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Absent
When seventeen-year-old Paige dies in a freak fall from the roof during Physics class, her spirit is bound to the grounds of her high school. At least she has company: her fellow ghosts Evan and Brooke, who also died there. But when Paige hears the rumor that her death wasn't an accident--that she supposedly jumped on purpose--she can't bear it. Then Paige discovers something amazing. She can possess living people when they think of her, and she can make them do almost anything. Maybe, just maybe, she can get to the most popular girl in school and stop the rumors once and for all.
180 pages, Hardcover
First published May 21, 2013
86 people are currently reading
4460 people want to read
About the author
Katie Williams
13 books622 followersKatie Williams was born and raised in mid-Michigan. She earned her BA in English from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and her MFA in creative writing from the Michener Center at the University of Texas at Austin.
Katie is the author of The Space Between Trees (2010, Chronicle Books), Absent (2013, Chronicle Books), and Tell the Machine Goodnight (2018, Riverhead Books).
Katie is the author of The Space Between Trees (2010, Chronicle Books), Absent (2013, Chronicle Books), and Tell the Machine Goodnight (2018, Riverhead Books).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
March 7, 2013
I received this book from Librarything Early Reviewers giveaways. I have been so lucky lately-- I have been reading some terrific books, this being one of them.
Absent by Katie Williams is about Paige, a girl who has died in a freak accident during Physics class. She lives as a ghost in the school after her death with two other kids who have died at school. Once Paige realizes a horrible rumor has been started about her that she has committed suicide, she finds an unexpected way to possibly change the course of this rumor trail.
This is just a very superficial plot description as this book delves into much deeper issues (ethical and psychological) and has some terrific plot twists. Paige is a very sympathetic character who grows and learns as a ghost as to what is truly important. We have some wonderful supporting characters, including Evan, another ghost who lives at the school, Paige's best friend, and Wes, a cute "burner." I'm not even going to explain that terminology-- read the book and figure it out! The prose is beautifully written, and it ends the only way it can.
I loved this book, and Katie Williams has now made it on my "Authors To Watch" list.
Absent by Katie Williams is about Paige, a girl who has died in a freak accident during Physics class. She lives as a ghost in the school after her death with two other kids who have died at school. Once Paige realizes a horrible rumor has been started about her that she has committed suicide, she finds an unexpected way to possibly change the course of this rumor trail.
This is just a very superficial plot description as this book delves into much deeper issues (ethical and psychological) and has some terrific plot twists. Paige is a very sympathetic character who grows and learns as a ghost as to what is truly important. We have some wonderful supporting characters, including Evan, another ghost who lives at the school, Paige's best friend, and Wes, a cute "burner." I'm not even going to explain that terminology-- read the book and figure it out! The prose is beautifully written, and it ends the only way it can.
I loved this book, and Katie Williams has now made it on my "Authors To Watch" list.
May 24, 2013
For a book that is mere 180 pages long, Absent is surprisingly heart-wrenching. It is a poignant story about coming to terms with death, accepting things and moving on. Although short, Absent has many great qualities, like Katie Williams’ simple, yet beautiful writing and many subtle messages that delicately, but firmly teach us the truths about life.
Paige is dead. She fell off the roof of her high school during her physics class and ended up tied to the school grounds along with two other ghosts, Brooke and Evan. She spends her days in classes, listening to conversations, hoping to hear that she’s missed by someone other than her best friend Usha. Instead, she hears rumors that she committed suicide and she knows exactly who’s to blame.
Paige soon discovers that she can possess any person, as long as that person is thinking about her. The memorial being painted by the school entrance ensures that people remember her, at least in passing, and she’s free to possess whomever she chooses. She uses this ability to stop unwanted rumors, spread different ones and make sure that everyone gets exactly what they deserve.
Paige isn’t a bad person at all, but she’d been deluding herself in life and death has a way of opening your eyes even when you don’t want it to. Her desire to be mourned by the boy she liked despite herself, the same boy who refused to acknowledge her in public when she was alive, helped me see the lonely girl underneath her masks. All three ghosts had to come to terms with their untimely deaths and the damage the left behind. They had many regrets and things to forgive themselves for, but they all learned that it’s never too late to become a better person.
Even with three ghosts at the center of the story, Absent doesn’t address the matter of life after death. Williams never even tries to offer her version of the afterlife, nor do her characters question their ties to the school. I saw this as an admission that the hows and whys aren’t for us to question, which I really appreciated.
The subtle message of this tiny book is that not all wrongs can be put to right and that sometimes the cards you’ve been dealt don’t matter – all that matters is making peace with the things that went wrong and moving on. Absent wasn’t what I expected it to be, but what I took away from it was more valuable than it first seemed. This is a book you’ll think about long after you finish it, and the more you think about it, the more you’ll like it.
Paige is dead. She fell off the roof of her high school during her physics class and ended up tied to the school grounds along with two other ghosts, Brooke and Evan. She spends her days in classes, listening to conversations, hoping to hear that she’s missed by someone other than her best friend Usha. Instead, she hears rumors that she committed suicide and she knows exactly who’s to blame.
Paige soon discovers that she can possess any person, as long as that person is thinking about her. The memorial being painted by the school entrance ensures that people remember her, at least in passing, and she’s free to possess whomever she chooses. She uses this ability to stop unwanted rumors, spread different ones and make sure that everyone gets exactly what they deserve.
Paige isn’t a bad person at all, but she’d been deluding herself in life and death has a way of opening your eyes even when you don’t want it to. Her desire to be mourned by the boy she liked despite herself, the same boy who refused to acknowledge her in public when she was alive, helped me see the lonely girl underneath her masks. All three ghosts had to come to terms with their untimely deaths and the damage the left behind. They had many regrets and things to forgive themselves for, but they all learned that it’s never too late to become a better person.
Even with three ghosts at the center of the story, Absent doesn’t address the matter of life after death. Williams never even tries to offer her version of the afterlife, nor do her characters question their ties to the school. I saw this as an admission that the hows and whys aren’t for us to question, which I really appreciated.
The subtle message of this tiny book is that not all wrongs can be put to right and that sometimes the cards you’ve been dealt don’t matter – all that matters is making peace with the things that went wrong and moving on. Absent wasn’t what I expected it to be, but what I took away from it was more valuable than it first seemed. This is a book you’ll think about long after you finish it, and the more you think about it, the more you’ll like it.
April 16, 2020
I remember reading this a few years ago and loving it
December 1, 2012
"Before I Fall" meets "Imaginary Girls." There is no better description, except for the fact this book is not a meeting of these two because it totally stands on its own. But people who liked either of those books will see how those comparisons work here.
Paige died slipping off the roof of her high school during physics class. Or did she? Was it falling or was it jumping?
Paige thought she knew how she died, but when she's observing the grief counseling session, mean girl Kelsey accidentally blurts out to the group that Paige had jumped. That her death was intentional, not accidental. It's from there Paige realizes she needs to find out why Kelsey would spread the rumor and whether or not it's true.
When exploring this rumor, Paige discovers she has the ability to inhabit the bodies of the people who are thinking about her. She can literally press into them and become them. This ability allows her to not only learn why her former best friend Usha isn't grieving the way that Paige wishes she would. It allows her to inhabit the bodies of her former boy-interest's friends and the body of mean-girl Kelsey herself. Paige is also able to visit her former boy-interest, watch him behave in odd and erratic and non-Lucas ways which she can't comprehend. And then there is Wes. Wes, the loser, loner, weird kid who has an entire book full of sketches of Paige. Wes, the guy who Paige blew off before she died. While the flap copy describes Williams's book as having "a touch of the otherworldly," it's a little misleading -- it's not otherworldly, per se, but rather, it relies on magical realism to heavily ground this book in THIS world.
Oh and Except
William's story is tightly written, clocking in at just over 180 pages, but it's a complex, intricate look at stereotypes and at the lengths people will go to believe in them. It's also about bitterness, cruelty, jealousy, and the inability to live after death -- and sometimes, the inability to live while alive.
Longer, longer, longer review to come. There is a LOT to unpack in this little book. I'm going to be thinking about it for quite a while.
Paige died slipping off the roof of her high school during physics class. Or did she? Was it falling or was it jumping?
Paige thought she knew how she died, but when she's observing the grief counseling session, mean girl Kelsey accidentally blurts out to the group that Paige had jumped. That her death was intentional, not accidental. It's from there Paige realizes she needs to find out why Kelsey would spread the rumor and whether or not it's true.
