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The Detour
Livvy Flynn is a seventeen-year-old bestselling author whose YA fiction has sold all over the world. People in the industry kiss up to her. She’s rich, she’s famous, and she’s full of herself.
When she’s invited to an A-list writers’ conference, she decides to accept so she can work on her next book and enjoy the admiration—and envy—of the writer wannabes. Plus, she has a new, cute sports car, and it’ll be fun to drive there by herself.
And then she hits the detour. Before she knows it, the car is wrecked, she’s hurt, and she’s trapped in a basement, with no idea where she is. A woman and her apparently manic daughter have kidnapped her. And they have no intention of letting her go.
When she’s invited to an A-list writers’ conference, she decides to accept so she can work on her next book and enjoy the admiration—and envy—of the writer wannabes. Plus, she has a new, cute sports car, and it’ll be fun to drive there by herself.
And then she hits the detour. Before she knows it, the car is wrecked, she’s hurt, and she’s trapped in a basement, with no idea where she is. A woman and her apparently manic daughter have kidnapped her. And they have no intention of letting her go.
215 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2015
64 people are currently reading
2789 people want to read
About the author
S.A. Bodeen
17 books749 followersAlso writes as Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen.
Stephanie is the award-winning author of the Elizabeti's Doll series of picture books, as well as several others. Her young adult novels include the award-winning The Compound and The Raft, and her next YA The Detour releases October 2015. The first two volumes of her middle grade series, Shipwreck Island and Lost, are available now.
Stephanie is the award-winning author of the Elizabeti's Doll series of picture books, as well as several others. Her young adult novels include the award-winning The Compound and The Raft, and her next YA The Detour releases October 2015. The first two volumes of her middle grade series, Shipwreck Island and Lost, are available now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 346 reviews
July 24, 2021
Well, I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would create such an unlikeable main character!
She was an absolute nightmare of a girl. There was only one point in a flashback that I felt anything other than utter disdain for this arrogant, unkind, entitled character. The only reason I finished was because I kept thinking surely she will have some kind of moment of personal growth but alas, it never happened. I won't be adding this to the library.
She was an absolute nightmare of a girl. There was only one point in a flashback that I felt anything other than utter disdain for this arrogant, unkind, entitled character. The only reason I finished was because I kept thinking surely she will have some kind of moment of personal growth but alas, it never happened. I won't be adding this to the library.
August 6, 2017
Well well well, this was a fun surprise. I ended up liking this way more than I thought I would.
When Livvie has an accident, she's helpless and kidnapped by a crazy woman and her daughter.
What I liked:
-I liked Livvy's character. From the outside she's perfect. She's got all the money, she's famous, she gloats too much about herself, but as we read on she reveals her insecurities and how she was a broken loner. At first, I didn't like her, but towards the end, when the pieces fit together, I understood her. She was a complex character and I found myself liking her at the end.
-I liked Peg's character. She was a crazy woman who wanted something from Livvie.
-I liked how it was fast paced and quick to read. I wasn't really bored while reading it. I wanted to know more and this book had me hooked for more.
What I didn't like:
-Stop lying to me and saying there is horror. JUST STOP LYING TO ME MATE.
-I felt like Livvie's history was explained in a rush. The author just stuffs her information in like a couple of chapters and then moves on to the current situation in the story. It would be better if the author explained it out slowly and didn't try to rush everything.
I also felt like the ending was rushed. Again, the author should have dragged things out more at the end, so everything didn't feel so damn rushed.
-It was a little. predictable.
-I wished it was more creepy.
Overall, it was a fun paced and quick thriller. Not all scary and creepy.
When Livvie has an accident, she's helpless and kidnapped by a crazy woman and her daughter.
What I liked:
-I liked Livvy's character. From the outside she's perfect. She's got all the money, she's famous, she gloats too much about herself, but as we read on she reveals her insecurities and how she was a broken loner. At first, I didn't like her, but towards the end, when the pieces fit together, I understood her. She was a complex character and I found myself liking her at the end.
-I liked Peg's character. She was a crazy woman who wanted something from Livvie.
-I liked how it was fast paced and quick to read. I wasn't really bored while reading it. I wanted to know more and this book had me hooked for more.
What I didn't like:
-Stop lying to me and saying there is horror. JUST STOP LYING TO ME MATE.
-I felt like Livvie's history was explained in a rush. The author just stuffs her information in like a couple of chapters and then moves on to the current situation in the story. It would be better if the author explained it out slowly and didn't try to rush everything.
I also felt like the ending was rushed. Again, the author should have dragged things out more at the end, so everything didn't feel so damn rushed.
-It was a little. predictable.
-I wished it was more creepy.
Overall, it was a fun paced and quick thriller. Not all scary and creepy.
September 1, 2015
THIS BOOK WAS HORRIBLE. One star is too much, but it's the least I can give on this site. SERIOUSLY THOUGH. SO BAD. Let's break this down to the three reasons nobody should ever have to suffer through this book.
1. THE CHARACTERS.
There was not a single likeable or redeemable character in the novel. The protagonist, teen author Livvy Flynn, was horrendous. I'm okay with anti-heroes and unlikeable protagonists, but what really bothered me was the fact that readers are seemingly supposed to grow to like this girl even though she remains a spoiled rotten brat from cover to cover. Even her one attempt at penance for being awful is poorly done: Her parents are horrible people who want to control every aspect of her life and do things like
2. THE WRITING.
If there is one thing I cannot abide in books, it's bad writing, and that's all you get in The Detour. It's poorly revised, poorly edited (I acknowledge that I did read an advanced copy, but come on!), and poorly executed in general. It's sloppy, lazy, and over-descriptive with no payoff (imagery is replaced with literal descriptions of everything happening in real time and inconsequential bemoanings about $300 *brand name here* shoes, etc.) Speaking of brand names, I almost wonder if the author got some sort of deal to name drop different brands in the book, because it reads like a freaking upscale department store flyer.
3. THE "PLOT TWISTS".
I could spot everything coming from more than a mile away. The author's attempts to drop red herrings or deliver alternate explanations to keep you from guessing all the twists were shoddy and ridiculous. Poor characters and poor writing (see points 1 and 2) combined to make me roll my eyes at every 'revelation' at the end of the book. Especially the whole Rory thing: Instead of seeing plot twists, I read this book as more of a plot straight-highway-in-the-barren-desert.
No matter what book I read next, it will seem like freaking Shakespeare compared to The Detour.
1. THE CHARACTERS.
There was not a single likeable or redeemable character in the novel. The protagonist, teen author Livvy Flynn, was horrendous. I'm okay with anti-heroes and unlikeable protagonists, but what really bothered me was the fact that readers are seemingly supposed to grow to like this girl even though she remains a spoiled rotten brat from cover to cover. Even her one attempt at penance for being awful is poorly done: Her parents are horrible people who want to control every aspect of her life and do things like
2. THE WRITING.
If there is one thing I cannot abide in books, it's bad writing, and that's all you get in The Detour. It's poorly revised, poorly edited (I acknowledge that I did read an advanced copy, but come on!), and poorly executed in general. It's sloppy, lazy, and over-descriptive with no payoff (imagery is replaced with literal descriptions of everything happening in real time and inconsequential bemoanings about $300 *brand name here* shoes, etc.) Speaking of brand names, I almost wonder if the author got some sort of deal to name drop different brands in the book, because it reads like a freaking upscale department store flyer.
3. THE "PLOT TWISTS".
I could spot everything coming from more than a mile away. The author's attempts to drop red herrings or deliver alternate explanations to keep you from guessing all the twists were shoddy and ridiculous. Poor characters and poor writing (see points 1 and 2) combined to make me roll my eyes at every 'revelation' at the end of the book. Especially the whole Rory thing: Instead of seeing plot twists, I read this book as more of a plot straight-highway-in-the-barren-desert.
No matter what book I read next, it will seem like freaking Shakespeare compared to The Detour.
October 16, 2015
Hmm, so this book was...interesting. I have complicated feelings about it. On the one hand I couldn't put it down, it was super fast paced and well written. I flew through it and was never bored. It was definitely a little creepy and had a slight mystery but... I wanted more from it.
Olivia was a very interesting character. I hated her at first but I have to give the author props for creating such a unique and complex character. She's kind of a spoiled bitch at first and then you get all this history on her about why she is the way she is, and I didn't buy it at first but by the end of the book is just really understood this character. That, I loved.
While on the way to a writers retreat Olivia, a best-selling teen author, flips her car. She dislocates her shoulder and is stuck. Along comes Flute Girl, a girl playing a flute. That's the last thing she sees before she passes out. Waking up in a strange room Olivia doesn't know whats going on. There's a woman there telling her she called the 911 but it could be a while. As time slowly passes, Livvy begins to realize that no one is coming and she's been locked in a basement. Dun, dun, dun.
So we have this mystery, who is this woman and her daughter? Why did they take Livvy and what's the woman mean when she says that Olivia has to take responsibility for what she did? I loved the premise, I loved the mystery. I loved that at parts I was genuinely worried for Olivia's life and safety. Some of the backstory on Livvy seemed unnecessary but made sense further in and the author never wasted time. It was fast, fast, fast.
My problem? I wasn't satisfied with the ending and the explanations. I wanted the creep factor to be uped. I wanted to the ending to drag out a little more. It's just by the end of the book I wasn't really sure what was accomplished. There was a thing with this guy Livvy's been talking with on the Internet (Rory) and that felt very...unfinished. I loved the explanations but also, I just wanted a little more oomph from this one.
Overall: A good, solid read. I definitely recommend it if you want something a little bit creepy that's fast paced.
*I received an advanced review copy of this book
Olivia was a very interesting character. I hated her at first but I have to give the author props for creating such a unique and complex character. She's kind of a spoiled bitch at first and then you get all this history on her about why she is the way she is, and I didn't buy it at first but by the end of the book is just really understood this character. That, I loved.
While on the way to a writers retreat Olivia, a best-selling teen author, flips her car. She dislocates her shoulder and is stuck. Along comes Flute Girl, a girl playing a flute. That's the last thing she sees before she passes out. Waking up in a strange room Olivia doesn't know whats going on. There's a woman there telling her she called the 911 but it could be a while. As time slowly passes, Livvy begins to realize that no one is coming and she's been locked in a basement. Dun, dun, dun.
So we have this mystery, who is this woman and her daughter? Why did they take Livvy and what's the woman mean when she says that Olivia has to take responsibility for what she did? I loved the premise, I loved the mystery. I loved that at parts I was genuinely worried for Olivia's life and safety. Some of the backstory on Livvy seemed unnecessary but made sense further in and the author never wasted time. It was fast, fast, fast.
My problem? I wasn't satisfied with the ending and the explanations. I wanted the creep factor to be uped. I wanted to the ending to drag out a little more. It's just by the end of the book I wasn't really sure what was accomplished. There was a thing with this guy Livvy's been talking with on the Internet (Rory) and that felt very...unfinished. I loved the explanations but also, I just wanted a little more oomph from this one.
Overall: A good, solid read. I definitely recommend it if you want something a little bit creepy that's fast paced.
*I received an advanced review copy of this book
April 3, 2016
"I didn't even care anymore that I was hungry. My hunger fed me, fueled my rage. Because I was past being a victim. One way or the other, I was getting the hell out of here."
The reason I picked up The Detour was because I thought it would be a YA version of Stephen King's Misery, but it took on a completely different story line. The Detour took me on a ride filled with thrilling craziness, psychotic characters and lots of secrets. It had a touch of predictability to it, but it kept me hooked until the end.
The book starts off rather quickly with Olivia "Livvy" Flynn on her way to a writing retreat when she crashes her car. She gets saved by a mother, Peg and her daughter, Flute girl or so she thinks until she wakes up in a basement and they won't let her call for help. The rest of the book is about Livvy trying to escape and find out why her captors are keeping her in the basement.
Heroine: Livvy comes off as a privileged arrogant teen. Very unlikeable at first. No wait---extremely unlikeable. She acts very snobby and snarky like she’s the best author in the world and her work is the best thing since sliced bread. Whenever she kept going on *and on* rambling about her success I was thinking:
The only reason she was going to the writing retreat in the first place was for the attention and to rub her success into other aspiring writer’s faces. Or as she says “pre-published” writer's faces. She’s very harsh, and I had to admit that I was kind of glad when she got kidnapped.
As the book progresses, we get to see flashbacks from Livvy’s past, and these flashbacks actually made me *sort* of like her. We get to see a vulnerable side to her, and see her insecurities. For example, we find out that she used to have trichotillomania, which is a disorder where people have the urge to pull their hair out. She did this to deal with her childhood bullying until she became homeschooled and started to write. She also dealt with her parents not being around because they worked all the time, low self-esteem, and having to go through years of therapy.
Her past experiences help the reader understand her better because we get to learn why she acts the way that she does. The reason she acts so snobby and superior is because of her insecurities about herself and her low self-esteem. She tries to cover that up by boasting about her success.
I feel like her past does make her relatable to a degree, and some may even sympathize with her. As Livvy spends time in the basement, she slowly starts to change her attitude and her personality. But not by much. You’d think being kidnapped would change a person. Not Livvy. You see slight character growth, but since there’s going to be a sequel maybe we’ll see that major change in book #2.
Once I could wrap my head around why she acts and does the things that she does, I still wasn’t in love with her but I liked her *sort of*
Hero: Rory is her online boyfriend. He doesn’t have a big role until the end. This book doesn’t really have a romance arc. It’s more of thriller-type book, but there is a huge plot twist involving him.
Baddies: Livvy's captors are Peg, and her daughter, Flute Girl *Livvy refers to her as such* They save Livvy from her car wreck, but instead of helping her they lock her in their basement. When first meeting Peg, she comes off as this suburban mom, which I think adds a creepy element to the story because you’d never picture that---a psycho soccer mom holding you captive in her basement. It made me think of the movie, Serial Mom:
Read the rest of my review here: http://bookstacked.com/reviews/book-r...
August 30, 2015
I really liked this Misery-like premise and all of the twists.
Olivia was a really hard character to like. Her attitude is even worse than a normal teenager due to her success with writing. Even now that I'm done with the book, I'm not sure I like her. However, it's nearly impossible not to root for someone to get out of a kidnap situation.
The story starts with a crash {literally} and the pacing doesn't let up until the very end. I was able to figure a few things out, but there were a few surprises I didn't see coming. The ending was a great little pinch that was oddly satisfying.
All in all, a quick afternoon read.
**Huge thanks to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Olivia was a really hard character to like. Her attitude is even worse than a normal teenager due to her success with writing. Even now that I'm done with the book, I'm not sure I like her. However, it's nearly impossible not to root for someone to get out of a kidnap situation.
The story starts with a crash {literally} and the pacing doesn't let up until the very end. I was able to figure a few things out, but there were a few surprises I didn't see coming. The ending was a great little pinch that was oddly satisfying.
All in all, a quick afternoon read.
**Huge thanks to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
July 27, 2017
Phew! If you're an author (like me), this novel will make you nervous. THE DETOUR feels like a YA version of MISERY by Stephen King, but with a main character who goes through horrible situations and rarely gets a break. Very suspenseful!
June 23, 2019
I purchased this book because the cover looked creepy. If you want us superficial book readers to buy your books make sure you don't have any PEOPLE on the covers and match the cover to what is expected in the book. Now that I've gotten that off my chest. Let's get down to business. I'm rating this book 3.5 stars. I can tell you right away I absolutely detested this book at the beginning. I'm happy to say it made sense at the end. Also, I don't detest the book anymore.
When I first started this book off, because of society and the way I was raised, I assumed our narrator/main character was a boy. Isn't that sad. I assumed, that because the character said that they were a writer (not only boys can be writers) that they were a boy. This also made me think of Christopher Paolini, again thinking boy, although I haven't read the dragon series. So now that I messed up and made an ass out of you and me with my assumption, I can say that reading a teen girl kind of gets under my skin. I have mommy issues, sue me.
Our main character's name is Livvy and she is a writer. A very well known New York Times best seller of a fantasy trilogy. That is all good. I'm happy for her. I am not however, happy with her elitist mind set. The way she thinks she is better than everyone else. My first glimpse of this girl made me cringe. "My success only confirmed my feeling that if those so-called writers hadn't been able to do by thirty what I'd done by sixteen, then they didn't deserve to be published." I mean that is harsh and rude. She also goes on to say "the prepublished, the majority of whom are earnest, eager housewives well over thirty who firmly believe that they are meant to be the next Stephanie Meyer." Again super rude. I couldn't take her seriously for the majority of the book. She was so irritating, to say the least.
In around the second chapter, which is part of the inside flap, our main character Livvy finds herself kidnapped and held hostage in the basement of someone's house. She immediately ties this scenario to a real life Stephen King novel and says "My God, I was in a freaking Stephen King novel. Only in Misery, Annie Wilkes gave the dude painkillers". I'm glad that was mentioned because I really was thinking that. I thought the book had sounded kind of like Misery. Although, Annie is a crazed fan and the lady that kidnaps Livvy, actually hates her.
So the entire book is about Livvy being kidnapped. She is stuck in that basement and she is trying to get out. We don't know who the lady is or her daughter. We don't even know why Livvy is stuck down there. Livvy does try to think logically. What has she seen in books and movies. What did those kidnapped characters get wrong and right. What should Livvy do? Should she try to escape immediately or lay low and figure out a better plan.
At the end I kind of had a feeling of who the lady ends of being. I thought the story tied up pretty nicely. Was it scary? In a way, yes! I felt for Livvy even though I didn't really like her character. I thought the daughter "flute girl" was a lot scarier than the women (mom). I freaked out when a boy was added to the story because I'm a girl and boys/men can be scary. Another thing that is sad. I mean when the boy scenes came, I was really rooting for Livvy. It's hard to be a girl and fight against a boy.
Overall I thought the book was a good YA thriller. It's about books and writers which I love. I didn't really like the main character, but that is my point of view. I think if you are a teen or if you like fluff thrillers you'll like this book. If you like a character that learns from her mistakes, you'll also like this book. I have to hand it to Livvy she did end up being a pretty good person in the end.
When I first started this book off, because of society and the way I was raised, I assumed our narrator/main character was a boy. Isn't that sad. I assumed, that because the character said that they were a writer (not only boys can be writers) that they were a boy. This also made me think of Christopher Paolini, again thinking boy, although I haven't read the dragon series. So now that I messed up and made an ass out of you and me with my assumption, I can say that reading a teen girl kind of gets under my skin. I have mommy issues, sue me.
Our main character's name is Livvy and she is a writer. A very well known New York Times best seller of a fantasy trilogy. That is all good. I'm happy for her. I am not however, happy with her elitist mind set. The way she thinks she is better than everyone else. My first glimpse of this girl made me cringe. "My success only confirmed my feeling that if those so-called writers hadn't been able to do by thirty what I'd done by sixteen, then they didn't deserve to be published." I mean that is harsh and rude. She also goes on to say "the prepublished, the majority of whom are earnest, eager housewives well over thirty who firmly believe that they are meant to be the next Stephanie Meyer." Again super rude. I couldn't take her seriously for the majority of the book. She was so irritating, to say the least.
In around the second chapter, which is part of the inside flap, our main character Livvy finds herself kidnapped and held hostage in the basement of someone's house. She immediately ties this scenario to a real life Stephen King novel and says "My God, I was in a freaking Stephen King novel. Only in Misery, Annie Wilkes gave the dude painkillers". I'm glad that was mentioned because I really was thinking that. I thought the book had sounded kind of like Misery. Although, Annie is a crazed fan and the lady that kidnaps Livvy, actually hates her.
So the entire book is about Livvy being kidnapped. She is stuck in that basement and she is trying to get out. We don't know who the lady is or her daughter. We don't even know why Livvy is stuck down there. Livvy does try to think logically. What has she seen in books and movies. What did those kidnapped characters get wrong and right. What should Livvy do? Should she try to escape immediately or lay low and figure out a better plan.
At the end I kind of had a feeling of who the lady ends of being. I thought the story tied up pretty nicely. Was it scary? In a way, yes! I felt for Livvy even though I didn't really like her character. I thought the daughter "flute girl" was a lot scarier than the women (mom). I freaked out when a boy was added to the story because I'm a girl and boys/men can be scary. Another thing that is sad. I mean when the boy scenes came, I was really rooting for Livvy. It's hard to be a girl and fight against a boy.
Overall I thought the book was a good YA thriller. It's about books and writers which I love. I didn't really like the main character, but that is my point of view. I think if you are a teen or if you like fluff thrillers you'll like this book. If you like a character that learns from her mistakes, you'll also like this book. I have to hand it to Livvy she did end up being a pretty good person in the end.
November 9, 2017
I loved this book. I thought it was very good. Some of the parts were a little confusing and just a bit boring at times. But other than that I really liked it. It was a bit odd how the book ended.
October 19, 2017
So this book makes itself pretty hard to review as it more or less gives itself both positive and negative reviews by the end of the story. It's a book similar to another book with the subplot being two authors, one who has taken inspiration. from the other.
While the kidnapping and suspenseful scenes were decent, what really stuck out to me was that right off the bat this book wasn't afraid to poke fun of itself and bring it's flaws straight to the surface while the author wove all the criticism into the plot so well it can almost get lost in the ending drama: this book is a metaphor for itself.
While the kidnapping and suspenseful scenes were decent, what really stuck out to me was that right off the bat this book wasn't afraid to poke fun of itself and bring it's flaws straight to the surface while the author wove all the criticism into the plot so well it can almost get lost in the ending drama: this book is a metaphor for itself.
November 4, 2016
Stephen King for teenagers: I love it! S.A. Bodeen leads her protagonist, seventeen-year-old Livvy Flynn, into areas not explored by Stephen King's Misery, though the action isn't as graphic as that earlier novel. There are places a book for kids hesitates to go, and while The Detour briefly recognizes these horrors in its upfront acknowledgement of Stephen King's classic, there are lines it won't cross in introducing adolescents to macabre literature. Instead, the terror is shrouded in layers of enigma as the nightmare of any celebrity comes to life through Livvy, who is trying to gain traction in her situation by figuring out why she's there and what her tormentors plan on doing to her. The hours stretch on interminably when you have no idea when or if your suffering will end.
It's the sight of Flute Girl playing her instrument on the roadside that causes Livvy's car accident. She's on her way to an author retreat, ready to patiently listen to and critique the ideas of aspiring novelists if it means collecting her typical exorbitant fee. Livvy hit the jackpot with the first volume of her own trilogy at age fifteen, scoring a six-figure payday and ascending to a level of stardom not many YA authors experience. The second and third books also sold for princely sums, and now Livvy is biding time before her newest release and the start of college, raking in extra cash by attending writing retreats like the one she's on her way to now. Unfortunately, this time she never arrives. Swerving to avoid Flute Girl, Livvy's car capsizes, rolling over and dislocating her shoulder. The next thing she knows, she's lying down in a white-walled basement room, her injured shoulder a fiery mass of pain. A woman on the young side of middle age stands over her, with little compassion in her bedside manner. She and her daughter, Flute Girl, went to great effort yanking Livvy from her crashed vehicle and bringing her to their house, but Livvy is confused: why isn't she in a hospital? Why haven't her injuries been treated? When it dawns on her that emergency services haven't been notified of her accident, Livvy panics, but the woman isn't about to release her. Livvy is trapped here, almost incapacitated by the agony of her dislocated shoulder, and no one but her abductors knows she was even in an accident.
There's a reason she's detaining Livvy, the woman hints, but she isn't telling what it is. Livvy has to figure that out on her own. But as Livvy rigs a makeshift sling for her damaged shoulder and familiarizes herself with the basement's layout, she discovers that more serious threats lurk. Contemptuously as the woman treats her, Flute Girl's inexplicable hatred for Livvy is more raw and frightening. What will the weirdly maladjusted girl do if left alone with her? Livvy is desperate to escape, but that could be worse than staying put if she falls into Flute Girl's clutches in her injured and nearly helpless state. There are scarier dangers than even Flute Girl, however. A leering hulk of a man peers at Livvy through the high basement window now and then, startling her with his abrupt appearances. He tries to get at her in the basement to do who knows what, slamming his body into the padlocked door that Livvy now regards almost as a blessing, yelling crazily at her where she lies huddled in a cocoon of anxiety. If this guy gets inside, he'll damage Livvy beyond what any expensive therapy can do to heal her.
"What's the saying? You spend your entire adulthood trying to recover from your childhood?
I didn't know if that was true, but some days it seemed like it made sense."
—The Detour, P. 73
As the suspense rises and Livvy looks to spring herself from the basement dungeon without running into Flute Girl or the man from the window, she has time to reflect on her life. Her childhood was one long, drawn-out victimization, the other students falling into a pattern of bullying her in kindergarten which persisted through elementary and middle school. Livvy was smart, pretty enough, dressed fashionably, and her family had lots of money, but the other kids targeted her early and never stopped. Self-harm became her coping mechanism in fifth grade, and that's what eventually tipped her parents off that their daughter wasn't adapting in school. Livvy grew up damaged, senselessly marked a pariah by her peers, but she's come far the past several years, and her worldwide acclaim as an author has been as effective a confidence booster as anything could be. Now her dire circumstances threaten to undo Livvy's psychological improvement, and her window of escape is rapidly sliding shut. She has to get out of here soon, but what if her only option is to use lethal force against her captors? If spilled blood is the price of freedom, can she bring herself to maim or kill? Livvy's captivity isn't going to end happily for someone, that much is obvious. Who will turn out to be the most tragic victim of the scenario?
The flashback scenes of Livvy's childhood, which account for a significant portion of The Detour, are fast-paced and compelling. The unfairness feels authentic, raising the reader's hackles against Livvy's mean-spirited classmates, young as they are. Why would anyone treat a person the way they treat Livvy? Because they're bored and don't understand the harm they're inflicting? The bullying that Livvy endured was baseless, but that's how it usually is when a kid is singled out for harassment over a period of years. The Detour would not be effective without these flashbacks, which allow us to see Livvy as more than a smug teen looking down on those who haven't enjoyed immediate success as a writer. She was born into wealth, too, so her privilege extended from birth. The bullying gives us eyes to sympathize with Livvy, to see her as a harangued young girl who has shown courage in overcoming emotional obstacles. That's why when the situation reaches critical mass and we know something awful is about to happen that can never be taken back, we're desperate for Livvy to survive. She's withstood so much to not make it now.
Extreme coincidence is a heavy burden on this book, but it carries the weight gamely without drawing too much attention to it. The suspense builds well, and there's little to no objectionable language, so The Detour may even be appropriate for some younger kids. I like the reference to Goodreads.com on page one hundred ninety-eight; it's a meta moment for me, since I'm typing this review on Goodreads. I doubt The Detour will ever be as popular as Misery, but it's a competent YA thriller with a few chilling moments. It will make you question and think, and that's a good day for any book.
It's the sight of Flute Girl playing her instrument on the roadside that causes Livvy's car accident. She's on her way to an author retreat, ready to patiently listen to and critique the ideas of aspiring novelists if it means collecting her typical exorbitant fee. Livvy hit the jackpot with the first volume of her own trilogy at age fifteen, scoring a six-figure payday and ascending to a level of stardom not many YA authors experience. The second and third books also sold for princely sums, and now Livvy is biding time before her newest release and the start of college, raking in extra cash by attending writing retreats like the one she's on her way to now. Unfortunately, this time she never arrives. Swerving to avoid Flute Girl, Livvy's car capsizes, rolling over and dislocating her shoulder. The next thing she knows, she's lying down in a white-walled basement room, her injured shoulder a fiery mass of pain. A woman on the young side of middle age stands over her, with little compassion in her bedside manner. She and her daughter, Flute Girl, went to great effort yanking Livvy from her crashed vehicle and bringing her to their house, but Livvy is confused: why isn't she in a hospital? Why haven't her injuries been treated? When it dawns on her that emergency services haven't been notified of her accident, Livvy panics, but the woman isn't about to release her. Livvy is trapped here, almost incapacitated by the agony of her dislocated shoulder, and no one but her abductors knows she was even in an accident.
There's a reason she's detaining Livvy, the woman hints, but she isn't telling what it is. Livvy has to figure that out on her own. But as Livvy rigs a makeshift sling for her damaged shoulder and familiarizes herself with the basement's layout, she discovers that more serious threats lurk. Contemptuously as the woman treats her, Flute Girl's inexplicable hatred for Livvy is more raw and frightening. What will the weirdly maladjusted girl do if left alone with her? Livvy is desperate to escape, but that could be worse than staying put if she falls into Flute Girl's clutches in her injured and nearly helpless state. There are scarier dangers than even Flute Girl, however. A leering hulk of a man peers at Livvy through the high basement window now and then, startling her with his abrupt appearances. He tries to get at her in the basement to do who knows what, slamming his body into the padlocked door that Livvy now regards almost as a blessing, yelling crazily at her where she lies huddled in a cocoon of anxiety. If this guy gets inside, he'll damage Livvy beyond what any expensive therapy can do to heal her.
"What's the saying? You spend your entire adulthood trying to recover from your childhood?
I didn't know if that was true, but some days it seemed like it made sense."
—The Detour, P. 73
As the suspense rises and Livvy looks to spring herself from the basement dungeon without running into Flute Girl or the man from the window, she has time to reflect on her life. Her childhood was one long, drawn-out victimization, the other students falling into a pattern of bullying her in kindergarten which persisted through elementary and middle school. Livvy was smart, pretty enough, dressed fashionably, and her family had lots of money, but the other kids targeted her early and never stopped. Self-harm became her coping mechanism in fifth grade, and that's what eventually tipped her parents off that their daughter wasn't adapting in school. Livvy grew up damaged, senselessly marked a pariah by her peers, but she's come far the past several years, and her worldwide acclaim as an author has been as effective a confidence booster as anything could be. Now her dire circumstances threaten to undo Livvy's psychological improvement, and her window of escape is rapidly sliding shut. She has to get out of here soon, but what if her only option is to use lethal force against her captors? If spilled blood is the price of freedom, can she bring herself to maim or kill? Livvy's captivity isn't going to end happily for someone, that much is obvious. Who will turn out to be the most tragic victim of the scenario?
The flashback scenes of Livvy's childhood, which account for a significant portion of The Detour, are fast-paced and compelling. The unfairness feels authentic, raising the reader's hackles against Livvy's mean-spirited classmates, young as they are. Why would anyone treat a person the way they treat Livvy? Because they're bored and don't understand the harm they're inflicting? The bullying that Livvy endured was baseless, but that's how it usually is when a kid is singled out for harassment over a period of years. The Detour would not be effective without these flashbacks, which allow us to see Livvy as more than a smug teen looking down on those who haven't enjoyed immediate success as a writer. She was born into wealth, too, so her privilege extended from birth. The bullying gives us eyes to sympathize with Livvy, to see her as a harangued young girl who has shown courage in overcoming emotional obstacles. That's why when the situation reaches critical mass and we know something awful is about to happen that can never be taken back, we're desperate for Livvy to survive. She's withstood so much to not make it now.
Extreme coincidence is a heavy burden on this book, but it carries the weight gamely without drawing too much attention to it. The suspense builds well, and there's little to no objectionable language, so The Detour may even be appropriate for some younger kids. I like the reference to Goodreads.com on page one hundred ninety-eight; it's a meta moment for me, since I'm typing this review on Goodreads. I doubt The Detour will ever be as popular as Misery, but it's a competent YA thriller with a few chilling moments. It will make you question and think, and that's a good day for any book.
July 19, 2021
Didn't like any of the characters. Writing was subpar and the entire plot was unconvincing. 8th grade up.
April 3, 2017
"The Detour" by S.A. Bodeen was overall, a good book. It is a generally quick read, and it is interesting and entertaining. It was well written, and had an interesting subject.
It is about a seventeen year-old YA author named Olivia Flynn who became very successful. However, she becomes kidnapped by a manic mother and daughter duo. The book then follows Olivia and her time being kidnapped by these people. While this book is good, I feel as though the characters were a bit bland. I wasn't really concerned about some of the characters, because I didn't feel a huge attachment to them. For example, Olivia, who was the main character of the book, starts out very conceited. It becomes hard to like her early on. However, she reveals some things about herself later in the novel that help to explain why she is the way she is, but it still becomes hard to like her because in some of the revelations about herself she still does some awful things. She is also very spoiled and overall I did not really like her as a character. Some of the information and backstory that was given to Olivia also seemed a bit unnecessary, but mostly it was for the development of her character. One thing I did enjoy about this book was the sense of being trapped along with the main character. The author did create a mood of danger and hopelessness, which I thought made the book more entertaining to read. One thing about the book I did not like was the way the author decided to end the book. There was a twist that seemed unnecessary and I was not shocked at all. Mainly, this book was good. It is not the best thing I've ever read, but it is certainly not the worst. I may recommend this book to people looking for a quick book to read if they are looking for something, but I may not go out of my way and try to get my peers to read this book.
Overall, I thought it was good, but it did feel as though it was a bit lacking. It is a quick read, however, and I think it is well-written. The premise is interesting, and I would have liked to see more or learn more about each of the characters. If this book sounds interesting to you, then you should check it out.
It is about a seventeen year-old YA author named Olivia Flynn who became very successful. However, she becomes kidnapped by a manic mother and daughter duo. The book then follows Olivia and her time being kidnapped by these people. While this book is good, I feel as though the characters were a bit bland. I wasn't really concerned about some of the characters, because I didn't feel a huge attachment to them. For example, Olivia, who was the main character of the book, starts out very conceited. It becomes hard to like her early on. However, she reveals some things about herself later in the novel that help to explain why she is the way she is, but it still becomes hard to like her because in some of the revelations about herself she still does some awful things. She is also very spoiled and overall I did not really like her as a character. Some of the information and backstory that was given to Olivia also seemed a bit unnecessary, but mostly it was for the development of her character. One thing I did enjoy about this book was the sense of being trapped along with the main character. The author did create a mood of danger and hopelessness, which I thought made the book more entertaining to read. One thing about the book I did not like was the way the author decided to end the book. There was a twist that seemed unnecessary and I was not shocked at all. Mainly, this book was good. It is not the best thing I've ever read, but it is certainly not the worst. I may recommend this book to people looking for a quick book to read if they are looking for something, but I may not go out of my way and try to get my peers to read this book.
Overall, I thought it was good, but it did feel as though it was a bit lacking. It is a quick read, however, and I think it is well-written. The premise is interesting, and I would have liked to see more or learn more about each of the characters. If this book sounds interesting to you, then you should check it out.
October 9, 2015
The Detour is a fast paced read that is just perfect for October. I was captivated and entertained throughout but I definitely was hoping for a bit more.
Livvy’s character is not at all likable.
Even after learning more about her history, I really had a hard time feeling sympathetic for her. You can’t not root for someone to escape when being held hostage in a basement by apparent lunatics…but still…it’s always hard for me to 100% connect with a book if i can’t connect to the main character.
For all her faults, Livvy was spunky.
And I like spunky. I loved her internal dialogues and her half-hearted escape plans and attempts. Her captors were just odd enough to keep me worried for her and there were a few moments where I really had a hard time guessing where this was all going.
I had hoped though, that Bodeen would take this to a bit deeper place.
Maybe I was spoiled by The Compound. This could have been a lot darker and I would have been a lot more invested. We didn’t really get enough of the background or motivations driving any of the characters and that definitely could have added another whole level to The Detour.
I’ve seen a few other reviews mention twists…I didn’t really find The Detour twisty enough. There was the final revelation at the end which I almost but didn’t quite guess.
**Spoiler Alert**
I loved how Bodeen dealt with the topic of plagiarism. With her nod to Stephen King’s Misery and her own main character addressing the issue of plagiarism and potential idea theft, Bodeen handily addressed a pretty weighty issue and still left me wondering where that line really should be drawn.
**End Spoiler**
This wasn’t my favorite of Bodeen’s books but it was still a worthwhile read.
Livvy’s character is not at all likable.
Even after learning more about her history, I really had a hard time feeling sympathetic for her. You can’t not root for someone to escape when being held hostage in a basement by apparent lunatics…but still…it’s always hard for me to 100% connect with a book if i can’t connect to the main character.
For all her faults, Livvy was spunky.
And I like spunky. I loved her internal dialogues and her half-hearted escape plans and attempts. Her captors were just odd enough to keep me worried for her and there were a few moments where I really had a hard time guessing where this was all going.
I had hoped though, that Bodeen would take this to a bit deeper place.
Maybe I was spoiled by The Compound. This could have been a lot darker and I would have been a lot more invested. We didn’t really get enough of the background or motivations driving any of the characters and that definitely could have added another whole level to The Detour.
I’ve seen a few other reviews mention twists…I didn’t really find The Detour twisty enough. There was the final revelation at the end which I almost but didn’t quite guess.
**Spoiler Alert**
I loved how Bodeen dealt with the topic of plagiarism. With her nod to Stephen King’s Misery and her own main character addressing the issue of plagiarism and potential idea theft, Bodeen handily addressed a pretty weighty issue and still left me wondering where that line really should be drawn.
**End Spoiler**
This wasn’t my favorite of Bodeen’s books but it was still a worthwhile read.
December 15, 2017
Very cliche and predictable but still a fun little read.
I wasn't feeling well when I picked up this book. I thought it might be a fun, quick read and thankfully it was. It doesn't require much brain power to read this and you can read it in a couple hours easily and sometimes that is all the requirements I need in a book.
The Detour is a Misery inspired type of book. The book goes into the action from basically the first page which I appreciated. I felt like the author knew they weren't writing a masterpiece but they were giving a nice little thriller to their audience. The MC is probably going to be most people's issue with the book honestly. Olivia is not a very likeable character, she isn't supposed to be. I don't really mind that though - I find it challenges me more to read about a less likeable character because I have to keep myself in check all the time that what is happening to her is beyond horrible and in no way does she deserve it just because her ego is too inflated. She was also famous and only 17, so having a large ego seemed realistic to me. The villians again were cliche but fun - I feel like I could say that sentence about the whole book. They were horrible people and had foolish reasons for why they took Olivia in the first place. The big reveal you see coming a mile away - it wasn't written very well. I wish the author would've been a little more cleaver with that part but ah well.
If you are looking for a short read then grab this one. Probably a good library pick-up. I got in on Bookoutlet for only a couple of dollars and it was certainly worth that for me.
I wasn't feeling well when I picked up this book. I thought it might be a fun, quick read and thankfully it was. It doesn't require much brain power to read this and you can read it in a couple hours easily and sometimes that is all the requirements I need in a book.
The Detour is a Misery inspired type of book. The book goes into the action from basically the first page which I appreciated. I felt like the author knew they weren't writing a masterpiece but they were giving a nice little thriller to their audience. The MC is probably going to be most people's issue with the book honestly. Olivia is not a very likeable character, she isn't supposed to be. I don't really mind that though - I find it challenges me more to read about a less likeable character because I have to keep myself in check all the time that what is happening to her is beyond horrible and in no way does she deserve it just because her ego is too inflated. She was also famous and only 17, so having a large ego seemed realistic to me. The villians again were cliche but fun - I feel like I could say that sentence about the whole book. They were horrible people and had foolish reasons for why they took Olivia in the first place. The big reveal you see coming a mile away - it wasn't written very well. I wish the author would've been a little more cleaver with that part but ah well.
If you are looking for a short read then grab this one. Probably a good library pick-up. I got in on Bookoutlet for only a couple of dollars and it was certainly worth that for me.
May 5, 2015
The story: when teenage author Olivia Lynch goes off the road, more things are turned upside down than just her car. Instead of being rescued, she's kidnapped and held captive. It's clear the woman who grabbed her is looking for revenge--but Livvy has no idea what for. And when she realizes she could be held there forever, at the mercy of a creepy stalker outside her window, Livvy knows it's time to take matters into her own hands...because no matter how awful the outcome of an attempted escape, it can't be worse than this. (Can it?)
(NYP: Oct. 6, 2015) June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; sexual content PG-13; nudity PG-13; substance abuse PG; magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (kidnapping, torture, threatened assault, internet stalking) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.
Liz's comments: Bodeen skillfully ratchets up the tension in the story until you almost can't stand it--that's the upside. Downside is that Olivia is a pretty unlikeable narrator, and even after you learn her backstory of being bullied as a kid (which theoretically should make you understand, if not like, her better) it's hard to care that much about her. At the very end, she shows a little glimmer of improvement, so one can only hope...if you ever think about it again...
(NYP: Oct. 6, 2015) June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG-13; Violence PG-13; sexual content PG-13; nudity PG-13; substance abuse PG; magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (kidnapping, torture, threatened assault, internet stalking) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.
Liz's comments: Bodeen skillfully ratchets up the tension in the story until you almost can't stand it--that's the upside. Downside is that Olivia is a pretty unlikeable narrator, and even after you learn her backstory of being bullied as a kid (which theoretically should make you understand, if not like, her better) it's hard to care that much about her. At the very end, she shows a little glimmer of improvement, so one can only hope...if you ever think about it again...
September 7, 2015
The Detour is about a young author, Livvy, who is headed to a writer's conference when she suddenly has a car accident and needs help. A woman and her young daughter show up at just the right time and Livvy thinks she has been rescued....little does she know..these so called "rescuers" have different intentions in mind....
"She picked up a stick about as thick as a good-sized snake and wielded it like a baseball bat, her fists tightened around it with none of the care she showered on her flute. And before my vision started swimming and I passed out, the last thing I saw was Flute Girl swinging the club straight at my head."
The Detour is a quick, creepy read that is full of tension and just the right amount of suspense. There was always something happening and the amount of mystery was perfect.
How do this women and her daughter know Livvy? How do they know so much about her? What are their reasons behind kidnapping her?? Each twist in the book will have readers turning pages trying to see what will happen next.
The Detour is the perfect book to get into the Halloween spirit...If you are looking for a quick yet suspenseful book then you should definitely check this out! I really enjoyed it!!
"She picked up a stick about as thick as a good-sized snake and wielded it like a baseball bat, her fists tightened around it with none of the care she showered on her flute. And before my vision started swimming and I passed out, the last thing I saw was Flute Girl swinging the club straight at my head."
The Detour is a quick, creepy read that is full of tension and just the right amount of suspense. There was always something happening and the amount of mystery was perfect.
How do this women and her daughter know Livvy? How do they know so much about her? What are their reasons behind kidnapping her?? Each twist in the book will have readers turning pages trying to see what will happen next.
The Detour is the perfect book to get into the Halloween spirit...If you are looking for a quick yet suspenseful book then you should definitely check this out! I really enjoyed it!!
July 22, 2018
Livvy was unlikable, so I did not sympathize with her situation at all. Maybe if she hadn't been judgemental and entitled at the beginning of the book, I might have felt bad for her. But, I didn't.
The "twists" were completely predictable and I saw them coming a mile away.
Major spoilers ahead (don't continue reading if you don't want to know everything that happens...
Just from reading the summary I knew this was going to be some sort of revenge of one of them accusing her of stealing their idea. It was the only thing I could think of as to why someone would hold an author captive (other than the plot of Misery and I assumed the author wasn't going to steal that idea- even though Misery was mentioned a couple of times throughout the book). Evidently, that was the only reason the author could come up with, too. My assumption was correct when we found out about the book that came out right after hers that had the same plot.
With the constant mention of Rory, I knew her online boyfriend- whom she had never met or seen- was a catfish situation. When Peg's cousin was introduced, I knew right away he was "Rory". I already kinda thought Peg and Flute Girl were behind the catfishing, I just didn't figure out how they pulled off the Skype calls until we met Wesley. I was so frustrated during the scene when she was alone with Wesley and he knew all about her Skyping with Rory and he even said the exact same thing Rory always said to her and Livvy STILL didn't figure it out. How did she not recognize his voice in the first place? She talked to him every week for "months and months". She literally didn't figure out Wesley was Rory until he Skyped her after she escaped and turned his camera on and she actually *saw* him. Seriously?!
At first, I thought Livvy was going to be an intelligent heroine after she started thinking about her situation logically and recalling mistakes made by characters in movies about her type of situation. But, everything she did was stupid. First, it took her way too long to figure out she could use the broken plate shards as a weapon. When she did, however, she was smart enough to grab more than one. But, instead of being smart and hiding the shards in different places (including in the bathroom she was fond of locking herself in every time she felt like she was in danger), she put all of them under her pillow. So, when she tried attacking Peg with a shard, but was caught, Peg knew exactly where she hid the other shards and took all of them. Lucky for her, there happened to be a box of wax paper in the room she was locked in and she was smart enough to use the sharp edge as a weapon. Though, how she was smart enough to know to look for wax paper in the first place, but not smart enough to put two and two together when she found the book that had supposedly plagiarized her book, I don't know. Everything literally had to be spelled out for her in the end.
Also, everything just worked out too perfectly for her in the end ("Oh, oops, I guess I was the one who stole the idea in the first place. Oh well, the only other person who knows is dead, so I'm good"). Also, the cop showing up and having a change of heart right when he did was a little too convenient.
I thought the flashbacks to her being bullied as a kid were unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story.
Based on the summary and the cover of the book, I thought this was going to be scary or at least suspenseful. It was not. All she does is sit around in a room alone and think about Rory and how she was bullied as a kid. It was quite boring. So much potential was lost. I mean, her captors fed her spaghetti and doughnuts and pizza and never laid a hand on her until she tried stabbing Peg with the broken plate shard. And even then all they did was pin her down and gag her (briefly). Which, yes, is awful (not awful enough to make someone wet themselves but, alas, that's exactly when Livvy did), but her situation could have been way, way worse. Honestly, the way it was all handled/written made her situation seem more inconvenient than actually horrifying.
I thought the story was going to pick up when Flute Girl tried killing her by locking her in the room with a box full of bees (which she is allergic to). But, that was the only "exciting" part of the book.
As a small side note (nothing major or anything): maybe keep in mind that some people who read this are probably aspiring writers and you probably shouldn't have your main character (whom they're supposed to feel sympathy for) spend the first couple pages of the book insulting aspiring writers over the age of seventeen. Direct quote from the book (page 3): "My success only confirmed my feeling that if those so-called writers hadn't been able to do by thirty what I'd done by sixteen, then they didn't deserve to be published."
It was that kind of self-entitled attitude combined with the fact that she had actually stolen the idea for her book from Peg that made me think she deserved what happened to her. The only thing I think could redeem this (at least a little- maybe get 2 starts instead of 1) would be if that was the author's intention: to have Livvy get her comeuppance. Although, if it was, it wasn't a very good job since she still got away with stealing the book idea. Yes, I realize it wasn't intentional, but the fact that she didn't feel bad that she took someone else's idea and was successful while they had no success at all kinda ruins any forgiveness she could have gotten when it was revealed that it was an accident.
This is a direct quote from the book after she finds out she "inadvertently" stole the idea (page 199): "What happened if this came out? Would people think she had a good enough reason for kidnapping me? Would they think I deserved it? Would everyone think I stole her story? I sucked in a breath. But Peg was dead. And my secret was safe."
I think the only good thing I can say about the book is that it's a quick and easy read (I read it in one sitting) and the chapters are short (always a plus).
The "twists" were completely predictable and I saw them coming a mile away.
Major spoilers ahead (don't continue reading if you don't want to know everything that happens...
Just from reading the summary I knew this was going to be some sort of revenge of one of them accusing her of stealing their idea. It was the only thing I could think of as to why someone would hold an author captive (other than the plot of Misery and I assumed the author wasn't going to steal that idea- even though Misery was mentioned a couple of times throughout the book). Evidently, that was the only reason the author could come up with, too. My assumption was correct when we found out about the book that came out right after hers that had the same plot.
With the constant mention of Rory, I knew her online boyfriend- whom she had never met or seen- was a catfish situation. When Peg's cousin was introduced, I knew right away he was "Rory". I already kinda thought Peg and Flute Girl were behind the catfishing, I just didn't figure out how they pulled off the Skype calls until we met Wesley. I was so frustrated during the scene when she was alone with Wesley and he knew all about her Skyping with Rory and he even said the exact same thing Rory always said to her and Livvy STILL didn't figure it out. How did she not recognize his voice in the first place? She talked to him every week for "months and months". She literally didn't figure out Wesley was Rory until he Skyped her after she escaped and turned his camera on and she actually *saw* him. Seriously?!
At first, I thought Livvy was going to be an intelligent heroine after she started thinking about her situation logically and recalling mistakes made by characters in movies about her type of situation. But, everything she did was stupid. First, it took her way too long to figure out she could use the broken plate shards as a weapon. When she did, however, she was smart enough to grab more than one. But, instead of being smart and hiding the shards in different places (including in the bathroom she was fond of locking herself in every time she felt like she was in danger), she put all of them under her pillow. So, when she tried attacking Peg with a shard, but was caught, Peg knew exactly where she hid the other shards and took all of them. Lucky for her, there happened to be a box of wax paper in the room she was locked in and she was smart enough to use the sharp edge as a weapon. Though, how she was smart enough to know to look for wax paper in the first place, but not smart enough to put two and two together when she found the book that had supposedly plagiarized her book, I don't know. Everything literally had to be spelled out for her in the end.
Also, everything just worked out too perfectly for her in the end ("Oh, oops, I guess I was the one who stole the idea in the first place. Oh well, the only other person who knows is dead, so I'm good"). Also, the cop showing up and having a change of heart right when he did was a little too convenient.
I thought the flashbacks to her being bullied as a kid were unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story.
Based on the summary and the cover of the book, I thought this was going to be scary or at least suspenseful. It was not. All she does is sit around in a room alone and think about Rory and how she was bullied as a kid. It was quite boring. So much potential was lost. I mean, her captors fed her spaghetti and doughnuts and pizza and never laid a hand on her until she tried stabbing Peg with the broken plate shard. And even then all they did was pin her down and gag her (briefly). Which, yes, is awful (not awful enough to make someone wet themselves but, alas, that's exactly when Livvy did), but her situation could have been way, way worse. Honestly, the way it was all handled/written made her situation seem more inconvenient than actually horrifying.
I thought the story was going to pick up when Flute Girl tried killing her by locking her in the room with a box full of bees (which she is allergic to). But, that was the only "exciting" part of the book.
As a small side note (nothing major or anything): maybe keep in mind that some people who read this are probably aspiring writers and you probably shouldn't have your main character (whom they're supposed to feel sympathy for) spend the first couple pages of the book insulting aspiring writers over the age of seventeen. Direct quote from the book (page 3): "My success only confirmed my feeling that if those so-called writers hadn't been able to do by thirty what I'd done by sixteen, then they didn't deserve to be published."
It was that kind of self-entitled attitude combined with the fact that she had actually stolen the idea for her book from Peg that made me think she deserved what happened to her. The only thing I think could redeem this (at least a little- maybe get 2 starts instead of 1) would be if that was the author's intention: to have Livvy get her comeuppance. Although, if it was, it wasn't a very good job since she still got away with stealing the book idea. Yes, I realize it wasn't intentional, but the fact that she didn't feel bad that she took someone else's idea and was successful while they had no success at all kinda ruins any forgiveness she could have gotten when it was revealed that it was an accident.
This is a direct quote from the book after she finds out she "inadvertently" stole the idea (page 199): "What happened if this came out? Would people think she had a good enough reason for kidnapping me? Would they think I deserved it? Would everyone think I stole her story? I sucked in a breath. But Peg was dead. And my secret was safe."
I think the only good thing I can say about the book is that it's a quick and easy read (I read it in one sitting) and the chapters are short (always a plus).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2022
Pretty predictable through out. You knew what was coming so there wasn’t any real surprises.
“The writing retreat was remote, back in the woods somewhere on the highway between my home in the city of Eugene, but near the end of the trip I hit a detour.”
“Other than the starvation, pain, torment, and torture, this incarceration was turning out to be almost like summer camp.”🙄
“The writing retreat was remote, back in the woods somewhere on the highway between my home in the city of Eugene, but near the end of the trip I hit a detour.”
“Other than the starvation, pain, torment, and torture, this incarceration was turning out to be almost like summer camp.”🙄
August 12, 2018
Don't read if you hate kidnapping. It is a really good book about how revenge is a horrible dish and it isn't best served cold.
September 22, 2015
Initial Impressions 8/13/15: I thought this was a really great YA thriller! I've been a big fan of adult mystery/thrillers for a long time now and always advocate the YAs because I feel like I don't see them as often but this was really interesting.
I really enjoyed the overall plot -- it was relatively believable, kept me on the edge of my seat, and I actually love when thrillers are shorter (this book was just over 200 pages) because I feel compelled to finish within one or two sittings so there's never a drop in the action.
I really liked the twists, the changes, and the characters as well as hints and allusions to the thriller movies.
I think there could have been a BIT more to it to totally hook me but I really enjoyed it from start to finish!
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 9/22/15: There’s good news and bad news to this review: the bad news is that it was supposed to be a video review but when I went to go edit it, I found out that the video was very choppy and frozen in several spots while the audio played on. The good news is that it wasn’t a flattering angle of me anyway but more importantly, the audio was salvageable. I supposed my first video review isn’t a horrible flop and we just have to roll with the punches! You’ll just have to listen and be without the image of my smiling face. Lesson learned and hopefully you’ll have a new video from me sometime in the future! [Listen to the audio review on the blog post for THE DETOUR!]
I really enjoyed the overall plot -- it was relatively believable, kept me on the edge of my seat, and I actually love when thrillers are shorter (this book was just over 200 pages) because I feel compelled to finish within one or two sittings so there's never a drop in the action.
I really liked the twists, the changes, and the characters as well as hints and allusions to the thriller movies.
I think there could have been a BIT more to it to totally hook me but I really enjoyed it from start to finish!
Full review as originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide 9/22/15: There’s good news and bad news to this review: the bad news is that it was supposed to be a video review but when I went to go edit it, I found out that the video was very choppy and frozen in several spots while the audio played on. The good news is that it wasn’t a flattering angle of me anyway but more importantly, the audio was salvageable. I supposed my first video review isn’t a horrible flop and we just have to roll with the punches! You’ll just have to listen and be without the image of my smiling face. Lesson learned and hopefully you’ll have a new video from me sometime in the future! [Listen to the audio review on the blog post for THE DETOUR!]
March 28, 2016
Teenage Misery. No, not adolescent angst, but the visceral, kidnapping, possibly-crazed kind of Misery. I loved it. The narrator's voice was strong and I admit to going through several different stages of sympathy as her story is revealed.
Having said that, I felt like Very Bad Things happened to the narrator but I remained confused as to what she'd learned - if anything - afterwards. Not that it necessarily has to be a learning experience (and it was, essentially, horribly traumatic so I wouldn't blame her for wanting to forget it) but I felt like she hadn't really discovered anything much about herself, other than how the book ends. And that seemed like a lost opportunity or even a tiny bit of a disappointment.
Having said that, I felt like Very Bad Things happened to the narrator but I remained confused as to what she'd learned - if anything - afterwards. Not that it necessarily has to be a learning experience (and it was, essentially, horribly traumatic so I wouldn't blame her for wanting to forget it) but I felt like she hadn't really discovered anything much about herself, other than how the book ends. And that seemed like a lost opportunity or even a tiny bit of a disappointment.
September 4, 2015
I disliked every single character in this book. That’s not a bad thing. I did find more than one character to be clichéd. It’s been said before: This is a YA version of Misery, and Misery was one of the few Stephen King books I enjoyed. Many of the plot points were very predictable, but that’s to be expected in YA fiction. There was a surprise or two though, and those surprises were greatly appreciated.
The book is almost non-stop action, and there were no glaring story flaws. Despite predicting much of the book, I enjoyed reading the follow-through. The ending is excellent, and if the author wants to, there could easily be a sequel.
The book is almost non-stop action, and there were no glaring story flaws. Despite predicting much of the book, I enjoyed reading the follow-through. The ending is excellent, and if the author wants to, there could easily be a sequel.
January 11, 2019
3.5 stars.
This was quite good. I liked Olivia for the most part and forgot she was only a teenager but it was towards the end that made me stop and go, 'Yep, spoilt brat teen.' Which cost this book half a star. I had predicted the whole 'love story' part to this but it was still an enjoyable and at times, creepy read. Nothing major creepy but a little bit. Still, it's a story I'd like to re-read. It's short and can be read in one go.
This was quite good. I liked Olivia for the most part and forgot she was only a teenager but it was towards the end that made me stop and go, 'Yep, spoilt brat teen.' Which cost this book half a star. I had predicted the whole 'love story' part to this but it was still an enjoyable and at times, creepy read. Nothing major creepy but a little bit. Still, it's a story I'd like to re-read. It's short and can be read in one go.
August 17, 2016
All you really need to know about this book is that it's basically the Stephen King novel Misery re-written for teens. Not mind-blowing, but extremely recommendable and suspenseful and tense. I can think of like ten teens who like suspenseful violent-ish thrillers who would LOVE THIS. And then want to read Misery for the grown up version :)
January 9, 2017
I don't really know how to review this book. I did like it, but it wasn't amazing. Since it's such a quick read I think it's worth reading since it's well written. It was a very interesting little book. At times near the end it did have me yelling at the main character that she's an idiot, but overall it was good!
October 27, 2015
A story about plagiarism that was plagiarized off 2 Steven King stories.
October 27, 2015
2.5 Awful, but entertaining and entirely readable in its awfulness.
January 5, 2016
4.5 stars. review to come
January 25, 2018
The book, "The Detour" by S.A Bodeen was pretty suspeseful. It was overall a solid, fast paced read that had an interesting plot, and was very well written.
This book features a 17 year old bestselling author named Livvy Flynn, who is rich and successful. While on her way to a writer's conference that she's invited to, she gets into a car wreck. When she wakes up, she is not in a hospital or at home. Instead she is being held captive by a strange women and her daughter. This book was good, however there were a few things that could've been improved. Some events were too predictable, and I could see exactly what was going to happen in the next chapter, which made it hard at times to feel the sense of wonder. The characters were a bit dull and uninteresting, and it was hard to grow an attachment with any of them. Livvy is very spoiled and full of herself, which makes her a hard character to like right away. Although this feeling towards her becomes less critical later in the novel because of some things revealed about her history, it is still hard to like her because of the way she is and what she has done. Her history was explained in a rush, and I feel that the author could've slowed it down a bit, or even integrated it more in the end, so it wasn't such a rush in the middle of the book. Thus, I was a bit dissatisfied with the ending and wanted more explanations. Despite a few bad things about this book, there are also good things, like the way the author created a mood of danger, suspense, and desperation. Bodeen produced a sense of being trapped with the main character, and made me feel for her, despite her unlikeable personality.
Taking these things into account, I rated this book 3 stars because although I thought that this book was good, it felt like it was lacking a bit. It is well-written, but could use more explanation for the characters and events. Overall, "The Detour" by S.A Bodeen, is a good, quick read if you like books that are a little creepy and suspenseful.
This book features a 17 year old bestselling author named Livvy Flynn, who is rich and successful. While on her way to a writer's conference that she's invited to, she gets into a car wreck. When she wakes up, she is not in a hospital or at home. Instead she is being held captive by a strange women and her daughter. This book was good, however there were a few things that could've been improved. Some events were too predictable, and I could see exactly what was going to happen in the next chapter, which made it hard at times to feel the sense of wonder. The characters were a bit dull and uninteresting, and it was hard to grow an attachment with any of them. Livvy is very spoiled and full of herself, which makes her a hard character to like right away. Although this feeling towards her becomes less critical later in the novel because of some things revealed about her history, it is still hard to like her because of the way she is and what she has done. Her history was explained in a rush, and I feel that the author could've slowed it down a bit, or even integrated it more in the end, so it wasn't such a rush in the middle of the book. Thus, I was a bit dissatisfied with the ending and wanted more explanations. Despite a few bad things about this book, there are also good things, like the way the author created a mood of danger, suspense, and desperation. Bodeen produced a sense of being trapped with the main character, and made me feel for her, despite her unlikeable personality.
Taking these things into account, I rated this book 3 stars because although I thought that this book was good, it felt like it was lacking a bit. It is well-written, but could use more explanation for the characters and events. Overall, "The Detour" by S.A Bodeen, is a good, quick read if you like books that are a little creepy and suspenseful.
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