A review by heyericamay
Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks

4.0

I recently remembered I read this book, but forgot what it was about and such. So, I decided to venture into the reviews, which were all following some sort of status quo: vote two stars, rave about Raymond, call the rest of the book total shit, etc. However, I will have to go against this, because as soon as I remembered the plot, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia and instantly said, "I really liked this book." I loved Pete as a character, maybe even more than I liked Raymond. The book was realistic; as shown by the comments before mine, a lot of people complained that SPOILER Raymond was never found. Unfortunately, when teens are reported as missing, they don't just come back. The author obviously describes that Raymond's a bit of a nut, so that should be a pretty good reason as to why he's gone. Brooks gave his characters an eerie sort of freedom -- Raymond is a mystery and the essence of him lingers on after you turn the final page. For those who loved Raymond and hoped to see him return (or something), you were filled with anticipation and anxiety, much like a worried parent. You hoped to find some sort of news, but it never really came. Everything felt like a hint, but the hints never went anywhere. In my eyes, Raymond is represented as the kid who's always there for you, but is also neglected and therefore never appreciated until he is gone.

For anyone looking to read this book, you really should. Ignore the 2-star ratings! Kevin Brooks is brilliant, and the novel is both haunting and sexy, wrapped in an enigma. It really wouldn't hurt to give it a read (: