A review by logikitty
Sadie by Courtney Summers

challenging emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

How I'd describe this book: haunting, painful, uncomfortable, mysterious, and raw. I thought that the style of writing - in the style of a memoir and a podcast - made it incredibly unique, and I found that it had me reading at a much quicker pace than a standard novel. I loved the mystery of Sadie and how it came to be that The Girls podcast slowly discovered her steps one after another...But her story is very real and very sad. The public education system disowned her, her town didn't notice her, her mother abandoned her, and she was abused by a serial child-rapist (an all-too-honest reality especially in the wake of the MeToo movement). I felt a lot of intense emotions come up, especially when her past flashed back again and again, and it became more clear why she was convinced of who her sister's killer was and why. And the ambiguous ending made me wish for more (which I think speaks volumes to Summers's writing style and ability). I would read this again if it didn't hurt so much! I think this novel could be good for some people trying to process trauma, though I would warn against folks who might be triggered by child sexual abuse and neglect.
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