A review by emilyusuallyreading
If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch
4.0
What I Liked
If You Find Me is incredibly readable. I finished it in a single setting and was unable to put it down without finding out what happened to two lovable sisters. Their story is compelling, and Emily Murdoch is an excellent wordsmith. Her writing is beautiful.
What I Didn't Like
The only reason I'm giving this book four stars is because I had trouble envisioning Carey as a believable, real person. She has no flaws. She is "model" beautiful, a "prodigy" on the violin, always respectful, almost always kind to the people who are mean to her, and consistently self-sacrificing. A typical abused, displaced child would lash out viciously, even if there was a honeymoon phase towards the beginning, and especially if she spent most of her childhood without a present authority figure. Even though Carey grew up surrounded by abusive drug addicts, she doesn't cuss (and is somewhat shocked when her friend Pixie swears) and she doesn't know what marijuana is. Carey's high level of education is also too good to be true. After Carey teaches herself how to read and write with whatever garage sale books their mother brings home (and without even knowing what a pencil is), both Carey and her sister are two grades ahead.
Overall, I enjoyed If You Find Me, even though I had some problems with its believability. Emily Murdoch is a lovely writer, and I look forward to reading what she publishes in the future.
If You Find Me is incredibly readable. I finished it in a single setting and was unable to put it down without finding out what happened to two lovable sisters. Their story is compelling, and Emily Murdoch is an excellent wordsmith. Her writing is beautiful.
What I Didn't Like
The only reason I'm giving this book four stars is because I had trouble envisioning Carey as a believable, real person. She has no flaws. She is "model" beautiful, a "prodigy" on the violin, always respectful, almost always kind to the people who are mean to her, and consistently self-sacrificing. A typical abused, displaced child would lash out viciously, even if there was a honeymoon phase towards the beginning, and especially if she spent most of her childhood without a present authority figure. Even though Carey grew up surrounded by abusive drug addicts, she doesn't cuss (and is somewhat shocked when her friend Pixie swears) and she doesn't know what marijuana is. Carey's high level of education is also too good to be true. After Carey teaches herself how to read and write with whatever garage sale books their mother brings home (and without even knowing what a pencil is), both Carey and her sister are two grades ahead.
Overall, I enjoyed If You Find Me, even though I had some problems with its believability. Emily Murdoch is a lovely writer, and I look forward to reading what she publishes in the future.