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Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things
When Claire's best friend Richy went missing, he disappeared without a trace. But when Emily Dickinson's dress goes missing from the Amherst museum, she knows exactly where it in her closet.
As Claire and her student teacher, Tate, attempt to figure out what do to about the dress, they begin to uncover the truth behind Richy's disappearing act. Following a trail of clues across state lines, Claire and Tate attempt to find the person that Claire knows in her gut is responsible for his disappearance.
As Claire and her student teacher, Tate, attempt to figure out what do to about the dress, they begin to uncover the truth behind Richy's disappearing act. Following a trail of clues across state lines, Claire and Tate attempt to find the person that Claire knows in her gut is responsible for his disappearance.
288 pages
First published September 1, 2012
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November 23, 2012
First: four times in this book, someone's appearance or expression was negatively compared to a librarian's. That got old real quick and also, it's a description that says nothing. Why four times? Teens aren't that fixated on librarian appearances to continually refer to it when describing someone.
Now that that's out of the way.
Claire and her father just moves to Amherst, where Emily Dickinson lived. She's become obsessed with Dickinson, to the point she's breaking into the home (which operates as a museum) and she's seeking comfort in there. It's not really obsession with Dickinson so much as it's a way to work through the grief in her life. In the last year, her mother died (she killed herself -- and it wasn't her first attempt, but it was the first time Claire couldn't save her) and her best friend Richy went missing. Claire was a prime suspect in his disappearance since she was the last one to see him, but the case hasn't been closed and no body has ever been found.
Through the book, we see snatches of what happened in the last year and we watch as Claire works through the grief via the writing she turns into her teacher (and her student teacher Tate, to whom she takes a real shine, despite giving him a bit of a hard tongue). One night, Claire steals a dress from Emily's home, since she'd been wearing it. It shrouded her in comfort. Tate catches her, and now he's in on not only the fact she stole this historical artifact, but also that she's dealing with something so large and heavy on her own.
I found this book to drag. Claire is hard to read, and it's because this grief consumes her. But the thing is, Claire has something else going on psychologically and it's never quite clear what. Her illogical thought patterns and erratic behavior make her difficult to follow and I found her hard to care about because, well, I never knew up from down with her. And worse, I didn't care. Periodically, something in her would stir, and Claire would have a sudden memory that cut through the grief to help her through it -- I think this is fairly realistic, especially as everyone grieves differently. More than that though and more problematic is that when she has these break throughs at one point, suddenly everything that happened to Richy that night comes clear to her. She has a It seemed like there were a lot of conveniences in the plot, and the mystery never quite wove into the grief well at all. A lot of loose ends, with a not-all-there character made the connections a little sloppy.
I'd categorize this as literary only in the sense that it weaves in a lot of American Lit history within it, especially with Emily Dickinson. Though it could have been pushed a lot more and made a lot more interesting. The writing in this is okay, though I found a lot of the transitions between Claire's writing and Claire's thinking jarring. It's part of who she is, but from the reader's perspective, it could have been smoother and still had the same effect. I particularly found the first few chapters of this book difficult to get through, to the point I almost gave up more than once. The hook wasn't strong enough and Claire's inconsistency weren't holding me.
I certainly think there's a readership, but I also think other books do grief much better. Readers who like literary allusions and who are fans of Dickinson will dig this. Maybe if I were more of a Dickinson fan, I'd have picked up on more -- it's possible I missed a lot because it's been quite a while. I'm more of a Whitman myself.
Now that that's out of the way.
Claire and her father just moves to Amherst, where Emily Dickinson lived. She's become obsessed with Dickinson, to the point she's breaking into the home (which operates as a museum) and she's seeking comfort in there. It's not really obsession with Dickinson so much as it's a way to work through the grief in her life. In the last year, her mother died (she killed herself -- and it wasn't her first attempt, but it was the first time Claire couldn't save her) and her best friend Richy went missing. Claire was a prime suspect in his disappearance since she was the last one to see him, but the case hasn't been closed and no body has ever been found.
Through the book, we see snatches of what happened in the last year and we watch as Claire works through the grief via the writing she turns into her teacher (and her student teacher Tate, to whom she takes a real shine, despite giving him a bit of a hard tongue). One night, Claire steals a dress from Emily's home, since she'd been wearing it. It shrouded her in comfort. Tate catches her, and now he's in on not only the fact she stole this historical artifact, but also that she's dealing with something so large and heavy on her own.
I found this book to drag. Claire is hard to read, and it's because this grief consumes her. But the thing is, Claire has something else going on psychologically and it's never quite clear what. Her illogical thought patterns and erratic behavior make her difficult to follow and I found her hard to care about because, well, I never knew up from down with her. And worse, I didn't care. Periodically, something in her would stir, and Claire would have a sudden memory that cut through the grief to help her through it -- I think this is fairly realistic, especially as everyone grieves differently. More than that though and more problematic is that when she has these break throughs at one point, suddenly everything that happened to Richy that night comes clear to her. She has a It seemed like there were a lot of conveniences in the plot, and the mystery never quite wove into the grief well at all. A lot of loose ends, with a not-all-there character made the connections a little sloppy.
I'd categorize this as literary only in the sense that it weaves in a lot of American Lit history within it, especially with Emily Dickinson. Though it could have been pushed a lot more and made a lot more interesting. The writing in this is okay, though I found a lot of the transitions between Claire's writing and Claire's thinking jarring. It's part of who she is, but from the reader's perspective, it could have been smoother and still had the same effect. I particularly found the first few chapters of this book difficult to get through, to the point I almost gave up more than once. The hook wasn't strong enough and Claire's inconsistency weren't holding me.
I certainly think there's a readership, but I also think other books do grief much better. Readers who like literary allusions and who are fans of Dickinson will dig this. Maybe if I were more of a Dickinson fan, I'd have picked up on more -- it's possible I missed a lot because it's been quite a while. I'm more of a Whitman myself.
May 14, 2013
I had the pleasure of hearing the author read from the book and look forward to talking with her some more at our book group tomorrow.
I very much enjoyed the voice of the protagonist, Claire, who's repeating her senior year of high school in a new town (Amherst, hometown of Emily Dickinson) after a disastrous senior year in Rhode Island, where she was a person of interest in the disappearance of her friend Richy. She's suffered another great loss earlier in her life, and these losses alienate her from run-of-the-mill high school life, which she observes with dark humor:
Claire makes two friends, cheerful Tess, who's in her class, and Sam Tate, an Amherst college student who's briefly a student teacher in Claire's English class. The relationship with Tess felt just right: Claire's hesitance, desire not to ruin things, and delight in Tess's friendship--plus, the two of them have a fun game they play based on the song "Human or Dancer." I don't know how accessible this reference will be for readers a decade from now, but right now it was perfect.
The relationship with Tate I had more trouble with, but I got to liking Tate more when he started being a little sharp with Claire, reminding her that she wasn't necessarily the only person in the world with an unhappy backstory.
I also very much enjoyed Claire's feelings about and memories of her mother. It would have been very easy for these to have gone all in one direction or all in another, but instead they're nuanced and rich and very moving. Claire's feelings about her father, too, are complicated in a very real way that I found believable and touching.
I very much enjoyed the voice of the protagonist, Claire, who's repeating her senior year of high school in a new town (Amherst, hometown of Emily Dickinson) after a disastrous senior year in Rhode Island, where she was a person of interest in the disappearance of her friend Richy. She's suffered another great loss earlier in her life, and these losses alienate her from run-of-the-mill high school life, which she observes with dark humor:
[The English teacher's] suit, shirt, skin, and beard converge into the same shade of neutral. Only the textures distinguish clothing from person. It's easy to dwell on this coincidence of color in a classroom that's full of postlunch students, where the boys are sprawled out as if they are required to take up as much room as possible, like downed rain-forest trees, where the girls retract their elbows as you pass by. Like some rain-forest insects with a similar nature, even the most benign contact with them is taboo.
