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Right Behind You
When he was nine, Kip set another child on fire. Now, after years in a juvenile ward, he is ready for a fresh start. But the ghosts of his past soon demand justice, and he must reveal his painful secret. How can Kip tell anyone that he really is--or was--a murderer?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2007
102 people are currently reading
11535 people want to read
About the author
Gail Giles
12 books279 followersGail Giles is the author of six young adult novels. Her debut novel, Shattering Glass, was an ALA Best of the Best Book, a Book Sense 76 selection, and a Booklist Top 10 Mystery for Youth selection. The novel is about an high school boy named Simon Glass that is helped to become one of the most popular dogs in school by other students. Her second novel, Dead Girls Don’t Write Letters, was an ALA Top 10 Quick pick (2003) and a Book Sense 76 selection. Her third novel, Playing in Traffic, is an epic story about a boy trying to help a gothic girl.
She is a former high school teacher who grew up in Texas and now lives there happily with her husband, two dogs, and three cats. Gail has one son and two grandsons.
She is a former high school teacher who grew up in Texas and now lives there happily with her husband, two dogs, and three cats. Gail has one son and two grandsons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 526 reviews
August 21, 2011
Right Behind You starts out strong, interesting and well written. It is the story of Kip, a guy who set fire to another kid when he was only nice years old. The thing is, Kip isn’t a psychotic kid. He has some anger control issues and some family issues… but for the most part, he is a normal kid who through circumstances beyond his control was in a position to set fire to the other kid, and Kip did it without a second thought. Until said kid burnt up and Kip’s life was forever altered.
For all of the tough issues this book brought up and addressed, in the end it shied away from anything too dark and gritty. We see a little bit of Kip’s life in a ward for dangerous and psychotic minors. Then the majority of the book takes place as we follow him after he is released. Oddly, this is where the book goes downhill. No matter how normal Kip may have been before the fire incident and the incarceration, and no matter how much psychotherapy he may have had, the bottom line is Kip is still a teenager who should be struggling with normal teenager bad behavior in addition to his hot mess of issues from killing a kid and spending his formative years in a ward for dangerously mental ill boys. But when Kip is in the real world, he does pretty well. When he makes a mistake, he eventually realizes it and alters his behavior. He strives to be a good kid and do the right thing; and he frequently succeeds. Sorry, I’m not buying that. Author Gail Giles shows us Kip and other kids (in the ward) at their worst, yet she is unwilling (or unable) to show Kip truly having any difficulty adjusting to the real world.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved Right Behind You while reading it, and it is a well written book. But for all of the interesting issues it brought up (child murderers, appropriate punishment, the media, forgiveness, teenage drinking, sexuality… just to name a few!) in the end, I couldn’t help feeling that it glossed over the truly tough aspect of dealing with any these topics. Three stars while reading this one, but ultimately a two star book.
For all of the tough issues this book brought up and addressed, in the end it shied away from anything too dark and gritty. We see a little bit of Kip’s life in a ward for dangerous and psychotic minors. Then the majority of the book takes place as we follow him after he is released. Oddly, this is where the book goes downhill. No matter how normal Kip may have been before the fire incident and the incarceration, and no matter how much psychotherapy he may have had, the bottom line is Kip is still a teenager who should be struggling with normal teenager bad behavior in addition to his hot mess of issues from killing a kid and spending his formative years in a ward for dangerously mental ill boys. But when Kip is in the real world, he does pretty well. When he makes a mistake, he eventually realizes it and alters his behavior. He strives to be a good kid and do the right thing; and he frequently succeeds. Sorry, I’m not buying that. Author Gail Giles shows us Kip and other kids (in the ward) at their worst, yet she is unwilling (or unable) to show Kip truly having any difficulty adjusting to the real world.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved Right Behind You while reading it, and it is a well written book. But for all of the interesting issues it brought up (child murderers, appropriate punishment, the media, forgiveness, teenage drinking, sexuality… just to name a few!) in the end, I couldn’t help feeling that it glossed over the truly tough aspect of dealing with any these topics. Three stars while reading this one, but ultimately a two star book.
April 18, 2012
I didn't know what to expect when I ordered this book, it arrived and I tackled it. It's out of my league on what type of book I usually read. It's Young Adult, true, but it's not M/M either and it's no romance novel either.
Basically it's about Kip and I'm not going to repeat what the summary already tells you about this book, but rather what it does not. It'll go into minute detail on what was going through Kip's mind when he was at the young age of 9 and set that boy on fire. A boy his age who lives for only 3 days before he died. It'll tell you what him and his father had to deal with as he was growing up, and each time he thought he could trust someone and tell about his true identity, he was let down and relocated to a different city, different state to get away from those who in my opinion were no better than murders themselves. Why? Because they wanted this young boy Kip to die as well.
Strange, but I didn't shed a tear reading this one and remained indifferent. I don't know. I'm not heartless, but the scenes were not there that it would make me shatter emotionally. I was very angry. Not at Kip though. At everyone else besides Kip.
It's one book I would read again at some point in the future and a great topic launcher for a discussion.
Basically it's about Kip and I'm not going to repeat what the summary already tells you about this book, but rather what it does not. It'll go into minute detail on what was going through Kip's mind when he was at the young age of 9 and set that boy on fire. A boy his age who lives for only 3 days before he died. It'll tell you what him and his father had to deal with as he was growing up, and each time he thought he could trust someone and tell about his true identity, he was let down and relocated to a different city, different state to get away from those who in my opinion were no better than murders themselves. Why? Because they wanted this young boy Kip to die as well.
Strange, but I didn't shed a tear reading this one and remained indifferent. I don't know. I'm not heartless, but the scenes were not there that it would make me shatter emotionally. I was very angry. Not at Kip though. At everyone else besides Kip.
It's one book I would read again at some point in the future and a great topic launcher for a discussion.
August 30, 2010
When Kip was 9, he set another boy on fire. He was young, he was angry, and he didn’t really think about the consequences – he just lashed out in anger at something the boy had said. When Bobby, 7 years old, started screaming and burning, it was already too late. Bobby died 2 days later. Kip became catatonic. When he regained his faculties, he was in an institution for mentally disturbed (and violent) youth. Kip spent several years at the institution, coming to terms with what he did and learning to deal with his powerful emotions. Eventually, his therapist was able to convince authorities that Kip was no longer a danger to society. When Kip was released into his dad’s custody, he learned just how hard things had been for his dad, the repercussions of his actions (neighbors burned their house to the ground, his dad lost his job and had to move, hateful retaliation followed his father wherever he went). They decided it would be best if they moved away from Alaska (and the scene of Kip’s crime), and took on new lives and names. Kip became “Wade” and he and his dad (and dad’s new wife, Carrie) moved to Indiana.
In Indiana, Wade follows his therapist’s advice and he rapidly makes friends. He joins the swim team, he finds a girlfriend, he does well in school. Everything is going really well for him until one night when he sabotages it all by revealing who he really is and what he did. At first no one is sure what to think, but when Wade’s story is confirmed he immediately becomes a pariah and all of the small town’s fear and hatred becomes focused on him and his family. Again. Wade feels terrible – mostly because his self-destructive behavior has once again made things impossible for his father and Carrie. They make another escape – this time to the Texas coast, where Carrie has inherited a beach house from her deceased ex-step-father. It’s there that Wade meets another broken teenager who helps him learn the hardest lesson – that he may never be able to forgive himself for what he did, but that he doesn’t need to punish himself any longer.
