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celjla212's review against another edition
5.0
OH MY GOD....The same day I started reading this book, I woke up in the middle of the night and decided I had to finish it because it was all I could think about. It has been a long time, if ever, since a book has emotionally wrecked me like this one did. But happily, it also lifted me back up.
Jersey lives in the town of Elizabeth, which experiences so many tornado scares every year that they don't even really pay attention any more. But this time, it's not a false alarm. This time, there is a real, unimaginable twister that changes Jersey's life forever.
Although Jersey loves her mother very much, she couldn't help but be resentful when after so many years of it being just the two of them, her mom got remarried and gave Jersey a baby sister. She doesn't really love the big sister role, and often finds her 5 year old little sis annoying. Then, the tornado leaves her mom and sister dead, and Jersey would give anything to be annoyed by her again.
After bouncing around to a couple places and finding nothing but cruelty, Jersey begins to face the facts that maybe the real reasons her mom was alone weren't the same reasons she gave to Jersey.
I cried through the entire second half of this book. And not just a few tears. Big, ugly sobs complete with a snotty nose. Yeah, I know that's an attractive image...but that is how much I could relate to the pain and sorrow of the main character. It absolutely tore me up to see this sixteen year old girl go through losing everything, then not being able to pick up the pieces because she is so utterly alone.
What makes this book so beautiful and so different from every other young adult novel out there, is that there is no romance. No girl trying to get a cute guy to notice her, no makeovers, no witty dialogue, no comedic moments. The plot is just laying out Jersey's emotions in a raw way, as she experiences them. The reader goes through all this with her, feeling low and ashamed when she is, and timidly hopeful when she is as well.
I really don't want to give too much of the plot away, but I will say that the characters and situations all felt very real to me, even though I couldn't believe the way some people acted towards Jersey. Family doesn't always behave like they should, unfortunately, and this is definitely one lesson that is still ringing true for me in my adulthood. But I've found my circle of people who love me, and I can only hope that Jersey has found hers as well.
This book is a must read, and I would recommend it to absolutely EVERYONE.
Jersey lives in the town of Elizabeth, which experiences so many tornado scares every year that they don't even really pay attention any more. But this time, it's not a false alarm. This time, there is a real, unimaginable twister that changes Jersey's life forever.
Although Jersey loves her mother very much, she couldn't help but be resentful when after so many years of it being just the two of them, her mom got remarried and gave Jersey a baby sister. She doesn't really love the big sister role, and often finds her 5 year old little sis annoying. Then, the tornado leaves her mom and sister dead, and Jersey would give anything to be annoyed by her again.
After bouncing around to a couple places and finding nothing but cruelty, Jersey begins to face the facts that maybe the real reasons her mom was alone weren't the same reasons she gave to Jersey.
I cried through the entire second half of this book. And not just a few tears. Big, ugly sobs complete with a snotty nose. Yeah, I know that's an attractive image...but that is how much I could relate to the pain and sorrow of the main character. It absolutely tore me up to see this sixteen year old girl go through losing everything, then not being able to pick up the pieces because she is so utterly alone.
What makes this book so beautiful and so different from every other young adult novel out there, is that there is no romance. No girl trying to get a cute guy to notice her, no makeovers, no witty dialogue, no comedic moments. The plot is just laying out Jersey's emotions in a raw way, as she experiences them. The reader goes through all this with her, feeling low and ashamed when she is, and timidly hopeful when she is as well.
I really don't want to give too much of the plot away, but I will say that the characters and situations all felt very real to me, even though I couldn't believe the way some people acted towards Jersey. Family doesn't always behave like they should, unfortunately, and this is definitely one lesson that is still ringing true for me in my adulthood. But I've found my circle of people who love me, and I can only hope that Jersey has found hers as well.
This book is a must read, and I would recommend it to absolutely EVERYONE.
4saradouglas's review against another edition
4.0
I don't think I liked this one quite as much as everyone else, but I did end up enjoying it in the end. It took me awhile to figure out where the book was going, and in a funny way my reaction is precisely what the book is about. I kept thinking, the tornado hit in the first three chapters... what else is there to talk about? What's the point of this book? That's exactly what this book was about... what happens after disaster strikes. It got long at times and it was hard to stay motivated to read, but I did end up liking it and cried at the end. I also enjoyed the note at the end where the author described how Joplin inspired this book.
alboyer6's review against another edition
5.0
I really should give this book five tissues instead of stars. An incredible book about a girl dealing with loss. When most just lost homes in the tornado, she lost her family and now has to find her place in the face of rejection. But is is not just about her grief it is also about seeing the other side of the story. Growing up, she only ever heard her mother's point of view about her father, and about both sets of grandparents when there was more to the story. Keep the tissue box handy, you'll need it. I know I did.
ARC courtesy of Netgalley and publisher.
ARC courtesy of Netgalley and publisher.
christajls's review against another edition
4.0
This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic
Natural disasters are not uncommon occurrences. It seems like every time you turn around there’s been a tsunami, or tornado, or earthquake or hurricane. We see the damage done on television, we read the numbers – homes destroyed, people injured or killed. And we know it’s devastating but sometimes I feel like we’ve become a little too desensitized. After some time passes the news moves on to the next big story and we forget that there are people still trying to cope with the aftermath of the disaster, still trying to survive after they’ve lost everything.
“what the news crews couldn’t show was the real damage Elizabeth’s monster tornado had left behind. How do you record the wreckage left in someone’s heart?”
Torn Away brings the reader right into the heart of the disaster itself as well as it’s aftermath. The tornado strikes right at the start of the novel and Jennifer Brown does an amazing job setting the tone and the atmosphere for it. Jersey finds herself alone when the storm touches down and her fear feels so real. It comes through in every paragraph. But that’s only the beginning of the story. What really impressed me throughout the novel was how well Jennifer Brown described what Jersey’s world looked like after she lost everything – from the half-destroyed buildings, to the injuries her neighbours suffered, to the lists of missing people, I felt like I was walking the wreckage right alongside her.
In addition to the tornado, Torn Away is also a book about family. The storm not only took away Jersey’s house but it also took her mother and sister who weren’t able to make it to safety. Her step-father is unable to cope with his grief and sends her off to live with her father’s family, whom she has never met before. If this was a different kind of novel, they may have welcomed her with open arms – a long-lost daughter/sister/granddaughter finally come home. But Torn Away is not that kind of book. Through Jersey’s struggles Brown shows that ‘family’ isn’t something that comes automatically with blood relation. It’s something that requires effort and co-operation and there may be some obstacles that people are unwilling to tackle. It’s a tough message but it’s one that makes the reader appreciate their own family that much more.
My one complaint is that her father’s family – grandparents, her alcoholic father and step-mother and her half sisters – were so cruel and so unrelenting that at times it was almost too much. They were perfect stereotypes of white trash, so much so they became a little cartoonish in nature. This diminished the severity of her situation a touch, but was only one piece of the overall story. It wasn’t my favourite part but I don’t think it took away from the overall strength of the work.
Torn Away is tough, somber and unflinchingly honest story about loss and what it means to be a family. It demands to be devoured in a single sitting and will manage to both make you cry and warm your heart.
Natural disasters are not uncommon occurrences. It seems like every time you turn around there’s been a tsunami, or tornado, or earthquake or hurricane. We see the damage done on television, we read the numbers – homes destroyed, people injured or killed. And we know it’s devastating but sometimes I feel like we’ve become a little too desensitized. After some time passes the news moves on to the next big story and we forget that there are people still trying to cope with the aftermath of the disaster, still trying to survive after they’ve lost everything.
“what the news crews couldn’t show was the real damage Elizabeth’s monster tornado had left behind. How do you record the wreckage left in someone’s heart?”
Torn Away brings the reader right into the heart of the disaster itself as well as it’s aftermath. The tornado strikes right at the start of the novel and Jennifer Brown does an amazing job setting the tone and the atmosphere for it. Jersey finds herself alone when the storm touches down and her fear feels so real. It comes through in every paragraph. But that’s only the beginning of the story. What really impressed me throughout the novel was how well Jennifer Brown described what Jersey’s world looked like after she lost everything – from the half-destroyed buildings, to the injuries her neighbours suffered, to the lists of missing people, I felt like I was walking the wreckage right alongside her.
In addition to the tornado, Torn Away is also a book about family. The storm not only took away Jersey’s house but it also took her mother and sister who weren’t able to make it to safety. Her step-father is unable to cope with his grief and sends her off to live with her father’s family, whom she has never met before. If this was a different kind of novel, they may have welcomed her with open arms – a long-lost daughter/sister/granddaughter finally come home. But Torn Away is not that kind of book. Through Jersey’s struggles Brown shows that ‘family’ isn’t something that comes automatically with blood relation. It’s something that requires effort and co-operation and there may be some obstacles that people are unwilling to tackle. It’s a tough message but it’s one that makes the reader appreciate their own family that much more.
My one complaint is that her father’s family – grandparents, her alcoholic father and step-mother and her half sisters – were so cruel and so unrelenting that at times it was almost too much. They were perfect stereotypes of white trash, so much so they became a little cartoonish in nature. This diminished the severity of her situation a touch, but was only one piece of the overall story. It wasn’t my favourite part but I don’t think it took away from the overall strength of the work.
