When Jeff Comes Home

by Catherine Atkins

Sixteen-year-old Jeff, returning home after having been kidnapped and held prisoner for three years, must face his family, friends, and school and the widespread assumption that he engaged in sexual activity with his kidnapper.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Abuse, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Mystery, Crime

Library Binding

First published September 1, 1999

About the author

I am a writer and teacher from Northern California. My books include The File on Angelyn Stark(Knopf), Alt Ed(Putnam) and When Jeff Comes Home(Putnam).

Reviews

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 2.75 stars ✰

“Dad could talk a good game, about whether Ray "hurt" me or not, and that it was "okay" if he had.

"Hurt"! He couldn't even say the words, though we both knew damn well what he meant.

Nothing was "okay," or ever would be again.”

Sometimes I question my own state of mind that leads me to read books that have plots, which are as unnerving as When Jeff Comes Home. But, then I think that sometimes I have to break out of my comfort zone to read books that may be upsetting, but still might make me leave with feeling, well, I don't know - just something.

In hindsight, there are multiple points in this story that were attempted to be addressed in a very short span of time - I think, that was a mistake. What could have been a more impactful read was brushed off due to the nature in which Catherine Atkins approached it. There are three points that stood out for me, which I'm going to do my best to outline - Jeff's feelings on his return, the style of writing, and Jeff's relationship with his father.

“But because I had been in the right place at the wrong time, I was a curiosity, a freak, someone worthy of, at best, pity.

It's not fair, you idiots. What happened to me could have happened to any of you. It could have been any one of you, and if it was, I wouldn't be treating you this way.”

Jeff's narration is a mixture of a quiet plea to be left alone and a frustrated rage at what life has taken away from him - three years of his life raised in captivity at the mercy of one man, only to be let go on a whim of a plea and try to fit into society at the age of sixteen. That was really hard to read - Jeff is a victim - there is no question about that. 😟😟 What makes me sad is that even afterwards, he is still a victim in the eyes to those he has returned to. I cannot say that how he behaved was the right way, but what he felt was something I could see resonate well off the pages. He is upset and he is angry and he is still trying to let go of what happened - to not want people to be thinking only one thought 'if his captor had abused him all these years?'. 😔😔

And in the ache of wanting to forget, it leads him to act out - sometimes in hurtful taunts and retaliation to his younger siblings - sometimes in quiet sadness that the bond he shared with his best friend is now tainted with the questioning thought, of can he still be best friends with a boy now, considering what he has been through? ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 Those moments, when he attempted for a semblance of normalcy hurt me - because, even when he was trying to forget - there were those who were not going to make it easy for him to forget.

“All through eighth, barely a day had gone by without our seeing each other.

But what did a childhood friendship mean now? What could it mean, after everything, after Ray?

Ray had stolen that from me too, I realized: the ability to have a friend.

"Sorry, Vin," I muttered, my voice thick. "I. . . "

"Come on," he said quietly, but insistently. "Let's take a ride.”

Despite my emotional take on Jeff's feelings, I was left confused at the unrealistic approach to how his return was actually handled - so unconventional and not usually what is shown in movies, where immediately they're rushed to psychiatric care or looked over in hospitals. All that was entirely glossed over with the sole purpose of showing what Jeff had to endure upon his return. 😕😕 For me, that made it all the more unbelievable and less likely for me to not relate but to connect - it felt too disjointed to be a conceivable plot. It's like, when you have the notes for an essay you're about to write, without any sentence structure. That's what reading this felt like at certain points.

“He stopped, looking back at me.

"Please don't leave. Please."

He winced as though I had struck him. "I didn't leave," he said, quietly angry. "I didn't leave. You understand that?"

He wasn't making much sense, but I thought I understood him.

Don't blame me for what happened to you.”

Isn't that a punch to the heart? 💔💔 It certainly hurt mine; and what was devoted most to this story was Jeff's father's fierce desperation for his son to rejoin life, in the hopes that they could put everything behind them. All the while, Jeff is adamant in staying silent about what happened to him, because that is something that we do. We deny something from existence in the hopes of it ever existing. He listened to everything his father told him to do, because he wanted to make him happy, no matter how much he was still keeping inside. But, what upset me here, is that at the start, there was such an error of miscommunication from both of them, that they never could reach a point of understanding. 🥺🥺

“You don't know the details. You don't know how I was with him. You don't know everything I did."

Dad shook his head slightly. "There is nothing you can tell me, nothing I can find out, that will ever make me turn away from you."

"Is that true?" I asked after a moment.

"Yes," he said simply.

I closed my eyes, trying to absorb what he was offering: unconditional love.

Unconditional acceptance. I felt lighter, the pressure I had come to accept as normal lifting away from my chest.”