Claire makes two friends, cheerful Tess, who's in her class, and Sam Tate, an Amherst college student who's briefly a student teacher in Claire's English class. The relationship with Tess felt just right: Claire's hesitance, desire not to ruin things, and delight in Tess's friendship--plus, the two of them have a fun game they play based on the song "Human or Dancer." I don't know how accessible this reference will be for readers a decade from now, but right now it was perfect.
The relationship with Tate I had more trouble with, but I got to liking Tate more when he started being a little sharp with Claire, reminding her that she wasn't necessarily the only person in the world with an unhappy backstory.
I also very much enjoyed Claire's feelings about and memories of her mother. It would have been very easy for these to have gone all in one direction or all in another, but instead they're nuanced and rich and very moving. Claire's feelings about her father, too, are complicated in a very real way that I found believable and touching.
July 18, 2016
"When Claire’s best friend Richy went missing, he disappeared without a trace. But when Emily Dickinson’s dress goes missing from the Amherst museum, she knows exactly where it is: in her closet.
As Claire and her student teacher, Tate, attempt to figure out what do to about the dress, they begin to uncover the truth behind Richy's disappearing act. Following a trail of clues across state lines, Claire and Tate attempt to find the person that Claire knows in her gut is responsible for his disappearance."
WARNING: THIS BOOK IS ONLY RECOMMENDED TO THOSE WHO LOVE POETRY, HISTORY, SAD POEMS, AND EMILY DICKINSON.
Okay... I'm not kidding. For those who love poetry and is sad/moody, this is the book for you. I felt that this book was too sad and moody and too full of poetry for me. (I don't like poetry that much. I don't like sad books. I don't like Emily Dickinson. I do love history.) Needless to say, this book wasn't the right one for me. However, it wasn't horrible according to my standards. To my standards, it was good and wonderful to read.
Claire is a girl who is sad. She's the last person to talk to her mother before she died. She was the last person to talk to her best friend, Richy before he went missing. It was revealed that he was dead, a year later. Claire suspected that her best friend was murdered. However, the police say that Richy committed suicide. Anyway, Claire is one of those people who are regularly sad and depressed. She is withdrawn and antisocial. She has a lot of trust issues. She doesn't like to reveal anything about her or anything that is associated with her like Mother's death or Richy's disappearance.
Richy... The missing boy. He is later revealed to be deceased. It was obvious that Claire deeply cared about him. I felt that the author was a little confusing on Richy's character. The author first said he was gay and then Richy says the L word to Claire. Did the author mean the L word as friend love or love love? Gosh, that is confusing.
Sam or what Claire calls him, Tate. He is the teacher assistant in Claire's English class. He was attracted to her by her dark and creepy poems. Not creepy, but creepy for many people. Her poems were rather sad and depressing than creepy. Sam is interesting. He's not a boring character. Readers will find him interesting and strong.
The search for Richy's killer didn't really happen until about halfway of the book. Ms. Burak, you need to kick the action on a little earlier. Readers may get bored and will need to live a little through Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things.
WOW! The name is such a mouthful. Just saying it is annoying. Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things. This is one of the longest name of books I've ever seen. (I'll admit it. I love typing out Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things).
Overall, Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things was a wonderful book. Poetry lovers would fall in love with Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things. Especially Emily Dickinson lovers and adoring readers. Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things will make readers questioned whether or not Claire is telling to the truth about Richy's Disappearance. (I won't tell you.) (Actually I will/Spoilers Section)
SPOILERS
Richy was murdered.
Yep, Claire stole Emily's Dress.
Tate and Claire starts dating toward the end of the book.
Emily's Dress safely made it back to the house.
Claire gets stopped by the police many times.
Claire writes a lot of sad poems which should be obvious.
Tate's sister is similar to Claire. They both have the Emily Dickinson obsession. It's another reason why Tate is attracted to Claire.
END SPOILER
This book's rating is a three point five out of five. It's round to four out of five.
-KITTIKAT
October 15, 2012
Claire is in her last year of high school for the second time. She and her father have moved to Amherst after the death of her mother and the disappearance of her best friend, Richy, a case that Claire was a suspect in. Claire just wants to get through the year, but she can't stop wondering what happened to Richy and if she could have saved him. After she and the student teacher in her English class, Tate, are brought together in a very strange way, Claire begins to string together clues that might help her figure out what happened to Richy.
The summary on the back of the book confused me, because it starts off with "When you mother dies and your best friend disappears that same year..." but it seemed like Claire's mother had actually died when she was much younger. But I doubted myself because of the summary. But I'm pretty sure now that they were in NOT in the same year at all. It wouldn't be the first time a blurb has been misleading.
At first, I was annoyed with this book. And I was mostly annoyed by Sam Tate, the worst student teacher ever. This is the problem reading (or watching TV or movies) that involves your profession. You end up shaking your head and saying things like, "That's not how it is!" and "If this really happened, you'd be fired so fast!" I assume this is how doctors feel watching medical shows and how police people and forensic scientists feel watching Law & Order. Sam, you do not say stuff like that to a student. You do not make light when they insinuate they had to take time off from school. You do not give them unsolicited advice about their personal lives. Because you never know what someone has dealt with. You never know (because sometimes, the school doesn't tell you) who has cancer, whose father died over the summer, whose sibling is in the hospital, whose suffering from depression. You SUCK Sam Tate, and you need to keep your mouth shut.
So I had some problems getting passed that, which is kind of silly, but there it is. When he wasn't Claire's student teacher anymore, and they were partners in crime, I was able to enjoy the story much more. Claire has been severally damaged by what's happened to her. She feels incredible guilty about not being able to save her mother from her third suicide attempt, or save Richy. She was the last person to see both of them alive. Claire is being crushed underneath her guilt and sadness, but refuses help. Her father is concerned for her, but does not know the extent of what's going on in Claire's head, and agrees to let her try and work things out herself, which is not going well.
I thought Burak did a good and respectful job at showing what it was like for Claire, how what had happened effected everything for her, and how she couldn't pull herself out of the hole she was in, or ask for the help she needed to do so.
The Emily Dickinson aspect didn't add a whole lot to the story. It was just kind of there. It was something that brought Tate and Claire together originally, and then it was just this kind of silly thing lurking in the background, what to do about the dress (mail it back, duh), but Claire wants to keep the connection to Tate. Yes, things become romancy.
I liked that it wasn't so much the solving the mystery of what happened to Richy that helped Claire move on, although that certainly helped, but the realization that there were people around her who cared for her and supported her and she was not, in fact, alone in her morass of guilt and sadness.
Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things came out October 2, 2012.
The summary on the back of the book confused me, because it starts off with "When you mother dies and your best friend disappears that same year..." but it seemed like Claire's mother had actually died when she was much younger. But I doubted myself because of the summary. But I'm pretty sure now that they were in NOT in the same year at all. It wouldn't be the first time a blurb has been misleading.
At first, I was annoyed with this book. And I was mostly annoyed by Sam Tate, the worst student teacher ever. This is the problem reading (or watching TV or movies) that involves your profession. You end up shaking your head and saying things like, "That's not how it is!" and "If this really happened, you'd be fired so fast!" I assume this is how doctors feel watching medical shows and how police people and forensic scientists feel watching Law & Order. Sam, you do not say stuff like that to a student. You do not make light when they insinuate they had to take time off from school. You do not give them unsolicited advice about their personal lives. Because you never know what someone has dealt with. You never know (because sometimes, the school doesn't tell you) who has cancer, whose father died over the summer, whose sibling is in the hospital, whose suffering from depression. You SUCK Sam Tate, and you need to keep your mouth shut.
