Rosenfield, Kat Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone, 277 pgs.
Dutton Books, 2012. $17.99. Language: R (84 swears, 32 ‘f’); Mature Content:
PG-13; Violence: PG-13
Becca has graduated and she could not be more excited about
getting out of her small nowhere town and starting her life. She has one more
summer that she plans on spending with her boyfriend before heading off to
college. Everything seems to be what it should until the dead body of a young
woman is found bloody and battered on the side of the road. Murder in a small
town sends Becca into a downward spiral that is fueled by fear, suspicion, and
the rejection of the one person she thought she could trust.
This book falls into the relatively new genre in young adult
books of hipster lit. The author tries too hard to be clever, relevant, and
world-weary. Becca’s absolute emotional collapse when a dead body is found is
inexplicable unbelievable. She has no connection to the deceased young woman
and yet allows the murder to bring her life to a screeching halt. The stories
of Becca and Amelia Anne (the dead girl) run parallel and Amelia Anne’s story
is the only part of the book that is even vaguely engaging. The conclusion is
no more a surprise than the fact that the reader will have no connection or
concern for any of the characters involved.
PUBLIC ONLY, AEB Social Studies Teacher
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