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"Ci sono molti tipi di rabbia... Solo che alcuni sono più utili di altri". Faith Duckle ha 16 anni e un solo desiderio: dimenticare la festa degli ex alunni, cancellare per sempre quella maledetta sera "quando ero ancora enorme", tutto quel punch, i ragazzi del terzo anno e le battute sempre più pesanti: "Sai cosa dicono delle ciccione, vero? Le ciccione hanno sempre fame". Violentata da alcuni compagni, Faith cerca di farla finita con un cocktail di pillole colorate. Dopo il ricovero in ospedale torna a scuola visibilmente dimagrita, ma per tutti resta "la cicciona della festa degli ex alunni"...
358 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2003
53 people are currently reading
1281 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Davis
130 books49 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Amanda Davis was born in 1970 and was a writer. She released one collection, Circling the Drain, and one novel, Wonder When You'll Miss Me. Davis died at the age of 32 in a plane crash on March 14, 2003. The plane was piloted by her father and crashed in McDowell County, North Carolina. She had just begun a book tour.
Amanda Davis was born in 1970 and was a writer. She released one collection, Circling the Drain, and one novel, Wonder When You'll Miss Me. Davis died at the age of 32 in a plane crash on March 14, 2003. The plane was piloted by her father and crashed in McDowell County, North Carolina. She had just begun a book tour.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
February 17, 2009
I have got to stop only reading books I get off the free table in my apartment building.
April 24, 2020
This novel was an interesting break from what I've been reading lately. It kept me guessing, but not in a suspenseful way. It was slow at times but not boring.
I guess one thing I can say is that Wonder When You'll Miss Me wasn't exactly the novel I expected. For one thing, I thought the story would focus more on the rape and the events leading up to the circus. I'm not exactly disappointed that it didn't, but Faith/Annabelle's healing process throughout the novel left me with a lot of questions.
I found it interesting the way Faith's concern with her weight manifested itself. I understood the role "the fat girl" played from very early on in the novel, and it took me a long time to understand that Faith/Annabelle didn't. I kind of wish "the fat girl"'s character had been given a name, I think that may have gotten the message across better.
I thought the book also didn't really have much closure. Yes, the novel ended on a mostly happy note, but it wasn't what I expected. I had imagined there would be more reconciliation as her life came full circle, and it just wasn't there.
Despite its flaws, I did really appreciate Wonder When You'll Miss Me. The characters are strong and the writing is pretty good as well. Overall I'd say 3.5 stars for this novel. It's definitely something I would consider rereading in a few years.
I guess one thing I can say is that Wonder When You'll Miss Me wasn't exactly the novel I expected. For one thing, I thought the story would focus more on the rape and the events leading up to the circus. I'm not exactly disappointed that it didn't, but Faith/Annabelle's healing process throughout the novel left me with a lot of questions.
I found it interesting the way Faith's concern with her weight manifested itself. I understood the role "the fat girl" played from very early on in the novel, and it took me a long time to understand that Faith/Annabelle didn't. I kind of wish "the fat girl"'s character had been given a name, I think that may have gotten the message across better.
I thought the book also didn't really have much closure. Yes, the novel ended on a mostly happy note, but it wasn't what I expected. I had imagined there would be more reconciliation as her life came full circle, and it just wasn't there.
Despite its flaws, I did really appreciate Wonder When You'll Miss Me. The characters are strong and the writing is pretty good as well. Overall I'd say 3.5 stars for this novel. It's definitely something I would consider rereading in a few years.
January 5, 2008
This was a very frustrating book. There were many things to like, but there were also a couple of problems.
16-year-old Faith struggles to reclaim, then reinvent her life after a horrific experience, eventually running away to join the circus. Faith’s “other self,” the fat girl, follows her around, sometimes helping, sometimes an obstacle.
Faith’s not being able to fit in with her peers, becoming even more isolated after a suicide attempt, is heartbreaking. Particularly when she realizes one of the few who is nice to her betrayed her. The overwhelming message seems to be “To Thine Own Self Be True,” but “Trust No One. But Thyself.” Rather tragic message, but nearly everyone Faith wanted to rely on or should have been able to rely on lets her down in some way.
This isn’t set in any particular time that I could figure out, and this is a problem for a story such as "Wonder..." This book illustrates why I dislike promoting a book based solely on the fact that it won an award. I could suspend disbelief about a girl running away to join the circus and becoming an elephant groomer. Who among us hasn’t had some dream of joining the circus and escaping it all? But I kept reading it as if it were written for today. I simply cannot see this taking place after the 1980s (maybe the early 1990s); yes, I know part of the theme is that Faith is “invisible” to everyone, and she takes some pride in it. But with the Internet and Amber Alert, there would be far more effort today trying to find a teen who has spent time in a mental institution and who knifes a classmate before running off.
The symbolism of the fat girl and what she represents – Faith’s old life and her conscious, by turns – is wonderful. The dark humor would play well on the big screen. Faith’s past and her future are unveiled bit by bit, drawing the reader in.
However, there were some factual errors concerning elephants, a major faux pas since they are so integral to the story. One, both elephants at the circus, Bluebell and Olivia, are described as having tusks. Olivia is described as having one broken tusk and one whole one. Olivia is a female Asian elephant; they don’t have tusks. Bluebell is a young female African elephant; they have tusks, but very small. Two, both are called “bulls.” Female elephants are cows.
This is recommended for mature teens and adults. Every swear word under the sun is used, liberally. There’s recreational drug use. There’s a situation involving rape, and another involving imposition. One of the circus members dies an unsettling death.
16-year-old Faith struggles to reclaim, then reinvent her life after a horrific experience, eventually running away to join the circus. Faith’s “other self,” the fat girl, follows her around, sometimes helping, sometimes an obstacle.
Faith’s not being able to fit in with her peers, becoming even more isolated after a suicide attempt, is heartbreaking. Particularly when she realizes one of the few who is nice to her betrayed her. The overwhelming message seems to be “To Thine Own Self Be True,” but “Trust No One. But Thyself.” Rather tragic message, but nearly everyone Faith wanted to rely on or should have been able to rely on lets her down in some way.
This isn’t set in any particular time that I could figure out, and this is a problem for a story such as "Wonder..." This book illustrates why I dislike promoting a book based solely on the fact that it won an award. I could suspend disbelief about a girl running away to join the circus and becoming an elephant groomer. Who among us hasn’t had some dream of joining the circus and escaping it all? But I kept reading it as if it were written for today. I simply cannot see this taking place after the 1980s (maybe the early 1990s); yes, I know part of the theme is that Faith is “invisible” to everyone, and she takes some pride in it. But with the Internet and Amber Alert, there would be far more effort today trying to find a teen who has spent time in a mental institution and who knifes a classmate before running off.
The symbolism of the fat girl and what she represents – Faith’s old life and her conscious, by turns – is wonderful. The dark humor would play well on the big screen. Faith’s past and her future are unveiled bit by bit, drawing the reader in.
However, there were some factual errors concerning elephants, a major faux pas since they are so integral to the story. One, both elephants at the circus, Bluebell and Olivia, are described as having tusks. Olivia is described as having one broken tusk and one whole one. Olivia is a female Asian elephant; they don’t have tusks. Bluebell is a young female African elephant; they have tusks, but very small. Two, both are called “bulls.” Female elephants are cows.
This is recommended for mature teens and adults. Every swear word under the sun is used, liberally. There’s recreational drug use. There’s a situation involving rape, and another involving imposition. One of the circus members dies an unsettling death.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2011
I liked this well enough, but was not wowed by it. It definitely transcends its plot outline: fat teen Faith is sexually assaulted by a group of high school boys, spends time in the psych ward, loses weight, returns to high school, seeks revenge, runs away from home, joins the circus. Along the way the author sprinkles in a number of other overused tropes - the emotionally distant mother, suicidal roommate, and most irritatingly, the personification of Faith's unresolved issues as an alter ego fat girl who won't go away. Until she does. Given the heavy-handedness of some of these devices, the surprise is that the novel works as well as it does. But Davis does a good job with the main character, for the most part (the inner fat girl wore out her welcome well before the book ended). She also did a pretty good job in overcoming the triteness of the whole "run away to join the circus" trope, but this seems like a case of proving that she could write her way out of a trap of her own making. The story is well-written, if occasionally a little far-fetched; the ending seemed perfunctory and I found it unsatisfying, in the sense that the whole last section of the book is building towards a final resolution, which the author then kind of sidesteps
Amanda Davis died in a plane crash during the book tour that followed this novel's publication. Michael Chabon has written an afterword to honor her in which he says, among other things, that he considered her an author with great promise. I think that's a fair assessment. This is an accomplished first novel; though it had its flaws, there was enough of a spark, and the author's voice was compelling enough to make you want to read more of her work. It is a shame that her career was cut short so early.
Amanda Davis died in a plane crash during the book tour that followed this novel's publication. Michael Chabon has written an afterword to honor her in which he says, among other things, that he considered her an author with great promise. I think that's a fair assessment. This is an accomplished first novel; though it had its flaws, there was enough of a spark, and the author's voice was compelling enough to make you want to read more of her work. It is a shame that her career was cut short so early.
February 28, 2019
Wonder When You’ll Miss Me by Amanda Davis is a richly complex novel with at least three plot arcs. By definition, the arcs are not presented in a linear fashion. The reader is aware that Davis is uncovering all three plots at the same time. Elements of each plot march forth for reader examination at unexpected times. Each plot is complex and invites reader reflection. This means that the novel is not a fast read. As I mulled over each element of a plot and its relation to the entire story, the novel falls short of description as a page-turner. I was happy to read an entertaining story that is also intelligent. All plots deserve a five-star Amazon rating.
Faith Duckle was lured by cups of red punch into a situation that ended in a horrible rape. While all rapes are horrible, there are some acts that have more dark and horrible elements than others. The act described in this novel is dark in its physical description, dark in its subsequent breach of trust and dark in subsequent actions committed in search of revenge or payback. Davis presents all this without vulgar and unneeded sexual language. This plot element is developed over the entire story presentation.
Faith Duckle must deal with her self as a victim. She is traumatized. Never a popular girl, a person with issues about her weight, she has no friends. Faith has a mother with high expectations for Faith but who has no interest in interacting with her unless Faith stumbles on the path to perfection. Faith was always lonely, always a person with no friends. She needed a friend to help her work through the event that happened to her. To have someone to confide in, Faith invented a friend. Faith and her grossly exaggerated obese friend grow together as her friend and advisor guides Faith with helpful suggestions for coping with denial of more than one crime. This schizophrenic Faith might grow and eventually become one “well-adjusted” person. Readers join a cheering section encouraging her success. Faith’s interactions with her “other” provide a lot of the novel’s dark humor.
Finally, there is the depiction of circus life, a mobile life that in this case is always on the road. When not moving, the circus is either tearing down from one appearance or setting up for a new appearance. The Fartlesworth circus seemed to be always on the edge of financial ruin. Faith, now using the name Annabelle has run away from home to find a specific circus. She didn’t intend to join the circus or carnival. She was looking for a friend she had met while working a part-time job in a restaurant. The male friend had disappeared one day, but Faith/Annabelle remembered their conversations and the name of the circus with which he formerly traveled. When she found the circus, she discovered the friend had been fired and abandoned by the circus when he committed crimes that landed him in jail. On the road and on the run, Faith/Annabelle needed to hide and needed to find a way to earn her keep. Elaine Hachette owned and ran the circus. Because a very unusual action on the part of an employee resulted in a vacancy, Elaine offered Annabelle a job. She would work for food only, no money, but Annabelle was given a place to stay as the show traveled. This part can be considered as a “main” plot. Annabelle will grow as she seeks acceptance, friends, and redemption.
The desire to run away from home and join a traveling show is a popular dream for many of us, at all ages, and not just to escape responsibility for criminal acts. The Fartlesworth circus had performers and animal acts. There was a midway with games and prizes. The descriptions of the interactions between performers and hustlers offer high drama as they fall in and out of love or develop complex relationships. Annabelle is an observer, she is not an accepted participant. But she wants to be. Everything takes place over an extended period, almost a year as the traveling circus completes a circuit that will take Annabelle back to her home of Gleryton where she might be expected to perform as a part of an aerialist team. Will she be recognized and arrested? Will Faith’s mom welcome her home? (Note the title of the novel).
This novel is listed on Amazon for USD 6.99. I purchased it on Amazon on 05 February for USD 1.99. It is not currently available on Kindle Unlimited. It is listed on Amazon by genre as a Coming of Age novel and that is logical as we read the story of sixteen-year-old Faith Duckle. I read the Amazon page description of the novel’s content after reading the novel. It is an excellent description by itself. I was surprised to read the following, “At fifteen, Faith was lured under the bleachers by a bunch of boys at a football game and raped.” (Amazon page dedicated to promotion and reviews for Wonder When You’ll Miss Me). That statement and others almost appear to be spoilers. They are not spoilers due to the excellent subtle and layered presentation of author Amanda Davis.
Although I will read more by this author, I was shocked and saddened to learn of events in the life of Amanda Davis, events that are revealed at the end of the story. While not related to the story, and thus not a spoiler, I will leave those events to be discovered by the reader.
Faith Duckle was lured by cups of red punch into a situation that ended in a horrible rape. While all rapes are horrible, there are some acts that have more dark and horrible elements than others. The act described in this novel is dark in its physical description, dark in its subsequent breach of trust and dark in subsequent actions committed in search of revenge or payback. Davis presents all this without vulgar and unneeded sexual language. This plot element is developed over the entire story presentation.
Faith Duckle must deal with her self as a victim. She is traumatized. Never a popular girl, a person with issues about her weight, she has no friends. Faith has a mother with high expectations for Faith but who has no interest in interacting with her unless Faith stumbles on the path to perfection. Faith was always lonely, always a person with no friends. She needed a friend to help her work through the event that happened to her. To have someone to confide in, Faith invented a friend. Faith and her grossly exaggerated obese friend grow together as her friend and advisor guides Faith with helpful suggestions for coping with denial of more than one crime. This schizophrenic Faith might grow and eventually become one “well-adjusted” person. Readers join a cheering section encouraging her success. Faith’s interactions with her “other” provide a lot of the novel’s dark humor.
Finally, there is the depiction of circus life, a mobile life that in this case is always on the road. When not moving, the circus is either tearing down from one appearance or setting up for a new appearance. The Fartlesworth circus seemed to be always on the edge of financial ruin. Faith, now using the name Annabelle has run away from home to find a specific circus. She didn’t intend to join the circus or carnival. She was looking for a friend she had met while working a part-time job in a restaurant. The male friend had disappeared one day, but Faith/Annabelle remembered their conversations and the name of the circus with which he formerly traveled. When she found the circus, she discovered the friend had been fired and abandoned by the circus when he committed crimes that landed him in jail. On the road and on the run, Faith/Annabelle needed to hide and needed to find a way to earn her keep. Elaine Hachette owned and ran the circus. Because a very unusual action on the part of an employee resulted in a vacancy, Elaine offered Annabelle a job. She would work for food only, no money, but Annabelle was given a place to stay as the show traveled. This part can be considered as a “main” plot. Annabelle will grow as she seeks acceptance, friends, and redemption.
The desire to run away from home and join a traveling show is a popular dream for many of us, at all ages, and not just to escape responsibility for criminal acts. The Fartlesworth circus had performers and animal acts. There was a midway with games and prizes. The descriptions of the interactions between performers and hustlers offer high drama as they fall in and out of love or develop complex relationships. Annabelle is an observer, she is not an accepted participant. But she wants to be. Everything takes place over an extended period, almost a year as the traveling circus completes a circuit that will take Annabelle back to her home of Gleryton where she might be expected to perform as a part of an aerialist team. Will she be recognized and arrested? Will Faith’s mom welcome her home? (Note the title of the novel).
This novel is listed on Amazon for USD 6.99. I purchased it on Amazon on 05 February for USD 1.99. It is not currently available on Kindle Unlimited. It is listed on Amazon by genre as a Coming of Age novel and that is logical as we read the story of sixteen-year-old Faith Duckle. I read the Amazon page description of the novel’s content after reading the novel. It is an excellent description by itself. I was surprised to read the following, “At fifteen, Faith was lured under the bleachers by a bunch of boys at a football game and raped.” (Amazon page dedicated to promotion and reviews for Wonder When You’ll Miss Me). That statement and others almost appear to be spoilers. They are not spoilers due to the excellent subtle and layered presentation of author Amanda Davis.
Although I will read more by this author, I was shocked and saddened to learn of events in the life of Amanda Davis, events that are revealed at the end of the story. While not related to the story, and thus not a spoiler, I will leave those events to be discovered by the reader.
October 3, 2012
I really liked this book. sad main character but ends well. wish it didn't end.
March 2, 2012
This is easily in my top 5 favorite books ever. It has probably been said a million times that it's a shame that Amanda Davis died before getting to publish more. But I seriously feel that now. You know when you find a good writer and you want to devour everything they've written? With Davis, we just have the 2. But damn. Girl did not waste any time bringing the goods. I'm admittedly a sucker for a coming of age story, and this book is definitely that. And the coming of age process is so subtle and well executed. You almost don't realize until the end of the book that the girl whose head you've been in throughout the story has grown so much until the end of the book. And I love Davis' definition of what "coming of age" means for her protagonist. She says: "For the first time ever, I felt self contained," and "...my words were made of stones...". The protagonist's happiness and sense of self isn't contingent upon being saved by anyone, but on feeling solid and confident. And this is all set against a circus back drop. I challenge you not to like this book!
March 16, 2010
Easily one of my favorite books. The novel centers itself around Faith, an adolescent girl who has returned to her high school after a suicide attempt. She had previously been very overweight and was tormented for it; while she is now a thinner version of herself, her alter-ego fat girl self follows her around, taunting her.
I found this one of the best descriptions of the loneliness of adolescence, especially because of the externalized self-critical voice that serves both as a source of comfort and as a tormentor. Amanda Davis writes Faith's voice so well, making it one of the most sincere girl-interrupted stories I've encountered.
I love books that are able to take young women and their struggles seriously, and this one is absolutely at the top of that list. Breath-taking, heart-breaking, and a great reminder of the power of fiction.
I found this one of the best descriptions of the loneliness of adolescence, especially because of the externalized self-critical voice that serves both as a source of comfort and as a tormentor. Amanda Davis writes Faith's voice so well, making it one of the most sincere girl-interrupted stories I've encountered.
I love books that are able to take young women and their struggles seriously, and this one is absolutely at the top of that list. Breath-taking, heart-breaking, and a great reminder of the power of fiction.
August 4, 2010
This tale of a troubled runaway teen has some promising features - the experience of struggling with mental illness is depicted in an intriguing way, the settings of small Southern towns and eventually a traveling circus provide colorful scenery. Unfortunately, this book still fell flat for me. The characters still seemed broadly drawn, the action was sometimes slow and motivations were hard to decipher. I was particularly surprised to learn that this was a book targeted at young adults. I would think only a mature teenager would be able to appreciate this journey of familial neglect, living on the streets, sexual abuse and drug use.
The unusual backdrop of a traveling circus might draw some readers in, younger or not. If you're looking for tales about the inner-workings of the circus, I would recommend the far superior Geek Love.
The unusual backdrop of a traveling circus might draw some readers in, younger or not. If you're looking for tales about the inner-workings of the circus, I would recommend the far superior Geek Love.
May 18, 2014
I'm not really sure how to begin with this review. I found the book to be alright. The structure of the writing was very clear and fluent. I think that's one of the main reasons why I finished it. The storyline of the book seemed to be very slow. I did enjoy the different topics it touched on: circus life, psychological trauma, acceptance of self, etc. However, I found it a bit slow.
November 22, 2025
Quando “mollare tutto e unirsi al circo” assume tutto un altro significato. E potrebbe anche non essere la scelta peggiore che tu abbia mai fatto.
December 12, 2018
This book has a lot of ups and downs, but all and all it was a good read. This book handles some graphic details that go on in the world behind closed doors but it also offers insight about how hard some people have it. I would only recommend reading this book if you are willing to put time into reading it because some parts are harder to understand.
July 27, 2021
Ho aspettato molto, a leggere questo romanzo, ma francamente non saprei ben dire per quale motivo. Ne ascoltai la presentazione su Radio3, colpito anche dalla vicenda personale dell’autrice, e acquistai subito il libro. Poi, letto il primo capitolo, lo misi da parte. Perché? Forse pensavo si trattasse di una storia “alla Donnie Darko”? Poi, che fosse l’esatto contrario, e che mi deludesse? Questa estate ho voluto finalmente farmene una ragione e l’ho letto integralmente. Ed ho scoperto una bellissima storia di redenzione, di trasformazione. L’espediente che immaginavo perturbante è invece salvifico, possiede anzi anche quella giusta dose di melanconia ed ironia che te lo rende simpatico. Belli i personaggi, i loro gesti e le loro fragilità così ben descritte, con pochi aggettivi calibrati. E bella la vicenda, ambientata nel mondo del circo, e che credevo non mi avrebbe coinvolto più di tanto. Che grande scrittrice. Piange il cuore, a leggere le testimonianze degli amici. Un libro delicatissimo e bellissimo.
May 25, 2010
Wonder When You'll Miss Me has to be one of the most heartbreaking books I've ever read. Not only because of the plot itself, but because the author of this marvelous book passed away in a plane crash while promoting it, not long after it was published. This book (and Davis' collection of short stories) remains all that is left of Amanda Davis for us readers.
Wonder When You'll Miss me is an engaging read. It's sort of a trainwreck read where you know something bad is going to happen, yet you can't really pull yourself away. Written with wonderful prose, we readers, get catapulted into Faith's world. Faith's a girl that any teenager could identify with due to her lack of self-esteem that is originally stemmed by her weight is worsened by a brutal attack inflicted upon her by some boys from her school. Once Faith reaches the point of no return, she runs away and joins the circus.
Ahhh, the circus! Everytime I read any book that has a circus in it as a major part of the setting, I get this overwhelming need to actually go to a circus (I haven't been to one in years). I get this sense of nostalgia and have memories flooding back to me of being a kid sitting on those bleachers, entranced by the elephants and terrified of the clowns. The circus in Wonder When You'll Miss Me is less glamorous than one would hope life in a circus would be. But it is still full of wonder. You would think hearing about the same tasks that Faith performs for the circus over and over again would become tedious, but they do not. If anything, those were the parts I enjoyed the most because let's face it: every kid dreams of running away to the circus at least once during their childhood. There's just this sense of magic in the circus that no one wants to escape. A pull to something more innocent. We readers can see why Faith would be drawn to such a world.
Wonder When You'll Miss Me was a tremendous novel. You have a heroine who just breaks your heart and who you root for, regardless of the terrible thing she did. While the comic moments are few and far between, they're still there and some of them help to lighten the mood a bit. Wonder When You'll Miss Me is a book about trying to let go of your past while being confronted with it at every turn. It's a book about keeping your faith regardless.
Wonder When You'll Miss Me is a bittersweet book because it is so amazing. However, it's terrible because it is the last work we'll ever have from Amanda Davis, who you could just tell from reading this book, had tremendous talent and would've gone on to write tons of other amazing books. Never again will we be able to read her beautiful prose or have one of her amazingly developed heroines capture our hearts completely the way that Faith did. Amanda Davis' death is a tragedy not only for those who knew her, but for us as readers, and for the literary world as a whole.
Wonder When You'll Miss me is an engaging read. It's sort of a trainwreck read where you know something bad is going to happen, yet you can't really pull yourself away. Written with wonderful prose, we readers, get catapulted into Faith's world. Faith's a girl that any teenager could identify with due to her lack of self-esteem that is originally stemmed by her weight is worsened by a brutal attack inflicted upon her by some boys from her school. Once Faith reaches the point of no return, she runs away and joins the circus.
Ahhh, the circus! Everytime I read any book that has a circus in it as a major part of the setting, I get this overwhelming need to actually go to a circus (I haven't been to one in years). I get this sense of nostalgia and have memories flooding back to me of being a kid sitting on those bleachers, entranced by the elephants and terrified of the clowns. The circus in Wonder When You'll Miss Me is less glamorous than one would hope life in a circus would be. But it is still full of wonder. You would think hearing about the same tasks that Faith performs for the circus over and over again would become tedious, but they do not. If anything, those were the parts I enjoyed the most because let's face it: every kid dreams of running away to the circus at least once during their childhood. There's just this sense of magic in the circus that no one wants to escape. A pull to something more innocent. We readers can see why Faith would be drawn to such a world.
Wonder When You'll Miss Me was a tremendous novel. You have a heroine who just breaks your heart and who you root for, regardless of the terrible thing she did. While the comic moments are few and far between, they're still there and some of them help to lighten the mood a bit. Wonder When You'll Miss Me is a book about trying to let go of your past while being confronted with it at every turn. It's a book about keeping your faith regardless.
Wonder When You'll Miss Me is a bittersweet book because it is so amazing. However, it's terrible because it is the last work we'll ever have from Amanda Davis, who you could just tell from reading this book, had tremendous talent and would've gone on to write tons of other amazing books. Never again will we be able to read her beautiful prose or have one of her amazingly developed heroines capture our hearts completely the way that Faith did. Amanda Davis' death is a tragedy not only for those who knew her, but for us as readers, and for the literary world as a whole.
May 28, 2008
This book sounds a lot better than it is. Most of the things that happen to the character [to make you empathize with her] happen before the story begins. It was difficult for me to really develop a lot of empathy for her and to get a sense of how horrible her life was. I thought the "fat girl" character was an interesting twist, but it didn't always work for me, especially after Faith ran away and became Annabelle. It was a little much for me that she then had three personalities, even though "fat girl" was in a category of her own.
I think the other thing that bothered me about the story was that I really like when characters get strong after being weak, and when they improve themselves and grow throughout the novel. I thought fat girl's/Faith's revenge tactic was lame (what about the other 6 boys?) and anticlimactic. And I'm not impressed with a 16 year-old getting a stupid tattoo of 3 chickens, taking up smoking, or drinking scotch as a measure of her personal growth and empowerment. Being that I also do not find any romance in the idea of running away to the circus, it was hard for me to see that story line as showing her growth either.
I think Amanda Davis had a great idea: lonely, depressed, fat girl gets gang raped, gets even more depressed, makes a suicide attempt, goes away to heal (and lose weight), and returns skinny and normal looking . . . and then uses her newfound "normalcy" to get revenge against the people who hurt her and made her an outcast. But that's not what happens. I'd like to read someone else's effort.
I think the other thing that bothered me about the story was that I really like when characters get strong after being weak, and when they improve themselves and grow throughout the novel. I thought fat girl's/Faith's revenge tactic was lame (what about the other 6 boys?) and anticlimactic. And I'm not impressed with a 16 year-old getting a stupid tattoo of 3 chickens, taking up smoking, or drinking scotch as a measure of her personal growth and empowerment. Being that I also do not find any romance in the idea of running away to the circus, it was hard for me to see that story line as showing her growth either.
I think Amanda Davis had a great idea: lonely, depressed, fat girl gets gang raped, gets even more depressed, makes a suicide attempt, goes away to heal (and lose weight), and returns skinny and normal looking . . . and then uses her newfound "normalcy" to get revenge against the people who hurt her and made her an outcast. But that's not what happens. I'd like to read someone else's effort.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2019
For over 10 years this has been one of my very favorite books. I’ve bought probably 6 or 7 copies of it because I keep giving them out to people to read! I even have the eBook version of it so I am never without it. I’m not sure why this book has stuck with me all these years, but it has. Amanda Davis’s writing is beautiful and lyrical while still being straightforward and clear. Faith/Annabelle is a powerful, strong, if somewhat unreliable narrator and her story, riddled with body image struggles and mental illness, is heartbreaking and filled with hope at the same time. I continue to go back to this book year after year a reread it with the same passion and interest. Amanda Davis was taken from this world too soon. If Wonder When You’ll Miss Me is any indication, she would have brought so many other amazing stories to life. Give this book a chance and take it for what it is - sad, hopeful, open-ended, and beautiful.
June 25, 2013
This is a lovely, heartbreaking book. It touches upon many social issues of relevance to teenagers (acceptance, bullying, adventure, parental loyalty, etc.). It was recommended to me by Maggie, one of the strongest readers in our school and perennial winner of the Battle of the Books. This novel is beautifully written and simultaneously didactic: without being preachy, Davis teaches the reader about topics ranging from psychological disorders to circus life. A wonderful read.
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November 16, 2010Recommend. Though I felt that the end was quite unresolved, and was also confused at first by whether or not the fat girl was a real person, overall it was interesting. I probably would have liked to see more about her stay in the mental hospital though.
January 2, 2008
Suckage. Too bad the chick that wrote it died.
