Published: February 2015
Publisher: William Morrow & company
Format: eBook
Finding Jake really gripped me from the first page. So much so that I read it in a couple of hours!
Other reviewers have compared this to “We need to talk about Kevin” I suppose the comparison was inevitable considering the stories are very similar. I suppose I would refer to Finding Jake as a Young Adult version of “We need to talk about Kevin”. That's not to say it's dumbed down in anyway. Its just going to be easier for a younger reader to relate to the writing.
Other reviewers have compared this to “We need to talk about Kevin” I suppose the comparison was inevitable considering the stories are very similar. I suppose I would refer to Finding Jake as a Young Adult version of “We need to talk about Kevin”. That's not to say it's dumbed down in anyway. Its just going to be easier for a younger reader to relate to the writing.
The story is told by Simon, Jake's stay at home dad. Simon is struggling in his new role and is constantly worried about either suffocating Jake or not spending enough time with him. The story skips back and forth between Jake's childhood and the moments and days after the shooting at the school. The chapters are paced very well which made it quite hard to put down.
It's the typical nature versus nurture scenario. Simon is convinced that he missed something in Jakes past. Did he praise him too much? Not enough? Was he too strict or maybe not strict enough. He almost tares himself and his family apart in an attempt to find an answer. I firmly believe that a parent can only do so much. At some point no matter what you do or don't do as a parent
a child will choose his or her own path.
During the events the local community are anything but supportive. Even though Jake has been missing since the shooting and there is little evidence to actually tie him to the crime the mob still descends to condemn Simon and his wife. How could they not have known? Surely this could have been prevented if they had “kept a better eye on him” .
As the story concludes the community realizes that they story was not so straight forward. The shy quiet child always seems to suddenly then to be “odd” and distant when the reality it that they are just shy and reserved. The letter at the end from the young teen to Simon's dad was really heartbreaking and was a perfect example of why we shouldn't be so quick to judge and jump on the side of the media in cases like this.
Finding Jake was an extremely rewarding read . Bryan Reardon will certainly be going on my to watch list
During the events the local community are anything but supportive. Even though Jake has been missing since the shooting and there is little evidence to actually tie him to the crime the mob still descends to condemn Simon and his wife. How could they not have known? Surely this could have been prevented if they had “kept a better eye on him” .
As the story concludes the community realizes that they story was not so straight forward. The shy quiet child always seems to suddenly then to be “odd” and distant when the reality it that they are just shy and reserved. The letter at the end from the young teen to Simon's dad was really heartbreaking and was a perfect example of why we shouldn't be so quick to judge and jump on the side of the media in cases like this.
Finding Jake was an extremely rewarding read . Bryan Reardon will certainly be going on my to watch list
Rating:
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
