Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 340
My rating: 3 stars
Ages:16+

Ten years ago, Emmy was the last one to see Oliver before his father kidnapped him. Throughout those ten years, Emmy's parents have kept her close while Emmy has found ways to have freedom. Then, suddenly, Oliver is found and returns home. Emmy feels thrown as she tries to reconcile the Oliver that has come home with the Oliver that left.

This was an interesting look into how people in a small community deal with tragedy. Everyone reacts differently, but it all affects them for the rest of their lives. It is also interesting to see how it affects people when someone who as lost is returned to them. It's so much more complicated than being happy, because no one seems to consider the feelings of the person who has been uprooted twice.

I really liked that there wasn't some big upset in Emmy and Oliver's relationship--even though I kept waiting for it, as it's so common in teen novels. And movies. And TV shows. The "big upset" came in another form, with other forces that seems like they would tear them apart, but only helped them to become closer. Emmy's relationship with her parents is nice too, though they have let their fear govern how they raised Emmy.

There is some language, including the F-word, and some mild sexual situations.

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