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A review by house_of_hannah
Sadie by Courtney Summers
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book really shows that the YA genre can deal with some deep and dark topics. It really reminds me of those true crime Netflix documentaries, especially since half the book is presented in a podcast format. I imagine hearing this on audiobook is probably the best way to consume the story.
Unfortunately, I found Sadie to be one-note. She was just running at 100 the whole time. I understand why, but even though I could connect with her cause I just couldn't connect with her. Some of the situations she ended up in seemed too convenient as well.
If you are like me and generally dislike ambiguous endings, then I have some bad news for you. The climax of the story happens off-screen, so you can only speculate as to what happened. I enjoyed this book, and read it in two sittings, but based on the description, and how much lead up there was to the end, I really thought there would be a definitive ending. Sadie essentially takes us with her on this mission of hers, and then we are left hanging, which just felt so abrupt.
The exploration of grief, sibling love, regret, and revenge was bittersweet. The multi-media format really added to the story in my opinion, and might actually be my favorite part of the book. I just wish the ending landed better for me.
Unfortunately, I found Sadie to be one-note. She was just running at 100 the whole time. I understand why, but even though I could connect with her cause I just couldn't connect with her. Some of the situations she ended up in seemed too convenient as well.
If you are like me and generally dislike ambiguous endings, then I have some bad news for you. The climax of the story happens off-screen, so you can only speculate as to what happened. I enjoyed this book, and read it in two sittings, but based on the description, and how much lead up there was to the end, I really thought there would be a definitive ending. Sadie essentially takes us with her on this mission of hers, and then we are left hanging, which just felt so abrupt.
The exploration of grief, sibling love, regret, and revenge was bittersweet. The multi-media format really added to the story in my opinion, and might actually be my favorite part of the book. I just wish the ending landed better for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Grief, and Murder