When exploring this rumor, Paige discovers she has the ability to inhabit the bodies of the people who are thinking about her. She can literally press into them and become them. This ability allows her to not only learn why her former best friend Usha isn't grieving the way that Paige wishes she would. It allows her to inhabit the bodies of her former boy-interest's friends and the body of mean-girl Kelsey herself. Paige is also able to visit her former boy-interest, watch him behave in odd and erratic and non-Lucas ways which she can't comprehend. And then there is Wes. Wes, the loser, loner, weird kid who has an entire book full of sketches of Paige. Wes, the guy who Paige blew off before she died. While the flap copy describes Williams's book as having "a touch of the otherworldly," it's a little misleading -- it's not otherworldly, per se, but rather, it relies on magical realism to heavily ground this book in THIS world.
Oh and Except
William's story is tightly written, clocking in at just over 180 pages, but it's a complex, intricate look at stereotypes and at the lengths people will go to believe in them. It's also about bitterness, cruelty, jealousy, and the inability to live after death -- and sometimes, the inability to live while alive.
Longer, longer, longer review to come. There is a LOT to unpack in this little book. I'm going to be thinking about it for quite a while.
March 19, 2013
While perusing Edelweiss one day the cover for Absent caught my eye and upon reading the blurb I was quick to put my request in. Am I ever happy that I did. Absent is a quick read, clocking in a just shy of 190 pages but it is a novel that packs a punch, a novel in which every page matters because the story moves along quite quickly. In Absent we meet Paige who was a senior in high school that fell off the roof during her physics class egg drop and has now found herself doomed to roam the hallways of her high school for eternity. She is not alone, also stuck in this high school purgatory is Brooke, a girl who died months before Paige, and Evan, whom has been roaming the halls for years and whose death is a mystery.
Reading this story felt a lot like reading Lauren Olivers Before I Fall with a huge dose of the movie Ghost thrown into it. I ended up really, really liking Paige. She was by no means perfect nor was she the nicest girl you had ever met, instead she was heavily flawed and I loved watching her grow. As she watches the popular girl at school, Kelsey begin spreading rumours that instead of a freak accident her death was really a suicide I felt her intense struggle to set things right. She didn't want the ones who were closest to her to think that she would do something like that which is completely understandable. I don't think I got to know enough about Evan to say that I really liked him on a deep level, but what we did get to know about his story had me feeling really sad for his circumstance. There is a bit of mystery surrounding him throughout the novel, which was definitely a welcome aspect to the story. I longed to find out when he died and how he died and the reveal is about as touching as it could have been. Brooke was a bit of a loner in the afterlife but her story also becomes much more intense as the story wears on.
As Paige learns that she can inhabit the body of whomever as long as they are thinking about her at the time, we also meet a host of live characters as well. There was the schools resident queen bee, Kelsey, who goes through an awesome progression herself. Also Lucas, the boy that Paige was secretly dating up until her death. I wasn't a fan of Lucas, he seemed as if he always had something sneaky on the go, and he wasn't exactly the nicest or most forthcoming person ever. He doesn't change too much throughout the story but his actions get some explanation at the end that really threw me for a loop. The best character among the living was Wes. Wes was a "burner" as Paige would classify him. He was a stoner who was always outside smoking but he turned out to be a wonderful guy that any girl would be lucky to have by her side.
In the progression of Absent we are presented with a wide array of issues as it tackles its fair share of them. These high school kids are dealing with sexual relationships, drug use/dealing, vicious stereotypes and peer pressure to name a few. None of it felt over the top or preachy and even the scenes that touched upon religion were presented in a questioning way and served to make me wonder in a really good way. With all the issues this novel tackles and the break neck pace it is definitely a story that you can read in a single sitting. I was so absorbed in this story and went on a rollercoaster of emotions with the characters.
I was quick to add Katie's other book to my TBR upon finishing. She is another author who has written a novel that makes me wonder how so much emotion and connection can come from so little pages. I didn't feel as if I didn't get enough of anything from this story, I didn't feel as if I was robbed of any details or empathy for the characters, I was emotionally present for the whole thing. As our ghosts come to grips with the circumstances surrounding their deaths a beautiful story is woven. Absent is the story of acceptance and of taking responsibility for our actions. This is not a novel to be missed.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
--
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
Reading this story felt a lot like reading Lauren Olivers Before I Fall with a huge dose of the movie Ghost thrown into it. I ended up really, really liking Paige. She was by no means perfect nor was she the nicest girl you had ever met, instead she was heavily flawed and I loved watching her grow. As she watches the popular girl at school, Kelsey begin spreading rumours that instead of a freak accident her death was really a suicide I felt her intense struggle to set things right. She didn't want the ones who were closest to her to think that she would do something like that which is completely understandable. I don't think I got to know enough about Evan to say that I really liked him on a deep level, but what we did get to know about his story had me feeling really sad for his circumstance. There is a bit of mystery surrounding him throughout the novel, which was definitely a welcome aspect to the story. I longed to find out when he died and how he died and the reveal is about as touching as it could have been. Brooke was a bit of a loner in the afterlife but her story also becomes much more intense as the story wears on.
As Paige learns that she can inhabit the body of whomever as long as they are thinking about her at the time, we also meet a host of live characters as well. There was the schools resident queen bee, Kelsey, who goes through an awesome progression herself. Also Lucas, the boy that Paige was secretly dating up until her death. I wasn't a fan of Lucas, he seemed as if he always had something sneaky on the go, and he wasn't exactly the nicest or most forthcoming person ever. He doesn't change too much throughout the story but his actions get some explanation at the end that really threw me for a loop. The best character among the living was Wes. Wes was a "burner" as Paige would classify him. He was a stoner who was always outside smoking but he turned out to be a wonderful guy that any girl would be lucky to have by her side.
In the progression of Absent we are presented with a wide array of issues as it tackles its fair share of them. These high school kids are dealing with sexual relationships, drug use/dealing, vicious stereotypes and peer pressure to name a few. None of it felt over the top or preachy and even the scenes that touched upon religion were presented in a questioning way and served to make me wonder in a really good way. With all the issues this novel tackles and the break neck pace it is definitely a story that you can read in a single sitting. I was so absorbed in this story and went on a rollercoaster of emotions with the characters.
I was quick to add Katie's other book to my TBR upon finishing. She is another author who has written a novel that makes me wonder how so much emotion and connection can come from so little pages. I didn't feel as if I didn't get enough of anything from this story, I didn't feel as if I was robbed of any details or empathy for the characters, I was emotionally present for the whole thing. As our ghosts come to grips with the circumstances surrounding their deaths a beautiful story is woven. Absent is the story of acceptance and of taking responsibility for our actions. This is not a novel to be missed.
An Advanced Reader's Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
--
You can read all of my reviews at Alluring Reads.
May 18, 2014
Cover Blurb: Yes or No? I do like the simplistic, slightly creepy cover art. It's what caught my attention in the first place. However, I wish the actual story had been as intriguing as the cover.
Characters: It's safe to say that I didn't exactly care about anyone. It's not that I disliked them, but I really could not have cared less whether or not they got what they wanted - or what they deserved. This is mostly due to how short the book was. Paige had every right to be angry and upset, and I didn't fault her for her quest for revenge against Kelsey, who spreads nasty rumors about her supposed suicide. But I was not emotionally invested in the outcome. Lucas was a jerk; I don't care how much the Author tried to justify some of his actions. You can't ignore that there were things that simply came down to selfishness. Brooke was a bundle of bad attitude, Evan was just kinda there, and everyone else just faded into the background. Even Kelsey, the classic popular mean girl. Lucas is about the only one I had strong emotions about.
The Romance: It's a little odd. And I can't say that I was much interested in Paige's love interest. He was a pot-head; I don't dig pot heads, thank you very much. Thankfully, though, the romance didn't really take centerstage; it was just there, and had a rather unsatisfying conclusion. Without giving away spoilers, it just really work for me.
Plot: Paige was normal high school girl, hanging out with her best friend and getting picked on by the popular girls. She didn't hate high school, and she was pretty happy. Until the day she fell off the high school roof during a Physics class experiment. Now she's a ghost, permanently stuck at the high school, and powerless to comfort her friend or stop the nasty rumors popular girl Kelsey is spreading about her fall - that it wasn't an accident at all, but suicide. Paige can't stand the idea of becoming "the girl who jumped," but as a ghost, she can't do much about it. Until she discovers that whenever people think about her, she can enter their body and make them do and say pretty much whatever she wants! Maybe Paige can restore her good name after all! So the premise was relatively interesting; the last book I read about a ghost stuck on a school campus was Liv, Forever, and I loved it. With Absent being such a short read, I thought it couldn't hurt to try it. Well, sadly, it fell into the "boring" category. I kept waiting for something sinister to be thrown in - and for a while, it looked like there might be! But it eventually boiled down to a high school struggles story, and I don't really care for those.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: First person, present tense. The flashbacks are told in past. You guys are probably tired of me saying this: I don't like present tense. Oddly enough, I didn't mind it in this book all that much. The style itself, though, wasn't anything special. Paige had a distinctive voice, and I did enjoy it somewhat, but overall it was nothing special.
Content: Nothing beyond references to drugs.
Conclusion: This is where it started to get a tiny bit interesting, because the Author pulled a sudden twist that I was not expecting. However, she pulled back in the end, and tried to redeem all of the nasty characters in ways that I was not buying. Overall, Absent could have been better if the Author had stayed on the sinister path. But she didn't, so it was merely okay. A short read, but not one I'd do again.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, seventeen-and-up, fans of supernatural and contemporary.
Characters: It's safe to say that I didn't exactly care about anyone. It's not that I disliked them, but I really could not have cared less whether or not they got what they wanted - or what they deserved. This is mostly due to how short the book was. Paige had every right to be angry and upset, and I didn't fault her for her quest for revenge against Kelsey, who spreads nasty rumors about her supposed suicide. But I was not emotionally invested in the outcome. Lucas was a jerk; I don't care how much the Author tried to justify some of his actions. You can't ignore that there were things that simply came down to selfishness. Brooke was a bundle of bad attitude, Evan was just kinda there, and everyone else just faded into the background. Even Kelsey, the classic popular mean girl. Lucas is about the only one I had strong emotions about.
The Romance: It's a little odd. And I can't say that I was much interested in Paige's love interest. He was a pot-head; I don't dig pot heads, thank you very much. Thankfully, though, the romance didn't really take centerstage; it was just there, and had a rather unsatisfying conclusion. Without giving away spoilers, it just really work for me.
Plot: Paige was normal high school girl, hanging out with her best friend and getting picked on by the popular girls. She didn't hate high school, and she was pretty happy. Until the day she fell off the high school roof during a Physics class experiment. Now she's a ghost, permanently stuck at the high school, and powerless to comfort her friend or stop the nasty rumors popular girl Kelsey is spreading about her fall - that it wasn't an accident at all, but suicide. Paige can't stand the idea of becoming "the girl who jumped," but as a ghost, she can't do much about it. Until she discovers that whenever people think about her, she can enter their body and make them do and say pretty much whatever she wants! Maybe Paige can restore her good name after all! So the premise was relatively interesting; the last book I read about a ghost stuck on a school campus was Liv, Forever, and I loved it. With Absent being such a short read, I thought it couldn't hurt to try it. Well, sadly, it fell into the "boring" category. I kept waiting for something sinister to be thrown in - and for a while, it looked like there might be! But it eventually boiled down to a high school struggles story, and I don't really care for those.
Believability: Not applicable.
Writing Style: First person, present tense. The flashbacks are told in past. You guys are probably tired of me saying this: I don't like present tense. Oddly enough, I didn't mind it in this book all that much. The style itself, though, wasn't anything special. Paige had a distinctive voice, and I did enjoy it somewhat, but overall it was nothing special.
Content: Nothing beyond references to drugs.
Conclusion: This is where it started to get a tiny bit interesting, because the Author pulled a sudden twist that I was not expecting. However, she pulled back in the end, and tried to redeem all of the nasty characters in ways that I was not buying. Overall, Absent could have been better if the Author had stayed on the sinister path. But she didn't, so it was merely okay. A short read, but not one I'd do again.
Recommended Audience: Girl-read, seventeen-and-up, fans of supernatural and contemporary.
May 9, 2013
I had been saving this book until its release date (I obtained an ARC from the author) but I broke down and read it in one sitting--I couldn't put it down. A fascinating concept-a high school girl, having died (I won't say how to avoid any spoilers) at the school discovers that she continues her awareness as a ghost, confined within the boundaries of the school by some cosmic delimiter/law and seems consigned to a fate of an observer-an outsider in the truest sense. She is, however, not alone in her ghostly wanderings through art, physics, gym and other classes. She has two other ghost friends, also students who had died at the school. Indifferent to her living classmates' opinions and feelings about her, she watches her best friend and her secret boyfriend move on with their school year. Until, well, a popular girl starts spreading a rumor that her death wasn't an accident, but a suicide. Well, that doesn't set well with our protagonist and she starts to figure out how she might set the record straight. A vexing problem since she's a ghost and cannot affect the material world until she makes a miraculous discovery. Observing her best friend about to make a mistake on a test, she finds that the moment her friend thinks her name-- thinks about her dead friend-- our protagonist can inhabit her best friend's body and impulsively corrects the test question for her. With this discovery, she now devises a plan to clear her name about the circumstances of her death.
This is a delicious story with all the angst of high school jealousies, triumphs and dynamics. And a plot twist so unexpected that the story stays with you long after you finish the last page. There are no wasted words as this story is tightly woven and compact. And, thinking back on my high school experience, I can't help but think, What If?.....
This is a delicious story with all the angst of high school jealousies, triumphs and dynamics. And a plot twist so unexpected that the story stays with you long after you finish the last page. There are no wasted words as this story is tightly woven and compact. And, thinking back on my high school experience, I can't help but think, What If?.....
March 16, 2013
I don't know what's wrong with me but it seems that as of lately all I read are depressing books that make me cry. I feel like I'm going through one of those phases and it sucks but its amazing all at the same time. Honestly, I was surprised that I loved this book so much. It wasn't that I was judging it by its cover - because the creepy moth cover is kind of awesome - I just felt that it wouldn't be good.
Boy was I WRONG.
I am so incredibly thankful that I received an arc from review from Library Thing. Because this book...is intense and crazy and really out there. The author creates a whole new concept on death and what happens after and I must say it was creepy. Now I can see why some people may not like this book however, I happen to think it was amazing. I learned a lot and yes cried a lot and I got angry a lot. This is just one of those books that tugs on your emotions and makes you appreciate life a thousand times more.
Paige was...interesting. I felt that Katie Williams really got inside a teenager's head because everything that Paige did, even if it wasn't right, made sense. All of the characters were realistic which I loved. It was crazy how everyone just kind of fell into place. I mean, there's not really a whole lot more to say because at the end of the day, I could write the longest review ever. But you'd have to read the book to get it.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Boy was I WRONG.
I am so incredibly thankful that I received an arc from review from Library Thing. Because this book...is intense and crazy and really out there. The author creates a whole new concept on death and what happens after and I must say it was creepy. Now I can see why some people may not like this book however, I happen to think it was amazing. I learned a lot and yes cried a lot and I got angry a lot. This is just one of those books that tugs on your emotions and makes you appreciate life a thousand times more.
Paige was...interesting. I felt that Katie Williams really got inside a teenager's head because everything that Paige did, even if it wasn't right, made sense. All of the characters were realistic which I loved. It was crazy how everyone just kind of fell into place. I mean, there's not really a whole lot more to say because at the end of the day, I could write the longest review ever. But you'd have to read the book to get it.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
April 29, 2013
Absent by Katie Williams is everything and nothing like I’d expected it to be. It’s a much shorter and less action oriented novel than I thought that it would be, judging from the summary alone, though now that I’ve read it through I think that it sits at precisely the perfect length and follows a great pace for the plot that is presented. Some of what is shown is heavy material for teens in high school, blatantly speaking about drugs, alcohol, suicide, and the less horrible problems-teen love, friendship, and trust.
The characters in this were fantastic and flawed, both the living and the dead. Evan was definitely my favorite though he didn’t get much dedicated to him in the novel, though he was very sweet and understanding even after he’d been stuck alone and invisible in the school for so long. I loved the hint of mystery surrounding him for most of the book as well as the plot twists that keep appearing throughout the novel, all culminating in an ending that I really loved and think perfectly suited the story and the characters. Plus, there was so much happening that I hadn’t even imagined would come about, which was great.
I read The Space Between the Trees, Williams’ first novel, before this and thought that there was something off about it that kept me from completely enjoying it. Now that I really like Absent, I think that it wasn’t Williams’ writing style but probably just the plot that kept me from really diving into her work before. I really liked the characters and setup of Absent, so readers that might not have loved the other novel will definitely find something more in this one.
The characters in this were fantastic and flawed, both the living and the dead. Evan was definitely my favorite though he didn’t get much dedicated to him in the novel, though he was very sweet and understanding even after he’d been stuck alone and invisible in the school for so long. I loved the hint of mystery surrounding him for most of the book as well as the plot twists that keep appearing throughout the novel, all culminating in an ending that I really loved and think perfectly suited the story and the characters. Plus, there was so much happening that I hadn’t even imagined would come about, which was great.
I read The Space Between the Trees, Williams’ first novel, before this and thought that there was something off about it that kept me from completely enjoying it. Now that I really like Absent, I think that it wasn’t Williams’ writing style but probably just the plot that kept me from really diving into her work before. I really liked the characters and setup of Absent, so readers that might not have loved the other novel will definitely find something more in this one.
