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The Missing
Fifteen years after an uprising that ended in failure, eighteen-year-old Clarke finds himself alone in a dangerous, poverty-stricken city governed by the very man the people fought to overthrow – The Ruler.
Strict rules are enforced by Him and his Administration. Anyone who speaks out... goes missing.
Clarke must uncover the truth to find out who his family was and where he comes from, but after witnessing a crime, he is now in danger of going missing like all those before him.
With nothing left, Clarke has two options: stay in the city where he's a wanted man, or flee into the perilous forest surrounding the city that no one has ever come back from.
Strict rules are enforced by Him and his Administration. Anyone who speaks out... goes missing.
Clarke must uncover the truth to find out who his family was and where he comes from, but after witnessing a crime, he is now in danger of going missing like all those before him.
With nothing left, Clarke has two options: stay in the city where he's a wanted man, or flee into the perilous forest surrounding the city that no one has ever come back from.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 6, 2022
10 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 2, 2023
I first ordered my copy of The Missing for my kindle when it was released back in early December, but after starting it and realizing how much I liked it I decided to purchase a paperback copy as well. After finishing the story I'm so glad that I did! The Missing fully encapsulates the things that we know and love about the YA dystopian genre, and having a hard copy to read while home for the holidays took me right back to my teenage years.
The books protagonist, Clarke, is young, alone, and a little clueless (sorry Clarke). He pulls together those traits in a way that feels familiar to anyone who has felt that way as a teenager, and does so with the depth and relatability of the other YA characters I grew up with, like Percy Jackson or Thomas from the Maze Runner. Despite his lack of understanding, Clarke remains kind, selfless, and brave throughout the entirety of the story. His ability to face down the monstrosities he encounters with courage, while being vulnerable enough to admit when he fails is one of those core tenets of a truly wonderful YA character.
The story itself is a fast paced adventure, with many ups and downs as Clarke and the reader attempt to uncover the truth of what has happened to the missing, and what may be coming for him. It reads easily, never letting its chapters get too bogged down with inaction, while still taking the time to explore Clarke's inner thoughts and how he is coping with events as a teenager.
Overall, this was a great read to kick off my new year with. I highly recommend it to anyone still chasing the highs of the YA dystopian glory days, lovers of Percy Jackson or the Hunger Games, or for the teen in your life that is delving into the world of reading.
Looking forward to seeing what comes next from Robert Watts!
The books protagonist, Clarke, is young, alone, and a little clueless (sorry Clarke). He pulls together those traits in a way that feels familiar to anyone who has felt that way as a teenager, and does so with the depth and relatability of the other YA characters I grew up with, like Percy Jackson or Thomas from the Maze Runner. Despite his lack of understanding, Clarke remains kind, selfless, and brave throughout the entirety of the story. His ability to face down the monstrosities he encounters with courage, while being vulnerable enough to admit when he fails is one of those core tenets of a truly wonderful YA character.
The story itself is a fast paced adventure, with many ups and downs as Clarke and the reader attempt to uncover the truth of what has happened to the missing, and what may be coming for him. It reads easily, never letting its chapters get too bogged down with inaction, while still taking the time to explore Clarke's inner thoughts and how he is coping with events as a teenager.
Overall, this was a great read to kick off my new year with. I highly recommend it to anyone still chasing the highs of the YA dystopian glory days, lovers of Percy Jackson or the Hunger Games, or for the teen in your life that is delving into the world of reading.
Looking forward to seeing what comes next from Robert Watts!
December 7, 2022
I pre-ordered this book after seeing it pop up on my BookTok feed and so happy I did!
Young adult dystopian novels are some of my favourite books to read and this book fit the profile. When reading a dystopian book I want to read about social/economic divide, poverty, anarchy and loss of self. The Missing hit on all those areas. I enjoyed the main character building throughout the book as well as the additional characters which really enriched the story. One of those books where I wanted to keep reading after the first chapter and look forward to reading the sequel! Highly recommend.
Young adult dystopian novels are some of my favourite books to read and this book fit the profile. When reading a dystopian book I want to read about social/economic divide, poverty, anarchy and loss of self. The Missing hit on all those areas. I enjoyed the main character building throughout the book as well as the additional characters which really enriched the story. One of those books where I wanted to keep reading after the first chapter and look forward to reading the sequel! Highly recommend.
August 6, 2023
Loved the book! This is the first time reading a dystopian book and this did not disappoint! The author put a lot of twists and turns into the plot that I did not see coming. The main character struggles with right and wrong throughout the novel while battling with evil. It is such an easy read that keeps you wanting more. I am looking forward to the sequel!
February 21, 2023
I really enjoyed this YA dystopian novel! Was a good palate cleanser to some of the darker reads I read prior. Definitely excited to see what happens next in The Wanderers.
December 30, 2022
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC copy of this book from the author. So please find my honest review as below:
Positives: Kudos to author for not taking the easy way out with the romance he set up. And for the plot twist I did see coming, but not the who the traitor was. And as any good dystopic should have, anxiety. They need to be somewhere, have something and something always stands in their way. That's a staple.
Negatives: I do find the dystopic genre kinda samish. This read like 1984 colliding with The 100. And that's because dystopic civilizations tend to have to overcome the same problems.
I rated this three stars due to the writing style, and the lack of originality, due to the genre itself as I have mentioned. It maybe due to the YA audience, but as reader, being told what thought I'm supposed to think and emotion I supposed to feel at every scene isn't my cup of tea. I prefer decide my feelings based on the scene and delivery.
The only other thing is there is little scene description and atmosphere creation and I barely know what some of the characters look like.
All this aside. This a debut author, and therefore he done something I haven't and that is publish a book. Look forward to seeing his skills and execution improve with each book.
Positives: Kudos to author for not taking the easy way out with the romance he set up. And for the plot twist I did see coming, but not the who the traitor was. And as any good dystopic should have, anxiety. They need to be somewhere, have something and something always stands in their way. That's a staple.
Negatives: I do find the dystopic genre kinda samish. This read like 1984 colliding with The 100. And that's because dystopic civilizations tend to have to overcome the same problems.
I rated this three stars due to the writing style, and the lack of originality, due to the genre itself as I have mentioned. It maybe due to the YA audience, but as reader, being told what thought I'm supposed to think and emotion I supposed to feel at every scene isn't my cup of tea. I prefer decide my feelings based on the scene and delivery.
The only other thing is there is little scene description and atmosphere creation and I barely know what some of the characters look like.
All this aside. This a debut author, and therefore he done something I haven't and that is publish a book. Look forward to seeing his skills and execution improve with each book.
June 28, 2025
I enjoyed reading this young adult dystopian novel. What I enjoyed most was that the story is fast-paced and the plot moves along well. I liked getting to know all the different characters introduced throughout the story. My favourite character was Jasper as he brings humour to the unforgiving world that Clarke navigates through. The twists and turns kept me guessing and I look forward to reading the sequel when it's out!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews