lindseycstraub's review against another edition
2.0
The story had potential but ultimately I was disappointed. Every chapter alternates between 1979 and 2003, but I would have preferred to have the whole thing written about the period during 1979. Obviously, the author does this to give resolution to the central mystery, but the protagonist (Sadie) is so unlikeable as her adult self that it was frustrating.
trixie_reads's review against another edition
3.0
The book kept me interested, though I was left with questions. The thing that most annoyed me was that
Spoiler
Laura's story seemingly had nothing to do with the rest of the book. We never find out what happened to her. Are we to think that perhaps Ray's sister also killed her for some reason? I kept thinking that there would be some link with Laura and Sadie, but no.stinalee's review against another edition
4.0
#popsugar 2017, A book set in two different time periods
renee_pompeii's review against another edition
3.0
Starts off a little domestic fiction-y, similar to many of the 70's childhood bildungsromans I've seen a lot of lately...but ends with a great punch. I'd give it another 1/2 star if goodreads would let me do so!
caitlinxmartin's review against another edition
5.0
I was shocked by how much I loved this book. I usually go into a book with just a few preconceived notions - usually formed from the plot description and a bit by the cover and genre, sometimes through the book's buzz. I didn't know anything about The Longings of Wayward Girls when I grabbed it. The plot sounded decent, the cover wasn't all that interesting, I figured it would be a mid-range thriller - fun to read and entertaining. What I did not expect was the depth that this novel conveys - I was captured in the first few pages and both couldn't put it down and was torn by reading it too fast because I knew I'd be sad when it ended.
The Longings of Wayward Girls is all love, lust, loss, and memory. In the wake of the delivery of a stillborn child, Sadie Watkins is trying to hold on to herself and her identity. Her grief is enormous and colors everything she does making it difficult for her to be a mother to her living children, a partner to her husband, alive in her own life. She is a well of sorrow and into this emptiness comes Ray Filley, a childhood crush returned to town with whom Sadie begins an affair. The affair triggers Sadie's memory back to her childhood and a prank she and a friend played on another girl - that girl disappeared shortly after the denouement of the prank and this sense that she may have played a part in the girl's disappearance is yet another grief that Sadie has carried around and that has disconnected her from her life. Layer upon layer Ms. Brown reveals the affect of loss on a place and on people - everyone is effected by what happened whether they were there at the time or not because that's how tragedy works - its traces linger in the people touched by it and through them it touches everyone.
Time and narrative shift as Ms. Brown untangles all the elements of this sad and compelling story - everyone here is disconnected in some way, moving jerkily through events that are too detailed to truly see. Tragedy and loss and grief inform, but so does lust and joy and the hope for connection. Throughout it all we see the bright summer days of childhood and of motherhood - the seventies drinks (Harvey Wallbanger, anyone?), the desire for adventure - for anything, just anything, to happen. I loved this book - highly recommended.
The Longings of Wayward Girls is all love, lust, loss, and memory. In the wake of the delivery of a stillborn child, Sadie Watkins is trying to hold on to herself and her identity. Her grief is enormous and colors everything she does making it difficult for her to be a mother to her living children, a partner to her husband, alive in her own life. She is a well of sorrow and into this emptiness comes Ray Filley, a childhood crush returned to town with whom Sadie begins an affair. The affair triggers Sadie's memory back to her childhood and a prank she and a friend played on another girl - that girl disappeared shortly after the denouement of the prank and this sense that she may have played a part in the girl's disappearance is yet another grief that Sadie has carried around and that has disconnected her from her life. Layer upon layer Ms. Brown reveals the affect of loss on a place and on people - everyone is effected by what happened whether they were there at the time or not because that's how tragedy works - its traces linger in the people touched by it and through them it touches everyone.
Time and narrative shift as Ms. Brown untangles all the elements of this sad and compelling story - everyone here is disconnected in some way, moving jerkily through events that are too detailed to truly see. Tragedy and loss and grief inform, but so does lust and joy and the hope for connection. Throughout it all we see the bright summer days of childhood and of motherhood - the seventies drinks (Harvey Wallbanger, anyone?), the desire for adventure - for anything, just anything, to happen. I loved this book - highly recommended.
amandainpa's review against another edition
4.0
A great story with a complex plot. It focuses on the disappearance of a young girl in a small New England town. It took me a bit to get into the story but once I did, I had trouble putting it down. I loved the twists and turns and the way Sadie, the main character comes to terms with her past. The author slowly revealed small pieces of the puzzle in a way that makes you want to find out more. This story has a similar feel to Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects. Definitely recommended!
suzannemseidel's review against another edition
2.0
I thought the book was kind of a snoozer. Which is interesting considering the subject matter – secret pen pals, missing children, affairs, and a suicide. Even with all of those components the story kind of dragged. Part of that was the person of Sadie. I didn’t like her or connect with her or feel sorry for her. I felt nothing for her. Not even annoyance or shock that she was leaving her family. Not even sympathy that she had lost a baby. I don’t know Craig at all so I felt nothing for him either. The only people I felt strong feelings for were Ray (was not a fan) and Francie, who quickly became the only character I was rooting for.
I don’t understand why Laura Loomis’s story was even included. One missing girl would’ve been enough and Laura’s disappearance had nothing to do with Francie’s or Clare’s or Sadie’s. It was just a free floating piece of information with oddly written check ins. Were those supposed to be newspaper reports? They sounded too personal to be newspaper reports. Those few paragraphs were weird.
I liked the time hops, going back and forth between Sadie’s childhood and adulthood, but I appreciate that kind of thing in any story. What I didn’t appreciate was when adult Sadie would flashback to something that happened when she was younger. Why not just include that in the portions of the story already designated to flashing back? It confused things for me.
Overall it was a compelling idea but in my opinion Karen Brown just didn’t stick the landing.
I don’t understand why Laura Loomis’s story was even included. One missing girl would’ve been enough and Laura’s disappearance had nothing to do with Francie’s or Clare’s or Sadie’s. It was just a free floating piece of information with oddly written check ins. Were those supposed to be newspaper reports? They sounded too personal to be newspaper reports. Those few paragraphs were weird.
I liked the time hops, going back and forth between Sadie’s childhood and adulthood, but I appreciate that kind of thing in any story. What I didn’t appreciate was when adult Sadie would flashback to something that happened when she was younger. Why not just include that in the portions of the story already designated to flashing back? It confused things for me.
Overall it was a compelling idea but in my opinion Karen Brown just didn’t stick the landing.
byashleylamar's review against another edition
2.0
This one was mediocre at best. The synopsis made it sound so good but it really let me down. It alternated between the past and present chapter-by-chapter to show Sadie as a precocious young girl and Sadie as a married mother of two. When she was young two girls from her neighborhood went missing about 5 years apart and we find that Sadie had a hand in the disappearance of the second girl. It was supposed to be a mystery but it was poorly executed and pretty boring. The big reveal at the end was disappointing and it just didn't feel like it was worth reading. It's an easy book, it's short and it's not terrible but it's not great. It's the kind of book I'd pick up for a long flight and then forget about shortly after landing. It was average at best.