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A review by cassroberts89
Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
A cute and sweet and mostly-wholesome summer read about friendship with a side of first love. I enjoyed this so much! The list that Sloane leaves behind for Emily provides the perfect backdrop to structure the story. Without it, we’d just be watching a bunch of teenagers do their teenager thing.
As a parent I’m not really a fan of all the sneaking around, curfew breaking, etc. But seventeen year old Emily is a good kid, hangs out with friends who are good kids, and is fairly responsible overall. There’s a minimal amount of responsible drinking, albeit underage, a scene where she uses a fake ID to get into a bar to listen to a band sober, a long road trip without parents knowledge or consent, and a few make out sessions. No sex or even talk of sex that I recall. A few instances of a boyfriend/girlfriend cheating on their partner (kissing).
All in all, it reminds me of the mom in the Sandlot: “Get into trouble, for crying out loud! Not too much, but some.” I’d be more than happy to hand this to my older teen.
P.S. The title is perfect and fits the story well. I may have belted out Kelly Clarkson more than once after walking by and seeing the cover…
As a parent I’m not really a fan of all the sneaking around, curfew breaking, etc. But seventeen year old Emily is a good kid, hangs out with friends who are good kids, and is fairly responsible overall. There’s a minimal amount of responsible drinking, albeit underage, a scene where she uses a fake ID to get into a bar to listen to a band sober, a long road trip without parents knowledge or consent, and a few make out sessions. No sex or even talk of sex that I recall. A few instances of a boyfriend/girlfriend cheating on their partner (kissing).
All in all, it reminds me of the mom in the Sandlot: “Get into trouble, for crying out loud! Not too much, but some.” I’d be more than happy to hand this to my older teen.
P.S. The title is perfect and fits the story well. I may have belted out Kelly Clarkson more than once after walking by and seeing the cover…
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol