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The Missing
Two Native girls she knows go missing, but when the police don't take it seriously, Feather starts her own investigation. What she doesn't know is that her investigation is leading her into terrible danger.
160 pages, Paperback
First published February 12, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 15, 2016
A book on a topic whose importance can't be overstated: missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada. A Cree teen girl in Winnipeg takes the investigation of her missing friend into her own hands. The first half this book was well done, with intros to characters and building suspicions, but the second half wasn't very well paced. It felt like little happened until the very end, which felt rushed and anticlimactic. Many scenes were left off-screen that would have been good to show (Feather breaking up with her boyfriend, presenting the evidence to free her brother). It also was disappointing that Feather was quite close but never found the killer (although the reader learns who he is at the end). Also, no closure on Mia's mom and abusive step dad? Some loose ends not tied up at all and others very hastily so.
February 12, 2016
Rating: 1.5/5
(I received a free ecopy from the publisher, James Lorimer & Company, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
***Minor spoilers***
Feather lives in Winnipeg, where there is a high amount of Aboriginal girls who go missing or are killed, and their cases are not investigated. Some of Feather's friends, Mia and Carli, go down to the rec centre some nights when they need to escape their home lives for a while. They get a bed at the rec centre, or stay by the riverbank where the other homeless sleep. When Carli goes missing, Feather and Mia know that something bad must have happened to her. However, nobody is willing to investigate, because she is deemed a "habitual runaway" because she goes to the rec centre sometimes. When she is found dead, it is ruled a suicide despite there being marks showing some sort of struggle. When Feather's best friend Mia goes missing at the same place Carli did, she knows she HAS to find the killer, or nobody else will.
I got this book from Netgalley for a challenge, but also because the premise of it sounded mildly interesting. Unfortunately, I didn't end up liking this book that much. It wasn't awful or anything, but I had a few problems with the writing and characters. The writing was very simple and came across as amateur, which would make sense if this was middle grade, but some of the content is too serious and heavy for it to be considered middle grade. There was also a point where I noticed a sudden name change. Feather is on the phone with a man who introduces himself as Paul, but shortly after, Feather calls him Tom.
I found that there was some unnecessary filler that had no impact to the story that didn't have to be included. I know that most novels have filler, but I find that in mystery novels, filler tends to be minimal, and anything which may at the time seem unimportant usually ends up being important later. In this case, there was a lot of unimportant scenes that played no role later. I was able to guess the killer quite quickly, but that wasn't what bothered me the most. It felt like the end was very rushed, as if someone told the author she had to finish her book in a minimum of one page. I wasn't happy with how it turned out.
Overall, I wasn't too happy with this book. I liked that it addressed the issue of the unsolved cases of all the indigenous in Canada, but I didn't think it did the mystery aspect well. There were too many unlikeable things about the book, and the ending wasn't satisfying to me. I think if you're looking for a good YA mystery, you'd be better off reading I Hunt Killers instead. If the premise of this book appeals to you, you may enjoy it, however it is no longer available on Netgalley.
(I received a free ecopy from the publisher, James Lorimer & Company, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
***Minor spoilers***
Feather lives in Winnipeg, where there is a high amount of Aboriginal girls who go missing or are killed, and their cases are not investigated. Some of Feather's friends, Mia and Carli, go down to the rec centre some nights when they need to escape their home lives for a while. They get a bed at the rec centre, or stay by the riverbank where the other homeless sleep. When Carli goes missing, Feather and Mia know that something bad must have happened to her. However, nobody is willing to investigate, because she is deemed a "habitual runaway" because she goes to the rec centre sometimes. When she is found dead, it is ruled a suicide despite there being marks showing some sort of struggle. When Feather's best friend Mia goes missing at the same place Carli did, she knows she HAS to find the killer, or nobody else will.
I got this book from Netgalley for a challenge, but also because the premise of it sounded mildly interesting. Unfortunately, I didn't end up liking this book that much. It wasn't awful or anything, but I had a few problems with the writing and characters. The writing was very simple and came across as amateur, which would make sense if this was middle grade, but some of the content is too serious and heavy for it to be considered middle grade. There was also a point where I noticed a sudden name change. Feather is on the phone with a man who introduces himself as Paul, but shortly after, Feather calls him Tom.