Wade decides to share his story one last time (in this book you’re reading) with the girl he’s come to know – Sam, who has her own traumatic tale to tell, the one he wants more than anything to understand him. Before he writes it down, however, he clears it with his dad and Carrie, and he makes sure that Sam understands the effect it would have on his family if it were to be made public knowledge. And then he waits. He waits for Sam and hopes. But he also plans to leave if she’s just one more person who can’t accept the truth about him.
This was really gripping. Psychologically, Wade was a fascinating character. He’s also smart and funny, too, which helps. And he’s truly horrified by what he did. There was never any suspense for me as to whether he’d kill again (that’s what everyone else seemed to be afraid of). He made plenty of other mistakes, but he knew immediately when he’d screwed up. This story could lead to some interesting discussions about forgiveness, punishment, unforgivable crimes, juvenile criminals, and what *you’d* do if you just found out your closest friend had killed someone. It was the people who responded to Wade’s crimes with equal violence that worried me more than Wade did. Because they thought they were administering some kind of justice (however warped that might be). What kind of responsibility do we have to confront potential dangers to our society? Should we take steps to punish, seek vengeance or retribution, beyond what our criminal justice system offers? Uncomfortable, but satisfying read.
In Indiana, Wade follows his therapist’s advice and he rapidly makes friends. He joins the swim team, he finds a girlfriend, he does well in school. Everything is going really well for him until one night when he sabotages it all by revealing who he really is and what he did. At first no one is sure what to think, but when Wade’s story is confirmed he immediately becomes a pariah and all of the small town’s fear and hatred becomes focused on him and his family. Again. Wade feels terrible – mostly because his self-destructive behavior has once again made things impossible for his father and Carrie. They make another escape – this time to the Texas coast, where Carrie has inherited a beach house from her deceased ex-step-father. It’s there that Wade meets another broken teenager who helps him learn the hardest lesson – that he may never be able to forgive himself for what he did, but that he doesn’t need to punish himself any longer.
Wade decides to share his story one last time (in this book you’re reading) with the girl he’s come to know – Sam, who has her own traumatic tale to tell, the one he wants more than anything to understand him. Before he writes it down, however, he clears it with his dad and Carrie, and he makes sure that Sam understands the effect it would have on his family if it were to be made public knowledge. And then he waits. He waits for Sam and hopes. But he also plans to leave if she’s just one more person who can’t accept the truth about him.
This was really gripping. Psychologically, Wade was a fascinating character. He’s also smart and funny, too, which helps. And he’s truly horrified by what he did. There was never any suspense for me as to whether he’d kill again (that’s what everyone else seemed to be afraid of). He made plenty of other mistakes, but he knew immediately when he’d screwed up. This story could lead to some interesting discussions about forgiveness, punishment, unforgivable crimes, juvenile criminals, and what *you’d* do if you just found out your closest friend had killed someone. It was the people who responded to Wade’s crimes with equal violence that worried me more than Wade did. Because they thought they were administering some kind of justice (however warped that might be). What kind of responsibility do we have to confront potential dangers to our society? Should we take steps to punish, seek vengeance or retribution, beyond what our criminal justice system offers? Uncomfortable, but satisfying read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2007
This book was fabulous! The story handles a very delicate issue of rehabilitation and a person's ability to carry on their life afer committing a horrible act.
A year after losing his mother to cancer, 9-year-old Kip McFarland's horrible act was that he set a 7-year-old boy on fire because he was jealous of the kid's baseball glove. How does a child recover from such a terrible thing? Well, for Kip, he spends 4 years in a lockdown psychiatric facility and with the love and support of his Dad and stepmom, Carrie, Kip tries to make a new life for himself. His journey is difficult, yet profound. It rings so true to the inspiring strength that teenagers manage to muster up ever day.
A year after losing his mother to cancer, 9-year-old Kip McFarland's horrible act was that he set a 7-year-old boy on fire because he was jealous of the kid's baseball glove. How does a child recover from such a terrible thing? Well, for Kip, he spends 4 years in a lockdown psychiatric facility and with the love and support of his Dad and stepmom, Carrie, Kip tries to make a new life for himself. His journey is difficult, yet profound. It rings so true to the inspiring strength that teenagers manage to muster up ever day.
August 17, 2019
When I read the summary for this book, I was so intrigued and I wanted to read it immediately. This book deals with a terrifying subject; children who kill. I had never heard or thought about a book dealing with this subject before, and I had never imagined that I would actually care for a fictional character who had murdered another child.
The book is about Kip, who as a nine-year-old sets another child on fire, a seven-year-old who later dies of his injuries. Though it may sound like it, Kip is not a pchycopathic devil child - he did not mean for the other child to die. The story follows his life, from the incident to his time spent in a mental institution, and till he is ready to come back into the real world, as Wade.
This story is beautifully written, and although I have never murdered anyone or spent even a second in therapy, this book feels very realistic. If you think this book sounds interesting, then please do yourself a favour and read it.
The book is about Kip, who as a nine-year-old sets another child on fire, a seven-year-old who later dies of his injuries. Though it may sound like it, Kip is not a pchycopathic devil child - he did not mean for the other child to die. The story follows his life, from the incident to his time spent in a mental institution, and till he is ready to come back into the real world, as Wade.
This story is beautifully written, and although I have never murdered anyone or spent even a second in therapy, this book feels very realistic. If you think this book sounds interesting, then please do yourself a favour and read it.
May 29, 2015
Let me start out by saying that I was prepared to hate this book. I have very strongly held opinions on certain things, and one of them is that it's completely unforgiveable for someone to murder a child, even if the perpetrator was a child himself. I often cling to my beliefs and stubbornly refuse to be swayed, even, I'm ashamed to admit, when someone can logic me out of them. This book shook my beliefs.
I found myself becoming so sympathetic to Kip/Wade, even if I didn't want to. There were extenuating circumstances, of course, that made Kip's act slightly different than one that might be committed by a truly sociopathic kid in training. Kip was intending to destroy something when he did it, and the fact that the victim caught fire was not intended. Does that make the act any easier to forgive or forget? No. Does it make it more excusable? No. Does it make it all right? No. But it does make the resulting journey to redemption more believable and desired.
Kip/Wade spends his years after emerging from juvenile, moving around with his family, as, just because the doctor's say he's rehabilitated, the angry public do not agree. He takes on a new name, a new home, and must begin his life again battling the guilt and shame of what he did. If his journey were portrayed as anything less than grueling and remorseful, it wouldn't have been as easy to forgive him and begin to root for him. The author handles this progression through Kip's many stages of growth so thoroughly and well, that by the time the end comes, you are fully in Kip's corner.
Kudos to Ms. Giles for tackling such a difficult topic. A short Q&A is at the back of the book, in which she stated that she had received so much hate mail, mainly from outraged adults, regarding this book. The fact that she had the courage to tell such a controversial story in the face of such disapproval is great, because I would not have wanted to miss this book.
I found myself becoming so sympathetic to Kip/Wade, even if I didn't want to. There were extenuating circumstances, of course, that made Kip's act slightly different than one that might be committed by a truly sociopathic kid in training. Kip was intending to destroy something when he did it, and the fact that the victim caught fire was not intended. Does that make the act any easier to forgive or forget? No. Does it make it more excusable? No. Does it make it all right? No. But it does make the resulting journey to redemption more believable and desired.
Kip/Wade spends his years after emerging from juvenile, moving around with his family, as, just because the doctor's say he's rehabilitated, the angry public do not agree. He takes on a new name, a new home, and must begin his life again battling the guilt and shame of what he did. If his journey were portrayed as anything less than grueling and remorseful, it wouldn't have been as easy to forgive him and begin to root for him. The author handles this progression through Kip's many stages of growth so thoroughly and well, that by the time the end comes, you are fully in Kip's corner.
Kudos to Ms. Giles for tackling such a difficult topic. A short Q&A is at the back of the book, in which she stated that she had received so much hate mail, mainly from outraged adults, regarding this book. The fact that she had the courage to tell such a controversial story in the face of such disapproval is great, because I would not have wanted to miss this book.
March 8, 2010
The story is located in Alaska. Kip is a 9 year old kid who lives with his father in a cabin. His mother died with cancer.
One day Kip was busy doing some work, his aunt showed up and wanted to take him away from his father and to add more to the problem, his friend was irritating him with his brand new baseball glove. Too many things going on at the same time for Kip, so he didn't think; he grabbed gasoline, spread it in his friend's body and set him on fire.
He was sent to a mental hospital where he talked with his doctor everyday.
He was 13 now, he got released but he changed his name and last name for the security of his family, also they moved to Indiana.
He started his fresman year, really nervous because he could't say a word about his past. In his sophomore year he got a girlfriend and found his new pasion, swimming. Until his junior year, he exploded.
He and his team had won a swimming competition, so they were to party. They were drunk and high and one of his friends was jealous of his "perfect life" so Kip could'nt take it anymore and he said everything. Now everyone knew about it. Kip's stepmother owned a beach house in Texas, so that was their only choice, they moved there.
This time Kip wouln't go to school, he was gonna be homeschooled for his security.
Sam, his neighbor, was Kip's age and she was gonna teach him how to sail.
They were good friends, even Sam told Kip his dark past, but still Kip couldn't say a word about his.
Kip decided to do it anyway so he writes a book about it and gives it to her.
The book was really good, I really liked it. But, I'm not a fan of this kind of endings that let you hanging there. Kip gives Sam the book and nothing happens, they don't say what happens to them after that.
One day Kip was busy doing some work, his aunt showed up and wanted to take him away from his father and to add more to the problem, his friend was irritating him with his brand new baseball glove. Too many things going on at the same time for Kip, so he didn't think; he grabbed gasoline, spread it in his friend's body and set him on fire.
He was sent to a mental hospital where he talked with his doctor everyday.
He was 13 now, he got released but he changed his name and last name for the security of his family, also they moved to Indiana.
He started his fresman year, really nervous because he could't say a word about his past. In his sophomore year he got a girlfriend and found his new pasion, swimming. Until his junior year, he exploded.
He and his team had won a swimming competition, so they were to party. They were drunk and high and one of his friends was jealous of his "perfect life" so Kip could'nt take it anymore and he said everything. Now everyone knew about it. Kip's stepmother owned a beach house in Texas, so that was their only choice, they moved there.
This time Kip wouln't go to school, he was gonna be homeschooled for his security.
Sam, his neighbor, was Kip's age and she was gonna teach him how to sail.
They were good friends, even Sam told Kip his dark past, but still Kip couldn't say a word about his.
Kip decided to do it anyway so he writes a book about it and gives it to her.
The book was really good, I really liked it. But, I'm not a fan of this kind of endings that let you hanging there. Kip gives Sam the book and nothing happens, they don't say what happens to them after that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2008
Kip McFarland is a murderer. In Alaska, Kip set a neighbor boy on fire when he was nine years old. Kip has spent years in a facility for violent juvenile offenders. Kip is 14 years old and is about to be released. It is time for Kip McFarland to disappear.
Starting over again in Indiana with his father and new stepmother, "Wade" enters school for the first time and tries to move away from his violent past. Things seem to be going swimmingly- he gets a best friend, a girlfriend, a newfound interest in the sport of swimming and good grades. But despite his therapist's warnings about hungry ghosts, he self-destructs his seemingly picture-perfect life in a drunken confession, and his past comes back to devour his future.
Starting over once again in a Texas beach house his step-mother has recently inherited, Wade has one more chance. Will he deny himself the opportunity for human contact in order to protect his family from further heartbreak, or will he take a chance on forgiveness?
Giles is a modern master of thought-provoking teen psychologial thrillers. Self-acceptance, forgiveness, retribution and redemption are all important themes brought up during Wade's journey, and the reader is left to contemplate their own hungry ghosts along the way. Highly recommended for those looking for a "meaty" realistic teen fiction read.
Starting over again in Indiana with his father and new stepmother, "Wade" enters school for the first time and tries to move away from his violent past. Things seem to be going swimmingly- he gets a best friend, a girlfriend, a newfound interest in the sport of swimming and good grades. But despite his therapist's warnings about hungry ghosts, he self-destructs his seemingly picture-perfect life in a drunken confession, and his past comes back to devour his future.
Starting over once again in a Texas beach house his step-mother has recently inherited, Wade has one more chance. Will he deny himself the opportunity for human contact in order to protect his family from further heartbreak, or will he take a chance on forgiveness?
Giles is a modern master of thought-provoking teen psychologial thrillers. Self-acceptance, forgiveness, retribution and redemption are all important themes brought up during Wade's journey, and the reader is left to contemplate their own hungry ghosts along the way. Highly recommended for those looking for a "meaty" realistic teen fiction read.
February 10, 2025
The portrayal of healing, grief, and acceptance that this story shows was incredibly relatable, especially in the face of the complexities of life-changing trauma. “I figured out that I can’t forget. I can’t really forgive. But I can live. Live with it”
December 19, 2011
Murderer. Murderer. Murderer. Those words resonate through Kip McFarland’s brain every time his name is spoken. I am a murderer. When Kip was only a kid, homeschooled in Alaska, he set fire and burned another child to death, by accident. Accident or no, the death stayed with him for every moment of his life. Kip was just getting rid of the aftereffects and the shock of watching his cousin and writhe and scream, but the memory never left him completely. The officials had already sent orders for Kip to be institutionalized ina juvinile ward. There, Kip grew hardened, only the shadow of his former self. He even needed a shrink for analyzing his every move, and his father visited frequently to check up on him. After years of this cycle, finally Kip’s father offers a way out of this madhouse. A chance to start over, with a clean slate, a new name, living in the state of Indiana. The whole package, too good to be true. Soon Kip McFarland is no longer Kip, but Wade Madison. Wade is you typical high school kid, complete with a circle of friends and being the star of the school’s swim team. However, Wade/Kip knows that this arrangement can only be temporary. Without coming clean about his past, there is no peace in Wade’s mind. The question is, how long before Wade burns away his only sanctuary? After, will he be able to piece together the remaining ashes of his life? Gail Giles will light a spark in readers’ hearts, a burning desire to read on. The spark starts a raging forest fire, and readers will devour this book the way flickers of flame devour wood.
September 27, 2012
When Kip was a child, he set another little boy on fire because of a baseball glove. After spending years in a lockdown mental ward, Kip has a chance at a new life. Because the hate of the community pushed out his father and stepmother, Kip and his family move from Alaska to Indiana and change their names. Now named Wade, Kip tries to pretend his crime never happened, yet he is consumed by crushing guilt that becomes self-destructive.
Kip's behavior was spot-on with someone feeling the way he does, although I felt like he was a bit too easily self-aware about it all - his sessions with his therapists seemed too easy. He was very likable despite his horrible crime and I was rooting for him the whole time. The backlash of the community seemed really extreme; I'm not sure two separate communities would condemn him in such a harsh way in real life - maybe I'm naive to think that people are more forgiving than that, or that it would be much more passive-aggressive. Kip's relationship with Sam was nice in the end and give it some hope. There were still a few unanswered questions, and I'm not totally sure I liked the blurbs throughout in Sam's voice (I had no idea whose voice it was for most of the book). Overall, it was an enjoyable read - but you know how I like books about mental hospitals!
Kip's behavior was spot-on with someone feeling the way he does, although I felt like he was a bit too easily self-aware about it all - his sessions with his therapists seemed too easy. He was very likable despite his horrible crime and I was rooting for him the whole time. The backlash of the community seemed really extreme; I'm not sure two separate communities would condemn him in such a harsh way in real life - maybe I'm naive to think that people are more forgiving than that, or that it would be much more passive-aggressive. Kip's relationship with Sam was nice in the end and give it some hope. There were still a few unanswered questions, and I'm not totally sure I liked the blurbs throughout in Sam's voice (I had no idea whose voice it was for most of the book). Overall, it was an enjoyable read - but you know how I like books about mental hospitals!
June 9, 2016
4.25
Really enjoyed this!! I found the story really engaging. The book pulled me right in from start to finish. I was never bored while reading this. I got so attached to Kip as a character. To see his character development was amazing. This is a really short and powerful read. I think it could give so many people an insight. It shows a boy who made a huge mistake and how it affected him and others around him. We watch as he is trying to fight in and have a fresh start.
I would really love to read more by Gail Giles.
My only con for this novel was I didn't think it needed much of romance. It wasn't the main factor of the story. But I feel it could have been minimized or it to just be a friendship kind of relationship!
"You're not tough. You're broken."
"Because you think you don't deserve to be happy. You have to learn that you do. You owe me that. I have never asked you for anything but I am asking you for your own happiness."
Really enjoyed this!! I found the story really engaging. The book pulled me right in from start to finish. I was never bored while reading this. I got so attached to Kip as a character. To see his character development was amazing. This is a really short and powerful read. I think it could give so many people an insight. It shows a boy who made a huge mistake and how it affected him and others around him. We watch as he is trying to fight in and have a fresh start.
I would really love to read more by Gail Giles.
My only con for this novel was I didn't think it needed much of romance. It wasn't the main factor of the story. But I feel it could have been minimized or it to just be a friendship kind of relationship!
"You're not tough. You're broken."
"Because you think you don't deserve to be happy. You have to learn that you do. You owe me that. I have never asked you for anything but I am asking you for your own happiness."
December 27, 2007
(Disclosure: I blurbed this book)
From the get-go, Giles catapults readers into this story of rage and redemption. The book begins with Kip as a child setting his seven-year-old neighbor in Alaska on fire, then follows his time in a facility for violent juvenile offenders, and his release back out into the world. Rather than asking the common question about violent teens (why?), Giles dares to ask a harder one (what now?). As in her previous novels, Giles spins a page-turning tale of psychological suspense with teen characters walking the hard line linking good and evil. The story of Wade / Kip sails the stormy waters between the jagged rocks of remorse and the hard place known as redemption. Right Behind You is a like a shadow; it is dark, it lingers, and it will make you jump and your hands bleed from turning the pages so fast.
From the get-go, Giles catapults readers into this story of rage and redemption. The book begins with Kip as a child setting his seven-year-old neighbor in Alaska on fire, then follows his time in a facility for violent juvenile offenders, and his release back out into the world. Rather than asking the common question about violent teens (why?), Giles dares to ask a harder one (what now?). As in her previous novels, Giles spins a page-turning tale of psychological suspense with teen characters walking the hard line linking good and evil. The story of Wade / Kip sails the stormy waters between the jagged rocks of remorse and the hard place known as redemption. Right Behind You is a like a shadow; it is dark, it lingers, and it will make you jump and your hands bleed from turning the pages so fast.
February 26, 2016
The book I read was Right Behind You by Gail Giles, which starts with a young 8 year old boy named Kip who lives in Alaska with his father. He is also a boy you would probably never meet in real life. There is one day where Kip's life will change forever, he was helping his dad with work when a kids named Bobby comes to him showing off his birthday gift. Then Kip lights Bobby on fire. After that Kip goes to a ward and also has a therapist. During his time in the ward many bad things happened to his father. Later Kip is no longer, but now he is Wade. Wade, his father, and someone else special go move to Indiana to start a new life, but thing also go wrong there with Wade's secret getting out. The next part of his life, they move to Texas, where Wade will meet a special girl. Right Behind You was an amazing book overall and it's nice how everything ended.
February 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
this was a lovely little book! i loved the complicated nature of the plot and i think Kip’s voice was really engaging! really showcased the feelings of remorse and healing well.
i was just a bit confused with the POV at the end and just something about it didn’t make it a perfect 5⭐️ for me!
this was a lovely little book! i loved the complicated nature of the plot and i think Kip’s voice was really engaging! really showcased the feelings of remorse and healing well.
i was just a bit confused with the POV at the end and just something about it didn’t make it a perfect 5⭐️ for me!
January 21, 2022
Ive never read a book that deals with guilt in such a honest way. I think the theme is that no matter the horrible act a person has done, that person is still human whether we like it or not. Its a really great book
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March 15, 2019I thought that this book was interesting because like the boy had killed another boy which really shocked me.What also shocked me was that the protagonist had to basically change his identity because his father was ashamed about what he did(killing the other boy). So in my head I thought that it was really messed up for the way his father did to him.I would recommend this book to people who enjoy seeing others change in a way you never would have thought would.
October 13, 2014
Right Behind You by Gail Giles is a new take into the mind of a child killer. Although most novels portraying the stories of child murderers, psychopaths, killers, or criminals use a more psychiatric approach, this novel, even though it is fiction, takes its approach by actually using the point of view of the criminal- in this case a child murderer. When I use the term “child murderer”, I am not referring to an adult who murders children; I’m referring to a child, who at a young age murdered another child. Throughout the book, you really get a take on how much someone’s personal decisions affect themselves and their loved ones; it even goes into depths about how much someone’s personal guilt never truly leaves them.
The book within itself is not exactly a novel. The first page is actually from the point of view of Sam, one of the arguably main characters, who does not actually show up until towards the end of the book. It’s from her perspective that we find out that the book is actually a series of journals given to her by our main character Kip/Wade. Throughout the book, there are moments when it flips to Sam’s point of view and describes her reaction to what has happened, even though some of it involves herself. This isn’t just a set of journals given to a random stranger; these journals were given to Sam as Kip’s way of confessing his dark past and up until the end, the thing that helps him finally move on after so many years of torturing himself.
The beginning shows that from as early as his childhood, Kip was harboring a lot of dark feelings, especially about his parents- his dad making them live out in the Alaskan bush and his parents constantly fighting. It’s probably his harsh childhood that brings him to finally snap, causing him to light another child on fire due to the other child’s seemingly perfect life. Kip goes into shock for months on end, closing himself up to the world until he final begins to talk again. Even after his first words are uttered, Kip if very withdrawn and finds it hard to grasp what he did. Eventually Kip will go into denial, anger, and finally remorse and guilt- not only for the death of the child, but for the threats, job transfers, and overall suffering his dad has had to go through. When the times comes for Kip to leave the juvenile facility with the new identity of Wade, things finally start to look up for him: he’s feeling better, he’s surrounded by his loved ones, and he gets an entirely fresh start. The only problem is that he is never truly happy with himself- he allows himself to suffer because he feels that he doesn’t deserve happiness, ruining himself by exposing who he really is or closing himself off to others when he eventually transfers to new locations. The real turning point for Kip/Wade is when he meets his new neighbor, Sam. Still burdened by the guilt, he tries to avoid her for as long as possible, until eventually he and Sam start to make a connection. Kip’s guilt forces him to grow up and tell Sam who he is before he gets t0o far into their relationship. It’s at that moment that he realizes that although you can��t change the past, you can help to make your future and the future of others better. Although his guilt isn’t completely gone, Kip allows himself to finally be happy and in doing trusts Sam with his secret.
Kip, a young boy at the beginning of the book and a young man at the book’s end, is so filled with guilt and darkness that as a young child he commits the crime of murder, setting a younger boy on fire. Throughout the book, you see Kip go from a troubled, angered young adult into someone harboring so much guilt, that it is impossible for them to make their own life any better. It seemed that just as things were starting to look positive in Kip’s life, he would bring them crashing down upon himself as a way to try and bury some of the guilt that he has carried with him throughout his whole life. A real turning point for him is when his family, his dad and stepmom, are forced to move to his stepmom’s inherited house by the beach after Kip reveals his true identity in his previous town. It is there he meets Sam, a young woman about the same age who harbors just as much pain in her past as Kip does. Her confidence and perseverance that led her to shed her shame, leads Kip to come to grips with his own guilt, almost transforming him into a different person.
I gave this book a five out of five because I feel that it was very well written and harbored a lot of good life lessons and advice. It’s rollercoaster of emotions left me want to continue reading and I would definitely recommend it to others. I would more specifically recommend this book to a mature audience (14+) who have a love for phycology, human nature, or books dealing with a troubled main character. I would recommend it to either gender with the hopes that they enjoy all of the twists and turns the book has to offer. This is definitely one of my favorite books.
May 3, 2016
Right Behind You by Gail Giles tells the story of Kip McFarland. At nine years old, Kip set his seven-year-old neighbor on fire because he was jealous of the baseball glove the boy received for his birthday. Three days later the boy died and Kip was committed to a juvenile facility for the criminally insane, where he spends the next four years in rehabilitation. When Kip is 14, he is finally released, and he, his father, and his stepmother move to a new town, with a new name, to restart their lives. At their new home, in Indiana, Kip becomes Wade. Wade has a potentially perfect life. He joins the swim team, he has a girlfriend, and he does well in school. Everything goes well until Wade, under the influence of alcohol, reveals who he really is. At first no one is sure what to think, but when Wade’s story is confirmed he immediately becomes a pariah and all of the small town’s fear and hatred becomes focused on him and his family. Once again, Wade and his family pack up and move away. Wade’s stepmother inherited a beach house on the Texas coast which becomes their new home. Here, Wade meets another broken teenager, a girl named Sam. Sam helps Wade learn that while he may never forgive himself for what he has done, he does not need to punish himself. Wade decides to share his story with Sam in a book, this book. I believe Giles wrote Right Behind You to prove, once again, that the truth will always come out. Although Kip, who spends 4 years in an institution, adjusts well to being in public once again, and establishes a very promising life, his mental state does not allow him to continue. Once Kip fully becomes Wade, he is always aware of what he says and his actions. He is a very emotional being, one who can be easily set off. After one or two mistakes, Wade is smart enough to be able to adjust into a new lifestyle, but his past comes back to haunt him. While drunk, a state in which Wade’s ability to hold everything back is wavered, he tells of his past. Giles proves the worldwide belief of the truth by setting her main character into a possibly perfect life, only to have the truth ruin it. She showed that no matter how long one can pretend that an event did not occur; no matter how long one can holdback the truth, the truth will come out, one way or another.
A theme in Right Behind You is learning how to live with oneself when one has done something wrong. Kip refuses to truly live with what he’s done, and spends years in an institution. Wade tries to live without what he’s done in Indiana, but fails. Finally, in Texas, Wade learns to live with what he did when he was 9 years old. Giles’s main character spends a long time angry with himself, and eventually his self hatred turns into self destruction. After this, Wade is no longer angry, but he feels he deserves no love, and no happiness. In Texas, Sam helps him realize that while he may never forgive himself for what he did, he does not have to be angry. He does not need to punish himself, he has to live with his past. Giles presents her theme of living with one’s past by showing the reader Wade’s emotion struggles and thoughts throughout her entire novel.
Right Behind You is written as a narrative, with the main character as the narrator. Giles’s chosen style for Right Behind You is effective because the novel revolves around Wade’s psychology. Without a look into his thoughts, the reader would never truly understand Wade’s emotions and thoughts. The narration allows the reader to connect with Wade by sharing his confused angry thoughts and overwhelming guilt. Near the end of the book, when it is revealed that this book is a book for Sam, written by Wade to tell Same his story, this style is proven even more so effective. It adds to the story and the future of the novel after the written ending by allowing the reader to learn Wade’s story along with Sam and then letting the reader know about it.
Overall, I enjoyed Right Behind You. I love psychology and reading about Wade through Wade was particularly interesting because most of the time, Wade knew the psychology behind his actions. I found it interesting to read about a teenager who knew the consequences of his actions, and felt incredibly guilty about causing his family to move. Wade is a witty character, which makes him all the more entertaining to read about. I did not particularly enjoy the ending, which is left as a bit of a cliffhanger with no sequel, but the novel was overall enjoyable.
A theme in Right Behind You is learning how to live with oneself when one has done something wrong. Kip refuses to truly live with what he’s done, and spends years in an institution. Wade tries to live without what he’s done in Indiana, but fails. Finally, in Texas, Wade learns to live with what he did when he was 9 years old. Giles’s main character spends a long time angry with himself, and eventually his self hatred turns into self destruction. After this, Wade is no longer angry, but he feels he deserves no love, and no happiness. In Texas, Sam helps him realize that while he may never forgive himself for what he did, he does not have to be angry. He does not need to punish himself, he has to live with his past. Giles presents her theme of living with one’s past by showing the reader Wade’s emotion struggles and thoughts throughout her entire novel.
Right Behind You is written as a narrative, with the main character as the narrator. Giles’s chosen style for Right Behind You is effective because the novel revolves around Wade’s psychology. Without a look into his thoughts, the reader would never truly understand Wade’s emotions and thoughts. The narration allows the reader to connect with Wade by sharing his confused angry thoughts and overwhelming guilt. Near the end of the book, when it is revealed that this book is a book for Sam, written by Wade to tell Same his story, this style is proven even more so effective. It adds to the story and the future of the novel after the written ending by allowing the reader to learn Wade’s story along with Sam and then letting the reader know about it.
Overall, I enjoyed Right Behind You. I love psychology and reading about Wade through Wade was particularly interesting because most of the time, Wade knew the psychology behind his actions. I found it interesting to read about a teenager who knew the consequences of his actions, and felt incredibly guilty about causing his family to move. Wade is a witty character, which makes him all the more entertaining to read about. I did not particularly enjoy the ending, which is left as a bit of a cliffhanger with no sequel, but the novel was overall enjoyable.
May 21, 2012
How do you define "crazy" or "criminal"? This book highlights the courage and strength it takes one boy to overcome his past and grow back into a normal societal setting. Kip McFarland lost his mother when he was just 9 years old, and blamed her for leaving him and not trying to get hospital care for her cancer. Kip's Dad became distant and living in Alaska, Kip wasn't really close to many kids his age. The story starts off with a boy lost looking for some kind of happiness. He is taunted by his neighbor Bobby Clarke who is only 7. He has a baseball glove that he got for his birthday and rubs it in Kip's face that he doesn't have a mother to buy him one and that his dad is too poor. A 9 year old boy with no hope to be happy in his life. He douses Bobby Clarke in gasoline that his Dad left out to start up a bonfire and Bobby Clarke is murdered. So, my question is, and the overall theme of this story is, How does one measure a "crazy" person? How can you really say this 9 year old boy deserves to die, and to never be trusted in a normal society?
This story brings the theme of "normalcy" and how to measure that in a society. Yes, murder is murder, and everyone has their own opinion on what fair punishment is, but a 9 year old boy? What should happen to him? He spends years and years of his childhood in a psych ward, with other characters named Slice n Dice and TwoFer. Slice n Dice was put away for slaughtering other neighbor's pets and leaving them in their yard, and TwoFer was "pimped" by his dad to other men and stabbed one of the clients. So does Kip really measure up to these boys? I really enjoyed this book because it took the reader along a journey of how a boy turns to a hated criminal and how he must cope with himself. He constantly blames himself for everything and believes that he should never feel happiness. I don't think I've ever looked through the murderer's eyes in a story, so this was a good depiction of what they endure. Kip felt shame and guilt for his actions which was 100% different than the boys he spent time with. This story definitely highlights how people function and how they judge so easily. Kip and his family were run out of town and he was sent away to be institutionalized.
I loved this book for so many reasons. Kip reminds me of characters I've read about in other books like Exit Here or Dead End. This was a great depiction of the struggle of the mind that we all face. Yes, he murdered another person, but he faced guilt, anger and shame for the rest of his life and eventually was able to move on and find some acceptance. He struggles with gluing his family back together while adapting to a new location and his surroundings in Texas. I definitely recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys listening in to the mind of a wounded and tortured person trying to find their way.
This story brings the theme of "normalcy" and how to measure that in a society. Yes, murder is murder, and everyone has their own opinion on what fair punishment is, but a 9 year old boy? What should happen to him? He spends years and years of his childhood in a psych ward, with other characters named Slice n Dice and TwoFer. Slice n Dice was put away for slaughtering other neighbor's pets and leaving them in their yard, and TwoFer was "pimped" by his dad to other men and stabbed one of the clients. So does Kip really measure up to these boys? I really enjoyed this book because it took the reader along a journey of how a boy turns to a hated criminal and how he must cope with himself. He constantly blames himself for everything and believes that he should never feel happiness. I don't think I've ever looked through the murderer's eyes in a story, so this was a good depiction of what they endure. Kip felt shame and guilt for his actions which was 100% different than the boys he spent time with. This story definitely highlights how people function and how they judge so easily. Kip and his family were run out of town and he was sent away to be institutionalized.
I loved this book for so many reasons. Kip reminds me of characters I've read about in other books like Exit Here or Dead End. This was a great depiction of the struggle of the mind that we all face. Yes, he murdered another person, but he faced guilt, anger and shame for the rest of his life and eventually was able to move on and find some acceptance. He struggles with gluing his family back together while adapting to a new location and his surroundings in Texas. I definitely recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys listening in to the mind of a wounded and tortured person trying to find their way.
March 17, 2015
Right Behind You is a book about the mind of a child killer. A child, who at the age of 9 murdered another child. He was too young to go to jail so they put him in a juvenile facility. Throughout the book, you will see how much someone’s personal decisions affect themselves and their loved ones; it also talks about how much someone’s personal guilt never completely leaves them.
The beginning shows that from as early as his childhood, Kip has had a lot of dark feelings, especially about his parents- his dad making them live out in the Alaskan bush and his parents constantly fighting. It’s probably his harsh childhood that brings him to finally snap, causing him to light another child on fire due to the other child’s seemingly perfect life. Kip goes into shock for months on end, closing himself up to the world until he finally begins to talk again. Even after his first words are uttered, Kip is very withdrawn and finds it hard to grasp what he did. Eventually Kip will go into denial, anger, and finally remorse and guilt- not only for the death of the child, but for the threats, job transfers, and overall suffering his dad has had to go through. When the times comes for Kip to leave the juvenile facility with the new identity of Wade, things finally start to look up for him: he’s feeling better, he’s surrounded by his loved ones, and he gets an entirely fresh start. The only problem is that he is never truly happy with himself- he allows himself to suffer because he feels that he doesn’t deserve happiness, ruining himself by exposing who he really is or closing himself off to others when he eventually transfers to new locations. The real turning point for Kip/Wade is when he meets his new neighbor, Sam. Still burdened by the guilt, he tries to avoid her for as long as possible, until eventually he and Sam start to make a connection. Kip’s guilt forces him to grow up and tell Sam who he is before he gets too far into their relationship. Many journals were given to Sam as Kip’s way of confessing his dark past. Although his guilt isn’t completely gone, Kip allows himself to finally be happy and in doing trusts Sam with his secret.
I gave this book a five out of five because I feel that it was very well written and had a lot of good life lessons and advice. I would definitely recommend it to others. I would recommend this book to a mature audience(14+), who like to read books that contain phycology, human nature, or books dealing with a troubled main character. I would recommend it to either gender with the hopes that they enjoy all of the twists and turns the book has to offer.