April 10, 2022
I finished Wonder When You’ll Miss Me several days ago. Halfway through the book I found myself wondering, “What exactly am I reading?” It took me a while to really think about the book overall and make a decision about how it made me feel.
⠀
This is not a quick or easy read – it’s not a long book, nor overly-complex, but it is the kind of between-the-lines writing that makes you pause and ask yourself, “What does this mean on a deeper level?” There are also heavy subjects that are difficult to read about (including suicide, sexual imposition, rape, drug use, body shaming, and bullying). Before you decide this is not the book for you, I will say that the author, Amanda Davis, wrote about these topics in such a way as to make them have an impact without the need to go into great detail about them.
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Our main character, Faith, is slipped drugs in her punch and orally raped by multiple classmates who simultaneously body shame her. After an attempted suicide, Faith is sent to a clinic where she loses weight, makes a friend, and gets counseling; upon arriving back home we meet “the fat girl,” who is an invisible presence of Faith’s former self that only she can see and hear. After taking a kind-of “revenge” on one of the boys at school, Faith runs away and joins a circus using a new name, Annabelle.
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While the writing is beautiful and even poetic at times, there are errors in fact (in example, the use of the term “bull” when referring to female elephants at the circus, which I did not understand). There are no big twists, there are no big reveals… This is a sad story – a story of a girl who has been physically and mentally abused to the point where the only way she can grow as a person and find herself is as a different person in a place where she feels she can disappear.
⠀
This is a good book… It’s just a heavy book – it’s recommended if you really want to think, but it’s not a read to take lightly.
⠀
This is not a quick or easy read – it’s not a long book, nor overly-complex, but it is the kind of between-the-lines writing that makes you pause and ask yourself, “What does this mean on a deeper level?” There are also heavy subjects that are difficult to read about (including suicide, sexual imposition, rape, drug use, body shaming, and bullying). Before you decide this is not the book for you, I will say that the author, Amanda Davis, wrote about these topics in such a way as to make them have an impact without the need to go into great detail about them.
⠀
Our main character, Faith, is slipped drugs in her punch and orally raped by multiple classmates who simultaneously body shame her. After an attempted suicide, Faith is sent to a clinic where she loses weight, makes a friend, and gets counseling; upon arriving back home we meet “the fat girl,” who is an invisible presence of Faith’s former self that only she can see and hear. After taking a kind-of “revenge” on one of the boys at school, Faith runs away and joins a circus using a new name, Annabelle.
⠀
While the writing is beautiful and even poetic at times, there are errors in fact (in example, the use of the term “bull” when referring to female elephants at the circus, which I did not understand). There are no big twists, there are no big reveals… This is a sad story – a story of a girl who has been physically and mentally abused to the point where the only way she can grow as a person and find herself is as a different person in a place where she feels she can disappear.
⠀
This is a good book… It’s just a heavy book – it’s recommended if you really want to think, but it’s not a read to take lightly.
May 12, 2018
This was an ambitious novel that veered from the plausible to surreal. The young protagonist, Faith Duckle, commits an act of revenge violence that causes her leave home. She is accompanied by her alter ego, known as the fat girl, which becomes distracting and superfluous as the story develops. Faith runs through the southern U.S., aided only by a few hints lead by a man named Charlie. Charlie, whose boyfriend is a sideshow performer, is the brother of Faith's former roommate when she was receiving inpatient treatment for attempted suicide. (Again, there is alot going on in this story.) Faith eventually finds her way to the Fartlesworth (these names...) Circus and eventually works to become a part of their company.
The prose is O.K. if not a bit juvenile in it's approach. It's not marketed as a YA nor should it be, but it does fall somewhere in a grey area. I thought the bobs and weaves of the storyline were not terribly believable and I did not care about the characters by the end of the story. It's not a terrible book, but one I just found myself finishing out of obligation.
The prose is O.K. if not a bit juvenile in it's approach. It's not marketed as a YA nor should it be, but it does fall somewhere in a grey area. I thought the bobs and weaves of the storyline were not terribly believable and I did not care about the characters by the end of the story. It's not a terrible book, but one I just found myself finishing out of obligation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2022
“I'd lost forty-eight pounds and my skin had mostly cleared up. I'd missed a whole semester of school and disappeared for seven months. It seemed like no one had even noticed I was gone.”
In Wonder When You’ll Miss Me, sixteen-year-old Faith Duckle still talks to The Fat Girl. She sees her too. Usually The Fat Girl is eating something and offering snarky commentary or advice. Sometimes Faith tells her to go away. Sometimes she listens to her.
Faith was sexually assaulted by a group of boys who made sport of her as the fat girl, and then she tried to kill herself. Then she ended up in a hospital, where she lost the weight but not The Fat Girl. She’s still hanging around.
This is the beginning of the story.
The real story is Faith’s journey when she runs away to join the circus, takes a new name, gets a tattoo, and becomes a handler of elephants. The real story is how Faith and The Fat Girl found healing after such a terrible event.
I loved this book when I read it twenty years ago, and I love it still. Amanda Davis was a gifted author, and you don’t want to miss this classic YA book about a plus-size heroine who finds a path through trauma to redemption.
In Wonder When You’ll Miss Me, sixteen-year-old Faith Duckle still talks to The Fat Girl. She sees her too. Usually The Fat Girl is eating something and offering snarky commentary or advice. Sometimes Faith tells her to go away. Sometimes she listens to her.
Faith was sexually assaulted by a group of boys who made sport of her as the fat girl, and then she tried to kill herself. Then she ended up in a hospital, where she lost the weight but not The Fat Girl. She’s still hanging around.
This is the beginning of the story.
The real story is Faith’s journey when she runs away to join the circus, takes a new name, gets a tattoo, and becomes a handler of elephants. The real story is how Faith and The Fat Girl found healing after such a terrible event.
I loved this book when I read it twenty years ago, and I love it still. Amanda Davis was a gifted author, and you don’t want to miss this classic YA book about a plus-size heroine who finds a path through trauma to redemption.
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May 6, 2020It is a time-honored tradition: when a child gets angry at his family, or feels they do not appreciate him, he "runs away." Did any of you ever try to "run away from home?" I remember one day that I ran away: I packed a bag and hid out in my tree house for a few hours, all the time looking to see who would come looking for me. When no one did, I went home, crying "You didn't even miss me!"
Faith Duckle runs away from home. Her father is dead, her mother is absent in body and in emotion and she doesn't have any real friends. But what she's really running away from is what happened to her under the bleachers at the hands of a group of boys. What she's really running from is what she did to herself to try to erase that event. What she's running from is the cruel voice inside her own head who is bent on revenge.
Where Faith winds up is also a time-honored tradition: She runs away and joins the circus.
Faith Duckle runs away from home. Her father is dead, her mother is absent in body and in emotion and she doesn't have any real friends. But what she's really running away from is what happened to her under the bleachers at the hands of a group of boys. What she's really running from is what she did to herself to try to erase that event. What she's running from is the cruel voice inside her own head who is bent on revenge.
Where Faith winds up is also a time-honored tradition: She runs away and joins the circus.
May 12, 2020
Wonder When You'll Miss Me is sometimes a confusing book to read. The more I read it gets intense Their is a lot happening in this book just like sexual assault and a girl who is 16 years named Faith Duckle. Faith was assaulted by some schoolmates and then she tries to attempt suicide and ends up in a mental institution. Before her release she was overweight and she didn't feel like her so she then loses nearly 60 pounds and hopes that everything changes from now. Faith her self then decided to look for a job. She has worked in some but their was some downs about them. At last she found a job and she had passion for it which was grooming elephants. And by time she wanted to be called "Annabelle Cabinet." This book also includes many characters who aren't well described which I hope they were. Faith would struggle through so much in hopes that that struggle changes. This book ended up so clever and I wont regret reading it.
September 18, 2019
I love novels that take place in a circus setting. This is a story about a high school girl who is sexually assaulted then institutionalized after a suicide attempt. The real meat of the story begins after, when the girl runs away to join the circus, and begins to move forward, past her trauma. I loved the circus setting, and while this isn't a perfect book there was a lot to enjoy. I do feel like the fat girl alter ego was a little overdone, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the novel. It's a damn shame Davis is no longer alive to write more.
December 12, 2020
I read this at 24 and just read it again at 41. Taken at face value, with a rough outline of plot points, this book this is not a book I would gravitate towards. But it was placed in my hands by a person I trusted, and I’m so glad it was. It is a beautifully written novel. Dark, swift, and pretty perfect. Amanda Davis could WRITE.
November 23, 2017
Suspenseful and satisfying
At first this seemed like a young adult novel,but after a chapter or two the plot gained urgency and momentum. I felt completely caught up in the plight of this tortured girl and had to find out what would become of her. The ending doesn’t disappoint
At first this seemed like a young adult novel,but after a chapter or two the plot gained urgency and momentum. I felt completely caught up in the plight of this tortured girl and had to find out what would become of her. The ending doesn’t disappoint
March 29, 2018
Amazing. This is a book you feel in; it doesn't just tell, it shows, and there is something so raw and real about the unusual characters, plot and setting that make it resonate with the reader, even if the experiences in the book are pretty far fetched and strange.
September 4, 2018
Girl has a horrible experience and runs away to join the circus. Somehow this is such a real, indelible story despite the theoretically hackneyed plot. I find myself thinking about it in odd moments. Worth it and thanks to Mealey D for introducing me to the author.
October 16, 2019
Un romanzo frustrante. È la storia di Faith una ragazzina in carne che ha 16 anni, viene violentata ad una festa e tenta il suicidio. È un libro che tratta di bullismo e non mi è dispiaciuto seppur l'età della protagonista è nettamente inferiore alla mia.
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