What It’s About: This book describes what happened before, during, and after the disappearance and murder of Reena Virk, a teenager in Canada in the ‘90s.
Plot: This story is a compelling one. The circumstances surrounding Reena’s death and the suffering she endured are heartbreaking, and I think there’s still a lot to learn from what she went through in terms of how we treat teenagers and how dangerous it is to attribute all of their behavior to outside influences. And while it definitely does delve into the lives of the perpetrators, Godfrey doesn’t glorify them or attempt to convince her readers that they should be absolved from all responsibility for what they did. I’ve seen that accusation regarding this book, so it’s an important point to make. From my perspective, Godfrey wants us to understand them and the factors that led them to do what they did, while also acknowledging that they need to be held accountable for their actions. I also like that this is a complete narrative. It details the history, the crime, and the trial, even covering appeals after the initial trials.
Research and Organization: I saw that some readers thought the beginning of the book was confusing, but I didn’t think it was. I felt it was important to be introduced to all of the players before we really got into the details of the crime. It made more sense that way, even though it meant a longer wait. And it makes the book essentially chronological, which worked for me, especially since there was so much going on at each point in the story.
Trigger Warnings: Some pretty serious bullying, murder, and violence, obviously, but also mentions of child abuse and one insinuation of rape.
Final Thoughts: People might be coming to this book because of the Hulu series that just came out based on it. It’s worth noting that the show is a fictionalized version of the book. There are a lot of similarities, but a lot of artistic license and additions as well. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just pointing out that the book is nonfiction (I’ve seen readers thinking it’s a novel instead) and the true story, while the show takes some liberties. Also, I thought the introduction to this book was so overdramatic. I'm not lowering the rating because of it since the author didn't write the introduction, but the style really turned me off, to the point where I probably would have stopped reading if I hadn't known the rest of the story was by a totally different person.
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Violence, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Sexual assault, and Alcohol