Header Image

Review: The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight

Title: The Outliers
Author: Kimberly McCreight
Year Published: 2016


Genre: YA fiction
Pages: 336
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Location (my 2017 Google Reading map)USA (ME)

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the school library


Summary (from the inside flap of the book): It all starts with a text: Please, Wylie, I need your help. Wylie hasn't heard from Cassie in over a week, not since their last fight. But that doesn't matter. Cassie's in trouble, so Wylie decides to do what she has done so many times before: save her best friend from herself.

This time it's different, though. Instead of telling Wylie where she is, Cassie sends cryptic clues. And instead of having Wylie come by herself, Jasper shows up saying Cassie sent him to help. Trusting the guy who sent Cassie off the rails doesn't feel right, but Wylie has no choice: she has to ignore her gut instinct and go with him.

But figuring out where Cassie is goes from difficult to dangerous, fast. As Wylie and Jasper head farther and farther north into the dense woods of Maine, Wylie struggles to control her growing sense that something is really wrong. What isn't Cassie telling them? And could finding her be only the beginning?

Review: When my friend Sherri suggested this book as one of my summer reads, I didn't really pay attention to it; I just took it home as one of the YA books to read this summer. But when I picked it up and saw the author's name and previous book it sounded familiar--I've read Reconstructing Amelia and liked it. 

Unfortunately, I liked the first half of the book and not the second half. The first half is intriguing with Wylie and Jasper rushing to help their friend Cassie who is in trouble (again). There is a sense of urgency, teenage craziness, and hope that although Cassie is spiraling, perhaps Wylie and Jasper can put aside their mutual dislike and help her get her act together.

Then they find Cassie and the book falls apart. What is actually happening is complicated and not explained very well and I didn't care once I knew. How is that possible? I guess it felt like 2 books, kind of. And the ending is definitely a set up for a sequel. Which I won't read. Bummer, since I liked this author's first book.

Challenges for which this counts: 

No comments