February 15, 2015
**3.5**
The reasoning for my rating is because I didn't love the book, yet I didn't hate it. Paige,the main character, bugged me at times with her way of thinking, which was annoying for me to read.
I did enjoy Wes and Kelsey's relationship even though it was Paige half the time, I still thought it was enjoyable to read about them.
I really liked the twist and the truth about what Brooke had done, it was suprising and I liked how it all came together towards the end of the book.
Overall I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it.
The reasoning for my rating is because I didn't love the book, yet I didn't hate it. Paige,the main character, bugged me at times with her way of thinking, which was annoying for me to read.
I did enjoy Wes and Kelsey's relationship even though it was Paige half the time, I still thought it was enjoyable to read about them.
I really liked the twist and the truth about what Brooke had done, it was suprising and I liked how it all came together towards the end of the book.
Overall I did enjoy this book and I would recommend it.
August 1, 2015
there's just not very much to say about this book, honestly. it was pretty decent. it was a short, easy read and even though i thought that the premise of the story was absolutely ridiculous, it's also worth saying that i'm 22 years old, so i wouldn't be too worried about how people thought that i committed suicide once i was already dead. honestly, it's just hard for me to slip back into the high school mindset sometimes, but as far as that headspace goes, this was a pretty decent representation of it, and there was a neat little twist or two that kept things interesting.
July 31, 2022
Every once in a while I read a book and think ‘THIS is why I read books. To experience amazing stories that resonate with me.’
This is one of those stories. It’s bold and brilliant and well written and touches on so many important things.
One of my favourite conversations was this guy talking about ‘the type of person who commits suicide’ and someone responding with ‘I don’t think there’s a type.’
From a mental health point of view, that’s so important. There isn’t a type. Anyone can struggle with it.
This is one of those stories. It’s bold and brilliant and well written and touches on so many important things.
One of my favourite conversations was this guy talking about ‘the type of person who commits suicide’ and someone responding with ‘I don’t think there’s a type.’
From a mental health point of view, that’s so important. There isn’t a type. Anyone can struggle with it.
April 7, 2024
something about this book made me feel so tingly inside, like all those moments where Paige described what it felt like whenever people thought of her "... like clouds dissolving into sunlight, like seeds blowing on the wind, like laughter catching between friends..." yeah, like that. i felt like that while reading this.
when people think of the afterlife, i think most of us think about where our consciousnesses go. there's nothing wrong with that. i mean, yeah, you're right, we aren't just flesh and bones, we are intelligent lines of thoughts and emotions beneath all those flesh and bones. and it's amazing how there are so many renditions of life after death! you have zombification (my personal favorite horror dystopian), you have heaven and hell (controversial but widely believed), and you even have spiritualism (like this book!). yet, Katie William's rendition of the afterlife forces you to think .. why? why do we have a life after life? what keeps us here? what keeps us from simply passing?
there is this weird sense of ... yearning throughout the book. sometimes it was Paige wishing she had liked Wes Nolan or maybe it was Evan longing for his past love. they weren't all romantic yearnings. other times, it was simply wanting to be alive again. it all fits together in this ... convoluted yet sensible web? lots of people want to die at times. not all of us pursue it, and most of us regret ever even thinking about it, but the brave few actually go about doing it and die to regret it.
when people think of the afterlife, i think most of us think about where our consciousnesses go. there's nothing wrong with that. i mean, yeah, you're right, we aren't just flesh and bones, we are intelligent lines of thoughts and emotions beneath all those flesh and bones. and it's amazing how there are so many renditions of life after death! you have zombification (my personal favorite horror dystopian), you have heaven and hell (controversial but widely believed), and you even have spiritualism (like this book!). yet, Katie William's rendition of the afterlife forces you to think .. why? why do we have a life after life? what keeps us here? what keeps us from simply passing?
there is this weird sense of ... yearning throughout the book. sometimes it was Paige wishing she had liked Wes Nolan or maybe it was Evan longing for his past love. they weren't all romantic yearnings. other times, it was simply wanting to be alive again. it all fits together in this ... convoluted yet sensible web? lots of people want to die at times. not all of us pursue it, and most of us regret ever even thinking about it, but the brave few actually go about doing it and die to regret it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2013
I won an advance reader's copy in a First Reads Giveaway.
I loved this book. It was a fast read but it kept my attention hooked the entire time and the first person perspective was executed well. I could really feel Paige's pain at Usha being convinced she jumped from the roof and refusing to paint the mural despite being her friend.
It has an interesting take on the afterlife - Paige and the two other ghosts are trapped on the school property and when they try to leave they are respawned to the spot where they died. I liked the air of mystery behind Evan's and Paige's death, not finding out until the book nears the end.
I was extremely shocked when I found out that Brooke was responsible for Paige's death as I thought Lucas would have been directly involved with Paige's death (technically, he indirectly caused it but still, I thought he had a much more active role in it).
The ending felt like a bit of a cliffhanger for me but it leaves it up to the reader's imagination what happened to Paige, Evan, and Brooke once they step through the mural (ie. did they cross over or what?).
The characters are thought out well and interesting. Poor Harriet, the only person that could see them and winds up in a coma so Brooke doesn't want Paige to discover the truth. I liked how Wes was more than just a "stoner", he was actually a really nice guy.
In all, I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.
I loved this book. It was a fast read but it kept my attention hooked the entire time and the first person perspective was executed well. I could really feel Paige's pain at Usha being convinced she jumped from the roof and refusing to paint the mural despite being her friend.
It has an interesting take on the afterlife - Paige and the two other ghosts are trapped on the school property and when they try to leave they are respawned to the spot where they died. I liked the air of mystery behind Evan's and Paige's death, not finding out until the book nears the end.
I was extremely shocked when I found out that Brooke was responsible for Paige's death as I thought Lucas would have been directly involved with Paige's death (technically, he indirectly caused it but still, I thought he had a much more active role in it).
The ending felt like a bit of a cliffhanger for me but it leaves it up to the reader's imagination what happened to Paige, Evan, and Brooke once they step through the mural (ie. did they cross over or what?).
The characters are thought out well and interesting. Poor Harriet, the only person that could see them and winds up in a coma so Brooke doesn't want Paige to discover the truth. I liked how Wes was more than just a "stoner", he was actually a really nice guy.
In all, I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2023
This was total YA after school special reading. But still very heartfelt and well written.
Paige was annoying and insufferable in many ways. I was very happy she realized she was also a bully- with her nicknames for her classmates and her harsh judgement of them. I'm happy she used her "power" to help Kelsey find Wes.
I knew something was going on with Mr. Fisk. I'm glad that he had a connection to Evan and had probably really cared about him. It also makes sense that Evan had committed suicide. Paige was so intent on proving that she didn't, but she never really took into account that to some people that does seem like the only option. It's obviously a fictional book, but hearing Evan's after life story could really help a lot of kids.
The ending was very good. The whole time I felt like I was watching a Netflix movie targeted for high schoolers. It was very 13 reasons why ish. I was sad to find out that Brooke was the reason Paige died. Very unexpected, but it added a lot to the story that was needed.
Very quick, good read. Very profound insights to youth.
Paige was annoying and insufferable in many ways. I was very happy she realized she was also a bully- with her nicknames for her classmates and her harsh judgement of them. I'm happy she used her "power" to help Kelsey find Wes.
I knew something was going on with Mr. Fisk. I'm glad that he had a connection to Evan and had probably really cared about him. It also makes sense that Evan had committed suicide. Paige was so intent on proving that she didn't, but she never really took into account that to some people that does seem like the only option. It's obviously a fictional book, but hearing Evan's after life story could really help a lot of kids.
The ending was very good. The whole time I felt like I was watching a Netflix movie targeted for high schoolers. It was very 13 reasons why ish. I was sad to find out that Brooke was the reason Paige died. Very unexpected, but it added a lot to the story that was needed.
Very quick, good read. Very profound insights to youth.
February 1, 2022
Absent is the author, Katie William's, unique and interesting interpretation of what happens after a teenager dies after a fall from her school's roof. Was it an accident or was it suicide?
I figured out the "mystery" of Paige's accidental death about half-way through, but the book's target YA audience probably would not. I liked the fact that everything was not "fixed" by the big reveal. Death, like life, is messy - with some issues left unresolved because even sincere contrition doesn't necessarily earn instant forgiveness (forgiveness takes time, sometimes a very long time).
A relatively satisfying ending with Paige, Evan, and Brooke finally moving on to whatever comes next.
