Scan barcode
A review by thepetitepunk
Sadie by Courtney Summers
5.0
Girls go missing all the time. And ignorance is bliss.
Sadie broke me to pieces. When I read books, I don't usually visibly show my emotions, but Sadie left my hands shaking and heart racing. Powerful, disturbing, and carefully written, Sadie will resonate with you long after you finish the last page.
Initially, I was worried I'd have a hard time following the format of the book. The chapters alternate between the transcript of a radio host's podcast about a missing girl, and the perspective of the missing girl herself, Sadie. The radio host, West McCray, is skeptical about the case at first, worried that there will be no unique story behind Sadie's disappearance. And Sadie—well, Sadie is a strong character. There's no better way to describe it. She's been through hell in all the worst ways possible and yet there is still energy in her. Whether that energy is used for good is debatable, but her story is captivating.
What Sadie experiences—which is something no child should ever go through—is horrifying. Courtney Summers' writing captures the heartbreak and struggle of Sadie and injects it directly into the reader. This book will draw the deepest kind of emotions out of you. However, I think the most emotional part was the contrast between West McCray's and Sadie's voice. West McCray makes it clear at first that he just wants a story. And is Sadie's story even worth telling? But slowly, as he learns more and more about the tragedy of Sadie and her sister Mattie, there is a shift in tone. He's not just narrating a podcast anymore. He has, to a limited extent, become close to Sadie in a personal way that those who have not seen what he has seen will not understand. "A girl goes missing" is a common story, but we cannot write any of these stories off as something generic. This happens all the time—and that is the problem. Sadie brings awareness to a problem we've all heard about, but adds a personal level that not all of us really want to get to. But we have to. Ignorance cannot be bliss when girls go missing every day.
Sadie broke me to pieces. When I read books, I don't usually visibly show my emotions, but Sadie left my hands shaking and heart racing. Powerful, disturbing, and carefully written, Sadie will resonate with you long after you finish the last page.
Initially, I was worried I'd have a hard time following the format of the book. The chapters alternate between the transcript of a radio host's podcast about a missing girl, and the perspective of the missing girl herself, Sadie. The radio host, West McCray, is skeptical about the case at first, worried that there will be no unique story behind Sadie's disappearance. And Sadie—well, Sadie is a strong character. There's no better way to describe it. She's been through hell in all the worst ways possible and yet there is still energy in her. Whether that energy is used for good is debatable, but her story is captivating.
What Sadie experiences—which is something no child should ever go through—is horrifying. Courtney Summers' writing captures the heartbreak and struggle of Sadie and injects it directly into the reader. This book will draw the deepest kind of emotions out of you. However, I think the most emotional part was the contrast between West McCray's and Sadie's voice. West McCray makes it clear at first that he just wants a story. And is Sadie's story even worth telling? But slowly, as he learns more and more about the tragedy of Sadie and her sister Mattie, there is a shift in tone. He's not just narrating a podcast anymore. He has, to a limited extent, become close to Sadie in a personal way that those who have not seen what he has seen will not understand. "A girl goes missing" is a common story, but we cannot write any of these stories off as something generic. This happens all the time—and that is the problem. Sadie brings awareness to a problem we've all heard about, but adds a personal level that not all of us really want to get to. But we have to. Ignorance cannot be bliss when girls go missing every day.