readsforlove's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, and Dementia
Minor: Child death
saucy_bookdragon's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I cried during the last chapters of this so that says something. This is a cute but sad ghost story that mainly deals with grief and how memory is tied to life. It's not super adventurous or heavy on the mystery, rather spending most of its time with these themes and characters. It's also sapphic, there isn't much of a romance and none of the characters outright come out but it is crystal clear the protagonist Eliot and supporting character Hazel are lesbians.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Dementia, and Death
Moderate: Child death
Minor: Lesbophobia
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's for an advanced copy of Where the Lost Ones Go by Akemi Dawn Bowman to review! I don't know how she gets so lucky, but Bowman always has the best covers. They are all absolutely breathtaking, including this one!
This isn't Bowman's first middle grade, but it's the first middle grade of hers that I've read. And I'm not surprised that I loved it! Bowman nails the voice in this, authentically communicating Eliot's feelings and her struggles with grief. It could be a great jumping off point to discuss death and grief with kids or tweens. You can feel how much Eliot is hurting and trying to figure out how to move forward from that hurt. I do wish some sort of therapy would have been represented, because that could have been such a positive thing. I get why it wasn't, plotwise, but including would have given the book that extra edge.
We also get some twists on the classic ghost story for middle grade. While some of the plot twists were easy for me to spot, they might not be as easy for kids reading it. Bowman plays with your expectations throughout the book, and it really makes the entire story engaging. It made me want to see what Bowman was going to do next!
All in all, if you're looking for a new middle grade to jump into that might deal with some difficult topics, I would recommend this!
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Such a lovely middle grade about grief, about learning to move on, about new beginnings. Stay tuned for a full review to come!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Dementia and Child death
ezwolf's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Where the Lost Ones Go is about twelve year old Eliot who's recently lost her grandmother and has been forced to move to the opposite coast. Eliot already has an interest in the paranormal and after a dare to knock on the door of a "cursed" house in her new town, Eliot stumbles on to a way she thinks she may be able to contact her grandmother's ghost and get the goodbye she's been wanting for.
Eliot is a very strong little girl and her desperation to be able to say goodbye and make sure her grandmother remembers her is just as strong to read about. Hazel and Eliot's friendship and the solace they find in each other was so sweet and the way the story progresses leaves you feeling for both of them. I could tell how it was going to end pretty much right from the beginning, but this is meant for older kids/young teenagers so that's understandable and did not at all take away from my enjoyment of the book.
This story was lovingly bittersweet in the best way and I was crying by the end. I liked how the story was not only about grief and moving forward but also about loneliness and how you deal with it as a family and a friend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Eliot is a very strong little girl and her desperation to be able to say goodbye and make sure her grandmother remembers her is just as strong to read about. Hazel and Eliot's friendship and the solace they find in each other was so sweet and the way the story progresses leaves you feeling for both of them. I could tell how it was going to end pretty much right from the beginning, but this is meant for older kids/young teenagers so that's understandable and did not at all take away from my enjoyment of the book.
This story was lovingly bittersweet in the best way and I was crying by the end. I liked how the story was not only about grief and moving forward but also about loneliness and how you deal with it as a family and a friend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for making this available in exchange for an honest review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Dementia and Child death
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