School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--A novel in verse for fans of mystery and suspense. A group of nine girls are living in Havenwood, a religious cult that feels similar to a summer camp, except no one is allowed to leave or communicate with the outside world. The group goes to breakfast one morning to find that one of them, Rose, is missing. As time goes on, it is clear Rose isn't coming back. The girls wonder if she left Havenwood or if something bad happened to her--especially because the elders don't comment on Rose's absence. Four days after the disappearance, the girls begin to find clues that lead them to believe Rose did not leave them of her own accord. But in a place as perfect as Havenwood, who would make someone disappear? And why? This novel, told in mostly alternating perspectives, starts off slowly but has an air of mystery about it that will keep readers turning the pages. Once the clues to Rose's whereabouts start to appear, the story is so captivating that it is difficult to put down. Few details are included about the characters, but it doesn't detract from the story. Race of characters is not included. VERDICT With so few mystery verse novels in print, Brunskill's tale is a welcome addition to the genre. Recommended.--Lisa Buffi
Publisher's Weekly Review
Brunskill (The Window) employs absorbing verse and a keen grasp on the teen voice in this stirring psychological thriller about nine teenage girls raised in a cult. Havenwood is supposed to be just that--a haven for those devoted to charming and kind leader Joseph and his teachings. Despite having grown up at Havenwood, when nine young women are forced together by happenstance, they endeavor to "be loyal/ not just to Havenwood/ but also to one another," establishing an unwavering bond that guides them through conflicts both interpersonal and within Havenwood's strident society. Alongside their individual public passions, such as apiculture, baking, and foraging, the girls embark on private endeavors. Some of these ventures, including a sexually intimate relationship between two of the teens, are forbidden in Havenwood. When one of them goes missing, the others search for her and, in doing so, begin to unearth the corrupted underpinnings of their perceived utopia. Though the characters are minimally described, intricately detailed alternating third-person POVs that center individual perspectives as well as a lush, collective voice spin an eerie recounting that fluidly connects familiar themes of maturation, love, and chosen family with Havenwood's unusual, highly insular religious movement. Ages 14--up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (June)