So, to get this closure that was essentially what Jeff was really searching for right from the start = from the person that mattered most to him - it was the most tender way that could have rounded up this emotional read. That weight that he had been shouldering - that no matter what he revealed, his father would still love him. It was the most rewarding feeling that I could have hoped for. 😢😢

I may complain that the book feels like it was unfinished - but, it really does leave you with this small glimmer of hope that Jeff will find a way to survive. And honestly - in books that have such difficult topics such as this - that's all I ever hope to see. For the characters to rise above the pain they have endured - to become the victor and not the victim in the eyes of not only those around them, but for themselves, as well. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[Taylor Allain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many people think feminism is between a man and a women. When Jeff Comes Home by Catherine Atkins, written in 1999, shows the exploitation of a teenage boy by another man. The second wave of feminism which took place in the 1960’s to early 1990’s dealt with the issue of civil rights. Civil rights in a feminist world takes place between any gender not just male and female. Actor Matt McGorry states, “I believe in gender equality. Being a feminist is for both women and men. I AM A FEMINIST.” Jeff struggles to reconnect with the world around him by isolating himself and keeping his memories a secret. The sexual exploitation that takes place in this novel could have happened to any male or female. Feminism focuses on gender equality, but when sexual exploitation takes place, the perpetrator has more power over the victim taking away their rights.
After Jeff’s kidnapper releases him back home he needs to empower himself and regain his self respect to rebuild his trust in his parents, siblings, and friends. Jeff isolates himself from the world around him, because he doesn't want to tell anyone about his experience with this stranger. However, the stranger is still somewhat familiar to Jeff, because for the last two years Ray has been his only human interaction. Gradually Jeff tells some of the acts Ray, his kidnapper, engages in while Jeff is held captive. At first he’s very secretive about revealing what has happened to him. Jeff explains in the book, “Nothing happened. He kidnapped me. That’s all” (55). By reading and following the story, it’s clear that there is more that occurs in the two years that Jeff spends with his kidnapper that he’s not telling.
Catherine Atkins writes a strong, emotional book that hooks the reader. The style of the book is very easy to follow and understand. At the beginning the reader learns how Jeff is taken by Ray, but then it skips over the two years he spends away from home. The book then transitions to Jeff coming home and his journey to recovery. Atkins makes this book effective, because it shows sexual abuse between a male and a boy. This gives another point of view for feminism and the fight for equal rights. When Jeff Comes Home is a novel that would a beneficial read for teenagers in high school and adults. High schoolers and adults can gain a better understanding of the effects of sexual exploitation on a teenager by reading the details in this story.

[Wendy Darling · Rating 3 out of 5]

The strongest parts of this book describe the confusing emotions that Jeff feels after he returns to his family: anger, guilt, confusion, and embarrassment. Readers will sympathize with Jeff's admittance that he submitted to some of his captor's attentions willingly in order to get food and the complicated truth of the fact that sexual coercion can often feel good, which is why it's so insidious--and why it's a source of so much shame.

Many of the post-return details aren't quite as convincing, however, including the way law enforcement and health officials would deal with a child in this situation. While they would certainly be sensitive to Jeff's trauma, it's difficult to imagine that he would not be put under more pressure to submit to a physical examination, asked for details earlier about his kidnapper, etc, etc. It also would have helped the reader to become more engrossed in Jeff's story if the timeline had been a little more straightforward and flashbacks used with more frequency.

This is overall very well-written, however, and provides good insight into how a teen might feel when he's survived such a terrible, life-altering experience.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book almost a year ago and I remember how deeply it resonated with me the first time I finished it. This reread really solidified When Jeff Comes Home as one of my favorite books. It made me even more emotional this time around, and I still care so much about Jeff and his story; I probably always will.

Jeff was 13 when he was kidnapped from a rest stop by a man named Ray. That same day he was first raped by this horrible child predator in a field off the highway. His torture continued for 3 years until he was able to convince Ray to take him home to his parents. As Jeff struggles to reintegrate into something of a normal life, it is revealed exactly what Jeff had to go through in order to survive. He carries so much guilt and shame over the sexual things he had to do for Ray in exchange for basic necessities like food and clothing. He equated coercion with consent and hated himself for the things that he “agreed” to do with his rapist. Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one with this viewpoint.

It disgusted me that Jeff was judged by not only his peers but by detectives that worked on his case. He was taunted and treated like a criminal himself for the things this pedophile forced him to do. Rape culture played a big part in this story and Jeff had to endure people around him thinking that he liked what happened to him or that he had a consensual sexual relationship with his kidnapper. This boy was only 13, and the last time I checked 13 year olds could not consent to have sex with anybody, let alone a full grown adult. I was very thankful to hear Jeff’s father reassure him that he had done nothing wrong and was not responsible for his repeated sexual abuse.

While there were quite a few jerks that vilified Jeff for his own rape, his family always stood by him. His best friend Vin pushed him away after it was revealed that the boy he grew up with had been molested but made amends for his behavior by standing up for Jeff and promising to protect him. I was particularly touched when Vin discussed how upset Jeff’s kidnapping had made him and admitted to him that he might be in love with him due to the fact that he had always felt more deeply about his best friend than he had ever felt for anyone else in his life. My only complaint was that we did not get more insight about Vin’s sexuality in the face of Jeff’s return. There is an untold story that still exists between them and I am disappointed that we won’t get to see how it plays out.

All in all, this book is an amazing YA novel and it is impossible not to tear up while reading it. If it’s not already on your tbr list then put it there right now!

[Kadi P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful and heart-wrenching, this was the kind of read that stuns you and shakes you at the same time. With more truth than anyone can bear, this book delves into taboo topics and the aftermath of terrible events for victims.

I wish it could’ve been longer so we could’ve seen people change their minds about the protagonist and see him fight stigma, but the fact that the book never went that far was perhaps a testament to how realistic it was: there’s no happily ever after when it comes to kidnap and rape.

It was noticeable that the gay aspect of it wasn’t discussed in any way that was shown to be outright acceptable and that was probably because this book was published in the early 2000s, long before any LGBT movement of the 21st century. Discussion of that could’ve over-complicated matters, but it would’ve been an interesting angle to come at it from. Still, the exploration was extensive in terms of a young child’s growing sexuality and the mind of a victim.

This was sombre and extremely well-written. It was the kind of book that will stay with you for a long time.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult story to read. Jeff was kidnapped at 14 and returned to his family two and a half years later. He tries to adjust to his old life but is not anywhere near being the same person he was before this all happened. He's not willing to talk about or face what happened to him when he was gone and his family, in particular his father, has little or no idea how to help him.

Most of it rang true. The shame, embarrassment, anger, hopelessness that Jeff feels seems real and understandable. I liked that the story didn't seem sensationalized - we get some details but nothing salacious.

Parts, though, were unbelievable. I get that Jeff didn't want to talk about what happened but not one adult in the story even mentions the possibility of some counseling. His dad only mentions three quarters through the book that "Geez, we should probably get you to a doctor". And the mom is a teacher, the dad a lawyer! Even the FBI agent seems to take a "oh, well" attitude when Jeff says he won't talk about his time in captivity.

I also NEVER understood the subplot of his dad all but ignoring Jeff's sister and little brother...All it made me do was think that his dad was a jerk and if it were me I wouldn't have told him squat either.

[Meka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book literally hurt to read. Jeff's return home after being abducted and having to deal with the rumors, his family, and the fear broke my heart and hurt my soul. It is a difficult book to get through, but a highly recommended read for sure.

[Mary Bronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book in high school. I thought this was a great book and it was a some what of a quick read. Once I got started it was hard to put down. I thought that the plot and characters were very well written.

[Shannon Fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consider this book kind of the male version of Speak (by Laurie Halse Anderson). This entire book is about a boy who went through a harrowing experience, struggling to find his voice and the courage to tell people what happened to him. And on that note alone, I think this book deserves at least four stars, simply for the representation, because there is some excellent fiction out there that deals with the aftermath of rape, and how a particular person/character embarks on the healing process, but there are practically none that deal with a MALE victim. People often assume that rape is a solely female issue, but that simply isn't true. And in many ways, that makes it even WORSE for men/boys who are victims of sexual assault. The statistics on male victims are shoddy at best, because it's so under-reported, and often, male victims fail to report sexual assault at all. And of course they do. IF they're blamed or aren't believed, or ridiculed for it, and even worse, in some cases, told they should be grateful for the experience. (Yes, I've seen boys/men come forward with stories, where they were molested or raped when they were younger by women, only to have other men tell them that they should be grateful for the experience, that when they were teens, it was their dream to have an older woman come on to them and get sexual with them. What the actual fuck, right?) So if nothing els,e I have to give this book props for being about a boy, because boys and men also really need books about sexual assault.

To all victims, these books can be cathartic and healing. Reading about someone else's assault even a fictionalized account of it can give people some solace, make them feel like they aren't alone, make them feel seen, like they aren't the only ones struggling with these feelings and emotions, with the shame and confusion and pain. And I think this book actually does that pretty well. We really do see Jeff struggle. We see him try to pretend that nothing has happened, his denial of the past 2 and a half years, trying to act like it didn't happen. We see his shame and his torment, his moments of panic where it comes flooding back to him when he can't pretend. We see the conflicting nature of how someone feels after an assault. He doesn't want to be touched, but then if someone doesn't touch him, he gets upset, because he wrongly assumes they aren't doing so out of disgust. We see all of it, how he feels like a freak who will never be normal again, how he feels so detached from the world, so lost, like he can never find his way back to the person he used to be. We see his anxiety, and even his own disgust with himself about his role in all of it, how he would participate, because he had to if he wanted to eat. And that's where this book really shines. Because people often wonder "why didn't you fight back?" or "why didn't you run away?" But this book does a great job of detailing just how toxic and insidious prolonged sexual assault can be, how someone like Jeff, who was kidnapped and forced into a sexual relationship with his captor, becomes willing to do sexual things, even learns to enjoy them in some part, in order to survive. And we see how shameful that is for him, how much he hates himself for liking or engaging in any part of it. But that's why it's so insidious and so vile, because victims DON'T have a choice. And when your life is constantly under threat, when brutal retaliation is always looming over you, it's not that easy to just "fight back" or "run away," and victims will end up doing things to survive that they later feel awful about. But they shouldn't because they didn't have a choice. That's how all prolonged sexual assault works, with coercion, because that's what predators do.

I did think that some parts of this book were unrealistic, such as how we now treat victims of sexual assault, especially kidnapping victims, how the police handled things (insensitive much?) and how the press handled things (what a bunch of assholes, though sadly that's probably still not that far off). Mostly though I chalk those things up to this book's age (I mean, his dad answers a freaking car phone at one point. Does those still even exist?) This book WAS published in 1999 though, so some allowances have to be made for that. Particularly, the use of the word "fag" bugged me, but that's how it was in the 90's and sadly, how it remains in some places today. Unfortunately, as much as things have advanced, in all likelihood, any male victim of prolonged assault would face similar treatment. Rape culture is still very much a thing, and it defintiely plays a huge part in this book, with Jeff's classmates, even the police. You'd hope not, but sadly, male victims are still so horribly mistreated by so many people it's not even funny. And that part of this story, more than almost anything made me want to cry. Every time Jeff feels any amount of shame because he was raped by another man, it kills me. I just wanted to jump into the book and hug/shake him, and yell at him how it wasn't his fault until he actually understood it.

The other thing that I did REALLY like though, was Jeff's family, in particular, his father. Did he approach everything perfectly? Absolutely not, but what parent knows how to handle their child being kidnapped and raped for damn near three years? No parent would handle that well. But Jeff's dad tried. His whole family did. They really tried to do what Jeff wanted, what he needed (sadly though, no one really knew what that was, not even Jeff). The ending though, where Jeff does finally talk about things, genuinely made me tear up. It was so hard to read, but at the same time, so heart-warming, how his father lays everything out for him, his unconditional love and support, how he tells Jeff that he doesn't blame him for anything, that nothing Jeff will ever tell him about what happened could ever make him turn away from his son. Especially where Jeff is recounting how he did things with Ray, explaining his part in the assault, telling his dad how he kissed Ray back, and his father simply tells him "good." That if that's what Jeff had to do to survive, if he had to engage in sexual stuff with Ray, if he had to pretend to that he loved Ray, whatever he had to do to convince him, his father was glad that he did it, since it meant he survived and came home. I loved that response. That was so touching. No shame, no rebuke, just acceptance, and helping his son to realize that anything he did was necessary to survive, and he shouldn't feel bad about it.

Often, with issue books, parents arent worth much. In many of these types of books I've read, parents are half asleep, or they care, but are so distracted by their won lives that they can't see how much pain their child is in. And granted, a lot of kids do have shitty parents, but it was really refreshing to read a book where a parent is actively involved, cares, and does their best to help their child, where a parent is supportive and present.

Sure, this book could have been a little better, with slightly better characterization it could have been truly spectacular, but overall, as a story of healing and triumph over trauma, I thought it was pretty damn good. And especially if you add in the extra points for a healthy parental relationship, and the representation of a male victim, I think this book deserves a pretty high rating. And I'm happy to give it one.

[Özlem Güzelharcan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awfully flat characters✔️
Weirdly homophobic✔️
Unrealistic scenes✔️(A so called "super good at his job" FBI agent grabs and forces a traumatized kid to talk and a guy that kidnaps and holds hostage an underage kid suggesting the sexual relation between them was consentual and so asking for bail, seriosuly??)

Don't fall for this s*ht for the sake of mystery, ladies. Not ever.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a fairly dull and misshapen book, and the first 140 pages or so are particularly bad, with flat characterization and a couple of scenes which struck me as completely unrealistic (e.g. police deliberately not taking into custody a bag of evidence related to a case under investigation, a principal saying he can waive three years' worth of school for a student). The last third is fairly good, and occasionally affecting, but can't really make up for everything that preceded it.

[Hulttio · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was going through my read books from 2021, and I came across We Now Return to Regular Life by Martin Wilson (my review), and I remember how much of a disappointment it was. This book was listed on the page and it had been on my TBR since 2014, so I figured I might as well give it a try. Once I started reading it, it was pretty hard to put down—I read it in a single sitting. I guess my brain decided books about ‘dealing with trauma’ was how I was going to ring in the New Year. Given that this book came out in 1999 and predates the Wilson book, it was interesting to note how much of it felt familiar—of course the themes will be similar, and certain events may overlap. But this is only a credit to Atkins, because Wilson is writing nearly two decades later.

When Jeff Comes Home tells us the story of Jeff Harte, a teenage boy who has returned to his family after surviving abuse in captivity for 2.5 years. His fictional case bears a lot of similarity to the Steven Stayner case, in terms of the aftermath—both faced bullying and degradation due to the fact that their captors were male and inflicted sexual abuse, both had trouble readjusting to home life afterwards, and both felt alienated; since this is a YA book though, the ending is more optimistic for Jeff than it was for Stayner. I particularly loved the moment where Jeff’s father affirms his unconditional love for Jeff, and Jeff allows himself to be vulnerable and exposed to his father.

The pacing was a bit off, with the first part of the book feeling somewhat repetitive and slow, but the last third or so really takes it away. The structure was interesting too, with Atkins interspersing Jeff’s traumatic flashbacks, making it feel all the more tangible. I also liked that this was told in first-person POV from Jeff, which was something that annoyed me about the Wilson book—that it completely lacked the survivor’s POV, instead choosing to focus on those around him. This first-person POV is hard to write, but definitely highlights the strength of the narrative.

Besides the repetition of the first part, there were some minor points that threw me off. For instance, Jeff’s dad proclaims his unconditional love for Jeff, but in the beginning, forces him to get a haircut and remove his ear piercing and throw away his old clothes—which is a stark contrast. Not that people can’t be so contradictory in reality, but it felt a bit on-the-nose. Jeff’s ‘no one can ever understand me’ was a bit grating after a while too. Given that it was written in 1999, I suppose it isn’t that out of the ordinary, but certain law enforcement officers acted completely out of character, and there was barely any mention of therapy for Jeff and his family—I hope that things would be different in this day and age. The ending was also rather optimistic, but since this is targeted as YA, that makes sense.

In spite of that, I do feel that Atkins gave due weight to the seriousness of Jeff’s trauma and inner thoughts, and I liked that she made it clear it wasn’t going to be easy or smooth sailing for Jeff. But he does have a support network, and a potential path forward, because his trauma does not need to define him. This would be an insightful read even for the YA audience today, because the topic of boys who suffer abuse is vastly under discussed, and even now, if you hear about e.g. a case of a teen boy being taken advantage of by a female teacher/adult in his life, the most frequent comments are still on the side of ‘Wow what a lucky kid!’ and ‘I’d love to be in his shoes’ rather than ‘That adult is fucked up and abused his trust’. Jeff’s story is different to that, of course, but the homophobia and lack of sympathy and understanding that he faces are still far too prevalent today than they should be, and in that respect, not much has changed in 22 years.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book at a thrift store, still remembered reading it in junior high and being intensely disturbed by it (when I read it, I was the same age as the protagonist when he was kidnapped). Upon a second reading - still disturbing. I am not surprised that this novel left me terrified of road-trip rest stops for a good couple of years after reading it.

I think the weird thing about this book is that when it's strong, it's really strong. It is strong when it deals with Jeff's private life and relationship with his father. Atkins is skilled at capturing the dad's fear and sense of helplessness, and working through Jeff's internal turmoil and feelings of shame, fear, and guilt. I also found the novel sophisticated in the way it handles Jeff's anger; the easy route would have been the trope (though it's a trope because it's true) of anger being only a mechanism for dealing with shame. Here, though, the anger is not only a front, it's something truly felt by Jeff towards himself. That the anger is erratic and illogical comes off as clunky at first, but then you realize that in the context (and from the perspective of Jeff), it makes perfect sense. The father's character is captured well, too, with small gestures and silences. As a teenager, I don't think I appreciated the way that Atkin's sparse prose captures the father's helplessness by emphasizing how the father doesn't know how to grapple with the enormity of what has happened - in the same way that the straightforward writing doesn't go into detail, the father skirts around the truth he's avoiding.

The homophobic thoughts Jeff has read as quite jarring, and I don't think acknowledging the somewhat problematic nature of them can be avoided (it recalls the horrifying idea that being gay and being a pedophile are somehow connected). However, I think that there is a dimension to those thoughts that has its own logic - the nature of his abuse means that Jeff associates romantic gestures with assault, and can't distinguish healthy sexual relationships (whether between members of the same sex or members of the opposite sex, though the former for him) from unhealthy behaviour. At least how I read it, Jeff's paranoia about being perceived as gay reflects his own fear that he will be seen as complicit, and so what reads initially as archaic and offensive develops into a more nuanced insight into the challenge Jeff has processing kindness (and we see this reflected in any physical reactions he has with his father). I think that the way that physical affection towards Jeff is handled is done in a very clever way, in terms of capturing his defensiveness (not trusting touch generally) and the paradox of him searching for comfort but not trusting himself to enjoy it. What I was struck by reading this novel as an adult was the depth of Atkin's approach to Jeff's character in otherwise banal moments - his father sitting near him, someone putting their hands on his shoulder. Jeff's suspicion of kindness is rooted in his abuse, and as the novel progresses we see that Jeff's hatred is rooted in his difficulty seeing physical interaction as anything other than a power play.

The weaknesses of the novel are plot-based. The characterization is rich and complex, and even though the writing is sparse, the family's dynamics are fully realized (and, in a sense, the economic writing is effective at capturing the tense relationships between the characters, friends included). I wish this novel were, like 150 pages longer (the resolution seems forced at the end, and the revelations too fast - the gradual build-up was rewarding, so a sudden "Let me tell you everything" is unsatisfying). The FBI scenes are clunky - anything involving law enforcement is clunky. It comes off like what it is - a necessary "I guess I have to show this" addition to the main show, the emotional journey Jeff goes through. Atkins had to involve the police in some way, but obviously doesn't want that to be the focus, and so we end up with a half-hearted attempt at including an element that had to be included. That is my sense, and those critiques apply to the media characters as well (though the media led to the revelation about the photographs, so it actually serves more of a function to the plot).

Response to some other comments: the incompetence/strangeness of the police didn't read so weirdly to me that I thought it was a deal-breaker. Maybe this is cynicism, but we've heard examples of police screwing things up (in terms of kidnapping, in terms of responding to suspected abuse victims, etc.). Not to say that low expectations should be expected, but I just sort of saw it as - well, things are screwed up sometimes. I also think my bias is that the strong points of the novel compensate for this part. Though, yes, the part when Stephens assaults Jeff is completely ridiculous.

In terms of the school population being judgmental about Jeff - I saw a few facets to this component of the novel. 1) From Jeff's perspective as an unreliable narrator, it could seem like more people were being judgmental than actually were, so it's not that the school was against him, it was that he saw the school as against him. 2) If all the students were being hostile, I can't see that as completely unbelievable. Horrifying, yeah, but - well, look at Steubenville. Teenagers and communities can be horrifying, and blame people for things that are obviously not their fault.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I first discovered and read while in high school. I stumbled across it in the town library and, honestly, the cover excited me in that way teens get when they find something they think they shouldn't. Despite the fact I'd been reading adult books for a while, those had been action or mysteries.

Luckily this was very much something written for teens, simply dealing with a subject not often dealt with, particularly not for that target audience. So, despite the cover, there was nothing about it not meant for the age I was.

Part of why I have a copy of it now, and why this was my 3rd time reading it, is precisely because this book is so unlike anything I had ever read before. As taboo as the subject was, it covered it carefully and gave me a very good introduction to the more subtle aspects of psychology and how people can react very differently from what makes most sense and how anyone else might expect them to.

It's so easy to proscribe behaviour for others after all. How people 'should' act/react in any given situation.

That stayed with me so much I could easily recall the title of the book nine years ago when I had the sudden urge to read it again. Luckily I was easily able to find it, which gives me hope it might introduce others to a topic not often talked about with teens.

While I do have some hesitation at some of the language used, I know firsthand how cruel kids can be. And. much as we might hate to believe it, all which gives me pause and more is so very likely what other kids would say to someone in Jeff's shoes precisely because they wouldn't understand the gravity of it all.

So I'm still glad I found this that day in the library and that I bought my own copy. It will definitely be read again some day.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Jeff Comes Home is a great, attention grabbing book written by Catherine Atkins. Once you start reading it, you can’t stop. It all starts when Jeff was in 8th grade. He is on his way to his baseball game then a guy comes up to him with a knife. He tells him to get in his white van or he kill stab him, so Jeff gets in the car. Although he didn’t know it, Jeff would be missing for the next 2 years.
There is a lot of conflict in this book. An internal conflict is that Jeff doesn’t know if he should tell the police who his kidnapper was and all the information he knew about him. He told them his name was Ray Slaight but he wouldn’t tell anything else. He promised Ray that he wouldn’t tell anyone anything. Jeff doesn’t know if he should tell or not. An external conflict in the book is that Jeff gets kidnapped. When it first happens, everyone is worried and they are all looking for him. After about a year most people stop. All but a few people including his dad, Stephens from the FBI, and Jeff’s best friend Vin. They never stop looking for him.
This book takes place in Wayne. The main characters are Jeff and Vin. Vin is Jeff’s best friend and he is really strong and popular. Jeff was the guy who got kidnapped and he is very shy and girl looking. Jeff looks so much like a girl that his dad makes him get a buzz cut. When Jeff first gets home Vin calls to say hi and Jeff wants nothing to do with him. During Jeff’s first day back at school, Vin stands up for Jeff in a fight. When Jeff Comes Home is a great book that all people should read.

[Lisa Rathbun]

I found this book very gripping. I was frustrated at times because the main character was so wounded, but there seemed to be no way to reach him. He didn't want to be touched, but if you didn't touch him, he assumed you didn't because you thought he was disgusting. I mean, how do you win with that? Anyone working with hurt and angry people could gain insight from this. WARNING: This is not for the faint of heart. The language is often R-rated, and the subject matter deals with a sexual predator so this is not one I'd have on the shelves when I was teaching in a Christian school. However, it is powerful and has an important lesson to teach about being patient even when the person you want to help rejects your help. *POTENTIAL SPOILER* I loved that knowing that he was unconditionally accepted was what finally helped him begin to heal.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that disturbed me so much I threw it out almost as soon as I finished it. It's an extremely dark book about abduction and abuse; it's not quite as horrifically explicit as Living Dead Girl, but it's pretty damn close. However, I remember being permanently irritated by how completely useless everyone around Jeff was. From family and friends you might expect a kind of hands-off awkwardness, but there's also a total lack of practical help, from either police officers or therapists. It also doesn't help that at points, Atkins indulges in some plot conveniences and "twists" which sometimes make When Jeff Comes Home feel like one of those B-grade psychological thrillers/horrors, about such a disturbing and horrendous subject.

[McKenzie Leach · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I liked the story line and how it was about Jeff's life after he returned home from being kidnaped for two and a half years. The only thing I disliked was the speed of the book and how slow it felt. There were very few moments throughout the book that got me wanting to keep reading to find out more. Although there were parts I did not enjoy as much, there were parts I did enjoy like the end, for example. I really loved seeing that all of the father's hard work to create a bond with his son paid off and they connected giving Jeff the confidence to finally share his story and accept it.

[Erika J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I have read it a few time now and it's safe to say its one of my favorites. I love the first person point of view it takes you deep inside what Jeff is thinking and tells his story. I want to read more books like this one. it's a great read about a kidnap victim and tells from his POV how life was like living with his capture and how difficult it is to feel normal again coming home after 2 1/2 years. I enjoyed this book and the authors writing I recommend everyone read this book, I hope to even see this made in to a movie, maybe someday.

[Adan H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

WHEN JEFF COMES HOME

In the book When Jeff comes home was not that interesting for me, because I am not that a kid that likes or loves mystery. I dislike this book because the book is mainly about Jeff coming home. Jeff is being kidnapped for 3 years and the kidnapper just decides to let him go. Finally when Jeff finds where he lives and finds his family he doesn’t show any emotion. Jeff is always quiet. I recommend this book to people that like a mystery novel.

[Grant Sparr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeff gets kidnapped at knife's point. 2 1/2 years later Jeff is returned home by his kidnapper. Jeff must find his old life again. He must live with people making false conceptions. But he must also live with himself.





I really loved this book it was hard to put down. I only gave this book a 4 star, because the ending was not very good. I really wished the book wouldn't have ended that fast. I still have a lot of questions, but overall an amazing book. My favorite part is when Vin stands up for Jeff in gym class. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Kim Benouski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting teen book about a boy who is abducted and then returned home 2 1/2 years later. While other books have had similar storylines, this lets the reader know of Jeff's abuse without being descriptive. It unravels like a mystery and keeps the reader going on. The only things I didn't like was that his family never calls in a psychiatrist and that the kids tease him at school about his kidnapping. That seems unrealistic.

[Betryal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very surreal, traumatic and one hellova great story that I believe should be read especially teenagers cause although it's fiction the author makes it a reality which is what I would have thought was a true story had I not known. The story is very haunting. Will give you much to think about in days to come once you've read it.

[Hannah Filiault · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book was very realistic in the way it portrayed victims of sexual abuse. It really showed the struggle that victims have adapting back to their normal lives after being returned home. At times it became a bit boring and repetitive, but overall it was interesting. I would recommend to anyone over the age of 14.

[Ky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read this book I was around 10 years old and although I didn’t fully understand everything that happened in the story I loved it so much. Now as an adult I finally got the chance to re-read and I still think this is the best book I’ve had the chance to read. I recommend it for 13+ though.

