Author: Kat Rosenfield
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Page Count: 277 pages, Hardcover
Date Published: July 5th 2012
Find it on Goodreads: Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone
Source: ARC sent by publisher
An arresting un-coming-of-age story, from a breathtaking talent
Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life.
Short chapters detailing the last days of Amelia Anne Richardson's life are intercut with Becca's own summer as the parallel stories of two young women struggling with self-identity and relationships on the edge twist the reader closer and closer to
Becca has always longed to break free from her small, backwater hometown. But the discovery of an unidentified dead girl on the side of a dirt road sends the town--and Becca--into a tailspin. Unable to make sense of the violence of the outside world creeping into her backyard, Becca finds herself retreating inward, paralyzed from moving forward for the first time in her life.
Short chapters detailing the last days of Amelia Anne Richardson's life are intercut with Becca's own summer as the parallel stories of two young women struggling with self-identity and relationships on the edge twist the reader closer and closer to
the
truth about Amelia's death.
My Thoughts:
I was so ecstatic when I received an ARC of this book. The cover is absolutely phenomenal and the plot sounded terrific. I had just started getting back into murder mystery type books and so I was very excited. Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone was a beautifully written novel. The prose was gritty and mesmerizing, with an almost poetic-like style. Very contemplative and a lot of detail. It's an intense, slow read, but the style of writing is so different from what I usually read, so that didn't matter too much to me. The only thing that bothered me was that it wasn't entirely clear if Becca was looking back on past events or if something was happening in present time. I was a little disorientated, and confused as to who was where and what was happening, but it ended up being better.
This is most definitely a book for older teens and adults. It deals with a lot of dark subjects and is also not for those who have a faint heart. The book opens with a sex scene that is not explicit, but is still 'there'. There are brutal murders that take place, with quite a bit of detail. Not so much that it made me not want to read, but I did cringe at one point or another. The book weaves through both Becca's story during the aftermath of Amelia's murder, and Amelia's life before her death. That was really well done. I enjoyed reading both girls' stories very much. There was also a lot of emphasis on life in a small town and how Becca just wanted to leave, and I really felt her pain. I don't live in that small of a town, but I could still relate to Becca's challenges.
If you enjoy books that are written in a style that is more artistic and almost interpretive, Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone would be an excellent book. It's filled with superb writing and has a plot line that focuses a lot on the idea of not coming of age. It is definitely not for someone who perhaps has a faint heart and is disturbed easily. But if you can put up with some vague-ish details of a murder, I'm sure you'll be fine whilst reading this book. I personally really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to what Kat Rosenfield will be writing next.
Have a great day/night everyone!
~Kristy
This is most definitely a book for older teens and adults. It deals with a lot of dark subjects and is also not for those who have a faint heart. The book opens with a sex scene that is not explicit, but is still 'there'. There are brutal murders that take place, with quite a bit of detail. Not so much that it made me not want to read, but I did cringe at one point or another. The book weaves through both Becca's story during the aftermath of Amelia's murder, and Amelia's life before her death. That was really well done. I enjoyed reading both girls' stories very much. There was also a lot of emphasis on life in a small town and how Becca just wanted to leave, and I really felt her pain. I don't live in that small of a town, but I could still relate to Becca's challenges.
If you enjoy books that are written in a style that is more artistic and almost interpretive, Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone would be an excellent book. It's filled with superb writing and has a plot line that focuses a lot on the idea of not coming of age. It is definitely not for someone who perhaps has a faint heart and is disturbed easily. But if you can put up with some vague-ish details of a murder, I'm sure you'll be fine whilst reading this book. I personally really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to what Kat Rosenfield will be writing next.
Have a great day/night everyone!
~Kristy
Yes to every single thing you said! I loved the writing and I was confused about some of the timing of events too, but overall it was excellent. Great review! :)
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