Book Review: Sadie (Non-Spoiler)

The writing was brilliant! It was just the right amount of telling us few, but letting us know enough.

Synopsis

A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.

Sadie hasn’t had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she’s been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister’s killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.

When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie’s journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it’s too late.

Photo by Shar (@sunsnacksseries)

Plot

I stumbled upon Sadie randomly while browsing for audiobooks on Scribd, and I found myself halfway through the story in no time. I have to emphasize how captivating the audiobook was. It featured a full cast and incorporated sound effects, immersing the listener in the story. Footsteps, opening and closing doors, humming engines, murmurs of conversations, and even phone static all added to the vividness. The dialogues were filled with emotions, laughter, anger, and the stutter of Sadie was brought to life. Closing your eyes while listening transports you into a cinematic experience.

“Paul taught me a person committed to silence can suggest importance, strength. So long as they’re a man, I mean. It’s not an option when you’re a girl, not unless you want people to think you’re a bitch.”
― Courtney Summers, Sadie

At first, I was lost, filled with questions as the book progressed. Who murdered Sadie’s sister? Where was Sadie headed? What actions would she take? The book successfully evoked the essence of a murder mystery novel, encouraging me to form theories and contemplate various possibilities. I rooted for Sadie and her mission. Along her journey, Sadie encountered individuals who not only aided her in finding the man she sought but also helped her discover herself.

“But love is complicated, it’s messy. It can inspire selflessness, selfishness, our greatest accomplishments and our hardest mistakes. It brings us together and it can just as easily drive us apart.”
― Courtney Summers, Sadie

Writing

The writing in Sadie was brilliant. It was just the right amount of telling us few, but letting us know enough. Each chapter compelled me to read the next, leading to a fast-paced reading experience. The subtle incorporation of vocabulary words seamlessly enhanced the narrative. It’s worth noting that this book also features queer representation.

“Every little thing about you can be a weapon, if you’re clever enough.”
― Courtney Summers, Sadie

Overall

While I was enthralled by Sadie and would have given it a perfect rating, I had minor reservations. The open ending, although usually appealing to me, left me desiring a more definitive conclusion. However, I still give this book 4 stars. It was a gripping, poignant, and significant story. I highly recommend it, and I’m eager to explore the author’s other works.

About The Author

Courtney Summers is the bestselling author of several novels, whose career in writing began in 2008, when she was 22. Her work has been released to critical acclaim and multiple starred reviews, received numerous awards and honors including the Edgar Award, the John Spray Mystery Award, the Cybils Award, the Odyssey Award, the Audie Award, and has enjoyed the recognition of many library, state, ‘Best Of’ and Readers’ Choice lists. Courtney has reviewed for The New York Times, is the founder of #ToTheGirls, a 2015 worldwide trending hashtag, and in 2016, she was named one of Flare Magazine’s 60 under 30. She lives and writes in Canada.

www.courtneysummers.ca
Twitter: @courtney_s
Instagram: @summerscourtney