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llscholar's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
erhabori's review against another edition
5.0
Story explores the effects 911 had on two teenage boys living through the first anniversary of the event. Which maybe doesn't sound very compelling, but that's really just a backdrop to explore how each of the characters wrestle with grief and overcome loss.
This is very much a character-driver story, which is great because I loved both characters. Oh, I just loved the characterization done in this book. So, so much. Each of the boys felt completely natural and real, never got the sense that anything they said or did was contrived.
The world the author built in this was small, but she made sure it was fully fleshed out and viscerally realized. Familiar tropes were executed so uniquely from the norm that I almost didn't recognize them (such as the love-triangle). The atmosphere she created was incredibly hypnotic and grounded, it felt like you were living through everything that happened rather than just reading about it. I'm beyond excited to pick up her other works.
This is very much a character-driver story, which is great because I loved both characters. Oh, I just loved the characterization done in this book. So, so much. Each of the boys felt completely natural and real, never got the sense that anything they said or did was contrived.
The world the author built in this was small, but she made sure it was fully fleshed out and viscerally realized. Familiar tropes were executed so uniquely from the norm that I almost didn't recognize them (such as the love-triangle). The atmosphere she created was incredibly hypnotic and grounded, it felt like you were living through everything that happened rather than just reading about it. I'm beyond excited to pick up her other works.
deecolfs's review against another edition
5.0
Let me start by saying that I hesitated, but this book deserves the 5 stars, really.
It took me almost 2 years to get my hands on this book, but I did it! Success!
Anyway, the story is told from two POVs: Craig's and Lio's. They both have their problems and they're both working them out throughout the book, hitting their lows and their highs along the way.
The whole plot around Craig and his missing animals hit me hard because I've been in a similar situation recently and it suuuuucks. I'm glad that by the end of the book he didn't let himself be too hung up on it and decided to move on. That's the best he could do, really.
As for Lio, the whole story behind his hair was just... heartbreaking, man. I can only imagine what it feels like knowing your twin brother didn't make it when you both went through the same things, both good and bad. His therapist was really cool, too.
All in all, the story is beautifully written and I really liked the style, where it's like you're listening to these characters tell you their stories, instead of just reading about them. The pauses, the repetitions, the run-on sentences. It somehow all adds more depth to the story and the feelings you get out of it. I found myself both laughing and on the verge of tears while reading certain parts. I could also see a lot of myself in these characters' thoughts, which probably helped me connect with them more.
I'd say more, but I can't trust myself not to give it all away, so I'll stop here. I loved this book and it'll always have a special little space in my heart.
It took me almost 2 years to get my hands on this book, but I did it! Success!
Anyway, the story is told from two POVs: Craig's and Lio's. They both have their problems and they're both working them out throughout the book, hitting their lows and their highs along the way.
The whole plot around Craig and his missing animals hit me hard because I've been in a similar situation recently and it suuuuucks. I'm glad that by the end of the book he didn't let himself be too hung up on it and decided to move on. That's the best he could do, really.
Spoiler
I do think, though, that fourteen animals are in no way a substitute to therapy when you really need it. And, come on, if I were his mother and he was crying like 10 times a day and not sleeping most nights, I probably would have found a way to get him to see a professional, because that's not good, man.As for Lio, the whole story behind his hair was just... heartbreaking, man. I can only imagine what it feels like knowing your twin brother didn't make it when you both went through the same things, both good and bad. His therapist was really cool, too.
All in all, the story is beautifully written and I really liked the style, where it's like you're listening to these characters tell you their stories, instead of just reading about them. The pauses, the repetitions, the run-on sentences. It somehow all adds more depth to the story and the feelings you get out of it. I found myself both laughing and on the verge of tears while reading certain parts. I could also see a lot of myself in these characters' thoughts, which probably helped me connect with them more.
I'd say more, but I can't trust myself not to give it all away, so I'll stop here. I loved this book and it'll always have a special little space in my heart.
rachels1127's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
idk this one didn't hit
sjoyce11's review against another edition
4.0
I loved Lio and Craig and watching their love develope. What a great coming of age love story! This book totally reminded me of how intense feelings are at 15 and what profound thoughts kids have about life, death, love and everything in between. The author did a great job of weaving so many important life subjects into this love story. Lio and Craig touched my heart ♡
bumkeyts's review against another edition
2.0
1.5 stars. Wasted my time reading this. Not my cup of tea.
navsy's review against another edition
2.0
Sometimes while I’m reading a book, I keep thinking that is it a story to tell; which in itself is a clue that I’m not into the story but then if it isn’t all that bad, I finish it. After I’m done, I reconsider my thoughts and for Gone Gone Gone my thoughts are that it really wasn’t a story to tell and damn it I want my hours back! I could have read a perfectly decent story or something that was funny.