[Miss.Always.Reading.Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book 3 stars because I felt the Author should have went into details about what happened WHEN Jeff got kidnapped. I really wanted to know what went on all those years when Jeff was kidnapped not what happened afterwards.

[Sage B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very riveting, I couldn't stop reading it! I wish the author had been more realistic, however, when it came to writing about Jeff's school relationships and how his classmates treated him. Besides that, Jeff and his family's feelings were portrayed well and were believable.

[Bearhorn66 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very powerful and well written book. I do wish they told you for sure what happened to the kidnapper at the end though. Other then that the book is very good.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Catherine Atkins’s When Jeff Comes Home is the second of two YA novels I read in 2023 that take as their premise the story of an abducted teenage boy being returned to their family and the way in which they attempt to return to normalcy whilst dealing with the trauma of what they suffered, trying to catch up on what they missed and the stigma of being a male victim of sexual assault. When Jeff Comes Home, published in 1999, tells the story of Jeff’s return to his family after his abduction and attempting to deal with his trauma while facing pressure to confess everything that happened to him and to pretend everything is fine and normal.

Atkins does a great job in depicting the complicated emotions around trauma. One can’t help but feel sorry for Jeff who is trying to deal with everything’s that happened to him and both wanting and not-wanting to get back to normal, as he knows it is an impossibility. The novel is also incredibly frustrating at times because much focus is on his father’s relentless push for Jeff to get back to normal and shed every aspect of his abduction, to jump back into life like he’s been gone for three days instead of three years, while also pressuring Jeff to tell him everything that happened. This isn’t helped by the father’s own guilt for his failure to protect his son and his tendency to fly off the handle in the desire to avenge his son violently. The frustration doesn’t let up either: the FBI agent who investigated Jeff’s disappearance heavily pressures Jeff to admit to being sexually abused by his kidnapper, often with Jeff’s father present. I find both scenarios plausible – the book is over 20 years old, so ways of dealing with victims of rape and sexual assault are not the same as they are now, Jeff’s father is an awful parent and law enforcement officers are frequently unsympathetic to sexual assault victims – and can even argue it’s realistic but it makes no less infuriating to read.

Because of this, the novel’s climatic scenes in which Jeff tells his father what happened to him felt… unearned. We never get any suggestion that the father can handle the truth without flying off the handle and giving his son the support he needs. That he does in this scene seems inconsistent with his earlier behaviour – I’m not saying it’s impossible for him to change to be better equipped to support his son but that the novel doesn’t show him changing to make this progression feel natural or earned.

I enjoyed Atkins’s writing and she crafts a compelling, engaging story. I really did feel for Jeff and desperately wished he had some proper support. Atkins doesn’t shy away from the darker elements of the plot and I was surprised at how explicit it gone, given its age and genre (this isn’t to say that it’s explicit, just that there’s more hints of details than I was expecting), which may be a deal-breaker for some readers.

There were also some incomplete elements of the plot – the father’s favouritism of Jeff over his younger siblings never comes to a point, despite being introduced in the prologue, while I felt Jeff’s developing friendship with Vin never quite reached a conclusion. I think an epilogue to the novel may have been needed too, just tie things up and give hope that Jeff could recover.

[Brian Spuy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a well known phenomenon that combat soldiers often have great difficulty adapting back into normal civilian life. They have seen aspects of the world, and of humanity, that most of the rest of us cannot dream of, and when they return after months or years of having been exposed to violence, trauma, death and destruction, they have become as alien to us as we are to them.

They have developed a keen sense of just how illusory our feelings of normality and security are. They have faced their worst fears, and often did not respond as bravely as they might have hoped. Some feel almost contaminated by what they saw, and sometimes by things they did, and they find it almost impossible to talk about it or cross the gulf that had developed between them and their loved ones. Substance abuse, suicide and antisocial behavior are not unheard of among them.

Not so well known is that all victims of sustained trauma are prone to experience this same thing, and in When Jeff Comes Home we see it powerfully illustrated. The author manages very well indeed to get into her characters' heads, and show us what it is that they are feeling and why. Jeff feels like a veritable alien come to earth, humiliated, violated, contaminated and his self-confidence destroyed forever.

His father is a basically decent man, but conservative and one of the kind of people who apparently think anyone can just "pull themselves together". Alas, to steal a line from the film Magnolia, "while we may be done with the past, the past is not done with us."

For Jeff, coming home is as traumatic as his abduction was in the first place, and at times we can almost feel how, given a chance, he might actually freely go back to his abductor just to feel normal again - he has been violated to the point where it has begun to feel like normality. His former life has become another universe.

Under such conditions, he has a long and difficult road to walk, and there are no guarantees that anything will ever be even remotely the same again.

A quite powerful book, and recommended reading.