The Leaving by Tara Altebrando
The Leaving by Tara Altebrando
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens on June 7, 2016
I was unsure what to expect with The Leaving by Tara Altebrando. The hype for it was everywhere and I was intrigued by the unique plot. Six kidnapped kindergartners, eleven years pass and five kids return with no memories of the time away; sounds interesting right? And it was. Told in alternating voices, some like Avery whose brother Max was taken and some taken like Scarlett who can’t figure out why her home doesn’t feel like home anymore.
One of the key story lines is of Avery, whose brother is the only one of the six to not return yet. Her story weaves throughout the others and provides a strong voice that helps balance out some of the intended confusion. I also liked how strong Scarlett and Lucas were, they provided a nice contrast and I enjoyed seeing them reach the conclusion.
This definitely did not seem like a book over 400 pages as it was so fast paced. I did not love the big twist ending, as I felt that it did not quite fit the intrigue of the rest of the book. It seemed like it was wrapped up very quickly and I wanted a little more tension. Other than that thought, this was a very engaging read and I loved how unique the plot really was.
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