P. S. I found the addition of little ghost frogs (from all of the science class disections done over the years) inhabiting the school's basement more than a tad ridiculous and their existence actually distracted from the main ghost story. So, what, is the school basement supposedly filled with ghost mice, ghost ants, ghost flies, etc. Some may find the idea funny, I just thought it was stupid . . .
I figured out the "mystery" of Paige's accidental death about half-way through, but the book's target YA audience probably would not. I liked the fact that everything was not "fixed" by the big reveal. Death, like life, is messy - with some issues left unresolved because even sincere contrition doesn't necessarily earn instant forgiveness (forgiveness takes time, sometimes a very long time).
A relatively satisfying ending with Paige, Evan, and Brooke finally moving on to whatever comes next.
P. S. I found the addition of little ghost frogs (from all of the science class disections done over the years) inhabiting the school's basement more than a tad ridiculous and their existence actually distracted from the main ghost story. So, what, is the school basement supposedly filled with ghost mice, ghost ants, ghost flies, etc. Some may find the idea funny, I just thought it was stupid . . .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2017
An interesting and unique young adult novel focusing on teenagers untimely deaths. Only 180 pages and a perfect pace. Not slow but not too fast where I missed important details. Worth the read but not completely mind blowing
June 17, 2018
I loved this book! It was a unique story that perfectly portrayed grief, loss, and friendship, it was a short read, but the story was told so well and so beautifully. It was nice seeing all the different points of view on the unfolding events!
November 25, 2024
this made me cry a little at the end. it was so quick it felt like flying but with so many obstacles in the way and make it an emotional roller coaster. the whole idea of this ghost state after death was so intelligent and hopeful; it was something we knew so well, a realistic depiction of a high school, but with unknown elements calling to be understood and explored. and, by the end, i felt like i did understand it, just enough that i was still questioning it all but satisfied with the ending.
October 21, 2023
Read this book and high school, and it's the one that got me into my lil book worm phase then! Hope to re-read it soon!!
December 28, 2023
For such a short story, it was very well-paced and had a rich world-building. Katie Williams did an amazing job of expanding the one setting of a high school into multiple settings that allowed for the furthering of the mystery and the storyline to continue to a conclusion that was surprising and satisfying for such a short story. I enjoy Katie Williams writing style as well as her take on speculative sci-fi. It feels fresh and I honestly can't guess where the story is going while reading. Overall, the mystery was exciting and the whole premise of dying and being stuck at your high school plays into the feeling that it is hell on earth, even in death for the characters.
January 21, 2016
What would happen if you were to die tragically, but could never cross over to the other side? Having to "live" - the term used loosely of course - the rest of your strange existence out in the high school where you lost your life sounds like a horror movie in and of itself. You have to watch everyone else go on about their lives, when you can't go on with yours.
Sucks, doesn't it?
By the time the story begins, our main girl Paige is already dead, wandering the halls of her high school listening to what people have to say about her death. It doesn’t help that she can only stay on the grounds of her school. Anytime she tries to go past the parking lot, she is whisked away to the spot on the roof where she died. Why does it happen like that? Nobody really knows. None of the rest of the ghosts there can understand why they are stuck there, or why they have to revisit the spot where they lost their lives when they try to leave the school. At first it just sucks, but then she starts to hear that there is a rumor going on about her death. Some people are saying that she did it on purpose, like she would end her life in front of her Physics class like that. She’s pissed, especially because it was just a freak accident. She didn’t want to die that day, and she certainly didn’t want to kill herself on that day. So why are people so quick to believe it?
It doesn’t help either, that she can’t clear her name, with her being dead and all. Or can she?
Paige isn’t entirely sure how she ended up discovering it, but once she did, she just couldn’t help herself. She found out that she could temporarily inhabit another person’s body. She could be alive again, all her thoughts and memories and actions her own, even if just for a moment. So, of course, once she heard that rumors were going around about the circumstances of her death, she got busy trying to get everyone to see the truth. It was a strange sensation to her though, because she could feel them fighting against her sometimes. It was like they knew that something was wrong and they didn’t want another spirit inhabiting their body. In all honesty, they reacting in a way that anyone else would normally react, but to Paige it felt like they were fighting what she needed to do. Sometimes she was stronger than them, other times they just gave in and let her do what she needed to.
I considered this book to be very moving to me. Paige had to learn how to accept what happened in her life, and somehow come to terms that people were going to believe what would seem to be completely preposterous to her because they didn’t know the entire story. The kids in that school had a rumor on how Brooke, one of the other ghosts that Paige is stuck with, died that Brooke never tried to fight. It was as if that was how these kids had to deal with two girls dying in their school mere months apart from one another. It was one tragedy after another and it rocked their world. It especially devastated Paige’s best friend, who for a while was actually angry at Paige for dying, like she did it on purpose. Maybe that was how the rumor started in Paige’s eyes, especially since it seemed like her best friend didn’t care at all about her anymore. But every single person who knew Paige had to come to terms with the fact that she was dead, that she wasn’t coming back, and learn how to live without her.
The ending of this book was really heartwarming, and made me believe that good things can actually come from dying. They never show what happened on the other side, when they felt the mural painted in the hallway and how warm and alive it felt to them. But maybe that’s a good thing, and maybe that’s just how the book should have ended. It ended with the hope of knowing that things were going to get better for Paige, better for Brooke, better for their friend Evan who has been there longer than anyone else in that school has. Even though they were dead and were stuck in that school, they had one another, and were finally able to move on to a whole new adventure.
Sucks, doesn't it?
By the time the story begins, our main girl Paige is already dead, wandering the halls of her high school listening to what people have to say about her death. It doesn’t help that she can only stay on the grounds of her school. Anytime she tries to go past the parking lot, she is whisked away to the spot on the roof where she died. Why does it happen like that? Nobody really knows. None of the rest of the ghosts there can understand why they are stuck there, or why they have to revisit the spot where they lost their lives when they try to leave the school. At first it just sucks, but then she starts to hear that there is a rumor going on about her death. Some people are saying that she did it on purpose, like she would end her life in front of her Physics class like that. She’s pissed, especially because it was just a freak accident. She didn’t want to die that day, and she certainly didn’t want to kill herself on that day. So why are people so quick to believe it?
It doesn’t help either, that she can’t clear her name, with her being dead and all. Or can she?
Paige isn’t entirely sure how she ended up discovering it, but once she did, she just couldn’t help herself. She found out that she could temporarily inhabit another person’s body. She could be alive again, all her thoughts and memories and actions her own, even if just for a moment. So, of course, once she heard that rumors were going around about the circumstances of her death, she got busy trying to get everyone to see the truth. It was a strange sensation to her though, because she could feel them fighting against her sometimes. It was like they knew that something was wrong and they didn’t want another spirit inhabiting their body. In all honesty, they reacting in a way that anyone else would normally react, but to Paige it felt like they were fighting what she needed to do. Sometimes she was stronger than them, other times they just gave in and let her do what she needed to.
I considered this book to be very moving to me. Paige had to learn how to accept what happened in her life, and somehow come to terms that people were going to believe what would seem to be completely preposterous to her because they didn’t know the entire story. The kids in that school had a rumor on how Brooke, one of the other ghosts that Paige is stuck with, died that Brooke never tried to fight. It was as if that was how these kids had to deal with two girls dying in their school mere months apart from one another. It was one tragedy after another and it rocked their world. It especially devastated Paige’s best friend, who for a while was actually angry at Paige for dying, like she did it on purpose. Maybe that was how the rumor started in Paige’s eyes, especially since it seemed like her best friend didn’t care at all about her anymore. But every single person who knew Paige had to come to terms with the fact that she was dead, that she wasn’t coming back, and learn how to live without her.
The ending of this book was really heartwarming, and made me believe that good things can actually come from dying. They never show what happened on the other side, when they felt the mural painted in the hallway and how warm and alive it felt to them. But maybe that’s a good thing, and maybe that’s just how the book should have ended. It ended with the hope of knowing that things were going to get better for Paige, better for Brooke, better for their friend Evan who has been there longer than anyone else in that school has. Even though they were dead and were stuck in that school, they had one another, and were finally able to move on to a whole new adventure.
July 20, 2015
That's 3,5 stars but I strangely decided to round it up.
I found out about this book on the cover-stream from Thriftbooks.com. The cover immediatetly caught my attention. And I bought it.
At the beginning this book reminded me of Remember Me by Christopher Pike. He used to be my favorite author when I was a kid: I waited patiently for every book of his that got translated (and heavily edited) into Italian. In Remember me there's a girl who comes back as a ghost and wants to find out who killed her. In this book, Paige wants to convince people that she didn't jump off the roof but she fell.
