The mystery moves along at a nice clip, with Ivy and her loyal friends making plucky efforts to uncover the truth to save Autumn--while grappling with serious issues.
In Meredith Tate's newest book, Ivy and her gloriously nerdy friends play in the school band and love board games. They have a name for their group, the Nerd Herd. (I adored all of this.) But her older sister Autumn has been emotionally closed off since their mother died and has become involved in a mysterious, shadowy scene. When Autumn disappears, Ivy gamely plunges into the sinister underbelly of her sister's life to try to save her.
The Last Confession of Autumn Casterly is a young adult mystery, and the main protagonists are high schoolers--mainly charmingly caring, funny, quirky, honest ones who add a lovely levity to the story. But there's a darker side here, too: Tate addresses sober, sometimes fury-inducing circumstances such as date rape, he said/she said, cyclical bullying, parents' deaths, drug use, and disastrous downward spirals brought upon by coping with and taking part in various combinations of the factors above.
The mystery moves along at a nice clip, with Ivy and her wonderfully loyal friends making plucky efforts to uncover the truth (along with the evolution of a love triangle; Ivy's reinforced comfort with her weight even as she notices others' judgments about it; and young people living as their authentic, varied selves). Meanwhile Autumn takes on an omniscient role, and her ability to witness everything going on allows for honest personal reflection that was immensely appealing. But is it too late for her soul-searching to be of any use?
What did you think?
I was impressed by how Tate managed to balance the tone of the lighthearted friendships with the weighty issues that shape the story.
This title was listed in the Greedy Reading List Three Books I'm Reading Now, 10/13/20 Edition, as well as in Six Newish Young Adult Mysteries I Want to Read.
I hear you on not being drawn to tough issues anytime soon. It's an odd time and we need to read what makes us feel happiest, or most helpfully distracted, or whatever serves as the best escapism for us.
The tone of this book was really interesting, because there's a lot of sordid, unjust, disturbing page time related to Autumn that's bubbling underneath the wholesome, earnest, joyful Ivy-and-friends storyline. Yet it didn't feel disjointed or jarring. It's not depressing, but there are definitely some weighty issues that did get me riled up. (And the general lack of parenting might put you over the edge!)
This sounds well written and thought provoking, and since I trust your discernment, it may be a future read! However, the "circumstances such as date rape, he said/she said, cyclical bullying, parents' deaths, drug use, and disastrous downward spirals" probably mean it won't be in the near future.
I have found that during these times I need lighter, more positive reading, and I'm even a little squeamish when any of the main characters are threatened with great harm, and nervous when they are making a bad decision or headed in a wrong direction! I have to take a break and come back later - maybe.
The book you reviewed, Beach Read, was just perfect for pandemic reading!