It’s a story about two boys who are screwed up in their own ways and have no one else other than each other and then they are together and happy..but that’s not an issue. My question is: What did the shooting spree have anything to do with it? What had 9/11 to do with it? It could have been a story in perfectly normal circumstances and nothing would have mattered. Was it just something to draw the public in? Or was it something that Lio and Craig could fight over? There were many other incidents that hardly made sense to me; for instance, why did Lio have to get drunk and then ramble infront of Craig? Did it have any significance in their budding relationship? Most of the story felt like incoherent mumbling to me.
Craig is a guy who can’t get over his ex-boyfriend Cody, whose father’s death made him unstable. He still loves him and thinks that it was his fault that he couldn’t fix him. So he gets a lot of pets that he can love and fix as if that would make his hurt over Cody any better. It’s his idea of dealing when in actuality, he isn’t. He breaks down over every other thing and basically chatters like if he doesn’t get the words out they’d strangle him or something. Reading his monologue made me feel like I was listening to a really high fella talk incessantly.
Ew. I hate that word. Like girls have animals in their pants or something. I have no desire to know what girls have in their pants but I do really hope none of it is alive, and I don’t think even newborn kittens in a girl’s pants could make me go down there. This is so gross. Why am I still thinking about this? I hate karate.
^ This is an example of Craig rambling on and on. It was cute at places but then it was just nonsense. I agree with what he just said ^ there and now it has got me wondering why it’s called a pussy. Is it..what I’m thinking it is? If it’s not then I think I just have a sick perverted mind; which is normal, right? Please tell me it’s normal. Ugh! Now my brain is thinking other things I don’t want to be thinking. I hate you for making me think so many things Craig! Damn you!
I need to calm down…
.
.
.
.
.
Hm. I’m back. Alright, so Lio…
Lio is a very shy guy who survived cancer when he was really young and his twin didn’t and his mother left his father and he has a million sisters and he loves them all very much. He’s been getting therapy for about seven years and he has many emotions locked up inside him but he opens up to Craig; starts loving him infact, which is sweet and at the same time confusing. I understand why both of them need each other. For Craig it’s because he thinks Lio is some broken kid he has to fix, which is really messed up and for Lio, Craig is the only person he can relate to. This is what confuses me. Why is it Craig? Because he thinks that Craig can fix him? Or is it because he hasn’t ever opened up to anyone before as he has to Craig through IM?
I can’t even pinpoint anything that I exactly like about this story. As I’ve already mentioned, it doesn’t feel like a story that needs to be told. Oh wait! I know what I liked about this story. ANIMALS! There were so many pets! I remember crying myself to sleep when one of my dogs went missing in 5th grade. I was so miserable that I woke up and went out barefoot calling out his name and miracles of miracles he came back! After a few months though, he disappeared again and never came back again. Not really a charming story but the point is that I could relate to Craig and his obsessiveness over finding all his pets. He might have had different reasons too but then he did love them all and it was a lovely thing.
Now this brings me to other characteristics of these guys. Why does Craig think he’s invincible? I don’t really get it. I don’t understand how he can’t be scared at all when people are dying so close to his vicinity; where on the other hand, Lio is totally freaked out about it. Lio’s fear stems from his near death experience I guess, but Craig’s fearlessness doesn’t make sense to me. Was it because he thought it wouldn’t matter if he died because he was so upset about so many things already? What was it?
I think I’m more confused than I was when I started with the review and I don’t have answers to any of my questions aaaand it sucks. I really need a book now that makes me laugh my ass off. Coping mechanism or whatever. 2 stars.
It’s a story about two boys who are screwed up in their own ways and have no one else other than each other and then they are together and happy..but that’s not an issue. My question is: What did the shooting spree have anything to do with it? What had 9/11 to do with it? It could have been a story in perfectly normal circumstances and nothing would have mattered. Was it just something to draw the public in? Or was it something that Lio and Craig could fight over? There were many other incidents that hardly made sense to me; for instance, why did Lio have to get drunk and then ramble infront of Craig? Did it have any significance in their budding relationship? Most of the story felt like incoherent mumbling to me.
Craig is a guy who can’t get over his ex-boyfriend Cody, whose father’s death made him unstable. He still loves him and thinks that it was his fault that he couldn’t fix him. So he gets a lot of pets that he can love and fix as if that would make his hurt over Cody any better. It’s his idea of dealing when in actuality, he isn’t. He breaks down over every other thing and basically chatters like if he doesn’t get the words out they’d strangle him or something. Reading his monologue made me feel like I was listening to a really high fella talk incessantly.
Ew. I hate that word. Like girls have animals in their pants or something. I have no desire to know what girls have in their pants but I do really hope none of it is alive, and I don’t think even newborn kittens in a girl’s pants could make me go down there. This is so gross. Why am I still thinking about this? I hate karate.