The beginning shows that from as early as his childhood, Kip has had a lot of dark feelings, especially about his parents- his dad making them live out in the Alaskan bush and his parents constantly fighting. It’s probably his harsh childhood that brings him to finally snap, causing him to light another child on fire due to the other child’s seemingly perfect life. Kip goes into shock for months on end, closing himself up to the world until he finally begins to talk again. Even after his first words are uttered, Kip is very withdrawn and finds it hard to grasp what he did. Eventually Kip will go into denial, anger, and finally remorse and guilt- not only for the death of the child, but for the threats, job transfers, and overall suffering his dad has had to go through. When the times comes for Kip to leave the juvenile facility with the new identity of Wade, things finally start to look up for him: he’s feeling better, he’s surrounded by his loved ones, and he gets an entirely fresh start. The only problem is that he is never truly happy with himself- he allows himself to suffer because he feels that he doesn’t deserve happiness, ruining himself by exposing who he really is or closing himself off to others when he eventually transfers to new locations. The real turning point for Kip/Wade is when he meets his new neighbor, Sam. Still burdened by the guilt, he tries to avoid her for as long as possible, until eventually he and Sam start to make a connection. Kip’s guilt forces him to grow up and tell Sam who he is before he gets too far into their relationship. Many journals were given to Sam as Kip’s way of confessing his dark past. Although his guilt isn’t completely gone, Kip allows himself to finally be happy and in doing trusts Sam with his secret.
I gave this book a five out of five because I feel that it was very well written and had a lot of good life lessons and advice. I would definitely recommend it to others. I would recommend this book to a mature audience(14+), who like to read books that contain phycology, human nature, or books dealing with a troubled main character. I would recommend it to either gender with the hopes that they enjoy all of the twists and turns the book has to offer.
August 31, 2014
The blurb on the back of RIGHT BEHIND YOU is misleading. This first person account of nine-year-old Kip begins on the day of the tragedy. Isolated and still mourning his mother's death, he's jealous of the boy next door who got a baseball mitt for his birthday. He splashes gas that his father told him to move onto the glove and lights a match, never anticipating that the boy would also catch fire and die. Nearly catatonic, a remorseful Kip can't speak for months. He's sentenced to a juvenile detention hospital, where he spends the next four years getting therapy and rehabilitation. Still, he's wracked with guilt and feelings of wanting to punish himself. After his release Kip becomes Wade, his father and new stepmother also needing to change names to avoid vigilantes who have already struck. The family moves half way across the country, but Wade can't escape the self-hatred and guilt of his actions. Will he self destruct, or can he finally start allowing himself to live and accept what he's done as part of, not the totality of who he is?
From the first page, RIGHT BEHIND YOU grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I could have read this breathtaking in one setting, but I wanted to extend the pleasure longer. As I said, the blurb is misleading. Kip/Wade is not a murder, even though he killed a child when he was 9. He was a sad, lonely, needy, messed up kid who did a thoughtless act with deadly consequences that at his age he could have never predicted. Gail Giles's use of voice in Kip's first person narration is pitch perfect and that voice grows as we follow him from ages 9 to 17, his voice growing and gaining vocabulary as he aged. His character, as multidimensional as any I can remember reading, grows, not linearly, but two steps forward one step back and sometimes one step forward, two back. Giles is a gifted storyteller to be able to make Kip/Wade sympathetic, even when he's acting abominably, I think feels remorse and never blames his victim.
RIGHT BEHIND YOU will be enjoyed by teens and adults, though enjoy isn't the right word, due to the heavy contact. Perhaps savor is a more appropriate. Readers will learn about mistakes, judgment, self loathing, remorse and learning to forgive, though not forget.
From the first page, RIGHT BEHIND YOU grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I could have read this breathtaking in one setting, but I wanted to extend the pleasure longer. As I said, the blurb is misleading. Kip/Wade is not a murder, even though he killed a child when he was 9. He was a sad, lonely, needy, messed up kid who did a thoughtless act with deadly consequences that at his age he could have never predicted. Gail Giles's use of voice in Kip's first person narration is pitch perfect and that voice grows as we follow him from ages 9 to 17, his voice growing and gaining vocabulary as he aged. His character, as multidimensional as any I can remember reading, grows, not linearly, but two steps forward one step back and sometimes one step forward, two back. Giles is a gifted storyteller to be able to make Kip/Wade sympathetic, even when he's acting abominably, I think feels remorse and never blames his victim.
RIGHT BEHIND YOU will be enjoyed by teens and adults, though enjoy isn't the right word, due to the heavy contact. Perhaps savor is a more appropriate. Readers will learn about mistakes, judgment, self loathing, remorse and learning to forgive, though not forget.
October 1, 2010
I choose to read this book because I thought it was going to be interesting and intense, and I like those kinds of books, and it was an interesting and intense book. The genre is young adult, realistic fiction. Half of the setting is in Alaska. The other half of the book is Wade in indiana and Wade in Texas. A wuick description of the main character is that Kip (Wade) was with his neighbor and his neighbor was showing off his new baseball glove. Well Kip got mad and wanted his baseball glove and poored gasoline all over his neighbor and then lit him on fire. He had to go to juvi and to therapy for the most part of his life. Once he was old enough his father and his fathers neew girlfriend and Kip himself moved to Indiana. When Kip moved to Indiana he had to change his his name (first and last) and had to tell everybody a lie about his background. A couple years later when he was at a party he got drunk and had told everybody what he had did when he was little and why he moved to Indiana. Once everybody knew he had to move again because everybody in town hated him and didn't want to be by him anymore. Whenhe moved o Texas he had found this girl who he had liked, his step mom introduced him to, but then the girl that he had thought he had liked was being mean to his neighbor who hes bestfriends with. He decided to leave his girlfriend for his bestfriend. His bestfriend, who was a girl, had a secret to tell him. Once he found out what her secret was he didn't think it was as bad as his secret was. He had learned how to trust her, and she was the only friend that he could trust without having them judge him. I actually liked this book a lot, it was so amazing, i couldn't stop reading it. It makes me wonder on some thing also.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 21, 2018
Plot Summary
Kip Mcfarland was 9 years old when he set his 7 year old neighbor on fire. His mother previously passed away, and he was jealous of his neighbor. Having to deal with his past, Kip changed his name to Wade Madison and moved to Indiana after four years in a juvenile ward. Struggling with high school, he gives up his secret, forcing him and his family to restart their lives in Texas, where Wade meets a girl he can't keep his eyes off of, who has secrets of her own.
Personal Response
I liked the book, however, I didn't like how it moved so fast in some parts, and slow in others. I only liked two or three of the characters, the rest I didn't care for much. I wasn't a fan of how it ended. The ending left a lot of questions unanswered, and didn't feel complete.
Characterization
Wade started off as a jealous little kid. He was jealous of his neighbor for having a mom, and getting a baseball glove. He was upset and mad when his neighbor rubbed it in his face. At the end of the book, Wade was selfless and in love with a new girl in Texas. She accepted him even with his past baggage.
Recommendations
I'd recommend this book to someone who likes a slight mystery. As you read, you see the character develop over time, as the story starts off when Wade was nine, all the way until high school. I don't think this book was directed toward any gender, but there's romance and some action I think anyone can enjoy.
Kip Mcfarland was 9 years old when he set his 7 year old neighbor on fire. His mother previously passed away, and he was jealous of his neighbor. Having to deal with his past, Kip changed his name to Wade Madison and moved to Indiana after four years in a juvenile ward. Struggling with high school, he gives up his secret, forcing him and his family to restart their lives in Texas, where Wade meets a girl he can't keep his eyes off of, who has secrets of her own.
Personal Response
I liked the book, however, I didn't like how it moved so fast in some parts, and slow in others. I only liked two or three of the characters, the rest I didn't care for much. I wasn't a fan of how it ended. The ending left a lot of questions unanswered, and didn't feel complete.
Characterization
Wade started off as a jealous little kid. He was jealous of his neighbor for having a mom, and getting a baseball glove. He was upset and mad when his neighbor rubbed it in his face. At the end of the book, Wade was selfless and in love with a new girl in Texas. She accepted him even with his past baggage.
Recommendations
I'd recommend this book to someone who likes a slight mystery. As you read, you see the character develop over time, as the story starts off when Wade was nine, all the way until high school. I don't think this book was directed toward any gender, but there's romance and some action I think anyone can enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2010
When I picked this book up, I never expected to like the main character, Kip. At the time the book opens, Kip, nine, sets his friend Bobbie, seven, on fire over a baseball glove. Bobby dies.
Kip then becomes a product of the system when he is placed in a facility for violent juvenile offenders. Worse, he becomes a product of what he believes other see him as: a child murderer and a monster. As he matures from child to teenager he uncovers the truth—even though he committed an atrocious act, he is not a monster.
Giles is a master at showing us the reality under the facts, the story behind the headlines, the human beneath the label. I didn't think I'd get beyond the act introducing the main character, but the combination of Kip's inner struggle and self-effacing personality made him very likable. His wit and wisdom transcended the rough times he experienced in the facility and in his new life, which at one point became too good to be true. When he sabotaged his and his family’s fresh start, I wanted to kick him and hug him at the same time.
While Giles allows Kip to openly explore his feelings, emotions and reactions, she doesn't let him feel sorry for himself or blame others for his predicament. Another reason Kip was so likable.
The short chapters and snappy dialogue make this a quick, enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.
Kip then becomes a product of the system when he is placed in a facility for violent juvenile offenders. Worse, he becomes a product of what he believes other see him as: a child murderer and a monster. As he matures from child to teenager he uncovers the truth—even though he committed an atrocious act, he is not a monster.
Giles is a master at showing us the reality under the facts, the story behind the headlines, the human beneath the label. I didn't think I'd get beyond the act introducing the main character, but the combination of Kip's inner struggle and self-effacing personality made him very likable. His wit and wisdom transcended the rough times he experienced in the facility and in his new life, which at one point became too good to be true. When he sabotaged his and his family’s fresh start, I wanted to kick him and hug him at the same time.
While Giles allows Kip to openly explore his feelings, emotions and reactions, she doesn't let him feel sorry for himself or blame others for his predicament. Another reason Kip was so likable.
The short chapters and snappy dialogue make this a quick, enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.
May 27, 2015
At the young age of nine years old Kip finds himself feeling empty and jealous after his mothers death. Kips seven year old neighbor came over to show him his new baseball glove, Kip set him and the baseball glove on fire out of jealousy, the boy (the neighbor) died a couple days after that incident. Kip was sent to a juvenile facility for the criminally insane where he spent 5 years of his life. Now age 14 Kip is ready to try again in the real world, where he will live with his father and step mom, with a new name, a new town, and a fresh new start. Now he has to live with a secret that nobody in his new town can know.
Right Behind You, was a book that made you not want to put it down, the book made you keep wanting to know what was going to happen and if everything was going to be okay in the end. There was some twists but other things you could definitely tell what was about to happen. This book left me shocked and wanting more. I could feel the emotion and the pain the main character was feeling. In conclusion the book Right Behind You was a easy read, it wasn't to long and it wasn't to short, but overall this was a really great book.
Right Behind You, was a book that made you not want to put it down, the book made you keep wanting to know what was going to happen and if everything was going to be okay in the end. There was some twists but other things you could definitely tell what was about to happen. This book left me shocked and wanting more. I could feel the emotion and the pain the main character was feeling. In conclusion the book Right Behind You was a easy read, it wasn't to long and it wasn't to short, but overall this was a really great book.
August 20, 2010
Gail Giles Right Behind You
282 pp. Little, Brown and Company 2007 ISBN 978-0-316-16637-9 $7.99
(High School)
Kip McFarland was only nine when he set his neighbor on fire and killed him. He didn’t know what he was doing in that moment of passion, but he suffered the consequences in a juvenile ward. Since being released, Kip’s dad has moved them into a different state with different names; a fresh start. Little does Kip realize that he can’t move forward when he hasn’t forgiven himself. Gail Giles grabs us with her very first sentence: “On the afternoon of his seventh birthday, I set Bobby Clarke on fire.” Her amazing ability to create and tell an edgy story keeps us reading until the final word. Giles’ story of self-forgiveness and starting fresh has been especially popular with my freshmen boys. For a few of them, this is the first book they’ve read from cover to cover; one even admitted to crying at the end. Valuable lessons can be learned by reading Right Behind You. S.A.
282 pp. Little, Brown and Company 2007 ISBN 978-0-316-16637-9 $7.99
(High School)
Kip McFarland was only nine when he set his neighbor on fire and killed him. He didn’t know what he was doing in that moment of passion, but he suffered the consequences in a juvenile ward. Since being released, Kip’s dad has moved them into a different state with different names; a fresh start. Little does Kip realize that he can’t move forward when he hasn’t forgiven himself. Gail Giles grabs us with her very first sentence: “On the afternoon of his seventh birthday, I set Bobby Clarke on fire.” Her amazing ability to create and tell an edgy story keeps us reading until the final word. Giles’ story of self-forgiveness and starting fresh has been especially popular with my freshmen boys. For a few of them, this is the first book they’ve read from cover to cover; one even admitted to crying at the end. Valuable lessons can be learned by reading Right Behind You. S.A.
August 24, 2011
While generally I am a big Gail Giles fan, since she seems to be a newer, slightly less sophisticated Robert Cormier, this one was only okay in the end. The story is rather fascinating but I wasn't a fan of how it was told by the time I got to the end. The solution of healing by hanging out with other broken people just doesn't seem to sit quite right. The self questioning of the internal possibility of hurting others was interesting, but Dan Wells seems to go deeper and, better yet, go someplace with the inquiry in his John Wayne Cleaver books. Instead Giles seems to focus mostly on the social aspects in a sort of convoluted way and just doesn't resolve things to my satisfaction as she seems to absolve Kip of his crime to his readers because he feels remorse while his cohort (the Loon Platoon) goes on to do really horrible things since they are actually truly evil? Anyway, just didn't work seamlessly for me the way Shattering Glass did and be as fascinating as What Happened to Cass McBride.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2011
Giles does such a good job of portraying kids in emotional pain...thinking they deserve bad things to happen to them. I liked this one even better than SHATTERING GLASS, which is really saying something. She lets us into the mind and the heart of a young man who did something unthinkable as a child. But unforgivable? Many in their community think so, and so does Kip. Even given another chance in a new home he finds ways to continue to punish himself. I LOVED the mention of my high school in Merrillville, IN, in one of the scenes. That certainly doesn't happen very often.
Forgiveness, shame, redemption, guilt. Giles isn't afraid to bring them all to this story of not one, but two fragile, broken teens.
Forgiveness, shame, redemption, guilt. Giles isn't afraid to bring them all to this story of not one, but two fragile, broken teens.
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