‘Vanishing Girls’ (7 out of 10), Written by Lauren Oliver. HarperCollins. Available 03/10/15.
Dara and Nick are inseparable but are two very different people. A car accident changes both their lives forever and the two, for the first time, become estranged. When Dara goes missing on her birthday, Nick can’t help but think that her disappearance and a local girls disappearance, are connected. Nick is desperate to find her sister, and in doing so uncovers some unlikely truths.
There almost seems to be two separate plot points going on in this novel – Dara and Nick’s complex power-struggle, and the disappearance of Madeleine Snow. However, once you read on and these events converge there is so much more depth and intrigue which I found. From the very beginning, I was drawn into the minds of these two sisters – who did seem so loving, so caring and so bonded together in a way that only close siblings can be. Yet, as their differences came forward and their relationship more constrained and toxic – it was fascinating to read about how this fit in to the scope of their family life and with their mutual friend Parker. There’s always something undeniably alluring about a book with characters that are less than perfect, and ‘Vanishing Girls’ is no exception.
The story is told in a non-linear fashion, jumping back and forth in time to before and after the accident. The narration also switches between the sisters. There are also snippets of blog posts about a missing 9-year-old named Madeline, who was kidnapped out of her older sister’s car, a story that’s always in the background of the main plot, but still feels important. I really enjoyed the narrative structure, and it should keep readers on their toes.
I don’t want to say too much about the plot, for fear of giving things away. ‘Vanishing Girls’ can be classified as a suspenseful Young Adult novel, and there are mysteries, but it’s also and perhaps more importantly, the story of a family falling to pieces: divorced parents, two damaged kids who no longer speak, and messy parent-child relationships. And that’s where the heart of the book lies, in the sisters’ relationship (or lack thereof). The pieces of the story slowly come together to a devastating conclusion.
The ebb and flow of all the friendships, family and otherwise, is elegantly done and often very emotive, but always authentic and believable – Trademark Lauren Oliver and what I have come to expect from her. ‘Vanishing Girls’ is by genre a thriller, but its strength lies in its exploration of the relationship between two teenaged sisters, Nick and Dara. A fantastic book for those who like character driven novels. It begs for a re-read.
-Dagobot
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