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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
Janie, a high school girl, one day sees her face on a milk carton with information that she was kidnapped. She begins to question her identity and wonders every moment whether her parents kidnapped her. She also is suddenly attacked with the new romance between her and Reeve and finds that the kidnapping situation is a distraction to her love life. Janie later finds out that her parents are actually her grandparents and Janie's "real mother" was in a cult and wanted her grandparents to take care of her. Then, Janie realizes that the information they gave her was not true and she remembers her past slightly. At the end, she reveals that she was taken from her real parents by the cult and unknowingly, her grandparents took care of her since she was five. The book ends with the point of view of Janie's sister, who has not seen her sister since they were young, and they find out that Janie will be coming back to their family soon.
I loved these books when I was a kid! Mystery /suspense /identity
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall, it was okay. Interesting plot but a bit slow at some points. Too heavy on romance/personal life for a mystery novel. Unsatisfactory ending.
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Kindaaa holds up tbh. Is it *good*? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ did I read it all in about 2 hours and want to go straight to the sequel? Yes.
This isn't my favorite YA piece I've read, but it is a staple of the genre. I can remember my own friends talking about this book and passing it around to friends in middle school. Is the literary style or voice anything to get excited about? Not anymore, though it was for its time. The genre has grown up quite a bit since then. Still, it's obviously a classic for the original plot and fascinating idea; fascinating and even a little seductive for teenagers who all - at some point - wish their parents weren't their own. Janie's obsession is a bit drawn out, but suitably captures the emotional turmoil of her new knowledge. The relationship with Reeve is on fast-forward - yeah, I realize they've known each other their whole lives, but they're ready to jump in the sack after casually kissing for a week? Perhaps more time has passed, but Cooney didn't make that clear if that's the case.
Anyway, enough. The plot is well-laid, and the characters are fairly believable. Worth a read for any young teen and/or teachers of young teens. Another problem with this book is that it is a bit dated and does show its age; the milk-carton-missing-child routine has long since extinct. There are other references that would make a 21st century teen laugh, but since the book is centered around this milk-carton idea, this reference is most problematic.
Anyway, enough. The plot is well-laid, and the characters are fairly believable. Worth a read for any young teen and/or teachers of young teens. Another problem with this book is that it is a bit dated and does show its age; the milk-carton-missing-child routine has long since extinct. There are other references that would make a 21st century teen laugh, but since the book is centered around this milk-carton idea, this reference is most problematic.