At first, I didn't like her personality. She was so keen on vengeance that she wasn't an interesting character to read about. All she does is trying to find out what happened to her and she uses people for her own purpose. Too bad that what she did, sometimes, get the opposite results...
Those who've been reading my reviews knows that I love ghosts. I did love the way the author managed to create a believable ghost and a believable reason for them to inhabit - albeit temporarily - someone else's body: when somebody is thinking about them they can enter in them for some time. For example, I just couldn't accept the fact that in this Italian book, Apparition, the ghost male protagonist could acquire a human form and kiss the female character. But only for her, while everyone else couldn't see him and no explanation was given.
I like the way Kensey and Wes . Let's say that Paige's plan completely backfires on her but the consequences may be very good for the world. I also like the Evan ghost and his little subplot.
What didn't work for me was the language at first. It took me a lot to get used to the way the author writes; unfortunately I'm not able to exactly pinpoint what was bothering me. One thing for sure that I found difficult to understand was the lingo Paige and her best friend Usha has to describe their schoolmates. But I'm pretty sure that it depends on my Italian origin. I mean, I may have watched or read about American high schools since I was a kid but that is still an environment that I've never seen for real. And so it will always be familiar but not completely. I'm not sure I could explain myself.
One last little note. I've never dissected a frog in my life. I'm positive that no Italian student has ever dissected a frog, otherwise Animal Protection will have risen its voice and complaint about the unfair killing of poor frogs. Anyway, it was kind of eerie to read about all those poor frog ghosts stuck croaking alone in the school basement. SIGH!!
To sum it up, I really recommend this book: I liked the way characters change throughtout the story and the ghost world created by Williams is pretty believable.
I found out about this book on the cover-stream from Thriftbooks.com. The cover immediatetly caught my attention. And I bought it.
At the beginning this book reminded me of Remember Me by Christopher Pike. He used to be my favorite author when I was a kid: I waited patiently for every book of his that got translated (and heavily edited) into Italian. In Remember me there's a girl who comes back as a ghost and wants to find out who killed her. In this book, Paige wants to convince people that she didn't jump off the roof but she fell.
At first, I didn't like her personality. She was so keen on vengeance that she wasn't an interesting character to read about. All she does is trying to find out what happened to her and she uses people for her own purpose. Too bad that what she did, sometimes, get the opposite results...
Those who've been reading my reviews knows that I love ghosts. I did love the way the author managed to create a believable ghost and a believable reason for them to inhabit - albeit temporarily - someone else's body: when somebody is thinking about them they can enter in them for some time. For example, I just couldn't accept the fact that in this Italian book, Apparition, the ghost male protagonist could acquire a human form and kiss the female character. But only for her, while everyone else couldn't see him and no explanation was given.
I like the way Kensey and Wes . Let's say that Paige's plan completely backfires on her but the consequences may be very good for the world. I also like the Evan ghost and his little subplot.
What didn't work for me was the language at first. It took me a lot to get used to the way the author writes; unfortunately I'm not able to exactly pinpoint what was bothering me. One thing for sure that I found difficult to understand was the lingo Paige and her best friend Usha has to describe their schoolmates. But I'm pretty sure that it depends on my Italian origin. I mean, I may have watched or read about American high schools since I was a kid but that is still an environment that I've never seen for real. And so it will always be familiar but not completely. I'm not sure I could explain myself.
One last little note. I've never dissected a frog in my life. I'm positive that no Italian student has ever dissected a frog, otherwise Animal Protection will have risen its voice and complaint about the unfair killing of poor frogs. Anyway, it was kind of eerie to read about all those poor frog ghosts stuck croaking alone in the school basement. SIGH!!
To sum it up, I really recommend this book: I liked the way characters change throughtout the story and the ghost world created by Williams is pretty believable.
June 4, 2013
The format and plot of Absent is interesting and unique: the main character, Paige, has died during physics class and is now living in a sort of limbo state with two other individuals who have lost their lives at high school. She can't remember how she died, but a rumor is going around school that while doing an experiment on the school's roof, she jumped. Except Paige is positive that she didn't, and wants to expunge the lie from the hallways. Eventually she learns to possess people's bodies and Paige begins to take matters into her own hands, learning more and more about her own life and death, as well as the stories of her fellow ghost classmates! In terms of genre, Absent is a contemporary novel wholeheartedly - it just happens to feature ghosts too!
Objectively: Absent is a very well thought out story, with some exciting twists and turns of the plot. I can definitely see lovers of contemporary fiction enjoying this one!
But personally? I didn't enjoy Absent all that much. I could tell around the 10% mark that the story wasn't engaging me, but because it was such a short novel, I decided to read on. I did want to find out how Paige died at least. It was really hard for me to put my finger on why I wasn't hooked or enjoying the book. I think a big part of the reason is that you are just thrown into the story, with little understanding of who these characters are, and the writing feels like it just expects you to know. I didn't connect to the characters at all, and Paige's actions of controlling people's bodies, and sometimes doing embarrassing and potentially harmful things to them didn't sit well with me.
That said, Katie Williams did add much more depth to each character, even ones that appeared to be stereotypes at first, throughout the story, and the characters at the end are full, complex characters! But because the writing and characters didn't hook me at the start, I couldn't fully enjoy these transformations, although, I do think that some important messages were made about not judging other people and thinking you know everything about them.
Some things I did like: the mystery of how Paige was killed (this was really well done at the end), a subtle but beautiful LGBTQ storyline with one of the secondary characters that brought a tear to my eye, and the beauty and symbolism of the remembrance mural (can't go into this without giving too much away).
Overall though I just wasn't drawn into the story and characters in a way that engaged me as a reader. Despite not loving this book, I can see that it is a good story, and one that other readers will definitely enjoy. It reminded me of The Lovely Bones in a way, and I think readers who are looking for a contemporary book that is a bit different will find something unique in Absent. It just wasn't the book for me in the end.
Objectively: Absent is a very well thought out story, with some exciting twists and turns of the plot. I can definitely see lovers of contemporary fiction enjoying this one!
But personally? I didn't enjoy Absent all that much. I could tell around the 10% mark that the story wasn't engaging me, but because it was such a short novel, I decided to read on. I did want to find out how Paige died at least. It was really hard for me to put my finger on why I wasn't hooked or enjoying the book. I think a big part of the reason is that you are just thrown into the story, with little understanding of who these characters are, and the writing feels like it just expects you to know. I didn't connect to the characters at all, and Paige's actions of controlling people's bodies, and sometimes doing embarrassing and potentially harmful things to them didn't sit well with me.
That said, Katie Williams did add much more depth to each character, even ones that appeared to be stereotypes at first, throughout the story, and the characters at the end are full, complex characters! But because the writing and characters didn't hook me at the start, I couldn't fully enjoy these transformations, although, I do think that some important messages were made about not judging other people and thinking you know everything about them.
Some things I did like: the mystery of how Paige was killed (this was really well done at the end), a subtle but beautiful LGBTQ storyline with one of the secondary characters that brought a tear to my eye, and the beauty and symbolism of the remembrance mural (can't go into this without giving too much away).
Overall though I just wasn't drawn into the story and characters in a way that engaged me as a reader. Despite not loving this book, I can see that it is a good story, and one that other readers will definitely enjoy. It reminded me of The Lovely Bones in a way, and I think readers who are looking for a contemporary book that is a bit different will find something unique in Absent. It just wasn't the book for me in the end.
May 6, 2013
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Chronicle Books and Edelweiss.)
17-year-old Paige is stuck. After falling from the roof of her school and dying, she’s been stuck as a ghost in the school, and every time she tries to go off school property she ends up right back where she died – the ledge of the school roof.
One day, by accident, Paige realises that she can possess people when they think of her, and she sets about dispelling the rumours that she killed herself, and setting some things straight.
Even Paige isn’t really sure what happened when she died though, and during her meddling she finds out some things that she didn’t expect, and ultimately finds out how and why she died.
What really happened to Paige? Why is everybody saying that it was suicide? And can Paige ever get the closure she needs?
This story merged the difficult topics of teen suicide and life after death, with humour and mystery, and made for an enjoyable read.
Paige came across as a typical teenage girl – she worried about the normal things – boys, clothes, what college she would be going to, and since her death she was even more concerned than usual about what people were saying about her, especially since there were rumours that she had committed suicide. I found it easy to relate to Paige and what she was going through worrying that people would think she had killed herself. It seemed only fair that she found a way to inhabit people and get a little revenge on them, and it was easy to see why she wanted to do the things that she did.
The other dead kids in the school also had mysteries surrounding their deaths, and it was nice to know that the dead kids were just as confused as the kids that were still alive. It was also nice that Paige had some friends to share her ghost-time with, and there were some surprises in store from these other kids too.
I liked the storyline in this book, it dealt with some difficult topics, but did it with humour to stop the subject matter from becoming too depressing. There were several parts that made me laugh, and I loved the observation that the school was over-run with ghost frogs who had given their lives to science as dissection studies.
I enjoyed the mystery of what had really happened to Paige, and when the answer was revealed it wasn’t what I expected at all which was good! I also liked the way this book ended, I was actually quite concerned with how it would end and whether things would be wrapped up nicely, but the author actually managed to do a pretty good job in my opinion!
Overall; a fun and enjoyable read, with an intriguing mystery, and some well-handled difficult subjects.
7 out of 10.
17-year-old Paige is stuck. After falling from the roof of her school and dying, she’s been stuck as a ghost in the school, and every time she tries to go off school property she ends up right back where she died – the ledge of the school roof.
One day, by accident, Paige realises that she can possess people when they think of her, and she sets about dispelling the rumours that she killed herself, and setting some things straight.
Even Paige isn’t really sure what happened when she died though, and during her meddling she finds out some things that she didn’t expect, and ultimately finds out how and why she died.
What really happened to Paige? Why is everybody saying that it was suicide? And can Paige ever get the closure she needs?
This story merged the difficult topics of teen suicide and life after death, with humour and mystery, and made for an enjoyable read.
Paige came across as a typical teenage girl – she worried about the normal things – boys, clothes, what college she would be going to, and since her death she was even more concerned than usual about what people were saying about her, especially since there were rumours that she had committed suicide. I found it easy to relate to Paige and what she was going through worrying that people would think she had killed herself. It seemed only fair that she found a way to inhabit people and get a little revenge on them, and it was easy to see why she wanted to do the things that she did.
The other dead kids in the school also had mysteries surrounding their deaths, and it was nice to know that the dead kids were just as confused as the kids that were still alive. It was also nice that Paige had some friends to share her ghost-time with, and there were some surprises in store from these other kids too.
I liked the storyline in this book, it dealt with some difficult topics, but did it with humour to stop the subject matter from becoming too depressing. There were several parts that made me laugh, and I loved the observation that the school was over-run with ghost frogs who had given their lives to science as dissection studies.
I enjoyed the mystery of what had really happened to Paige, and when the answer was revealed it wasn’t what I expected at all which was good! I also liked the way this book ended, I was actually quite concerned with how it would end and whether things would be wrapped up nicely, but the author actually managed to do a pretty good job in my opinion!
Overall; a fun and enjoyable read, with an intriguing mystery, and some well-handled difficult subjects.
7 out of 10.
October 8, 2013
I love books with ghosts, especially those that aren't actually scary. I don't think ghosts really have to be scary and I think it's silly that the library sticker has it labeled as horror. This book wasn't scary in the 'horror' sense of it, but it's scary in the more realistic ways. It's scary that teens do the things they do (adults too, actually), it's scary how some people will treat other humans, it's scary that we all can't be a little more open minded and accepting... I think you get my point. The scary parts have to do with the stupidity of humans. I can see how the thought of a ghost possessing humans can be scary, and in some books it would work as horror, in this one it was- and it wasn't. It wasn't really scary for me though and I'm about the biggest chicken you'll find (seriously, I can't even watch most TV, it's too scary for me).
Everyone has a different opinion of whether ghosts are real. I personally know they are. (Yes, not think, but know.) I think the idea of the kids dying and being stuck in the school and totally knowing what's going on, being lucid and not stuck in the past or something, is maybe less realistic- but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. I liked that these three different ghosts can communicate, at least they weren't alone, right? And I enjoyed Paige's character even though she was a bit dark and angry, I could totally understand why. I felt through the book that there had to be something else going on, that there was this mystery that needed to be solved, but the clues weren't obvious enough for me, I didn't get even close to figuring things out.
The writing in this book is really good. It's done in a way that I don't know exactly how to explain how or why it was remarkable, but it was. It was also impossible to put down, so it's a good thing it's a short book. Even though it's 184 pages, those are long pages. I felt I could cruise through the book in an hour and that wasn't the case. So it is smaller print or something. Either way, it's still a fast read and I enjoyed every moment. I particularly liked reading a book that was ridiculously hard to put down.
I most definitely recommend this one to people who enjoy reading about this subject, as long as you are aware this isn't some horrifically scary story. Be prepared to sit and read for a few hours though, cause once you start- you won't stop until you're done!
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
Everyone has a different opinion of whether ghosts are real. I personally know they are. (Yes, not think, but know.) I think the idea of the kids dying and being stuck in the school and totally knowing what's going on, being lucid and not stuck in the past or something, is maybe less realistic- but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. I liked that these three different ghosts can communicate, at least they weren't alone, right? And I enjoyed Paige's character even though she was a bit dark and angry, I could totally understand why. I felt through the book that there had to be something else going on, that there was this mystery that needed to be solved, but the clues weren't obvious enough for me, I didn't get even close to figuring things out.
The writing in this book is really good. It's done in a way that I don't know exactly how to explain how or why it was remarkable, but it was. It was also impossible to put down, so it's a good thing it's a short book. Even though it's 184 pages, those are long pages. I felt I could cruise through the book in an hour and that wasn't the case. So it is smaller print or something. Either way, it's still a fast read and I enjoyed every moment. I particularly liked reading a book that was ridiculously hard to put down.
I most definitely recommend this one to people who enjoy reading about this subject, as long as you are aware this isn't some horrifically scary story. Be prepared to sit and read for a few hours though, cause once you start- you won't stop until you're done!
You can find this review, and others like it, on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com
September 30, 2013
Paige is seventeen, and she’s dead. She died in a freak fall from the roof of her high school during a Physics class, and now she’s stuck within the boundaries of her high school. She’s not alone, though: two other ghosts, both former students, are also trapped there. Evan and Brooke are the only people she can talk to and interact with until she discovers that she can possess living people when they think of her. This comes in handy when she hears the rumor that she jumped on purpose. It becomes Paige’s mission to change the minds of the living–because there’s no way she’d jump on purpose.
This slim novel by Katie Williams has the illusion of being another paranormal YA novel, but it’s got surprising depth and staying power. Moody, thought-provoking, and never easy, this story takes a thorough look at life through the eyes of an adolescent who’s been dealt a raw deal. Great writing, memorable characters, and a truly riveting conclusion make this one a must-read.
It’s interesting to note that although this will likely get shelved as paranormal, it’s actually much closer to magical realism. The boundaries of what Paige and her ghost cohorts can do constantly changes as the story progresses. It’s grounded in a reality that feels so authentic, you can almost feel the presence of Paige next to you as you turn the pages.
Memorable characters make this a standout from others in the genre. The book takes stereotypes and largely subverts them, all while pushing the envelope with what it means to adhere to a stereotype, and how culpable we are in reinforcing them. None of the characters are what they seem to be at first glance, and that makes this story all the more interesting.
Tightly written, Williams’s prose is perfect in that it conveys just enough complexity to keep things interesting but doesn’t get bogged down in lengthy descriptions. A moving finale will keep readers’ eyes glued to the page. I cried hard at the end but felt wholly satisfied.
Highly recommended.
Absent by Katie Williams. Chronicle Books: 2013. ARC won in blog giveaway.
This slim novel by Katie Williams has the illusion of being another paranormal YA novel, but it’s got surprising depth and staying power. Moody, thought-provoking, and never easy, this story takes a thorough look at life through the eyes of an adolescent who’s been dealt a raw deal. Great writing, memorable characters, and a truly riveting conclusion make this one a must-read.
It’s interesting to note that although this will likely get shelved as paranormal, it’s actually much closer to magical realism. The boundaries of what Paige and her ghost cohorts can do constantly changes as the story progresses. It’s grounded in a reality that feels so authentic, you can almost feel the presence of Paige next to you as you turn the pages.
Memorable characters make this a standout from others in the genre. The book takes stereotypes and largely subverts them, all while pushing the envelope with what it means to adhere to a stereotype, and how culpable we are in reinforcing them. None of the characters are what they seem to be at first glance, and that makes this story all the more interesting.
Tightly written, Williams’s prose is perfect in that it conveys just enough complexity to keep things interesting but doesn’t get bogged down in lengthy descriptions. A moving finale will keep readers’ eyes glued to the page. I cried hard at the end but felt wholly satisfied.
Highly recommended.
Absent by Katie Williams. Chronicle Books: 2013. ARC won in blog giveaway.
June 26, 2013
Oh, my. I think I love this book.
Teenage suicide or, really, the deaths of teenagers for any reason are very difficult to bear and creating a story around such a theme is probably as hard as it comes. Katie Williams has done it beautifully and with great compassion.