I found that there was some unnecessary filler that had no impact to the story that didn't have to be included. I know that most novels have filler, but I find that in mystery novels, filler tends to be minimal, and anything which may at the time seem unimportant usually ends up being important later. In this case, there was a lot of unimportant scenes that played no role later. I was able to guess the killer quite quickly, but that wasn't what bothered me the most. It felt like the end was very rushed, as if someone told the author she had to finish her book in a minimum of one page. I wasn't happy with how it turned out.
Overall, I wasn't too happy with this book. I liked that it addressed the issue of the unsolved cases of all the indigenous in Canada, but I didn't think it did the mystery aspect well. There were too many unlikeable things about the book, and the ending wasn't satisfying to me. I think if you're looking for a good YA mystery, you'd be better off reading I Hunt Killers instead. If the premise of this book appeals to you, you may enjoy it, however it is no longer available on Netgalley.
January 19, 2016
NetGalley provided a copy of the ePub in exchange for an honest review.
Melanie Florence’s young adult novel The Missing reveals the world of missing girls and women in Winnipeg. It is a tragic issue that has been ignored for so long and by so many. The author reveals events via Feather’s world. She has personally lost two friends. Feather is a strong and determined young lady. She will stop at nothing to help her family, friends and community.
The mystery of the young ladies abductions and deaths is creatively written. The short chapters move quickly. The many twists and turns make The Missing a true page-turner. The author explores many social issues—prejudice, racism, sexual abuse, missing aboriginal children and women, foster care, social media and the flawed justice system.
Every secondary school library information centre should have a copy of Melanie Florence’s The Missing.
Melanie Florence’s young adult novel The Missing reveals the world of missing girls and women in Winnipeg. It is a tragic issue that has been ignored for so long and by so many. The author reveals events via Feather’s world. She has personally lost two friends. Feather is a strong and determined young lady. She will stop at nothing to help her family, friends and community.
The mystery of the young ladies abductions and deaths is creatively written. The short chapters move quickly. The many twists and turns make The Missing a true page-turner. The author explores many social issues—prejudice, racism, sexual abuse, missing aboriginal children and women, foster care, social media and the flawed justice system.
Every secondary school library information centre should have a copy of Melanie Florence’s The Missing.
August 12, 2016
At first I was really invested in the main character, but as the story went on I felt myself losing interest, not just in the character but in the story as a whole. I will say the characters were very relateable, which is always a big plus for me.
The story started off extremely interesting and I didn't want to put it down, but I'd say around 25% of the way through I felt the story went flat. It wasn't awful by any means, it just got slow. The air of mystery was there but not quite gripping me, like it had in the very beginning.
I will say that this book was extremely well written, and I would recommend it to others, it just wasn't for me.
The story started off extremely interesting and I didn't want to put it down, but I'd say around 25% of the way through I felt the story went flat. It wasn't awful by any means, it just got slow. The air of mystery was there but not quite gripping me, like it had in the very beginning.
I will say that this book was extremely well written, and I would recommend it to others, it just wasn't for me.
May 1, 2017
I requested and received a review copy of this book because it's something we are considering using as a text for our lower literacy students. I had mixed feelings about it; on the one hand, I am glad to see a book about an urgent topic like missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. However, I'm just not sure if this book really does it justice. I need to think about this one a bit more.
May 1, 2016
I think I would have liked this book better if I was a teen/young adult but it was a satisfactory mystery about missing Indian girls. Fast read only about 188 pages!
May 5, 2016
This is a fast, easy read that begs you to pay attention to the very real problem of violence against Aboriginal women. I think the main point of this book was to inform people and in that respect I think it succeeds. But let's talk about the story.
Feather is a teenager with a good home life, lucky in her group of friends. She and her brother are cared for by a hard working single mother. Her life is shattered when a friend of hers disappears and is found dead, followed by the disappearance of another friend and the arrest of her older brother in connection to one of the crimes. This is a young adult novel, so I expected an easy read but it almost seems like it's written for middle schoolers despite the subject matter being inappropriate for such young readers. The ending seemed abrupt and rushed. We are given a look into the mind of a madman with some brief chapters, but it never goes into any details about how he became this way and why he targets Aboriginal women. In fact, most characters could have used fleshed out more. I didn't feel much of an attachment to them as I really didn't know very much about them. I would have given a higher rating if I hadn't been so disappointed in how the ending was done. I didn't feel satisfied with how rushed it seemed.
I was given a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, Net Galley and James Lorimer and Company!
Feather is a teenager with a good home life, lucky in her group of friends. She and her brother are cared for by a hard working single mother. Her life is shattered when a friend of hers disappears and is found dead, followed by the disappearance of another friend and the arrest of her older brother in connection to one of the crimes. This is a young adult novel, so I expected an easy read but it almost seems like it's written for middle schoolers despite the subject matter being inappropriate for such young readers. The ending seemed abrupt and rushed. We are given a look into the mind of a madman with some brief chapters, but it never goes into any details about how he became this way and why he targets Aboriginal women. In fact, most characters could have used fleshed out more. I didn't feel much of an attachment to them as I really didn't know very much about them. I would have given a higher rating if I hadn't been so disappointed in how the ending was done. I didn't feel satisfied with how rushed it seemed.
I was given a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, Net Galley and James Lorimer and Company!
November 21, 2016
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in an exchange for an honest review
Feather lives in Winnipeg, where there is a high amount of Aboriginal girls who go missing or are killed, and their cases are not investigated. Some of Feather's friends, Mia and Carli, go down to the rec centre some nights when they need to escape their home lives for a while. They get a bed at the rec centre, or stay by the riverbank where the other homeless sleep. When Carli goes missing, Feather and Mia know that something bad must have happened to her. However, nobody is willing to investigate, because she is deemed a "habitual runaway" because she goes to the rec centre sometimes. When she is found dead, it is ruled a suicide despite there being marks showing some sort of struggle. When Feather's best friend Mia goes missing at the same place Carli did, she knows she HAS to find the killer, or nobody else will.
There are a lot of serious subjects tackled in the book, such as the disappearance of Native girls being ignored by the police, anti-gay sentiments, child abuse, and victim blaming. It ties into many real cases where such disappearances are ignored or mishandled.
The story started off extremely interesting and I didn't want to put it down, but I'd say around 40% of the way through I felt the story went flat. I figured out way early who the killer was which made the book boring to me.
All in all it was an ok book… fast read….
Feather lives in Winnipeg, where there is a high amount of Aboriginal girls who go missing or are killed, and their cases are not investigated. Some of Feather's friends, Mia and Carli, go down to the rec centre some nights when they need to escape their home lives for a while. They get a bed at the rec centre, or stay by the riverbank where the other homeless sleep. When Carli goes missing, Feather and Mia know that something bad must have happened to her. However, nobody is willing to investigate, because she is deemed a "habitual runaway" because she goes to the rec centre sometimes. When she is found dead, it is ruled a suicide despite there being marks showing some sort of struggle. When Feather's best friend Mia goes missing at the same place Carli did, she knows she HAS to find the killer, or nobody else will.
There are a lot of serious subjects tackled in the book, such as the disappearance of Native girls being ignored by the police, anti-gay sentiments, child abuse, and victim blaming. It ties into many real cases where such disappearances are ignored or mishandled.
The story started off extremely interesting and I didn't want to put it down, but I'd say around 40% of the way through I felt the story went flat. I figured out way early who the killer was which made the book boring to me.
All in all it was an ok book… fast read….
January 24, 2016
It is an interesting book about the disappearance of Native girls or women in B.C. The only problem is that those disappearances have never been solved. I don't know if the police can have been so negligent... everything is possible. Still, the huge amount of missing women makes it impossible to think about one person responsible.
The book is well written and easy to read -which is what Lorimer wants. It leaves you with bitter feelings of many mistakes made by the police, in some kind of indifference -because they were just Indians, as the book says? It sounds unbelievable. It gave me a feeling of insanity.
I would have liked a summary of what really happened after the story, to get more information. Then, the book would have been worth 4 stars, especially because it is an easy read on a tough subject. Without more about the real events, and not much information on internet (plus a poor article in Mcleans a few months ago), I still don't have the feeling I know enough to sustain a discussion and I would like to understand better.
The book is well written and easy to read -which is what Lorimer wants. It leaves you with bitter feelings of many mistakes made by the police, in some kind of indifference -because they were just Indians, as the book says? It sounds unbelievable. It gave me a feeling of insanity.
I would have liked a summary of what really happened after the story, to get more information. Then, the book would have been worth 4 stars, especially because it is an easy read on a tough subject. Without more about the real events, and not much information on internet (plus a poor article in Mcleans a few months ago), I still don't have the feeling I know enough to sustain a discussion and I would like to understand better.
