Sadie

Sadie
Courtney Summers
Wednesday Books, 2018 320 pages
Grades 10-Adult
Realistic Fiction

Alternating voices and formats tell the story of Sadie, a nineteen-year-old girl searching for the murderer of her younger sister. The main story is told by Sadie herself as she hits the road in search of her drug-addicted mother's ex-boyfriend who sexually abused her when she was younger. Sadie is convinced that it was Keith who murdered Mattie and is determined to find him and get her revenge. The search is impeded by Sadie’s pronounced stutter, making communication difficult and uncomfortable. On the way she meets interesting people, some more likable and more helpful than others, finally making her way to Keith's doorstep-only to find another surprise. Meanwhile, alternating chapters are told in a podcast, as West McCray follows Sadie's path, slowly uncovering her journey and motivations. The story is revealed little by little, as the true damage done by Keith unfolds and the extent of the horrors lurking within him are exposed.

Discovered on a list of audio-books great for family summer road trips, I gave this book a listen. Podcasts are hot right now and I was intrigued to hear a book that encompasses this format. It is an excellent audio-book, one that is even better than the print version. The print version shows the script of the podcast, yet in the audio book you can hear the actual podcast, complete with sound effects, background music, multiple voices, and the full extent of Sadie’s stutter. That said, because of the graphic nature of this book, I would not recommend it for family road trips--or, for that matter-younger teens. It gets very graphic, as Keith is a sexual predictor and sexual abuse, violence, neglect, and drug addiction are all active parts of the plot. The story is carefully constructed and the truth slowly revealed with little twists and turns along the way, weaving itself into a tight story. There is some closure at the end, yet we never know completely what happens, leaving the final details up to the imagination of the reader. Some characters find healing, others are left hanging, but that's life, isn't it? The reader will experience the story both from the eyes of the protagonist and those of the male reporter, who spends a life-changing year with Sadie, yet never meets her. I keep thinking that the title of the book is The Girls, which is the title of the podcast. Maybe that is too common a title, but I think it would have worked better for the story, since it really is a tribute to lost girls everywhere without a voice.