Since You've Been Gone by Mary Jennifer Payne

Since You've Been Gone

by Mary Jennifer Payne

CCBC's Best Books for Kids & Teens (Fall 2015) - Commended




Fifteen-year-old Edie Fraser searches for her mother, who has gone missing shortly after the two moved to London, England, to escape Edie's abusive father.



Is it possible to outrun your past? Fifteen-year-old Edie Fraser and her mother, Sydney, have been trying to do just that for five years. Now, things have gone from bad to worse. Not only has Edie had to move to another new school - she's in a different country.



Sydney promises her that this is their chance at a fresh start, and Edie does her best to adjust to life in London, England, despite being targeted by the school bully. But when Sydney goes out to work the night shift and doesn't come home, Edie is terrified that the past has finally caught up with them.



Alone in a strange country, Edie is afraid to call the police for fear that she'll be sent back to her abusive father. Determined to find her mother but with no idea where to start, she must now face the most difficult decision of her life.

Reviewed by lindsey on

2 of 5 stars

Share
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was an extremely quick read. I was able to read the entire book in just a few hours. It was very fast-paced, and there were few dull moments. That being said, it didn't seem like much actually happened.

Edie and her mother have been moving from place to place for the past five years. Every time Edie thinks they might be able to settle down, her abusive father finds them, and they have to run again. Her mother decides to move from Canada to London, thinking that would be enough for her father to lose their trail.

Starting a new school is tough enough, but add in the fact that Edie has an accent and doesn't really understand some of the phrases and customs, and it goes downhill quickly. She is bullied on her first day, and her homeroom teacher seems to already dislike her. To make matters worse, her mother never returns home after her first shift at her new job. Edie is sure her father has something to do with it, and is determined to find her before it's too late.

I struggled with rating this one. It definitely wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't amazing, either. The plot was promising, and while it was intriguing, I never felt like it lived up to its potential. It was well-written, however, and while the characters weren't flat, they could have been fleshed out just a little more. I think I would have enjoyed this more if it had been a little longer. It felt rushed at the end, and I think even a few more chapters would have helped the characters.

In conclusion, I feel this was a very promising book that just fell a little short.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 28 December, 2014: Finished reading
  • 28 December, 2014: Reviewed