Author: Penny Joelson
Publication Date: 3 November 2020
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Page Count: 304
Reading Method: Physical ARC
Synopsis:
Nothing ever happens on Kasia’s street. And Kasia would know, because her chronic illness keeps her stuck at home, watching the outside world from her bedroom window. So when she witnesses what looks like a kidnapping, she’s not sure whether she can believe her own eyes…
There had been a girl in the window across the street who must have seen something too. But when Kasia ventures out to find her, she is told the most shocking thing of all: There is no girl.
Review:
The story starts off with an abduction – allegedly.
Kasia can’t find anyone other than the mysterious, supposedly non-existent, girl across the street who might have witnessed what she saw.
THE STORY:
A little bit of mystery combined with an exploration into the characters and their dynamics. The abduction takes place almost immediately, and from there we are led on a journey to figure out who the girl across the street is and whether or not she is real. Though this seems to be pitched as the main storyline, the thing that stood out to me was Kasia’s journey facing her illness and building relationships with the neighbor and neighbor’s grandson.
The mystery element was an underlying current throughout, and certainly more prominent towards the end of the story. But everything that happens to Kasia is building to the resolution.
THE WRITING:
I knew going into this one that it was a young adult thriller/mystery, but I underestimated how young it was. That’s certainly not to say it wasn’t enjoyable. It would be perfect for a younger audience getting into the genre.
THE CHARACTERS:
Our main character, Kasia, is a curious, persistent, and caring individual who undergoes a lot of growth throughout the book. I loved seeing the relationship between her and her neighbor, Mrs. G., take shape. Mrs. G. is the kind of neighbor everyone wants and I loved her little bit of backstory as well. Nav, Mrs. G.’s grandson is such a sweetheart. I loved his parts of the story and his interactions with Kasia. He was always there to give her the push she needed.
All in all, this was a quick and entertaining read that I would happily recommend to young readers looking for a thrill.
You can purchase a copy of The Girl Who Wasn’t There here (amazon) or here (book depository)
You can learn more about the author, Penny Joelson, here
