What do you think?
Rate this book
When Kacey Left
Kacey and Sara have been the best of friends since grade three. They did everything together. Then Kacey left.
Now everyone at school is staring and whispering. And the “Obnoxious Counsellor” that her parents force her to meet with thinks writing letters to Kacey in a journal will help Sara deal with her grief. Her parents and teachers are trying to convince her that life needs to get back to normal—but how can anything ever be normal again? She and Kacey had plans—college, Europe, best friends forever. But now Kacey is gone and Sara is left to try to understand what it all meant.
Complete with an information and resource package at the end of the book, Dawn Green’s novel for young adults is an emotional and moving look at a young teen’s journey towards understanding her loss.
Now everyone at school is staring and whispering. And the “Obnoxious Counsellor” that her parents force her to meet with thinks writing letters to Kacey in a journal will help Sara deal with her grief. Her parents and teachers are trying to convince her that life needs to get back to normal—but how can anything ever be normal again? She and Kacey had plans—college, Europe, best friends forever. But now Kacey is gone and Sara is left to try to understand what it all meant.
Complete with an information and resource package at the end of the book, Dawn Green’s novel for young adults is an emotional and moving look at a young teen’s journey towards understanding her loss.
228 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2014
5 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Green
27 books23 followersI live on the Best… oops, I mean West Coast of Canada. If I'm not at my computer you can usually find me in some bookstore somewhere. Besides a good book some of my favourite things include: hoodies, Kermit (green things in general), Dr. Seuss, rain, coffee, the ocean, bookstores…
No, I'm not related to John Green. But I do think he's awesome.
Personal mottos: Question everything. Use your words.
No, I'm not related to John Green. But I do think he's awesome.
Personal mottos: Question everything. Use your words.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 13, 2016
This is a short, fast read. I read it in a matter of hours, and I didn't want to put it down. Sara's mad at the world, and this book explains why through a series of letters to her best friend who's no longer there. I won't say what happened to her friend (and don't read my tags if you want to go into this spoiler-free), but it's completely obvious from the beginning, and the author's lame attempt to hide it for almost half the book is one of the reasons I didn't give this book 5 stars.
That said, it was still a good book. I didn't always agree with how Sara dealt with things, but she dealt with them realistically and shed some light on what it's like to deal with the aftermath of . I still had a lot of questions at the end, but so would Sara, and I liked that it was realistic. Other parts of the book - the end in particular - seemed a bit far-fetched, but it made a nice end to the book.
Overall, this was a good book. It deals almost entirely with emotions and flashbacks, which I like. If you don't, this probably isn't a book for you.
That said, it was still a good book. I didn't always agree with how Sara dealt with things, but she dealt with them realistically and shed some light on what it's like to deal with the aftermath of . I still had a lot of questions at the end, but so would Sara, and I liked that it was realistic. Other parts of the book - the end in particular - seemed a bit far-fetched, but it made a nice end to the book.
Overall, this was a good book. It deals almost entirely with emotions and flashbacks, which I like. If you don't, this probably isn't a book for you.
July 29, 2015
Grade: B
Sara's OC (obnoxious counselor) has her writing letters to her best friend Kacey, but Kacey will never answer them because she killed herself. Now Sara is back in school, getting stares from teachers and students because she's the girl whose best friend committed suicide. Sara's parents and OC are watching her too, waiting for her to fall apart.
WHEN KACEY LEFT is an epistolary novel (with a few IMs) about a girl adjusting to life after suicide. Dawn Green creates Sara to have realistic positive and negative qualities and even though WHEN KACEY LEFT is written in first and second person, I didn't feel like I really knew her as anyone other than the friend Kacey left behind. I understood on an intellectual level when she was unkind to others, so wrapped up in her own grief she forgot others were suffering, I just never felt connected her.
While I enjoyed reading WHEN KACEY LEFT, the story didn't feel particularly unique or different. I think I may have been more connected to the story if in addition to the letters, if Green had illustrated scenes (showing) other than having Sara tell them to Kacey in her notebook.
THEMES: suicide, grief, depression, high school, counseling
Sara's OC (obnoxious counselor) has her writing letters to her best friend Kacey, but Kacey will never answer them because she killed herself. Now Sara is back in school, getting stares from teachers and students because she's the girl whose best friend committed suicide. Sara's parents and OC are watching her too, waiting for her to fall apart.
WHEN KACEY LEFT is an epistolary novel (with a few IMs) about a girl adjusting to life after suicide. Dawn Green creates Sara to have realistic positive and negative qualities and even though WHEN KACEY LEFT is written in first and second person, I didn't feel like I really knew her as anyone other than the friend Kacey left behind. I understood on an intellectual level when she was unkind to others, so wrapped up in her own grief she forgot others were suffering, I just never felt connected her.
While I enjoyed reading WHEN KACEY LEFT, the story didn't feel particularly unique or different. I think I may have been more connected to the story if in addition to the letters, if Green had illustrated scenes (showing) other than having Sara tell them to Kacey in her notebook.
THEMES: suicide, grief, depression, high school, counseling
February 9, 2016
Kacey and Sara - or Sticks and Stones, as they called each other - shared almost everything from the time they were in the third grade. When Kacey commits suicide, Sara is left to shoulder the stares, the pity, and the grief alone. Convinced that Sara might follow in her best friend's footsteps, her parents set up regular therapy sessions. Making her way in the world without Kacey may just be the most difficult thing that Sara will ever have to do.
Written in a diary format, When Kacey Left chronicles Sara's grief over her best friend's very permanent solution to depression. The format was very limiting, however, as the reader is given only what Sara chooses to write in the diary. I am not sure I found the reaction of the classmates to be realistic, as enough time had passed for her peers to have moved on to someone else's problems. Sara's grief and anger was clearly conveyed, as well as the anxiety that her parents felt over the situation as a whole. The fact that Kacey's reasons for turning to suicide are not totally explained lends a feeling of believability to the story, as this occurs often in real life. The story was not too memorable, leaving me to give it a three star rating.
Written in a diary format, When Kacey Left chronicles Sara's grief over her best friend's very permanent solution to depression. The format was very limiting, however, as the reader is given only what Sara chooses to write in the diary. I am not sure I found the reaction of the classmates to be realistic, as enough time had passed for her peers to have moved on to someone else's problems. Sara's grief and anger was clearly conveyed, as well as the anxiety that her parents felt over the situation as a whole. The fact that Kacey's reasons for turning to suicide are not totally explained lends a feeling of believability to the story, as this occurs often in real life. The story was not too memorable, leaving me to give it a three star rating.
May 19, 2015
The voice of the girl whose friend has committed suicide feels very authentic. One of the things I liked about this novel was the fact that the author felt no need to provide an understandable explanation for what happened, beyond the fact of Kacey's depression, and yet Sara eventually manages to find a way to move on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2015
With losing my brother by suicide when I was 11 this book really reached out to me. The author has suicide down pretty good. I loved Sara's character it really shows exactly how someone may feel. I cried after reading the whole book.
November 11, 2015
Admittedly teen suicide is a tough topic but Dawn Green does a great job handling it with compassion.
June 28, 2016
Very good book , it is a challenging topic .
I love how it was done in a journal formate
I love how it was done in a journal formate
July 10, 2017
When her best friend takes her life, Sara is left with many emotions to process. This novel is set up as a series of journal entries Sara composes in the ensuing school year describing what life is now like.
May 12, 2019
For school bus Gina becca Kirsten Kim Bailey kacey school little billy
March 1, 2016
Navigating the complexities of teenage existence is difficult enough, but in the year following her best friend’s unexpected death, Sara finds that her path and her purpose are more ambiguous than ever before. By reluctantly writing in a journal, as she is assigned to do by her “obnoxious” school counsellor, Sara reveals her pain, confusion and resilience with authenticity and often, intensity. In time, and through the development of some unlikely relationships, Sara slowly discovers how to reclaim her identity apart from being the dead-girl’s best friend.
This debut novel from BC author Dawn Green, explores the theme of teenage mental health with a perfect mix of delicacy and honesty that young adult readers will appreciate. Its unassuming approach makes it accessible to students who will instantly recognize characters and situations that are familiar without being cliché.
By focusing instead on the living victims of suicide, When Kacey Left asks readers to not only question the “how?”, and “why?”, but also the “what now?”. In doing so the book will surely generate fresh and insightful dialogues around the topics of friendship, suicide, grief, and forgiveness. Ultimately it offers cause for reflection on the far-reaching impacts of our daily interactions with others, with an emphasis on the power of kindness and the possibility of friendship beyond the usual social boundaries.
This book could be assigned for independent, small group or full-class study with clear curriculum connections to English and Health and Physical Education. A resource package compiled by the Executive Director of Toronto’s Stella’s Place accompanies the book to further facilitate discussion in classrooms or counselling centres.
This debut novel from BC author Dawn Green, explores the theme of teenage mental health with a perfect mix of delicacy and honesty that young adult readers will appreciate. Its unassuming approach makes it accessible to students who will instantly recognize characters and situations that are familiar without being cliché.
By focusing instead on the living victims of suicide, When Kacey Left asks readers to not only question the “how?”, and “why?”, but also the “what now?”. In doing so the book will surely generate fresh and insightful dialogues around the topics of friendship, suicide, grief, and forgiveness. Ultimately it offers cause for reflection on the far-reaching impacts of our daily interactions with others, with an emphasis on the power of kindness and the possibility of friendship beyond the usual social boundaries.
This book could be assigned for independent, small group or full-class study with clear curriculum connections to English and Health and Physical Education. A resource package compiled by the Executive Director of Toronto’s Stella’s Place accompanies the book to further facilitate discussion in classrooms or counselling centres.
February 16, 2016
Dawn Green writes a great textbook-style story about grief. The main character, Sara, documents her grief and her life after the loss of her best friend, Kacey, to suicide. While the topics Green addresses are well-researched and accurate, the story isn't very engaging. Sara has no personality beyond being a grieving teenager. She isn't interested in anything and plays a passive role in her own story (often accompanied by excessive eye-rolling). Kacey, on the other hand, is written about inconsistently, though perhaps that was intentional since we only understand her from Sara's POV. But I can't understand how a person who loves to read would call the library a hang-out for losers...
This book would probably be appealing to younger audiences who maybe going through something similar or want to know more about the subject of suicide and grief. It is written well and I think Green does an excellent job characterizing the thoughts and language of a young person. She has definitely done her research on the subject and the process of grieving as well; it shows. The story is informative for sure, just not very engaging.
This book would probably be appealing to younger audiences who maybe going through something similar or want to know more about the subject of suicide and grief. It is written well and I think Green does an excellent job characterizing the thoughts and language of a young person. She has definitely done her research on the subject and the process of grieving as well; it shows. The story is informative for sure, just not very engaging.
September 4, 2015
More of a 3.5 but edging more towards 4 stars so we will round up. I'd been in a serious slump of not finishing anything lately and then this came along, so I have to give it props for not only keeping my attention but having me finish it within a few hours.
I was iffy at the beginning because of the character voice. I genuinely could not tell how old Sara was supposed to be. Apparently she's 16 but it definitely read to me like she was 13 or 14, which isn't that different on paper but as a person, it's huge. She seemed to hit her stride somewhere in the middle though.
I don't know that this is necessarily ground breaking. It doesn't offer anything new to the subgenre of YA that deals with teen suicide. But it's a short, quick read and I do hope the author writes more books someday.
I was iffy at the beginning because of the character voice. I genuinely could not tell how old Sara was supposed to be. Apparently she's 16 but it definitely read to me like she was 13 or 14, which isn't that different on paper but as a person, it's huge. She seemed to hit her stride somewhere in the middle though.
I don't know that this is necessarily ground breaking. It doesn't offer anything new to the subgenre of YA that deals with teen suicide. But it's a short, quick read and I do hope the author writes more books someday.
January 30, 2016
This is a short - easy - read. Yes it would make an excellent addition to any high school summer reading list. Although I felt the author handled the subject matter in a very honest - straightforward manner I felt a few pages were wasted. Instead of writing one or two lines that basically said 'I did not feel like writing" there could have been some doodling - something. For me it felt like perhaps contractual page count. I am not saying this to be negative - just my honest review - otherwise I think the author did a great job with a difficult subject.
February 18, 2016
For full review please go to: 5girlsbookreviews.blogspot.com, Twitter @camartinez and Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 8 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This book was incredibly sad, I mean REALLY sad.
With her best friend dead and everything going on in her life, it is not easy for Sara, but in the end it gets better. Sara learns how to cope with her grief over losing her best friend and how to move forward.
My favorite character is Sara because she has been through some tough situations and you can feel the emotions flowing through her.
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 8 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This book was incredibly sad, I mean REALLY sad.
With her best friend dead and everything going on in her life, it is not easy for Sara, but in the end it gets better. Sara learns how to cope with her grief over losing her best friend and how to move forward.
My favorite character is Sara because she has been through some tough situations and you can feel the emotions flowing through her.
November 28, 2015
This book offers an interesting concept in tackling a tough subject.A girl writes a sort of a journal to her friend who committed suicide.Through these entries the girl works through her feelings.Is their closure? Maybe. But in the end it's an interesting to see the journey.
March 20, 2016
2.5 stars
July 9, 2017
This was such a quick read. But it was definetly a good one. It shined the light on a non fiction topic while still remaining interesting to the average American teen. I loved the messages and thout provoking passages. It was truy an eye opener.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews