around. Why? Well, it would be a spoiler and we all know I hate those! I will say though that Nova Ren Suma effortlessly weaves a stunning story and explores how young girls become lost in every way possible. We slowly watch her main character Lauren descend a dangerous and broken path walked by countless girls before her. And it's honestly moving. I could see the cracks in Lauren from the start, and it was heart-wrenching seeing them spread. I felt completely connected to the story but also like I was looking through a window. I could see what was happening, but all I could do was bang on the window, shout, and never be heard. It was hard to watch Lauren walk down the path she was on. It was an absolutely stunning story though, and Lauren, quiet, docile Lauren was such an impacting narrator.
On another note: this book utterly terrified me. I mean seriously, Lauren is followed around by ghosts! And not always happy ghosts but disturbed, angry, and forceful ghosts. It haunted me long after I'd turned the last page. I found myself staying up late, looking over my shoulder, fearing I would find one of these ghostly girls waiting for me in the shadows. Nova Ren Suma created such a spooky atmosphere that seemed to transcend the page. Besides being scared, I also felt myself overwhelmed at points. There was so much reality in this book, so much terrible truth it was hard to handle. The sheer amount of young girls that go missing, that are never found is staggering. I'm one of those people who constantly strives for reason, for logic, and to know that there's a why out there that will never be found is hard to deal with.
With all I've said though, it boils down to the simple truth that this is a fantastic book. I know it's not going to be a book everyone loves, but if you let it, 17 & Gone will affect you. It will be a story you won't forget. And Nova Ren Suma will be an author you constantly watch out for.
- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)
I was grabbed from the get-go with that absolutely gorgeous prologue. It was so well done, so captivating and such a perfect opening to this novel. Nova Ren Suma has a serious talent for writing and I couldn't help but be awed by it throughout the novel. The detailed description, the foreboding atmosphere, and the powerful characters had me amazed. The writing was just insanely gorgeous and brilliantly excecuted. It made the novel that much more impacting.
I could feel this slow tug pulling me through the story, almost like the girls were urging me to stick with it, that I would find out soon enough. Because that was the only thing that bugged me about this book: I didn't know what was going on. And that's exactly the point. Lauren isn't sure what's happening either. All she knows is that these girls are 17, they're gone, they need her help, and that it's very possible she could be next. I was driving myself bonkers trying to figure out what was happening. I just had to know and know as soon as humanly possible. I also kept having this little squeeze in my chest while reading. I knew this book could be fantastic, and I really truly wanted it to be. I had been looking forward to reading it for a long time and I was hoping I didn't hype it up too much in my head. And once everything came to light I knew this book had solidified a place on my "awesome sauce reads" list. And okay, I had an inkling to where this book was going. I really hoped I was right because I thought it would just be such a fantastic idea. And although I guessed it right, it was executed more beautifully than I could have imagined. More stunning, more gut-wrenching, and more gorgeous then I could have imagined. Nova Ren Suma hit it out of the park.
One of the most brilliant and powerful components of this book is one I'm going to have to dance around. Why? Well, it would be a spoiler and we all know I hate those! I will say though that Nova Ren Suma effortlessly weaves a stunning story and explores how young girls become lost in every way possible. We slowly watch her main character Lauren descend a dangerous and broken path walked by countless girls before her. And it's honestly moving. I could see the cracks in Lauren from the start, and it was heart-wrenching seeing them spread. I felt completely connected to the story but also like I was looking through a window. I could see what was happening, but all I could do was bang on the window, shout, and never be heard. It was hard to watch Lauren walk down the path she was on. It was an absolutely stunning story though, and Lauren, quiet, docile Lauren was such an impacting narrator.
On another note: this book utterly terrified me. I mean seriously, Lauren is followed around by ghosts! And not always happy ghosts but disturbed, angry, and forceful ghosts. It haunted me long after I'd turned the last page. I found myself staying up late, looking over my shoulder, fearing I would find one of these ghostly girls waiting for me in the shadows. Nova Ren Suma created such a spooky atmosphere that seemed to transcend the page. Besides being scared, I also felt myself overwhelmed at points. There was so much reality in this book, so much terrible truth it was hard to handle. The sheer amount of young girls that go missing, that are never found is staggering. I'm one of those people who constantly strives for reason, for logic, and to know that there's a why out there that will never be found is hard to deal with.
With all I've said though, it boils down to the simple truth that this is a fantastic book. I know it's not going to be a book everyone loves, but if you let it, 17 & Gone will affect you. It will be a story you won't forget. And Nova Ren Suma will be an author you constantly watch out for.
- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)
cam_alain's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5