It’s not uncommon to find people who believe a soul is tethered to the last place he or she was alive until something happens to release the soul so, when I read the description of this story, I wasn’t put off. I found myself intrigued at the idea of these “stuck” souls not only communicating with each other but also carrying on a life of sorts. I wanted to know why they hadn’t been able to move on and I wanted to know who they were.
The three teens seem to accept what has happened to them and find ways to entertain themselves and to observe how life goes on without them. Paige is fairly content until she finds out that one of the popular girls is spreading rumors about her and she just can’t sit back and take that. It’s handy that she discovers an ability to take possession of a body, in a way, and then the game is on.
Absent is a story full of heartaches, questions, and remorse and even though Paige, Brooke and Evan are dead, they didn’t hit a wall when they died. Instead, they continue to grow emotionally and we see the people they could have been in life, a great sadness in itself. Each has a personal story that’s so appealing and so sad and I came to like each of these kids a lot for very different reasons. Evan, in particular, tugged at the heartstrings with a vengeance, but some of the still-living characters also got my attention, especially Wes.
Along with the stories of these three ghosts and their living friends and family, there is also a lot of mystery here, making the tale even more attractive to this mystery fan. I wanted very much to follow Paige as she discovered the truth about her own end but, as it turns out, there was even more to learn.
Katie Williams is a writer I had not tried before and Absent was a wonderful introduction for me. I’ll be looking for her again and I suspect I’ll be re-reading this book, something I rarely do.
Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, June 2013.
Teenage suicide or, really, the deaths of teenagers for any reason are very difficult to bear and creating a story around such a theme is probably as hard as it comes. Katie Williams has done it beautifully and with great compassion.
It’s not uncommon to find people who believe a soul is tethered to the last place he or she was alive until something happens to release the soul so, when I read the description of this story, I wasn’t put off. I found myself intrigued at the idea of these “stuck” souls not only communicating with each other but also carrying on a life of sorts. I wanted to know why they hadn’t been able to move on and I wanted to know who they were.
The three teens seem to accept what has happened to them and find ways to entertain themselves and to observe how life goes on without them. Paige is fairly content until she finds out that one of the popular girls is spreading rumors about her and she just can’t sit back and take that. It’s handy that she discovers an ability to take possession of a body, in a way, and then the game is on.
Absent is a story full of heartaches, questions, and remorse and even though Paige, Brooke and Evan are dead, they didn’t hit a wall when they died. Instead, they continue to grow emotionally and we see the people they could have been in life, a great sadness in itself. Each has a personal story that’s so appealing and so sad and I came to like each of these kids a lot for very different reasons. Evan, in particular, tugged at the heartstrings with a vengeance, but some of the still-living characters also got my attention, especially Wes.
Along with the stories of these three ghosts and their living friends and family, there is also a lot of mystery here, making the tale even more attractive to this mystery fan. I wanted very much to follow Paige as she discovered the truth about her own end but, as it turns out, there was even more to learn.
Katie Williams is a writer I had not tried before and Absent was a wonderful introduction for me. I’ll be looking for her again and I suspect I’ll be re-reading this book, something I rarely do.
Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, June 2013.
December 3, 2012
Would rumors of your life and death matter once you were gone, removed to the afterworld – wherever that may be? Paige Wheeler will tell you it does, if she could. For the last five months, Paige’s afterworld consisted of the high school she attended; where she loved the boy who insisted on keeping their relationship a secret; and where she fell from the roof. Paige is a ghost; perpetually bound to Paul Revere High School.
Once gossip turns Paige’s fall into a suicide rather than a bizarre accident during science class; Paige is determined to find a way to set the story straight. With little help from her new spirit friends, Evan and Brooke, she is alone in the impossible fight to clear her reputation.
On an otherwise random day, Paige finds her BFF, Usha, about to answer a test problem incorrect. This uncovers an ability that can change everything. With just the thought – a whisper – of her name, the unique sign someone is thinking of her, Paige can step into them. Inhabiting their minds and body, Paige sees this as the opportunity she was searching for. She can seek revenge, restore faith and even have a little fun.
Absent was an enjoyable story with plenty of twists and turns, even a startling ending that took me by surprise. Paige has determination and wit to identify her as a fantastic lead character. However, I lacked the connection to any of the characters in the first half of the book. At the mid-point, I developed my own suspicions as to how the story would end; this drove my commitment to finish.
Paige’s life, before the fall, appeared vague and incomplete. Without a strong character base, I found myself questioning if Paige was this intense, passionate girl the author was portraying. I also find it difficult how the other characters accept their awkward behavior following one of Paige’s possessions.
I loved the premise, perfect for the target audience, that deserves 4 ½ stars. With the lack of character development, I want to award Absent 3 stars… however, since Williams got me in the end, 4 it is!
Once gossip turns Paige’s fall into a suicide rather than a bizarre accident during science class; Paige is determined to find a way to set the story straight. With little help from her new spirit friends, Evan and Brooke, she is alone in the impossible fight to clear her reputation.
On an otherwise random day, Paige finds her BFF, Usha, about to answer a test problem incorrect. This uncovers an ability that can change everything. With just the thought – a whisper – of her name, the unique sign someone is thinking of her, Paige can step into them. Inhabiting their minds and body, Paige sees this as the opportunity she was searching for. She can seek revenge, restore faith and even have a little fun.
Absent was an enjoyable story with plenty of twists and turns, even a startling ending that took me by surprise. Paige has determination and wit to identify her as a fantastic lead character. However, I lacked the connection to any of the characters in the first half of the book. At the mid-point, I developed my own suspicions as to how the story would end; this drove my commitment to finish.
Paige’s life, before the fall, appeared vague and incomplete. Without a strong character base, I found myself questioning if Paige was this intense, passionate girl the author was portraying. I also find it difficult how the other characters accept their awkward behavior following one of Paige’s possessions.
I loved the premise, perfect for the target audience, that deserves 4 ½ stars. With the lack of character development, I want to award Absent 3 stars… however, since Williams got me in the end, 4 it is!
January 29, 2015
I just picked this up because I wanted a quick, easy read. I didn't anticipate it would be memorable or significant in any way.
But it really surprised me.
The characters are very real, the situations are painful, the emotion is palpable.
I actually got a little misty eyed at part of it, but shhh, don't tell.
This is a story about Paige Wheeler. She's a regular high school student, she doesn't really fit in with a specific clique, but she's not really a total loser outcast, either. She has a unique best friend, a secret crush, and just a typical high school life. But now she's dead. Paige is a ghost, and she gets to spend all of her time on school grounds, observing. There are two other ghosts there to keep her company, but she struggles with the fact that one girl starts a rumor that her death was a suicide. She becomes completely devastated when she hears her best friend say that she's angry at Paige for doing something like that without even talking to her. Until Paige realizes she can inhabit the body of anyone when they think about her. We get to witness Paige making decisions, and having discussions in an attempt to squash the rumor, and find out what really happened to her.
The climax and conclusion are both wonderful.
I like this for the story itself, but what I was really captivated by was the way Katie Williams can so eloquently and accurately describe a feeling. Her similes, references, and articulation are what really made this book stand out to me, and ultimately, what pushed this book from a 4 to a 5 for me. I'm pretty stingy with my 5 star reviews, but long after I put this book down, I'm still marveling at how Williams put into words so many intricate internal feelings.
If you can push past the first few chapters, which aren't bad at all, but don't particularly stand out from any other teen fiction, you are in for a great story, told with a great voice.
But it really surprised me.
The characters are very real, the situations are painful, the emotion is palpable.
I actually got a little misty eyed at part of it, but shhh, don't tell.
This is a story about Paige Wheeler. She's a regular high school student, she doesn't really fit in with a specific clique, but she's not really a total loser outcast, either. She has a unique best friend, a secret crush, and just a typical high school life. But now she's dead. Paige is a ghost, and she gets to spend all of her time on school grounds, observing. There are two other ghosts there to keep her company, but she struggles with the fact that one girl starts a rumor that her death was a suicide. She becomes completely devastated when she hears her best friend say that she's angry at Paige for doing something like that without even talking to her. Until Paige realizes she can inhabit the body of anyone when they think about her. We get to witness Paige making decisions, and having discussions in an attempt to squash the rumor, and find out what really happened to her.
The climax and conclusion are both wonderful.
I like this for the story itself, but what I was really captivated by was the way Katie Williams can so eloquently and accurately describe a feeling. Her similes, references, and articulation are what really made this book stand out to me, and ultimately, what pushed this book from a 4 to a 5 for me. I'm pretty stingy with my 5 star reviews, but long after I put this book down, I'm still marveling at how Williams put into words so many intricate internal feelings.
If you can push past the first few chapters, which aren't bad at all, but don't particularly stand out from any other teen fiction, you are in for a great story, told with a great voice.
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