The Leaving by Tara Altebrando

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 421
My rating: 2.5 stars
Ages: 16+

Eleven years ago, six kids disappeared on their first day of kindergarten. Five of them are back without any memory of where they've been or their lives for the past eleven years. As everyone is trying to discover the mystery of the five and what happened to the still missing boy, the teens are conducting their own investigation.

The concept of this book seemed so intriguing, but the execution didn't live up to it.

First, there were some strange typographical choices. While making it hard to read, there were a few that made sense, but most of them didn't seem to add anything to the narrative or just confused the narrative.

Second, there is an event at the beginning of the book that seemed unnecessary and happened so quickly and then glossed over that I was actually in doubt whether it had actually happened. Throughout the last fourth of the book I kept expecting a twist related to it to happen.

Third, the revelation of what happened seemed a little lost in technicalities. Why did what happen continue to happen time and again?

Basically, what started as an interesting mystery and novel turned into something a little mediocre by the end.

Only a little language and mild sexual innuendos.

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