A review by nytephoenyx
The Boy Who Didn't Come Home by Melissa Albert

dark fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 The Boy Who Didn't Come Home does exactly as it promises - it bridges the gap between The Hazel Wood and The Night Country by sharing what Ellery Finch was doing in the later part of The Hazel Wood when he disappears from the scene. It's interesting filler, and feels like the sort of thing that was written because the author needed to get it out of her system in order to move forward. It's got some holes in its logic, but overall, it's interesting backstory.

I stumbled on this by complete surprise - it was at the end of The Night Country's audiobook. I don't think I would have read it otherwise, and that would have been fine as far as the story goes. Since I enjoy reading about the Hinterlands (even with their deeply dark and twisted stories), I enjoyed this. 
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