Torn Away is tough, somber and unflinchingly honest story about loss and what it means to be a family. It demands to be devoured in a single sitting and will manage to both make you cry and warm your heart.
kelleemoye's review against another edition
4.0
Each time I pick up a Jennifer Brown novel I know I'll not want to get to until I am done, and this book was no different--I read it in one sitting. Jennifer Brown sure knows how to craft a story! Torn Away is a gut-wrenching book that so perfectly portrays grief and fear and sadness.
dr_logen's review against another edition
4.0
This book really resonated with me. I live in Missouri and have heard my share of tornado sirens. We usually just ignore them because it's usually not that serious. A tree fell on my house during a storm once but it was a small tree so not that big of a deal. But a twist of fate and this could happen to anyone in the Midwest. So sad to think that your life could change so drastically so quickly.
This book is about loss and how to try to move on when you've lost so much. It's about what makes someone family. Jersey's mom and sister both die in a massive tornado that also destroys her home. Jersey's unharmed, but now has to find a home while also trying to cope with such a huge loss. Jersey is a likable character who is easy to identify with. She's dealing with a lot and I think she handles it in a believable way.
This book is about loss and how to try to move on when you've lost so much. It's about what makes someone family. Jersey's mom and sister both die in a massive tornado that also destroys her home. Jersey's unharmed, but now has to find a home while also trying to cope with such a huge loss. Jersey is a likable character who is easy to identify with. She's dealing with a lot and I think she handles it in a believable way.
freyaluna's review against another edition
3.0
I am a bit confused about what I thought about this book. I cried my eyes out, but does this make the book really good? Brown knows how to write. I read the book in no time. Only, the story is one big cliche. Girl looses family, finds lost dad who is no good and finally finds a place at family she never knew. I am not totally convinced by that.. So it is well written, but the story isn't good? I guess that would be my conclusion.
thepaperreels's review against another edition
4.0
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE PLAYLIST HERE.
THIS REVIEW IS ALSO POSTED ON MY BLOG.
"Mom, it’s been hard. And scary.... And every day I wish I had died with you... Just that I wish I hadn’t been left behind, all alone. That part really sucks."
I devoured this book in one sitting, between tears.
It felt so real, it really scared me. I have no words for how ah-mazing Jennifer Brown is. I'll be honest and say that this is my first novel from her. And that I did not expect anything from Torn Away other than it's a sob story about a girl who lost her sister and mother. But wow. I'm still trying to figure out why I haven't read any of her other works yet. (I'll fix this soon) While reading this, all the things that I felt when our country were paralyzed by flooding came rushing back at me. I'm from Philippines by the way. I know that a tornado and flood are different, but the aftermath is pretty much the same. Nothing can prevent a Natural Disaster from happening, all we have to do is be ready. Something that Jersey was not.
This is what I got: A brilliantly written story with an honest and realistic protagonist.
Jersey is very easy to understand and relatable. You see, this kind of heartbreaking story will not be a success without characters that will touch the readers heart. And I strongly believe that Jennifer aced in that department because Jersey is one unforgettable protagonist.
The pacing is just plain perfect. Nothing is rushed, everything is explained and I felt everything that Jersey went through. I'm both glad and sad that I'm with Jersey through one of her most devastating point in her life.
All in all, Torn Away is a beautiful and poignant novel that will definitely make you think of all your priorities and will touch your heart.
TRACK LIST:
Paranoia in B Flat Major by The Avett Brothers
This is the song that immediately came in my mind when Jersey was introduced.
All I Want by Kodaline
I don't know why I keep listening to this song. It kills me.
"But If you loved me
Why'd you leave me?"
The Good Times Are Killing Me by Modest Mouse
Throughout the story, one of the things that keeps Jersey going is her memory of her mother and sister and she's trying to remember each memory as much as possible. Though those memories keeps them alive inside her, it also kills her a little inside.
Make You Feel My Love by Bob Dylan (Lea Michele Version)
Regret. If she can change the way she acted from those last moments between her and her sister, she would.
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Jersey has yet to accept her loss, but one thing that she needs to be ready for: CHANGE.
Eye of your Storm by Kyler England
Jersey is drowning. From sorrow, grief, fear. And help will come from people that she never expected to care for her
Winding Road by Bonnie Somerville
"And it's a winding road
I've been walking for a long time
I still don't know
Where it goes
And it's a long way home
I've been searching for a long time
I still have hope
I'm gonna find my way home"
bookofcinz's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Jennifer Brown wrote the most heart breaking story with “Torn Away”. It was like reading a series of heart breaking events, everything that could happen to Jersey did. It was a really tragic and emotional read, Brown laid everything bare. You felt just as helpless and hopeless as Jersey.
A great read.
Jennifer Brown wrote the most heart breaking story with “Torn Away”. It was like reading a series of heart breaking events, everything that could happen to Jersey did. It was a really tragic and emotional read, Brown laid everything bare. You felt just as helpless and hopeless as Jersey.
A great read.