So I had some problems getting passed that, which is kind of silly, but there it is. When he wasn't Claire's student teacher anymore, and they were partners in crime, I was able to enjoy the story much more. Claire has been severally damaged by what's happened to her. She feels incredible guilty about not being able to save her mother from her third suicide attempt, or save Richy. She was the last person to see both of them alive. Claire is being crushed underneath her guilt and sadness, but refuses help. Her father is concerned for her, but does not know the extent of what's going on in Claire's head, and agrees to let her try and work things out herself, which is not going well.
I thought Burak did a good and respectful job at showing what it was like for Claire, how what had happened effected everything for her, and how she couldn't pull herself out of the hole she was in, or ask for the help she needed to do so.
The Emily Dickinson aspect didn't add a whole lot to the story. It was just kind of there. It was something that brought Tate and Claire together originally, and then it was just this kind of silly thing lurking in the background, what to do about the dress (mail it back, duh), but Claire wants to keep the connection to Tate. Yes, things become romancy.
I liked that it wasn't so much the solving the mystery of what happened to Richy that helped Claire move on, although that certainly helped, but the realization that there were people around her who cared for her and supported her and she was not, in fact, alone in her morass of guilt and sadness.
Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things came out October 2, 2012.
September 15, 2012
Beautifully written but not my kind of book.
I picked up this book with pretty high expectations. I love mysteries and have enjoyed seeing more pop up in the YA genre; I have liked books from this press before; and the ratings on goodreads are pretty high. However the book I read did not quite align with those expectations. I would say this is very much a case of book not meshing with reader.
That would stem largely from the writing style, which I found very confusing and distancing. I admire the poetry in it (and indeed there is a mix of poetry from I believe Emily Dickinson and the author's own construction) with the prose but it is very much not to my taste. Additionally there is a surreal blending of the past and the present, which only gave me more confusion. I guess I expected a more straightforward story and it took me nearly half the book to feel situated in what was occurring.
As for the titular "missing things," we have Emily's dress, actually accidentally stolen by Claire who sneaks into Emily Dickinson's house some nights to cope and ends up running out while still wearing the dress. Other missing things are Claire's best friend Richy whose disappearance heavily impacted Claire and Claire's mother, whose suicide haunts the family still. I thought the mystery around Richy was the part that worked best for me. After a year, Claire puts herself to the task of solving it and does so to my delight.
Part of the way she solved it was through sharing her grief in writing to her English teacher and a student teacher. The latter pushes her on it and they sort of develop a romance. He's a junior while she's a second-year senior, having needed to repeat after losing Richy. I think this is supposed to make the age difference more palatable but it did not appease me. For those who do like romance though, Claire's father receives a paramour and good for him to go after some happiness after years of mourning.
Takeaway Points:
1. Poetic writing that is not my cup of tea
2. Mystery was by far most satisfying aspect
3. Icky romance for MC but cute one for her father.
I picked up this book with pretty high expectations. I love mysteries and have enjoyed seeing more pop up in the YA genre; I have liked books from this press before; and the ratings on goodreads are pretty high. However the book I read did not quite align with those expectations. I would say this is very much a case of book not meshing with reader.
That would stem largely from the writing style, which I found very confusing and distancing. I admire the poetry in it (and indeed there is a mix of poetry from I believe Emily Dickinson and the author's own construction) with the prose but it is very much not to my taste. Additionally there is a surreal blending of the past and the present, which only gave me more confusion. I guess I expected a more straightforward story and it took me nearly half the book to feel situated in what was occurring.
As for the titular "missing things," we have Emily's dress, actually accidentally stolen by Claire who sneaks into Emily Dickinson's house some nights to cope and ends up running out while still wearing the dress. Other missing things are Claire's best friend Richy whose disappearance heavily impacted Claire and Claire's mother, whose suicide haunts the family still. I thought the mystery around Richy was the part that worked best for me. After a year, Claire puts herself to the task of solving it and does so to my delight.
Part of the way she solved it was through sharing her grief in writing to her English teacher and a student teacher. The latter pushes her on it and they sort of develop a romance. He's a junior while she's a second-year senior, having needed to repeat after losing Richy. I think this is supposed to make the age difference more palatable but it did not appease me. For those who do like romance though, Claire's father receives a paramour and good for him to go after some happiness after years of mourning.
Takeaway Points:
1. Poetic writing that is not my cup of tea
2. Mystery was by far most satisfying aspect
3. Icky romance for MC but cute one for her father.
August 7, 2012
I was privileged to read an ARC of this unique literary mystery for teens, which will be published in October. I LOVED this page-turning novel, and devoured it in a day and an evening, even as I longed to linger over Kathryn Burak's gorgeous writing.
This is not a classically plotted "whodunnit" or "where is it" mystery. It revolves around two crimes: Emily Dickinson's stolen dress and an unresolved missing persons case. The main character, Claire, has recently moved with her father from Providence, RI to Amherst, MA, to repeat her senior year of high school and try to find a fresh start in the wake of certain tragic events. But the past continually encroaches on the present, making a fresh start for Claire seem impossible, and she can't seem to stop getting in trouble. The main mystery plotlines are compelling(what happened to her best friend Richy in Providence? how will Emily's dress get back into the museum?), but equally compelling are the mysteries about the people in Claire's life: her parents, her new friend Tess, and Tate, the handsome student teacher/Amherst College student whom Claire begins, by odd circumstances and then necessity, spending more and more time with.
I am not normally a fan of characters who have endured great tragedy or who lean toward the dark. But Claire's bouts of brooding -- understandable, considering her past -- are tempered with her quirky sense of humor and her excellent ear for poetry. Reading Claire's interspersed verse -- which often appears alongside Emily Dickenson's -- is refreshing, and in fact the entire novel, written from Claire's perspective, has a poet's sensibility, lyrical qualities, striking imagery. Claire is not merely maudlin; she's quite likeable, and I was rooting for her the whole way. This is a sleuth who must solve mysteries not for the sake of puzzle-solving, but for her own well-being and personal growth.
EMILY'S DRESS is an unusual, richly layered, literary page-turner that may appeal to teens and adults alike.
This is not a classically plotted "whodunnit" or "where is it" mystery. It revolves around two crimes: Emily Dickinson's stolen dress and an unresolved missing persons case. The main character, Claire, has recently moved with her father from Providence, RI to Amherst, MA, to repeat her senior year of high school and try to find a fresh start in the wake of certain tragic events. But the past continually encroaches on the present, making a fresh start for Claire seem impossible, and she can't seem to stop getting in trouble. The main mystery plotlines are compelling(what happened to her best friend Richy in Providence? how will Emily's dress get back into the museum?), but equally compelling are the mysteries about the people in Claire's life: her parents, her new friend Tess, and Tate, the handsome student teacher/Amherst College student whom Claire begins, by odd circumstances and then necessity, spending more and more time with.
I am not normally a fan of characters who have endured great tragedy or who lean toward the dark. But Claire's bouts of brooding -- understandable, considering her past -- are tempered with her quirky sense of humor and her excellent ear for poetry. Reading Claire's interspersed verse -- which often appears alongside Emily Dickenson's -- is refreshing, and in fact the entire novel, written from Claire's perspective, has a poet's sensibility, lyrical qualities, striking imagery. Claire is not merely maudlin; she's quite likeable, and I was rooting for her the whole way. This is a sleuth who must solve mysteries not for the sake of puzzle-solving, but for her own well-being and personal growth.
EMILY'S DRESS is an unusual, richly layered, literary page-turner that may appeal to teens and adults alike.
February 9, 2013
...had to review this for another publication, so I'm not suppose to write an actual review or else I'll really really really get in trouble, so I'll just write my reaction....
