Thoughts on : Sadie by Courtney Summers
Sadie by Courtney Summers
Narration : Full cast
Genre : YA, mystery
Stand alone
About the Book :
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.
My Thoughts :
I’ve really liked Courtney Summers’ previous work, and so I bought my copy of Sadie almost as soon as it came out. And then I read tons of reviews from people recommending the audio version. I usually wouldn’t go and buy a second copy of a book I haven’t even read once, but this time I made half of an exception by borrowing the audio from my library, leaving my hardcover copy untouched (and later, given away).
While I can think of audiobooks I liked more than Sadie, I can’t think of a book that is more suited for the audio format. A huge part of the novel is told through interviews and podcasts, and the audio production with full cast makes the experience extremely realistic. And even though the story is fiction, I think fans of true crime would appreciate this novel, as West’s podcast replicates the experience of a true crime podcast.
But this book was extremely bleak. I can’t really say I enjoyed listening to it. Courtney Summers never shies away from complex characters and difficult topics, which I can appreciate. It doesn’t make for pleasant experiences, but all books don’t need to be pleasant.
Sadie isn’t a book I’d like to revisit, but it’s one I won’t soon forget. It makes you think, it makes you feel. Heartbreaking but powerful. I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite of Courtney Summers, but I can see why this book as received so much hype. I would strongly recommend it too, especially on audio, but I would also make sure to plan ahead and have something lighter to read right after.
I thought I’d read something by this author that I didn’t care for so I avoided this book. It turns out I had her mixed up with another Courtney. It sounds like this one is worth exploring.