11737266Title: Amelia Anne Is Dead And Gone

Author: Kat Rosenfield

Publisher: Dutton

Publication Date: July 2012

Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Mystery

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

 

 

Synopsis can be found here.
I purchased this book.

 

 

Review:

I’ve been meaning to read this book since I bought it when it first came out. The cover, stunning and the synopsis was intriguing. I wanted to know what happened to Amelia Anne, just like Becca.

There is something special and deep and beautiful about this book and I think it mostly has to do with the lyrical writing Rosenfield uses to portray the small town and the tragedy that held it. I can’t say that Becca is a favorite character of mine, or that I had a great sense of Amelia when she was alive. In fact, as the plot twists slowly slowly through, in someone else’s hands, I think I might have put the book down.

But Rosenfield’s grip is strong, using beautifully woven words to perfectly depict the small town mentality, the murder and gossip surrounding it, and then love and fear and abandonment of first love. It is equal parts murder mystery and coming of age.

It might not be everyone’s cup of tea. The story is compelling, though I was disappointed at the ending. There was a lot of build up and intense scenes with Amelia to only find the ending was…  But every bit of the walk was mysterious and worth the time.

Rating 7 Good