February 17, 2016
This would be like any other missing girl story but with aboriginal girls. I liked that the story was simple and straight forward.
Because the author is trying to call attention to the missing of aboriginal girls, at times I felt as it was preaching. But that was okay too.
What I didn't like was that I didn't feel any type of connection with the characters and the story. Are they special just because they are Indians? Why exactly should I care?
I think that I (personally) needed background on the community. I didn't even know where these aboriginal people were until I read in another review that this is in some town or city in Canada.
Overall, I get the author's effort regarding this topic. Perhaps a non-fiction book about these disappearances would've been better.
As I said before, the book is easy to read and the author doesn't try to show off that she swallowed a dictionary which makes the story go fast.
Because the author is trying to call attention to the missing of aboriginal girls, at times I felt as it was preaching. But that was okay too.
What I didn't like was that I didn't feel any type of connection with the characters and the story. Are they special just because they are Indians? Why exactly should I care?
I think that I (personally) needed background on the community. I didn't even know where these aboriginal people were until I read in another review that this is in some town or city in Canada.
Overall, I get the author's effort regarding this topic. Perhaps a non-fiction book about these disappearances would've been better.
As I said before, the book is easy to read and the author doesn't try to show off that she swallowed a dictionary which makes the story go fast.
June 8, 2020
Is this a perfect and beautifully written book with “literary quality?*” No. But it’s not meant to be. This title is referred to as hi-lo (meaning high interest, low readability). The book is written expressly for the purpose of engaging teens in reading successfully and joyfully. So, it’s quite short with simpler language, making it easier to comprehend. There is a lot going on in this book. In less than 200 pages, the author touches on sexual abuse, unhealthy relationships, homelessness, homophobia, alcoholism, racism, and most importantly, the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada (and the US). So yeah, it’s a lot, but this is the ONLY book for teens that I have been able to find that highlights MMIW. This is SO, SO important. Today’s teens are going to change the world, and this is a problem that needs addressing. Combined with relatable characters, the plot will appeal directly to the many teens obsessed with true crime and procedurals like NCIS and SVU. Language, violence, and themes make this more suitable for older teens.
*I don’t subscribe to the idea of “literary quality” as a significant factor in a book’s worth.
*I don’t subscribe to the idea of “literary quality” as a significant factor in a book’s worth.
March 1, 2025
It started out really good and I was super invested in it.But by the end I found myself wondering how many pages I had left and not really interested in it.
But I didn’t hate it it’s just not my favourite.
But I didn’t hate it it’s just not my favourite.
January 5, 2018
I really like this book because it's like mysterious and a girl named Feather love's their friends so much she can't live without them,their like family to her. Feather's friend Carli went missing and found dead in the Red River. Feather was surprise that the police wrote it as suicide.Feather's best friend Mia went missing. Mia's mother and stepfather covered Mia runaways. Feather is trying to find out who is the serial killer taking and killing the Native girls
June 2, 2019
(TW: sexual assault, murder, abuse, child molestation)
I wanted to like this more than I did.
I think it is well written in that it brings to light an issue within Canada for many years and has recently been declared a Canadian genocide. However, the writing was choppy and the characters were flat. I couldn't connect to them and felt like they were too cartoony and stereotypical high school students.
I also felt that there was a lot of victim blaming throughout the book. Much of it was to make a point to accurately reflect how the Canadian criminal justice system/general public feels about missing and murdered Indigenous women - "oh they were drug users/sex workers/runaways/homeless so it was inevitable." And while I appreciate the accuracy of that, I did not appreciate when the victim blaming came directly from a character who was on "their side" the entire novel. Throughout the novel Feather was adamant that it was not Mia and Carli's fault that they disappeared, they were taken and that was that - it was an epidemic. However, at one point she changed her mind, thinking:
"But the sheer number of Aboriginal girls hanging out alone or just with one other girl was mind-boggling. Didn't they know how dangerous it was for them? Hadn't they read the statistics? I wanted to yell, 'Get out of here! We're four times more likely to be killed than that white girl over there!' But I didn't."
I feel like this switch is harmful within the narrative, where we see the shift in mindset from solidarity to victim blaming - which is an incredibly dangerous shift that has led to the genocide in itself. It's easier to blame the victims than to admit there is a problem and while I appreciated what the author was trying to do, I felt like this shift within Feather's mindset hurt the overall message.
Overall I enjoyed the story, it's a quick read that discusses a lot of hard truths in a way that is easy to unpack and get sucked into the story. I do think the writing was weak, but the overall message was apparent: this is a problem that needs to be solved yesterday.
I wanted to like this more than I did.
I think it is well written in that it brings to light an issue within Canada for many years and has recently been declared a Canadian genocide. However, the writing was choppy and the characters were flat. I couldn't connect to them and felt like they were too cartoony and stereotypical high school students.
I also felt that there was a lot of victim blaming throughout the book. Much of it was to make a point to accurately reflect how the Canadian criminal justice system/general public feels about missing and murdered Indigenous women - "oh they were drug users/sex workers/runaways/homeless so it was inevitable." And while I appreciate the accuracy of that, I did not appreciate when the victim blaming came directly from a character who was on "their side" the entire novel. Throughout the novel Feather was adamant that it was not Mia and Carli's fault that they disappeared, they were taken and that was that - it was an epidemic. However, at one point she changed her mind, thinking:
"But the sheer number of Aboriginal girls hanging out alone or just with one other girl was mind-boggling. Didn't they know how dangerous it was for them? Hadn't they read the statistics? I wanted to yell, 'Get out of here! We're four times more likely to be killed than that white girl over there!' But I didn't."
I feel like this switch is harmful within the narrative, where we see the shift in mindset from solidarity to victim blaming - which is an incredibly dangerous shift that has led to the genocide in itself. It's easier to blame the victims than to admit there is a problem and while I appreciated what the author was trying to do, I felt like this shift within Feather's mindset hurt the overall message.
Overall I enjoyed the story, it's a quick read that discusses a lot of hard truths in a way that is easy to unpack and get sucked into the story. I do think the writing was weak, but the overall message was apparent: this is a problem that needs to be solved yesterday.
February 4, 2016
I received a Kindle copy of The Missing by Melanie Florence, from James Lorimer & Company, via NetGalley for an honest review.
From Canada, and through The Great Lakes, a river of missing and murdered indigenous girls and women flow.
For too long those in a position of leadership and trust have refused to show alarm, or investigate. Native lives matter. This is a cause that I support.
When I got the option to read The Missing I could not know that it deals with nerve of this cause..
Melanie Florence has written a book that hits the nerve of a silent epidemic. This problem gets little press.
I would nominate "The Missing" for a Pulitzer Peace Prize.
This is a fictional story of Indigenous teens, homes, and their broken society. They fight to survive. A few thrive.
The minute I started reading "The Missing" I could not stop.
Since I finished this book, I cannot stop thinking about this novel. Melanie Florence is a skilled storyteller. Some truths are too harsh to accept in non-fiction.
This novel is well written. I have already recommended it to many others who care about this cause.
Kudos to Melanie Florence.
I hope every person who cares about human beings reads this book. May this be a catalyst to change the flow and destruction of Indigenous youth and women.
Excellent job.
I recommend this for Y/A, teens and adults.
From Canada, and through The Great Lakes, a river of missing and murdered indigenous girls and women flow.
For too long those in a position of leadership and trust have refused to show alarm, or investigate. Native lives matter. This is a cause that I support.
When I got the option to read The Missing I could not know that it deals with nerve of this cause..
Melanie Florence has written a book that hits the nerve of a silent epidemic. This problem gets little press.
I would nominate "The Missing" for a Pulitzer Peace Prize.
This is a fictional story of Indigenous teens, homes, and their broken society. They fight to survive. A few thrive.
The minute I started reading "The Missing" I could not stop.
Since I finished this book, I cannot stop thinking about this novel. Melanie Florence is a skilled storyteller. Some truths are too harsh to accept in non-fiction.
This novel is well written. I have already recommended it to many others who care about this cause.
Kudos to Melanie Florence.
I hope every person who cares about human beings reads this book. May this be a catalyst to change the flow and destruction of Indigenous youth and women.
Excellent job.
I recommend this for Y/A, teens and adults.
April 1, 2016
Melanie Florence has produced a taut and timely thriller which deals with the contemporary Canadian problem of missing and murdered aboriginal girls and women. It is definitely an issue that has not routinely appeared in young adult fiction, and Florence approaches the subject through the voice of Feather Bedard, a seventeen year old aboriginal girl attending high school in Winnipeg. Two of her friends suddenly disappear, and one is deemed a suicide. When Feather's brother, Kiowa, is considered a suspect in the disappearance of one of the girls and is arrested and taken to the Winnipeg Remand Center, Feather wants answers. When she is written off by the local police as an aboriginal time-waster, Feather takes the investigation into her own hands.
"The Missing" is well written and creatively presented. It's a real page turner that is written for the reluctant or struggling reader, but is a quick read for anyone. Where the book falls down is in the plotting. There are holes as big as an average sized canyon as Florence attempts to bring together many social issues and create a tidy ending. She does this but wraps everything up too tidily and too quickly. The ultimate revelation has a deflated feel to it.
"The Missing" is well written and creatively presented. It's a real page turner that is written for the reluctant or struggling reader, but is a quick read for anyone. Where the book falls down is in the plotting. There are holes as big as an average sized canyon as Florence attempts to bring together many social issues and create a tidy ending. She does this but wraps everything up too tidily and too quickly. The ultimate revelation has a deflated feel to it.
January 26, 2016
While I enjoy mysteries and thrillers, the description of this book is usually not one I would pick to read. However, I decided to take a chance on it and I really enjoyed it. The chapters are short, and the book flows well to make it a quick, easy, and enjoyable read.
This is a complete work of fiction, but the story is probably pretty close to the truth in describing the unfair treatment of the Aboriginal people. Someone is targeting Indigenous women, and the authorities think it is purely a waste of time to investigate. They wrote off the deaths and disappearances as suicides, accidents, or runaways.
The book wraps up rather quickly. I feel like the author could've explored a little bit more and enriched the ending, especially once we find out who the killer is. But as it is all loose ends are tied up nice and neat and you're left feeling satisfied. This book would appeal to teens and young adults more that older adults I believe, as it is filled with teen life, high school drama and gossip, and the struggles of trying to survive day to day. I received this as a free ARC from James Lorimer and Company on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a complete work of fiction, but the story is probably pretty close to the truth in describing the unfair treatment of the Aboriginal people. Someone is targeting Indigenous women, and the authorities think it is purely a waste of time to investigate. They wrote off the deaths and disappearances as suicides, accidents, or runaways.
The book wraps up rather quickly. I feel like the author could've explored a little bit more and enriched the ending, especially once we find out who the killer is. But as it is all loose ends are tied up nice and neat and you're left feeling satisfied. This book would appeal to teens and young adults more that older adults I believe, as it is filled with teen life, high school drama and gossip, and the struggles of trying to survive day to day. I received this as a free ARC from James Lorimer and Company on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2018
**Spoiler Alert**
Almost immediately I had a worry about how frivolous some of the conversation about MMIW was presented and then worries about whether the book was “too soon” in that MMIW is still a very high profile issue in Canada. In fact, there is an inquiry happening right now and no conclusions on the next steps have even been presented.
Aside from the issue of timing, I guessed, by content and literacy level that this was either directed at an adult audience with low literacy or young adults who are dealing with this very heavy topic on a day to day basis who also have low literacy. In that case, if it was meant for an audience who are dealing with these issues the language, as mentioned earlier, seemed too frivolous and likely triggering.
There was adequate tension build up in the beginning with an anti-climactic last portion. Time seemed to have “over-collapsed” and a rushed ending and too much left open like Kiowa & Feather’s mother’s reactions during and after his incarceration, her break-up with Jake, the Mia’s mother and step-dad.
Overall the issue of MMIW in the book could have been done with more care, and the storyline more thoughtful towards the end.
Almost immediately I had a worry about how frivolous some of the conversation about MMIW was presented and then worries about whether the book was “too soon” in that MMIW is still a very high profile issue in Canada. In fact, there is an inquiry happening right now and no conclusions on the next steps have even been presented.
Aside from the issue of timing, I guessed, by content and literacy level that this was either directed at an adult audience with low literacy or young adults who are dealing with this very heavy topic on a day to day basis who also have low literacy. In that case, if it was meant for an audience who are dealing with these issues the language, as mentioned earlier, seemed too frivolous and likely triggering.
There was adequate tension build up in the beginning with an anti-climactic last portion. Time seemed to have “over-collapsed” and a rushed ending and too much left open like Kiowa & Feather’s mother’s reactions during and after his incarceration, her break-up with Jake, the Mia’s mother and step-dad.
Overall the issue of MMIW in the book could have been done with more care, and the storyline more thoughtful towards the end.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2016
The Missing is more of a young adult novel in my opinion the chapters were short and the twists and turns were plentiful.
I found the book quite interesting, it wasn't a very scary book and had the right amount of suspense to keep you reading on. Social media, racism and sexual abuse were all covered in the book and tackled well I thought.
The lead character Feather has a very strong personality and is determined to get to the bottom of why young women are going missing, including two of her friends especially when her brother is arrested for one of the murders. She stands up for what she believes in (rare these days) and I liked her character a lot. I received a copy of The Missing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and open review.
In all not a bad book, more suited to high school age readers though I think, but I enjoyed it and would still recommend it to friends. Loved the cover too!
I found the book quite interesting, it wasn't a very scary book and had the right amount of suspense to keep you reading on. Social media, racism and sexual abuse were all covered in the book and tackled well I thought.
The lead character Feather has a very strong personality and is determined to get to the bottom of why young women are going missing, including two of her friends especially when her brother is arrested for one of the murders. She stands up for what she believes in (rare these days) and I liked her character a lot. I received a copy of The Missing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and open review.
In all not a bad book, more suited to high school age readers though I think, but I enjoyed it and would still recommend it to friends. Loved the cover too!
May 15, 2016
NetGalley provided an ARC.
This book deserves four stars! It's a young adult-mystery novel, and it is written well. It has short chapters and it is fast paced too so it wouldn't bore you or leave you hanging. Also, the point of view of the mystery abductor will make you more curious.
I also like the characters, they are not so annoying and not so useless. It just makes me wonder why Feather's parents do not have much appearance in the story, especially she's a minor.
It's also good that it tackled the issue of racism. I hope that many people will be able to read this especially those in Canada and USA.
https://bibliophilemish.wordpress.com...
This book deserves four stars! It's a young adult-mystery novel, and it is written well. It has short chapters and it is fast paced too so it wouldn't bore you or leave you hanging. Also, the point of view of the mystery abductor will make you more curious.
I also like the characters, they are not so annoying and not so useless. It just makes me wonder why Feather's parents do not have much appearance in the story, especially she's a minor.
It's also good that it tackled the issue of racism. I hope that many people will be able to read this especially those in Canada and USA.
https://bibliophilemish.wordpress.com...
April 14, 2018
This is a topic that definitely needs attention. Crimes against indigenous people don't get the attention they deserve and this is true of crimes against any marginalized people. Because of this, I gave the book a slightly higher number of stars than it probably deserves.
I felt that the writing was simple and that the author wanted to get certain facts and statistics across to the reader, but they were inserted in an awkward way. The mystery was not difficult to figure out and there was no real motive. It seemed like a lot of things were brought up that we're never fully dealt with. these would have made for a longer, more in depth book.
I felt that the writing was simple and that the author wanted to get certain facts and statistics across to the reader, but they were inserted in an awkward way. The mystery was not difficult to figure out and there was no real motive. It seemed like a lot of things were brought up that we're never fully dealt with. these would have made for a longer, more in depth book.
August 8, 2016
I received this ARC from netgalley. It was a good read, very interesting but I felt unsatisfied with the ending. I wished there was more, but it represented real life and people dont always get closure and it really reminded me of a lifetime movie. Overall it was a 3.5. I felt like there was a lot of loose ends that were just built up and quickly dealt with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2017
This book is really well-written and draws you in, although it's disturbing since it's about missing aboriginal teens. One bone I had to pick with it was that the names were mixed up in some places. (e.g. In one place, the store clerk had a name tag that said "Patrick" but then they called him "Paul", the name of another character in the book.) Otherwise, I thought it was very good.
May 14, 2017
A weighty and important topic to be sure, but I'm not sure this story was written well enough to do it justice. The basic plot was very interesting, but it wasn't as suspenseful or engaging as I wanted it to be.
April 22, 2016
Raw and honest. A fictionalized account of something that is too real.
March 20, 2021
Not worth reading again at least in my opinion
May 24, 2024
The book started out very well, I enjoyed reading it. It had a lot of buildup, but the ending was lackluster. It almost felt as though the author ran out of time and had to rush through the last few pages. It was disappointing because the main character didn't really SOLVE the mystery, it just solved itself. Even if she was in a time crunch, I really would've preferred that the book end on a cliff hanger, and she could then flesh it out more in the second book. There were one or two grammatical errors but aside from that, it was well written. I would still recommend reading it, as it was a good book aside from the ending. I liked how between the chapters there were mini-chapters from the killers first-person perspective. It was creepy reading those parts, and it was interesting to try and work out the mystery on our own. I'm just sad that Feather never got to really embrace that "detective" side.
(Spoilers Ahead!!!!)
After Mia (Feather's best friend) goes missing, and the police do nothing to find her, Feather (the main character) starts trying to find out who it is that's been taking these girls. It seemed like she was so close to finding Mia, and I was excited to see how she would devise a plan to save her and catch the kidnapper. I thought maybe she'd see him watching her, and follow him home or something but nope. And after the deus ex machina climax, where she didn't even find out who it was, and the killer just died, it time skips to a year later, after they've found Mia's body. It was frustrating, because I would've liked if she had shown the guilt and despair that Feather would've felt upon finding out her best friend died despite her efforts to save her. Feather found out after Mia's disappearance that Mia and Feather's big brother, Kiowa, had been dating. They didn't want to tell Feather for fear of her reaction. Mia had been feeling very guilty about the secrecy. Imagine the pain Feather would feel when she realized she never got to tell Mia that she forgives her, and she's not angry. Feather would feel a great despair at not being able to save her best friend, when she was so close. But, we never get any evidence of the pain she would feel. All we get is Feather saying "I miss her every day" at Mia's funeral. We, as readers, find out who the killer was, but the main characters never do.
But yeah, the ending was disappointing and rushed, but the rest of the book was good.
(Spoilers Ahead!!!!)
After Mia (Feather's best friend) goes missing, and the police do nothing to find her, Feather (the main character) starts trying to find out who it is that's been taking these girls. It seemed like she was so close to finding Mia, and I was excited to see how she would devise a plan to save her and catch the kidnapper. I thought maybe she'd see him watching her, and follow him home or something but nope. And after the deus ex machina climax, where she didn't even find out who it was, and the killer just died, it time skips to a year later, after they've found Mia's body. It was frustrating, because I would've liked if she had shown the guilt and despair that Feather would've felt upon finding out her best friend died despite her efforts to save her. Feather found out after Mia's disappearance that Mia and Feather's big brother, Kiowa, had been dating. They didn't want to tell Feather for fear of her reaction. Mia had been feeling very guilty about the secrecy. Imagine the pain Feather would feel when she realized she never got to tell Mia that she forgives her, and she's not angry. Feather would feel a great despair at not being able to save her best friend, when she was so close. But, we never get any evidence of the pain she would feel. All we get is Feather saying "I miss her every day" at Mia's funeral. We, as readers, find out who the killer was, but the main characters never do.
But yeah, the ending was disappointing and rushed, but the rest of the book was good.
March 12, 2025
The book seems to be intended to describe the experience of girls who are at the risk of being exploited in Indigenous cultures, amidst the breakdown of families. I’m trying to understand the motives of the author when she includes where a girl’s mom’s boyfriend touches her breast and another girl’s buttocks casually and without consent.
The writing seems simple and is more motivated by wanting to draw public attention to the issue of the specialization of Indigenous girls. Perhaps it would be worth considering writing a book about the systematic rape of girls in England by men of Pakistani descent.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4...
The writing seems simple and is more motivated by wanting to draw public attention to the issue of the specialization of Indigenous girls. Perhaps it would be worth considering writing a book about the systematic rape of girls in England by men of Pakistani descent.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4...
June 4, 2018
I gave this book 5 stars because to me I thought it was the best book I have read in a long time. When I first started I wasn't so into it but once I started to understand what it was about and continued to read it my like for the book got stronger. I love how the book touches social issues that I have learned about in class such as race, human trafficking and much more. I recommend this book to anyone that is into mystery and surprises. For a fiction book it sure did seem super real and touch a couple this in the real world that are not made up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2019
This was a really quick and easy read. I really appreciated the importance of the topic and the accessibility of the book for the non-reader. I would be able to get past the predictability of some of the plot; however, I struggled with the mix-up of character names. At one point, they have one name and within the same dialogue, their name has changed. It just felt like someone should have caught that in the editing process. I enjoyed the story otherwise.
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