Throwaway Girls

June 1, 2020

Gr 9 Up-In this YA debut, high school senior Caroline Lawson is born into privilege, a bright and athletic teen who is poised to graduate from a prestigious boarding school in western Maryland. However, Caroline is also reeling from a breakup with her girlfriend, recovery from the trauma of conversion therapy, and the disappearance of her best friend Madison. Caroline's experiences give her a unique window into the hardscrabble world of vulnerable girls in nearby West Virginia and launch her into a perilous search for Madison and others who have vanished. A subplot in which a beloved teacher is accused of an improper relationship with Caroline detracts from the story, while her rough language and reliance on her flavored vape do not feel authentic. Yet, Caroline's courage in saving Madison and seeking justice ring true, propelling her toward a confrontation with a killer from her own community. VERDICT While the book falls short on character and setting development, Contos writes with an urgency that will keep readers involved in Caroline's journey and her efforts to remain true to herself.-Gillian D'Ambrosio, Rutgers Univ., NJ

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from July 1, 2020
A tenacious 17-year-old girl pieces together a dark account of class. Caroline's world is one of stifling privilege at her Maryland prep school and at home with her uptight, homophobic mother and passive father. Her saving grace was The Wayside, a bar in West Virginia where she used to meet up with the ex-girlfriend with whom she could wholly be herself, two secrets not even her best friend, Madison, knows about. This is why, after Madison goes missing, Caroline finds it bizarre that Madison had a matchbook from The Wayside. Caroline is determined to solve Madison's disappearance but along the way learns of other missing girls that no one is looking for, girls whose lives attract less attention due to their race and socio-economic status. As the mystery unravels, Caroline scrambles for leads to find Madison and the others. In a parallel narrative, an intriguing, ominous voice narrates a life wholly the opposite of Caroline's. It will take defiance and cost Caroline things she holds dear to find the truth and avenge past wrongs. This haunting debut infused with social commentary on privilege and power is one that readers looking for suspense will enjoy. The author uses the relationships between characters, the second narrator shrouded in mystery, and the overall sinister, menacing tone to create a captivating tension that will keep readers going until the end. Caroline and Madison are white. A smart, memorable mystery. (Mystery. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.