IMHO, this modern piece of literary work is absolutely a must read. The poetic phrasing of the prose... the poetry of both the main character Claire, who has suffered through the tragedy of her mother's suicide, and the poetry of Emily Dickinson. There's so much Dickinson-ness in the book...takes place in Amherst...a suicide...the main character is a poet...due to the tragedy of her mother's death, Claire has turned into a kind of recluse that lives more in her mental thoughts than communication with the world around her and is showing possible suicidal tendencies, thank goodness that's recognized by another character... When I first looked at the ARC I was absolutely (my fav descriptive word choice for this rave, but I am so hyped over the book's quality writing) turned off...so at my age I'm still fighting the "don't judge a book by it's cover"....glad I pushed through that first impression. This is a book I could read over and over like my addiction to all books by Jane Austen...and that's a lot from me cuz I can't stand to read a book over and over...except for Austen. Even though the characters are older late teens and early twenties, I'm thinking of including it in my middle school library to provide some contemporary quality literary stuff for my Jane Austen minions.
IMHO, this modern piece of literary work is absolutely a must read. The poetic phrasing of the prose... the poetry of both the main character Claire, who has suffered through the tragedy of her mother's suicide, and the poetry of Emily Dickinson. There's so much Dickinson-ness in the book...takes place in Amherst...a suicide...the main character is a poet...due to the tragedy of her mother's death, Claire has turned into a kind of recluse that lives more in her mental thoughts than communication with the world around her and is showing possible suicidal tendencies, thank goodness that's recognized by another character... When I first looked at the ARC I was absolutely (my fav descriptive word choice for this rave, but I am so hyped over the book's quality writing) turned off...so at my age I'm still fighting the "don't judge a book by it's cover"....glad I pushed through that first impression. This is a book I could read over and over like my addiction to all books by Jane Austen...and that's a lot from me cuz I can't stand to read a book over and over...except for Austen. Even though the characters are older late teens and early twenties, I'm thinking of including it in my middle school library to provide some contemporary quality literary stuff for my Jane Austen minions.
September 5, 2016
So many ingredients I love: Emily Dickinson's poetry and her house-turned-historical museum, an isolated girl who doesn't really know how to have friends and is still affected by her mother's suicide, a worried and devoted but sort of hapless single dad, a lovely older boy who starts out as her student teacher (but she's repeating a year and 18 going on 19 so it's hard to cry foul), and said boy having a savior complex that quickly transforms into genuine intrigue and enchantment.
Those are the reasons I'm going to remember this fondly, even though in practice, I couldn't stand the writing style or the girl because her inability to function/process tragedy and her unnecessary lies kept making me picture her staring ahead vacantly, mumbling and taking ten minutes to finish two complete sentences. I also had no empathy for her weird missing friend, although that particular mystery had quite an impressive twist.
Those are the reasons I'm going to remember this fondly, even though in practice, I couldn't stand the writing style or the girl because her inability to function/process tragedy and her unnecessary lies kept making me picture her staring ahead vacantly, mumbling and taking ten minutes to finish two complete sentences. I also had no empathy for her weird missing friend, although that particular mystery had quite an impressive twist.
March 29, 2013
Beautiful language, imagery and characters you can`t help but love make EMILY`S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS a perfect curl up under the covers read. Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, EMILY'S DRESS tells the story of Claire and her path back from the tragedies she`s suffered, from a mother who has died, to a best friend who has disappeared. Through her eyes, we meet those around her and learn about their own losses and watch as Claire begins to heal, even though it means facing her tragedies head on. So many lovely images and beautiful turns of phrase make this story a true joy to read.
I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you or order at IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978159...
I support independent bookstores. You can use this link to find one near you or order at IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/978159...
September 23, 2012
What's generally called "literary fiction" (a term I'm not crazy about) doesn't really have an equivalent in the YA world, but if it did, Emily's Dress and Other Missing Thing would fit snugly into that category. It's sort of mystery and it has a hint of romance, but it's really a portrait of grief and recovery. It's slowly-plotted, especially for a book with a potential murder and a grand theft, but it's gorgeously written and refreshingly opaque. Much of the time, readers are left to infer exactly what's happening or has happened, but the fractured narrative is a nice reflection of its narrator. One of the most unique things I've read in a while - recommend to fans of Imaginary Girls or The Sky is Everywhere.
January 17, 2013
Claire finds a rare sense of peace when she visits Emily Dickinson's house. Before long she starts using the Dickinson house as her favorite place to write. The only problem: she sneaks in after hours, through an unlocked window. When her student teacher spies her breaking in and follows her, Claire inadvertently steals one of Emily Dickinson's dresses--and is flung headlong into an adventure that forces her to face the tragedy and mystery of her own past.
Claire is both sarcastic and sweet, scared and incredibly brave. Burak has painted a lyric portrait of a teenager struggling with undeserved guilt and very real grief. I would recommend this to fans of John Green, or to younger readers who will be ready for Green's books in a year or two.
Claire is both sarcastic and sweet, scared and incredibly brave. Burak has painted a lyric portrait of a teenager struggling with undeserved guilt and very real grief. I would recommend this to fans of John Green, or to younger readers who will be ready for Green's books in a year or two.
June 15, 2013
2013's Edgar Award nominee, (Young Adult category) slowly unwinds into many mysteries being revealed, a suicide, a missing person, and a romance. Claire is teetering, and by rights she should be broken. The reader is guided expertly into Claire's jangled mind and watches her stutter step her way into finding answers. Alongside Claire, are some of the best supporting characters ever, Claire's best friend Tess, and her father's new partner, Grace. The setting is an important player in the story too, as it takes place in Amhurst, and of course, Emily Dickerson's dress figures prominently into the story.
May 15, 2022
This is an uninspired title for a very good story. The protagonist is a senior in high school who has experienced two major traumas in her life. When she moves schools to Amherst, down the road from Emily Dickinson's house, she becomes obsessed with Dickinson's poetry, life, and dress. The story follows her journey trying to fit into a new school, finding friends, writing her own poetry to try to sort out her feelings and memories, and connecting with others who try to help her. I really liked the twists and characters who felt very authentic.
Motifs: suicide, mental health, LGBTQ+, grief, friendship
Motifs: suicide, mental health, LGBTQ+, grief, friendship
November 9, 2018
Self indulgent novel written by a poet wanabe.
December 13, 2025
Maybe trying a little too hard.
February 3, 2025
“The first time the girl breaks into Emily Dickinson’s house there is no moon.”
4 ⭐️
Dark and beautiful. Great for Emily Dickinson fans like me.
Recommend checking content warnings.
4 ⭐️
Dark and beautiful. Great for Emily Dickinson fans like me.
Recommend checking content warnings.
April 30, 2013
The Emily in the title is Emily Dickinson. If you like Emily’s poetry, you’ll like Emily’s Dress.
Unfortunately, I do not, so I did not.
Emily’s Dress follows Claire as she makes a new life for herself in a high school in Dickinson's home town. She moves there after (1) her mother commits suicide after two previous failed attempts and Claire can’t save her and (2) her best friend Richy goes missing and she’s a prime suspect. She works through her grief by reading Dickinson’s poetry and getting to know Tate, her student teacher/friend/partner in crime/stalker. In the first half of the novel, Claire accidentally steals Dickinson’s dress . In the second half, she unravels the clues of Richy’s disappearance.
The book reads like poetry. Specifically, Dickinson’s poetry. Which, if you’re at all familiar with it, is full of dots and dashes, curious imagery, and more than a few references to death.
There were some parts of Emily’s Dress that I found very beautiful. I loved comparing Claire’s sleepy classmates, when they gain interest in the class, to awakening rainforest creatures. The descriptions of Claire’s friend Tess created a sort of halo around her, making this normal girl seem remarkable, and Claire remarkable for describing her in that way. I also enjoyed the few poems that Claire wrote and how smoothly they fit into the storyline.
In other parts, I had trouble understanding what the author was trying to do or what Claire was thinking. Many of the conversations were not back-and-forth dialogue but one character (usually Claire) making a somewhat profound, somewhat nonsensical statement and her listener repeating her exact words or interpreting what she’s saying with a questioning voice and melodramatic gesture. This style works well for poetry, but I found it awkward over 232 pages of prose. It seemed deliberately obscure and often unrealistic, even for someone caught up in grief and poetry.
I also found the plot disjointed. As mentioned above, the first half gradually reveals Claire’s painful past and deals with the stolen dress. The second half is almost a detective story as Claire tracks down what happened to Richy. The two sections overlap only slightly, so it was hard to make amends between the abstract “finding herself” and concrete “finding her friend”. I have the same complaint about Claire’s two tragedies. She experienced her mother’s death and her friend’s vanishing, but the two were not given equal weight or clarity, and I ended up feeling like one did not get enough justice.
Finally, if you’re looking for romance, Emily’s Dress is about as prudish as Emily's decade. Claire and Tate gradually grow closer together, but there are no steamy sex scenes. Just as we dance around Claire’s past, Claire and Tate dance around each other with more than enough room for a 12-piece band in-between. Claire’s dad makes more progress in the love department than she does. I’m not a romance person, but even I was hoping for a little on screen action after a while.
I don’t mean to come off too negative. This was not the right book for me, but it could very well be the perfect book for someone else. Emily’s Dress is great if you like reading abstract melodic prose, letting loose ends float delicately in the wind, and floating in and out of the characters’ lives rather than painting them in clear terms. I like poetry, but I prefer to tease out the meaning in a few minutes, not a few days (or never ::shudders::).
So again, if you like Dickinson, give Emily’s Dress a shot. If you like Edgar Allen Poe or Taylor Mali, maybe try something else.
Full disclosure: I won Emily’s Dress in a weekly giveaway at 2k13 (http://classof2k13.com/). I was not asked for a review.
Unfortunately, I do not, so I did not.
Emily’s Dress follows Claire as she makes a new life for herself in a high school in Dickinson's home town. She moves there after (1) her mother commits suicide after two previous failed attempts and Claire can’t save her and (2) her best friend Richy goes missing and she’s a prime suspect. She works through her grief by reading Dickinson’s poetry and getting to know Tate, her student teacher/friend/partner in crime/stalker. In the first half of the novel, Claire accidentally steals Dickinson’s dress . In the second half, she unravels the clues of Richy’s disappearance.
The book reads like poetry. Specifically, Dickinson’s poetry. Which, if you’re at all familiar with it, is full of dots and dashes, curious imagery, and more than a few references to death.
There were some parts of Emily’s Dress that I found very beautiful. I loved comparing Claire’s sleepy classmates, when they gain interest in the class, to awakening rainforest creatures. The descriptions of Claire’s friend Tess created a sort of halo around her, making this normal girl seem remarkable, and Claire remarkable for describing her in that way. I also enjoyed the few poems that Claire wrote and how smoothly they fit into the storyline.
In other parts, I had trouble understanding what the author was trying to do or what Claire was thinking. Many of the conversations were not back-and-forth dialogue but one character (usually Claire) making a somewhat profound, somewhat nonsensical statement and her listener repeating her exact words or interpreting what she’s saying with a questioning voice and melodramatic gesture. This style works well for poetry, but I found it awkward over 232 pages of prose. It seemed deliberately obscure and often unrealistic, even for someone caught up in grief and poetry.
I also found the plot disjointed. As mentioned above, the first half gradually reveals Claire’s painful past and deals with the stolen dress. The second half is almost a detective story as Claire tracks down what happened to Richy. The two sections overlap only slightly, so it was hard to make amends between the abstract “finding herself” and concrete “finding her friend”. I have the same complaint about Claire’s two tragedies. She experienced her mother’s death and her friend’s vanishing, but the two were not given equal weight or clarity, and I ended up feeling like one did not get enough justice.
Finally, if you’re looking for romance, Emily’s Dress is about as prudish as Emily's decade. Claire and Tate gradually grow closer together, but there are no steamy sex scenes. Just as we dance around Claire’s past, Claire and Tate dance around each other with more than enough room for a 12-piece band in-between. Claire’s dad makes more progress in the love department than she does. I’m not a romance person, but even I was hoping for a little on screen action after a while.
I don’t mean to come off too negative. This was not the right book for me, but it could very well be the perfect book for someone else. Emily’s Dress is great if you like reading abstract melodic prose, letting loose ends float delicately in the wind, and floating in and out of the characters’ lives rather than painting them in clear terms. I like poetry, but I prefer to tease out the meaning in a few minutes, not a few days (or never ::shudders::).
So again, if you like Dickinson, give Emily’s Dress a shot. If you like Edgar Allen Poe or Taylor Mali, maybe try something else.
Full disclosure: I won Emily’s Dress in a weekly giveaway at 2k13 (http://classof2k13.com/). I was not asked for a review.
June 6, 2013
Seen at my blog, Scott Reads It
Emily's Dress And Other Missing Things is unlike any book I've read recently. I don't read alot of contemporary books so the fact that I enjoyed this book was a pleasant surprise. For the most part, Emily's Dress is a well-done novel but it's weak in a few aspects. Emily's Dress definitely caught me off guard and I didn't expect this book turn out like this!
The beginning of this book was spectacular and I loved the book in the first couple of chapters. The way Burak described Claire's depression was absolutely chilling and emotional. Claire's emotional state was explored in an exceptional but realistic way. I have yet to see an author explore depression and dark emotions better than Burak. I would have loved to read more about Emily's mental state instead of the mediocre mystery.
Emily's Dress quickly turned from extremely realistic and haunting to absolutely ridiculous! If Emily Dickinson's dress went missing, don't you think the Police or FBI would be frantically searching for it? This is Emily-freaking-Dickson! It felt like nobody really cared that Dickinson's dress went missing, it was extremely unrealistic. Dickinson is one of the most well-known poets of all time and the characters act like it's no big deal. No big deal, a priceless dress from an extremely famous deceased poet is missing. Whatever, I'll just go back to my life. I definitely believe that there would be some sort of national search for Dickinson's dress if it went missing. In the book, the search for the dress is very unrealistic because the police believe it's some kind of college prank. What?!?!?!
For a book that is supposed to be a mystery, most of this book felt like a contemporary romance. The mystery is jammed in towards the end of the book and I felt like the mystery was solved way too quickly. I feel like there should have been subtle clues as to who the culprit was, that would have been way more effective. Instead the way the mystery is solved feels kind of illogical and ridiculous.
I felt pretty indifferent towards Claire and Tate's relationship. Sure, I would have prefered more action, more mystery but surprisingly the romance was done well and didn't bother me at all. There was no insta-love and their relationship moved at a realistic pace. I definitely would have liked to see a little bit more of chemistry between Tate and Claire, but otherwise their relationship was one of the novel's strong points.
Emily's Dress is a decent, entertaining book that has it's faults. I definitely enjoyed it but I wish there was more of a mystery and a realistic feel to it. I would most likely read books by Burak in the future. I wish Emily's Dress was more fleshed out and developed but overall it was still an interesting read. Thank you to Macmillan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Emily's Dress And Other Missing Things is unlike any book I've read recently. I don't read alot of contemporary books so the fact that I enjoyed this book was a pleasant surprise. For the most part, Emily's Dress is a well-done novel but it's weak in a few aspects. Emily's Dress definitely caught me off guard and I didn't expect this book turn out like this!
The beginning of this book was spectacular and I loved the book in the first couple of chapters. The way Burak described Claire's depression was absolutely chilling and emotional. Claire's emotional state was explored in an exceptional but realistic way. I have yet to see an author explore depression and dark emotions better than Burak. I would have loved to read more about Emily's mental state instead of the mediocre mystery.
Emily's Dress quickly turned from extremely realistic and haunting to absolutely ridiculous! If Emily Dickinson's dress went missing, don't you think the Police or FBI would be frantically searching for it? This is Emily-freaking-Dickson! It felt like nobody really cared that Dickinson's dress went missing, it was extremely unrealistic. Dickinson is one of the most well-known poets of all time and the characters act like it's no big deal. No big deal, a priceless dress from an extremely famous deceased poet is missing. Whatever, I'll just go back to my life. I definitely believe that there would be some sort of national search for Dickinson's dress if it went missing. In the book, the search for the dress is very unrealistic because the police believe it's some kind of college prank. What?!?!?!
For a book that is supposed to be a mystery, most of this book felt like a contemporary romance. The mystery is jammed in towards the end of the book and I felt like the mystery was solved way too quickly. I feel like there should have been subtle clues as to who the culprit was, that would have been way more effective. Instead the way the mystery is solved feels kind of illogical and ridiculous.
I felt pretty indifferent towards Claire and Tate's relationship. Sure, I would have prefered more action, more mystery but surprisingly the romance was done well and didn't bother me at all. There was no insta-love and their relationship moved at a realistic pace. I definitely would have liked to see a little bit more of chemistry between Tate and Claire, but otherwise their relationship was one of the novel's strong points.
Emily's Dress is a decent, entertaining book that has it's faults. I definitely enjoyed it but I wish there was more of a mystery and a realistic feel to it. I would most likely read books by Burak in the future. I wish Emily's Dress was more fleshed out and developed but overall it was still an interesting read. Thank you to Macmillan for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a honest review!
October 25, 2012
This book is a complete gem. I almost missed out on reading it, myself, but I am so glad that I didn't. You've got the perfect mix of a rich, layered story, solid and unique characters, and a nice bit of mystery worked in.
Claire is not a simple girl and she doesn't have such a happy past. I really enjoyed viewing things from her perspective and seeing her way of coping with life and the things it throws at her. We don't find out everything about her all at once, nor am I really sure we ever know exactly what has made her who she is by the end of the story, but I love the way her story unravels and pieces of her start to come together. She certainly has a hard time letting people in and when Tess befriends her, it certainly took a while for Claire to appreciate the friendship and realize that she really was something good in her life. I think the contrast between them added so much to the story. Tess loves love and all of the things it adds to life, while Claire remains cautious of most things and tends to dwell on the bad things that have happened in her life.
Sam Tate, what to say about him? Initially, he comes off as kind of a jerk. Then we find out he is, in fact, a student teacher in Claire's class and he has a penchant for arguing with her. So it certainly took me a bit to warm up to him, but as we get to know him a little better, it became a little clearer to me why he was that way at first. Claire does some pretty crazy things during the book and Tate shows up for her time and time again. Pretty noble, considering he doesn't really know anything about her. Claire is determined to find out what really happened to her best friend Richy and Tate seems to be determined to help her.
I had never read any of Emily Dickinson's work, but the way Kathryn works Emily's poetry, along with words written by Claire, into the story tied everything together so beautifully. It gave the book a little something extra and gave me the urge to go out and get some of Emily Dickison's stuff right away. This book took me completely by surprise and has cemented itself a place on my all time favorite books shelf. It's a quiet kind of amazing and I urge everyone to give it a read. There are no monsters or evil dictators, but it does possess magic :0)
Claire is not a simple girl and she doesn't have such a happy past. I really enjoyed viewing things from her perspective and seeing her way of coping with life and the things it throws at her. We don't find out everything about her all at once, nor am I really sure we ever know exactly what has made her who she is by the end of the story, but I love the way her story unravels and pieces of her start to come together. She certainly has a hard time letting people in and when Tess befriends her, it certainly took a while for Claire to appreciate the friendship and realize that she really was something good in her life. I think the contrast between them added so much to the story. Tess loves love and all of the things it adds to life, while Claire remains cautious of most things and tends to dwell on the bad things that have happened in her life.
Sam Tate, what to say about him? Initially, he comes off as kind of a jerk. Then we find out he is, in fact, a student teacher in Claire's class and he has a penchant for arguing with her. So it certainly took me a bit to warm up to him, but as we get to know him a little better, it became a little clearer to me why he was that way at first. Claire does some pretty crazy things during the book and Tate shows up for her time and time again. Pretty noble, considering he doesn't really know anything about her. Claire is determined to find out what really happened to her best friend Richy and Tate seems to be determined to help her.
I had never read any of Emily Dickinson's work, but the way Kathryn works Emily's poetry, along with words written by Claire, into the story tied everything together so beautifully. It gave the book a little something extra and gave me the urge to go out and get some of Emily Dickison's stuff right away. This book took me completely by surprise and has cemented itself a place on my all time favorite books shelf. It's a quiet kind of amazing and I urge everyone to give it a read. There are no monsters or evil dictators, but it does possess magic :0)
February 14, 2013
Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things is a true delight and it provided me with one of the most memorable and unique reading experiences I have ever had! This book is in a category all on it's own. Kathryn Burak has a beautiful writing style that is very poetic and flows so well. I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this book but I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a story that combines mystery, a budding romance, Emily Dickinson, sadness, friendship, loss, adventure and emotional recovery.
Claire is the protagonist and she is very multilayered. She's been through quite a bit and her history really helps the reader understand what makes her the way she is. She's lost more than one person in her life and that had a definite impact on her. She's very different, but not in a bad way. It's really sort of hard to explain, but I found her to be quite refreshing in her sincerity and uniqueness. I'm not going to reveal much, but I will say that Claire's ties to Emily Dickinson feel very real and touching. You have to read this book to really be able to bask in the beauty of it.
I really enjoyed some of the other characters in this book as well, like Tate. Tate is a student teacher for one of Claire's classes and through a series of uncanny events, these two end up forming a close bond. There were a lot of funny situations involving these two, as well as some emotional ones. I adore Tate: he's one of the few people in Claire's life that really connects with her and understands her. Claire's best friend, Tess, is another noteworthy character. She's the kind of friend that accepts you no matter what and I really liked her!
One of my favorite things about this book is the poetry: it is so wonderful and significant. Claire's character writes poetry and due to the personal nature of her poems, I really felt like this further invited me into her world as a reader and allowed me to connect with her on another level. Some of Emily Dickinson's poetry is also discussed and mentioned, which really made me want to sit down and explore her writing further.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a tremendously good story filled with amazing characters and an exciting plot that will move you in several ways!
Claire is the protagonist and she is very multilayered. She's been through quite a bit and her history really helps the reader understand what makes her the way she is. She's lost more than one person in her life and that had a definite impact on her. She's very different, but not in a bad way. It's really sort of hard to explain, but I found her to be quite refreshing in her sincerity and uniqueness. I'm not going to reveal much, but I will say that Claire's ties to Emily Dickinson feel very real and touching. You have to read this book to really be able to bask in the beauty of it.
I really enjoyed some of the other characters in this book as well, like Tate. Tate is a student teacher for one of Claire's classes and through a series of uncanny events, these two end up forming a close bond. There were a lot of funny situations involving these two, as well as some emotional ones. I adore Tate: he's one of the few people in Claire's life that really connects with her and understands her. Claire's best friend, Tess, is another noteworthy character. She's the kind of friend that accepts you no matter what and I really liked her!
One of my favorite things about this book is the poetry: it is so wonderful and significant. Claire's character writes poetry and due to the personal nature of her poems, I really felt like this further invited me into her world as a reader and allowed me to connect with her on another level. Some of Emily Dickinson's poetry is also discussed and mentioned, which really made me want to sit down and explore her writing further.
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a tremendously good story filled with amazing characters and an exciting plot that will move you in several ways!
October 8, 2012
The first thing you notice about Claire is her proclivity for living inside her own head, almost to a fault. It has been tough the last two years with the loss of her mom and her best friend. Since the move to Amherst, Clare has taken refuge in Emily Dickinson's life and poetry as well as her own dark sense of humor. It is that darkness that draws the attention of a concerned student teacher which, in turn, triggers Claire to do something that seems a little crazy. The upheaval in Claire's life is mirrored in the story telling, which is unusual, but fits very well with Claire's personality and her view of the world around her. The story takes twists and turns quite a bit, but it does so without feeling disjointed or fractured. It's a book that is part emotional discovery, part mystery and part literary study.
A lot of what made this book such a wonderful read was Claire's first person narrative. The story is intertwined with bits of her poetry and it gives the reader a lot of insight into Claire's thoughts and feelings, which really pulled me into Claire's head. The pain and upheaval that Claire has experienced over the last few years has almost convinced her that Emily Dickinson had it right when she became a recluse I think that using Emily as a sort of touchstone for pain was a coping mechanism for Claire and one that was not only understandable, but very touching, as well. As Tate becomes involved in her life, and the with the issue of the dress, Claire seems to wake up to the fact that she is not as alone as she imagined. This part of the story was very well done because the deep friendship that develops between Claire and Tate does not overpower the rest of the story. Everyone around her is in need of some sort of healing and Claire is finally able to reach out and help in her own way, which was sort of the journey within the dress, so to speak. Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things was an emotional story told with a unique and enjoyable narrative voice that fulfilled my love for interesting stories and lyrical storytelling.
A lot of what made this book such a wonderful read was Claire's first person narrative. The story is intertwined with bits of her poetry and it gives the reader a lot of insight into Claire's thoughts and feelings, which really pulled me into Claire's head. The pain and upheaval that Claire has experienced over the last few years has almost convinced her that Emily Dickinson had it right when she became a recluse I think that using Emily as a sort of touchstone for pain was a coping mechanism for Claire and one that was not only understandable, but very touching, as well. As Tate becomes involved in her life, and the with the issue of the dress, Claire seems to wake up to the fact that she is not as alone as she imagined. This part of the story was very well done because the deep friendship that develops between Claire and Tate does not overpower the rest of the story. Everyone around her is in need of some sort of healing and Claire is finally able to reach out and help in her own way, which was sort of the journey within the dress, so to speak. Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things was an emotional story told with a unique and enjoyable narrative voice that fulfilled my love for interesting stories and lyrical storytelling.
October 4, 2012
This was a wonderful, lyrical story about a girl dealing with grief and loss. Claire is struggling with her mother's suicide and then her best friend Richy goes missing. Her father moves her to Amherst where he is teaching at the college. Claire's mother loved poetry and when Claire visits Emily Dickinson's house she feels a closeness to her mother. She sneaks in frequently through a window that is left open just a little.
Claire is also dealing with a new school. She isn't normal or average and often misinterprets events because of her unique and poetic worldview. A student teacher named Sam Tate takes an interest in Claire because he is intrigued by her poetry and her world view. He is also afraid that she might be like his sister who committed suicide when she was fifteen. Claire doesn't know what to make of the relationship or if they really have a relationship.
Their lives get more and more intertwined when he sees her sneak into Emily Dickinson's house and sets off the alarms when he goes in too. They end up escaping with Claire wearing the dress of the title. Then they have to figure out how to get the dress back. Claire and Tate also work together to investigate what really happened to Richy on the night he disappeared.
Through these activities, Claire begins to heal and to get rid of some of the guilt she feels for being there when her mother committed suicide and for not meeting Richy on the night he disappeared. She also manages to connect to a new friend and forge a relationship with Tate.
The story is told from Claire's point of view. So we see her confusion and bewilderment as she tries to come to grips with events that would challenge anyone. The story is filled with wonderful descriptions of odd things that catch Claire's attention and bits of her poetry.
This story demands a reader who will slow down and take the journey with Claire. They will be richly rewarded in this story.
Claire is also dealing with a new school. She isn't normal or average and often misinterprets events because of her unique and poetic worldview. A student teacher named Sam Tate takes an interest in Claire because he is intrigued by her poetry and her world view. He is also afraid that she might be like his sister who committed suicide when she was fifteen. Claire doesn't know what to make of the relationship or if they really have a relationship.
Their lives get more and more intertwined when he sees her sneak into Emily Dickinson's house and sets off the alarms when he goes in too. They end up escaping with Claire wearing the dress of the title. Then they have to figure out how to get the dress back. Claire and Tate also work together to investigate what really happened to Richy on the night he disappeared.
Through these activities, Claire begins to heal and to get rid of some of the guilt she feels for being there when her mother committed suicide and for not meeting Richy on the night he disappeared. She also manages to connect to a new friend and forge a relationship with Tate.
The story is told from Claire's point of view. So we see her confusion and bewilderment as she tries to come to grips with events that would challenge anyone. The story is filled with wonderful descriptions of odd things that catch Claire's attention and bits of her poetry.
This story demands a reader who will slow down and take the journey with Claire. They will be richly rewarded in this story.
June 12, 2012
EMILY'S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS by Kathryn Burak
I’ve been anxiously waiting to get my hands on an ARC of EMILY’S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS by my fellow Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan and Class of 2k12 debut author, Kathryn Burak and I finally got the chance!
Do you like books with fast paced plots? Do you like books written in beautiful, lyrical prose? Or do you want it all? EMILY’S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS is a mystery that weaves it all together! High school senior, Claire is trying to start over after the death of her mother and the mysterious disappearance of her best friend, Richy. Now that’s she’s living in Amherst, MA, she’s discovered she can sneak into the Emily Dickinson museum after hours and it’s there she feels closest to her mother. She didn’t mean to steal Emily Dickinson’s dress, but Tate, her former student teacher, followed her and he’s the one who accidentally set off the alarm! Now they're both on the run! The plot races along with profoundly graceful writing that made me sigh happy little sighs! Claire is a complicated person with a soul-baring voice and Tate has a few secrets of his own. Things get even more complicated when the police reopen the investigation into Richy’s disappearance, since they believe Claire was the last person to see him alive ...
Sadly, EMILY'S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS doesn't hit the shelves until October 2nd, but yes, keep it on your radar - it's wonderful!!!
I’ve been anxiously waiting to get my hands on an ARC of EMILY’S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS by my fellow Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan and Class of 2k12 debut author, Kathryn Burak and I finally got the chance!
Do you like books with fast paced plots? Do you like books written in beautiful, lyrical prose? Or do you want it all? EMILY’S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS is a mystery that weaves it all together! High school senior, Claire is trying to start over after the death of her mother and the mysterious disappearance of her best friend, Richy. Now that’s she’s living in Amherst, MA, she’s discovered she can sneak into the Emily Dickinson museum after hours and it’s there she feels closest to her mother. She didn’t mean to steal Emily Dickinson’s dress, but Tate, her former student teacher, followed her and he’s the one who accidentally set off the alarm! Now they're both on the run! The plot races along with profoundly graceful writing that made me sigh happy little sighs! Claire is a complicated person with a soul-baring voice and Tate has a few secrets of his own. Things get even more complicated when the police reopen the investigation into Richy’s disappearance, since they believe Claire was the last person to see him alive ...
Sadly, EMILY'S DRESS AND OTHER MISSING THINGS doesn't hit the shelves until October 2nd, but yes, keep it on your radar - it's wonderful!!!
February 23, 2022
After years of searching through used book stores (because buying online is too easy?? Something is wrong with me) I found myself a copy of the book I've loved since 2013. Nothing, no one, has been a bigger inspiration for me to pick up my poetry again than Claire and Kathryn Burak. This is my ideal murder mystery, my ideal romance novel, my ideal study in Emily Dickinson's work. Both when I was younger and then now that I'm older than Claire, she has never felt unrelatable. The way Kathryn writes her and Tate together is sensitive, mature, and like a trapped animal all in one. They felt so real. Claire's adoptive and hyperactive bestie who both takes care of and is taken care of by her, something not often seen. It's not just the characters or the story, either. The poetry, the deep dives into Claire's thoughts really do something to me as a writer, even before I fully accepted I was one. The story is beautifully paced, leaves out the right things and dwells on the best moments, and paints the full-cast struggle with depression, suicide, missing persons, the ones left behind, and finding your foothold in the social game again. I cannot love this book any more than I do, it will soon spill out through my eyes.
April 30, 2013
“Emily’s Dress and Other Missing Things” is one of the best YA books that I have read in a long time. Themes of loss, recovery, dealing with both failure and success, and even love permeate the book. The overarching theme is the importance of help, having it, knowing you have it and asking for it. This is a theme that is near and dear to my heart, and it is not often covered as well as it is in this book.
I love how “Emily’s Dress” takes on the serious, sad topics while still remaining optimistic in a realistic way. The main downside was a rambling text that did a great job of showing the main character’s state of mind, but also, unfortunately, left me confused and out of the story on occasion.
I entered this story with no expectations and very little knowledge about the plot. I left it feeling attached to the main character Claire. She is someone I would love to have a as a friend. Matter of fact, all the characters in this story were full dimensional, likable and realistic. I hope "Emily’s Dress" makes it onto a lot of reading lists, and I look forward to future novels by Kathryn Burak, the author.
I love how “Emily’s Dress” takes on the serious, sad topics while still remaining optimistic in a realistic way. The main downside was a rambling text that did a great job of showing the main character’s state of mind, but also, unfortunately, left me confused and out of the story on occasion.
I entered this story with no expectations and very little knowledge about the plot. I left it feeling attached to the main character Claire. She is someone I would love to have a as a friend. Matter of fact, all the characters in this story were full dimensional, likable and realistic. I hope "Emily’s Dress" makes it onto a lot of reading lists, and I look forward to future novels by Kathryn Burak, the author.
January 14, 2014
Claire is a survivor. Her mother committed suicide while Claire was at home and so Claire carries the guilt of not being able to stop her. Her best friend Richy disappears and Claire was a person of interest in this case. She is also carrying that guilt as well. Her dad gets a job at Amherst University, home of Emily Dickenson. Claire is now a senior (again) at the local high school and has actually made a friend in Tess. Also, the student teacher for her class, Sam Tate, has befriended her too. She begins to study Emily Dickinson's work, and one night somehow walks out of the library wearing Emily's dress. Claire has some serious issues to work out. Can Tate and Tess help her out? Will she be able to do it with a father who doesn't understand the Goth Girl she has become?
This book has a lot of issues as well. It starts out strong but after while it seems to really drag. Claire carries way to much guilt around with her. She is basically a loner and having friends is a new concept, especially since Richy. Claire seems to be obsessed with Emily Dickenson as well. Not being a fan of her work probably had an impact on my review.
High School and up....
This book has a lot of issues as well. It starts out strong but after while it seems to really drag. Claire carries way to much guilt around with her. She is basically a loner and having friends is a new concept, especially since Richy. Claire seems to be obsessed with Emily Dickenson as well. Not being a fan of her work probably had an impact on my review.
High School and up....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. It was so good for so many reasons. The writing was amazing, the way Burak described things, Claire's voice, the story, the tension, the romance... it was all so perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
From the start, you know something is not right in Claire's world, but not exactly what. The writing and voice drew me into the story before I was sure what the plot was going to be. I knew from the book jacket it was going to be mystery of some sort but I didn't know how it would unravel. It wasn't a straight up mystery, one where the MC is really nosey and thinks she can solve a disappearance better than the cop who has made it his career to find missing people, which I thought was brilliant. It was sort of like an accident, Claire just happened up the clues. She wasn't trying to solve her best friend's disappearance, she was trying to accept what happened and move on.
The story is less about the mystery and more about a broken girl trying to fix her life.
Plus I loved the Tate/Claire relationship. It was so... enthralling.
From the start, you know something is not right in Claire's world, but not exactly what. The writing and voice drew me into the story before I was sure what the plot was going to be. I knew from the book jacket it was going to be mystery of some sort but I didn't know how it would unravel. It wasn't a straight up mystery, one where the MC is really nosey and thinks she can solve a disappearance better than the cop who has made it his career to find missing people, which I thought was brilliant. It was sort of like an accident, Claire just happened up the clues. She wasn't trying to solve her best friend's disappearance, she was trying to accept what happened and move on.
The story is less about the mystery and more about a broken girl trying to fix her life.
Plus I loved the Tate/Claire relationship. It was so... enthralling.
January 23, 2013
This is a very unique book.
It was a very quick read, but not because it was teen-lit; it was because it had such a natural voice, a natural flow to it. Burak wrote in such a style that people actually talk. It's very hard to describe without reading it for yourself, but so many breaks, pauses, disjointed and scattered thoughts, all coming together in thoughtful sentences and a great narrative.
I identified with the main character, Chloe, because we both lost our mothers, though in drastically different ways. She went through so much because of that, and I can completely relate to the point where I was sobbing during a conversation between her and her father that was long overdue. Rarely do books move me to such strong emotions that I actually need to put the book down for a moment, but this one did just that.
I think things tied together a little too neatly plot-wise, but that didn't detract from the overall feeling I got from this book. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something...unique, I suppose. There's not really another way to describe it.
It was a very quick read, but not because it was teen-lit; it was because it had such a natural voice, a natural flow to it. Burak wrote in such a style that people actually talk. It's very hard to describe without reading it for yourself, but so many breaks, pauses, disjointed and scattered thoughts, all coming together in thoughtful sentences and a great narrative.
I identified with the main character, Chloe, because we both lost our mothers, though in drastically different ways. She went through so much because of that, and I can completely relate to the point where I was sobbing during a conversation between her and her father that was long overdue. Rarely do books move me to such strong emotions that I actually need to put the book down for a moment, but this one did just that.
I think things tied together a little too neatly plot-wise, but that didn't detract from the overall feeling I got from this book. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something...unique, I suppose. There's not really another way to describe it.
November 15, 2013
Claire and her father have just moved to Amherst, Mass., where her father has taken a job at a college there. They moved not because they wanted to but because Claire needs to escape her past. Her mother committed suicide, and it was Claire who found her. Just a few years after that traumatic experience, Claire's best friend disappears. The police and his parents believe that Claire had something to do with it.
Claire, hoping for a fresh start but not really expecting one, is drawn to the home of the late poet Emily Dickinson on the anniversary of her mother's death. Claire sneaks into the house and dons one of Dickinson's dresses. She is caught by her student teacher Tate, and the two escape before the police arrive. But, now what do they do with the dress?
Claire explains her friend's disappearance to Tate and confides in him that she believes that a dentist that her friend met online had something to do with his abduction. Tate believes her and the search is on for evidence to prove Claire's hunch.
Claire, hoping for a fresh start but not really expecting one, is drawn to the home of the late poet Emily Dickinson on the anniversary of her mother's death. Claire sneaks into the house and dons one of Dickinson's dresses. She is caught by her student teacher Tate, and the two escape before the police arrive. But, now what do they do with the dress?
Claire explains her friend's disappearance to Tate and confides in him that she believes that a dentist that her friend met online had something to do with his abduction. Tate believes her and the search is on for evidence to prove Claire's hunch.
May 20, 2013
Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things is my clear 2012 pick for an amazing book that has flown under the radar. I love the cover, but feel that the book would have benefitted from having an edgier vision to match the story within. There was so much more behind the cover of this book than I had ever expected. There was mystery and romance, but what pulled me in was the way that Burak wrote from Claire's point of view. I was completely immersed in the feelings and emotions of this character. Claire took me on a journey and it wasn't always pretty or easy, but it was authentic and the rewards for going with her were exceptional. If you love Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, I think that you'll also love Emily's Dress and Other Missing Things.
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