^ This is an example of Craig rambling on and on. It was cute at places but then it was just nonsense. I agree with what he just said ^ there and now it has got me wondering why it’s called a pussy. Is it..what I’m thinking it is? If it’s not then I think I just have a sick perverted mind; which is normal, right? Please tell me it’s normal. Ugh! Now my brain is thinking other things I don’t want to be thinking. I hate you for making me think so many things Craig! Damn you!
I need to calm down…
.
.
.
.
.
Hm. I’m back. Alright, so Lio…
Lio is a very shy guy who survived cancer when he was really young and his twin didn’t and his mother left his father and he has a million sisters and he loves them all very much. He’s been getting therapy for about seven years and he has many emotions locked up inside him but he opens up to Craig; starts loving him infact, which is sweet and at the same time confusing. I understand why both of them need each other. For Craig it’s because he thinks Lio is some broken kid he has to fix, which is really messed up and for Lio, Craig is the only person he can relate to. This is what confuses me. Why is it Craig? Because he thinks that Craig can fix him? Or is it because he hasn’t ever opened up to anyone before as he has to Craig through IM?
I can’t even pinpoint anything that I exactly like about this story. As I’ve already mentioned, it doesn’t feel like a story that needs to be told. Oh wait! I know what I liked about this story. ANIMALS! There were so many pets! I remember crying myself to sleep when one of my dogs went missing in 5th grade. I was so miserable that I woke up and went out barefoot calling out his name and miracles of miracles he came back! After a few months though, he disappeared again and never came back again. Not really a charming story but the point is that I could relate to Craig and his obsessiveness over finding all his pets. He might have had different reasons too but then he did love them all and it was a lovely thing.
Now this brings me to other characteristics of these guys. Why does Craig think he’s invincible? I don’t really get it. I don’t understand how he can’t be scared at all when people are dying so close to his vicinity; where on the other hand, Lio is totally freaked out about it. Lio’s fear stems from his near death experience I guess, but Craig’s fearlessness doesn’t make sense to me. Was it because he thought it wouldn’t matter if he died because he was so upset about so many things already? What was it?
I think I’m more confused than I was when I started with the review and I don’t have answers to any of my questions aaaand it sucks. I really need a book now that makes me laugh my ass off. Coping mechanism or whatever. 2 stars.
ladygetslit's review against another edition
5.0
Check out my full review on my blog, The Story Salve.
Gone, Gone, Gone is one of those books that will break your heart and then put it back together again, all in the span of 250 pages.
Some reasons you should read this book:
* authentic teen voice that’s intensely quotable: Hannah Moskowitz gives me writer envy so hard
* gay book that isn’t about coming out with super accepting families on both sides
* revisiting recent history: post 9/11 sniper shootings & how growing up in this era affects the characters’ worldviews
* interracial romance with the “but we can’t be together” trope: Craig & Lio are both my new fictional besties that I just want to hug so damn much
* raw mental health talk deals with grief honestly: Lio struggles with suvivor’s guilt over his twin brother’s death, while Craig deals with getting over his ex
Overall Recommend:
This is a great choice for Pride Month—it’s highly readable and doesn’t focus solely on coming out. Both Craig and Lio are adorable and huggable and pretty much my new besties—and I’m sure they’ll be yours too!
My full review will be on my blog, The Story Salve, as of June 28.
Gone, Gone, Gone is one of those books that will break your heart and then put it back together again, all in the span of 250 pages.
Some reasons you should read this book:
* authentic teen voice that’s intensely quotable: Hannah Moskowitz gives me writer envy so hard
* gay book that isn’t about coming out with super accepting families on both sides
* revisiting recent history: post 9/11 sniper shootings & how growing up in this era affects the characters’ worldviews
* interracial romance with the “but we can’t be together” trope: Craig & Lio are both my new fictional besties that I just want to hug so damn much
* raw mental health talk deals with grief honestly: Lio struggles with suvivor’s guilt over his twin brother’s death, while Craig deals with getting over his ex
Overall Recommend:
This is a great choice for Pride Month—it’s highly readable and doesn’t focus solely on coming out. Both Craig and Lio are adorable and huggable and pretty much my new besties—and I’m sure they’ll be yours too!
My full review will be on my blog, The Story Salve, as of June 28.
taylorzeb's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. The premise was very well portrayed. This book was full of raw emotion and it made me become so attached to these characters. Craig and Lio were both extremely well written characters and I really liked both of them. The things that both of them are going through along with the sniper shootings that were happening made for a very deeply emotional journey for both characters. I liked the character development that had started to happen by the end of the book. I loved Hannah's other two books and this one definitely lived up to my expectations. The only thing that might turn some people off is that there is a lot of cussing in this book, but it honestly didn't bother me that much. Other than that small thing this book was fantastic.