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Don't Try to Find Me
When a 14-year-old runs away, her parents turn to social media to find her-launching a public campaign that will expose their darkest secrets and change their family forever, in this suspenseful and gripping debut for fans of Reconstructing Amelia and Gone Girl
Don't try to find me. Though the message on the kitchen white board is written in Marley's hand, her mother Rachel knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.
As the days pass and it sinks in that the impossible has occurred, Rachel and her husband Paul are informed that the police have "limited resources." If they want their 14-year-old daughter back, they will have to find her themselves. Desperation becomes determination when Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter, and launches FindMarley.com.
But Marley isn't the only one with secrets.
With public exposure comes scrutiny, and when Rachel blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins. Now, the blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It's not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally, anyway. But when it's discovered that she's lied, even to the police, the devoted mother becomes a suspect in Marley's disappearance.
Is Marley out there somewhere, watching it all happen, or is the truth something far worse?
Don't try to find me. Though the message on the kitchen white board is written in Marley's hand, her mother Rachel knows there has to be some other explanation. Marley would never run away.
As the days pass and it sinks in that the impossible has occurred, Rachel and her husband Paul are informed that the police have "limited resources." If they want their 14-year-old daughter back, they will have to find her themselves. Desperation becomes determination when Paul turns to Facebook and Twitter, and launches FindMarley.com.
But Marley isn't the only one with secrets.
With public exposure comes scrutiny, and when Rachel blows a television interview, the dirty speculation begins. Now, the blogosphere is convinced Rachel is hiding something. It's not what they think; Rachel would never hurt Marley. Not intentionally, anyway. But when it's discovered that she's lied, even to the police, the devoted mother becomes a suspect in Marley's disappearance.
Is Marley out there somewhere, watching it all happen, or is the truth something far worse?
368 pages, Hardcover
First published July 8, 2014
327 people are currently reading
6780 people want to read
About the author
Holly Brown
10 books236 followersHolly Brown is a practicing marriage and family therapist and author of the novels DON'T TRY TO FIND ME, A NECESSARY END, THIS IS NOT OVER, and HOW FAR SHE'S COME. She teamed up with three internationally bestselling thriller writers (Sophie Hannah, B.A. Paris, and Clare Mackintosh) for THE UNDERSTUDY.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 605 reviews
August 17, 2022
“Eighth grade is like Lord Of The Flies but with eyeliner.”
― Holly Brown, Don't Try to Find Me
This nook has been compared to "Reconstructing Amelia" but it really isn't anything like that book or Gone girl so do not buy into the type. However it is good. It is also every Parents worst nightmare so if you are a parent..you have been warned!
Marley is 14 years old. One morning she just..vanishes. Her parents are terrified. She leaves nothing behind except this chilling note :
"Don't try to find me".
Well that is a powerful start! And the book is good. It is a bit slow moving at times but very well written and CHILLING .
The book switches POVS like so many books do these days. One of the POVS is Marley herself. Some reviewers did not like the fact that we, the reader, follow Marley and her w hereabouts are not a mystery..to us. But I liked the whole format of the book.
And it is heartbreaking in its way. I would strongly recommend it. In fact I was surprised by some of the low ratings. My attention never wandered and I liked the switching back and forth between the daughter and the parents.
It was creepy without being flat out scary and I found it to be a quick interesting read.
SPOILERS:
You do have some things happen that are hard to believe. I do not believe that a man like the villain in this book would drive her to the hospital but stranger things have happened. I did enjoy how the daughter and mom came together at the end and I enjoyed this book.
― Holly Brown, Don't Try to Find Me
This nook has been compared to "Reconstructing Amelia" but it really isn't anything like that book or Gone girl so do not buy into the type. However it is good. It is also every Parents worst nightmare so if you are a parent..you have been warned!
Marley is 14 years old. One morning she just..vanishes. Her parents are terrified. She leaves nothing behind except this chilling note :
"Don't try to find me".
Well that is a powerful start! And the book is good. It is a bit slow moving at times but very well written and CHILLING .
The book switches POVS like so many books do these days. One of the POVS is Marley herself. Some reviewers did not like the fact that we, the reader, follow Marley and her w hereabouts are not a mystery..to us. But I liked the whole format of the book.
And it is heartbreaking in its way. I would strongly recommend it. In fact I was surprised by some of the low ratings. My attention never wandered and I liked the switching back and forth between the daughter and the parents.
It was creepy without being flat out scary and I found it to be a quick interesting read.
SPOILERS:
You do have some things happen that are hard to believe. I do not believe that a man like the villain in this book would drive her to the hospital but stranger things have happened. I did enjoy how the daughter and mom came together at the end and I enjoyed this book.
July 14, 2014
I really wanted to like this book, and in fact, I had high hopes. The plot: A young girl (14) runs away from home. Her mother is extremely upset, her father is upset too but is somewhat aloof. Why does the girl run away? And is the mother hiding her own secrets? The book has two perspectives: the mother's, and the daughters. And hands down, the daughter's sections are 100 times more interesting than the mothers. It got to the point where I started to skip the mother's sections. She was boring and her subplot involving the affair was something I could care less about. The father was a dull character as well. And the plot and ending ultimately became extremely predictable, making this a fluffy dull filler read.
August 5, 2014
Meeting someone online and falling in love is wonderful. Yes, it is wonderful but not when you are fourteen and he is twenty-nine and has lied to you about a lot of things including his name.
Marley met Brandon on a social media site, and he talked her into leaving her family and joining him for a life together. But...she couldn't take her computer, her phone, or even go out of the house once she arrived.
As Marley traveled by bus to meet Brandon, on the other side of the country, her parents were frantically looking for her with no clues at all. Marley wiped out everything on all devices so no trace of where she was could be discovered.
This nightmare was real for Marley’s parents, Rachel and Paul. They used social media to start a site named FindMarley.com
This book discussed a lot of social issues and showed the dangers of social media’s influence on youth as well as its ability to aid in getting cross-country exposure about a runaway.
The characters were difficult to like. I wanted to shake Marley. I definitely disliked Brandon. I wasn't even fond of Rachel or Paul.
But, despite the unlikeable characters, DON’T TRY TO FIND ME had me glued to the pages and had my heart racing. The suspense was quite high. My fear for Marley had me tense while I was reading the book as well as when I was waiting to return to see what was going to happen. I still am anxious as I am writing this...definitely the sign of a GOOD book.
If you like to be kept on the edge of your seat, don’t miss reading DON’T TRY TO FIND ME. It was a quick read, but very intense. It could even be called a thriller.
My rating is going to be a 4/5 because parts of the book were a bit too descriptive, but the anxiety and apprehension as each scene took place made it a terrific read.
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2014
"Don't try to find me."
With those words, fourteen year-old Marley sets off every parents' worst nightmare -- your child running away from home, vanishing without a trace. The only clues are how thoroughly Marley went to cover her tracks, including erasing her tablet and clearing out messages from her e-mail in-box, cell phone and her social media accounts.
Marley's parents, Rachel and Paul throw themselves into trying to figure out why their daughter would board a Greyhound bus and attempt to vanish. Paul throws himself into the crisis, embracing the role of the father trying to hold his family together while Rachel realizes that the intense scrutiny may bring up some secrets she doesn't necessarily want shared with her husband, much less the rest of the world.
And while these secrets are devastating to Rachel, Paul and Marley, author Holly Brown wisely keeps the secrets fairly restrained and doesn't indulge the temptation to make them overly melodramatic or predictable. The reader is clued in early that things aren't necessarily what they seem and that both narrators (Rachel and Marley take turns narrating chapters) aren't necessarily reliable or telling us the whole story. The back and forth of the chapters as each secret and the consequences of certain decisions are played out for each of the characters helps keep the story moving forward and keeps raising questions that are (thankfully) all answered by time we get to the final pages of the novel.
It's interesting to see that the marketing blurbs compare this book to Gone Girl and Reconstructing Amelia. While I understand the temptation to hype every book coming on the market told from the point of view from two (or more) unreliable narrators, I think that marketing Don't Try to Find Me along those lines is a disservice to this book. The book is more along the lines of Reconstructing Amelia with much of the mystery and suspense coming from how little the parents in question know about their teenage children. Luckily Don't Try to Find Me can have a happier ending since Marley has only vanished and is trying to disappear from the grid and start a new life, but the questions of just how well you can and should know your children and what you can and should know about their friends (both in real life and on-line) will linger with you long after the final page is turned.
With those words, fourteen year-old Marley sets off every parents' worst nightmare -- your child running away from home, vanishing without a trace. The only clues are how thoroughly Marley went to cover her tracks, including erasing her tablet and clearing out messages from her e-mail in-box, cell phone and her social media accounts.
Marley's parents, Rachel and Paul throw themselves into trying to figure out why their daughter would board a Greyhound bus and attempt to vanish. Paul throws himself into the crisis, embracing the role of the father trying to hold his family together while Rachel realizes that the intense scrutiny may bring up some secrets she doesn't necessarily want shared with her husband, much less the rest of the world.
And while these secrets are devastating to Rachel, Paul and Marley, author Holly Brown wisely keeps the secrets fairly restrained and doesn't indulge the temptation to make them overly melodramatic or predictable. The reader is clued in early that things aren't necessarily what they seem and that both narrators (Rachel and Marley take turns narrating chapters) aren't necessarily reliable or telling us the whole story. The back and forth of the chapters as each secret and the consequences of certain decisions are played out for each of the characters helps keep the story moving forward and keeps raising questions that are (thankfully) all answered by time we get to the final pages of the novel.
It's interesting to see that the marketing blurbs compare this book to Gone Girl and Reconstructing Amelia. While I understand the temptation to hype every book coming on the market told from the point of view from two (or more) unreliable narrators, I think that marketing Don't Try to Find Me along those lines is a disservice to this book. The book is more along the lines of Reconstructing Amelia with much of the mystery and suspense coming from how little the parents in question know about their teenage children. Luckily Don't Try to Find Me can have a happier ending since Marley has only vanished and is trying to disappear from the grid and start a new life, but the questions of just how well you can and should know your children and what you can and should know about their friends (both in real life and on-line) will linger with you long after the final page is turned.
February 2, 2014
Nose Graze — Book reviews & blogging tips
Wow. Don't Try to Find Me is going to be a tough one to review! This book had so many different sides and layers; it's almost hard to absorb. It's also REALLY hard to talk about this book without spoilers. Those kind of reviews are always hard to write!
There's one big part of the book that I need to talk about. I wouldn't personally call it a spoiler because it gets revealed before the 50% mark, but it's not mentioned in the synopsis. So I'll put it in spoiler tags and you can decide if you want it revealed or not!
It was hard and fascinating to read the chapters from Marley's mom's point of view. I felt really bad for her and her husband (Paul) because they were clearly both devastated, and I wanted to cry with them! But on the other hand, I was constantly suspicious because of what the synopsis said. I kept imagining the worst, like one of them secretly abusing Marley or something. I didn't know what to think! But you could clearly see Rachel and Paul spiraling downwards and lose hope. They started out thinking Marley would be home in a few days or within the week at most... but when she didn't come home, Rachel in particular became an emotional wreck (understandably). Secrets began to pour out and I started second guessing everyone and everything!
Most of all, I loved how this book made me think. I was absorbing everything! Marley was kind of a reckless teenager, but her journal entries did make me see her side of things and really feel for her. But then I'd read her mom's chapters and feel for Rachel too! I was so conflicted and didn't know who to actually support. But it was really sad to see Marley try to convince herself that running away was what she wanted. You could see the red flags there, and see Marley try to explain them away.. then it spiraled out of control. I was just really drawn into the way it was written. It was like watching something horrible happen in slow motion.
My only real complaint about the book feels so awkward to complain about... and unfortunately, it's also a spoiler.
I think I almost had a morbid fascination with this book. Obviously the subject matter is pretty serious, but I was kind of addicted to it. I really wanted to know what happened and see the creepy bits unravel.. and maybe that in itself is kind of creepy of me! But overall it was a super interesting book and I definitely recommend it!
Wow. Don't Try to Find Me is going to be a tough one to review! This book had so many different sides and layers; it's almost hard to absorb. It's also REALLY hard to talk about this book without spoilers. Those kind of reviews are always hard to write!
There's one big part of the book that I need to talk about. I wouldn't personally call it a spoiler because it gets revealed before the 50% mark, but it's not mentioned in the synopsis. So I'll put it in spoiler tags and you can decide if you want it revealed or not!
It was hard and fascinating to read the chapters from Marley's mom's point of view. I felt really bad for her and her husband (Paul) because they were clearly both devastated, and I wanted to cry with them! But on the other hand, I was constantly suspicious because of what the synopsis said. I kept imagining the worst, like one of them secretly abusing Marley or something. I didn't know what to think! But you could clearly see Rachel and Paul spiraling downwards and lose hope. They started out thinking Marley would be home in a few days or within the week at most... but when she didn't come home, Rachel in particular became an emotional wreck (understandably). Secrets began to pour out and I started second guessing everyone and everything!
Most of all, I loved how this book made me think. I was absorbing everything! Marley was kind of a reckless teenager, but her journal entries did make me see her side of things and really feel for her. But then I'd read her mom's chapters and feel for Rachel too! I was so conflicted and didn't know who to actually support. But it was really sad to see Marley try to convince herself that running away was what she wanted. You could see the red flags there, and see Marley try to explain them away.. then it spiraled out of control. I was just really drawn into the way it was written. It was like watching something horrible happen in slow motion.
My only real complaint about the book feels so awkward to complain about... and unfortunately, it's also a spoiler.
I think I almost had a morbid fascination with this book. Obviously the subject matter is pretty serious, but I was kind of addicted to it. I really wanted to know what happened and see the creepy bits unravel.. and maybe that in itself is kind of creepy of me! But overall it was a super interesting book and I definitely recommend it!
August 28, 2014
DON'T TRY TO FIND ME by Holly Brown, a story of a fourteen year old freshman girl Marley who has taken off from her home in California, leaving her mom, Rachel and dad Paul with only a note stating not to find her.
Estranged from her old friends from her San Francisco Bay area middle school, and unfortunately not making any real strong connections in the new rural high school, where their family has recently relocated-- Marty takes off on a bus to meet her online boyfriend in Durham, NC.
While the campaign broadens to find their daughter, more of the focus turns to Rachel, the self-absorbed mom. Yes, her mom and dad have some issues, but where is the suspense? Told in alternating voices, unfortunately, this debut novel did not live up. It was off to a good start, and fell flat.
The positives The concept and the relation to social media. Would be good for a teenage girl (young adult classification), demonstrating the risks and caution to use with online social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and how not to trust others so easily by running off to meet them.
The negatives In my opinion, this book is not a thriller. It is more about family dynamics, secrets, and relationships of father, mother, and daughter. At most a dysfunctional family, with some minor problems. Nothing really deep or dark here, worthy of being classified as a thriller. I kept waiting for a big suspense build up, a shocker, or something really bad to happen. It fell flat, with no likable characters, no personality, no humor or wit, and nothing to really hold it together. 2.5 Stars
I listened to the audiobook (not a pleasant experience), as the narrator for character Rachel, the mom–Hillary Huber, had the most annoying voice. This strongly affected the overall novel, making it very difficult to listen. The other two performers, Angela Goethals (Marty) and James Fouhey, (Paul) were ok; however, the character development, left a lot to be desired. (Yes, this audiobook has been returned for a credit).
Estranged from her old friends from her San Francisco Bay area middle school, and unfortunately not making any real strong connections in the new rural high school, where their family has recently relocated-- Marty takes off on a bus to meet her online boyfriend in Durham, NC.
While the campaign broadens to find their daughter, more of the focus turns to Rachel, the self-absorbed mom. Yes, her mom and dad have some issues, but where is the suspense? Told in alternating voices, unfortunately, this debut novel did not live up. It was off to a good start, and fell flat.
The positives The concept and the relation to social media. Would be good for a teenage girl (young adult classification), demonstrating the risks and caution to use with online social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and how not to trust others so easily by running off to meet them.
The negatives In my opinion, this book is not a thriller. It is more about family dynamics, secrets, and relationships of father, mother, and daughter. At most a dysfunctional family, with some minor problems. Nothing really deep or dark here, worthy of being classified as a thriller. I kept waiting for a big suspense build up, a shocker, or something really bad to happen. It fell flat, with no likable characters, no personality, no humor or wit, and nothing to really hold it together. 2.5 Stars
I listened to the audiobook (not a pleasant experience), as the narrator for character Rachel, the mom–Hillary Huber, had the most annoying voice. This strongly affected the overall novel, making it very difficult to listen. The other two performers, Angela Goethals (Marty) and James Fouhey, (Paul) were ok; however, the character development, left a lot to be desired. (Yes, this audiobook has been returned for a credit).
June 16, 2014
When fourteen-year-old Marley Willits disappeared, she left behind a brief and vague message on the whiteboard that stated "don't try to find me."
From the message, the police conclude that there was no way to be sure she had gone voluntarily, so almost immediately, their questions seemed to zoom in on the possibility that someone else made her disappear. Perhaps even someone in the family.
Paul and Rachel look like the perfect parents, but right away, Paul starts to look more perfect than Rachel, because he is aggressively creating a media blitz, including a website called FindMarley.com. And the interviewers seem to love him.
Why does Rachel let him take over with his voice and his agenda, and dismiss hers? What is it about the relationship between these two that fuels the speculative comments and tweets? Is Rachel guilty of something? Or has she simply given in to the power of Paul's spin? Has the power dynamic in their relationship contributed to Marley's disappearance? What role, if any, does Michael, Marley's psychiatrist, play in what happened to Marley?
Alternately narrated in Rachel's and Marley's first person voices, we learn more very slowly, as the story unfolds. There is something very similar between the two in how they choose to relate to the people in their lives. Is something more malevolent going on? Is someone manipulating each of them?
Almost immediately I felt repulsed by Paul and the way he controlled everything, from the household to the media campaign. And in Marley's new world, the one she has kept secret, her new boyfriend has many of these same qualities. While I felt empathy for Rachel and Marley, I also wanted them to speak up and use their voices. I also began to realize that I was only seeing their versions of reality, and perhaps they were not the most reliable narrators.
"Don't Try To Find Me: A Novel" reveals what lies behind the facades: the secrets, the dynamics, the dysfunction. And the story seemingly springs from the headlines or a therapist's case files, and as a result, we begin to question everything about this family. And then we have to wonder how the narratives of others might be guiding them and controlling our perceptions of reality, too.
An interesting journey, and while I wanted to find out the secrets and what was behind the facades, I started to feel a little manipulated, too. In the end, nothing was quite the way I thought it would be, and I felt a little cheated. But the author led the reader skillfully, showing us she is familiar with the terrain of family dysfunction. 4.0 stars.
From the message, the police conclude that there was no way to be sure she had gone voluntarily, so almost immediately, their questions seemed to zoom in on the possibility that someone else made her disappear. Perhaps even someone in the family.
Paul and Rachel look like the perfect parents, but right away, Paul starts to look more perfect than Rachel, because he is aggressively creating a media blitz, including a website called FindMarley.com. And the interviewers seem to love him.
Why does Rachel let him take over with his voice and his agenda, and dismiss hers? What is it about the relationship between these two that fuels the speculative comments and tweets? Is Rachel guilty of something? Or has she simply given in to the power of Paul's spin? Has the power dynamic in their relationship contributed to Marley's disappearance? What role, if any, does Michael, Marley's psychiatrist, play in what happened to Marley?
Alternately narrated in Rachel's and Marley's first person voices, we learn more very slowly, as the story unfolds. There is something very similar between the two in how they choose to relate to the people in their lives. Is something more malevolent going on? Is someone manipulating each of them?
Almost immediately I felt repulsed by Paul and the way he controlled everything, from the household to the media campaign. And in Marley's new world, the one she has kept secret, her new boyfriend has many of these same qualities. While I felt empathy for Rachel and Marley, I also wanted them to speak up and use their voices. I also began to realize that I was only seeing their versions of reality, and perhaps they were not the most reliable narrators.
"Don't Try To Find Me: A Novel" reveals what lies behind the facades: the secrets, the dynamics, the dysfunction. And the story seemingly springs from the headlines or a therapist's case files, and as a result, we begin to question everything about this family. And then we have to wonder how the narratives of others might be guiding them and controlling our perceptions of reality, too.
An interesting journey, and while I wanted to find out the secrets and what was behind the facades, I started to feel a little manipulated, too. In the end, nothing was quite the way I thought it would be, and I felt a little cheated. But the author led the reader skillfully, showing us she is familiar with the terrain of family dysfunction. 4.0 stars.
July 7, 2014
At first, I was intrigued by this book and the story it promised.
Then, everything fell apart as the story did just what the 14 year-old runaway hated: the novel became more heavily transfixed with what was happening to the distraught mother, rather than the missing girl who was in obvious danger. While I understand that the mother had many secrets and that police always turn to the parents first as suspects, I thought the whole thing was a bit too much.
P.S. What the hell was up with that random quasi-love interest, anyway? He wreaks havoc, shows his true colours, then just disappears after he admits that he loves the mother?? This book was just all over the place. I'm not too ashamed to say that I skimmed a bit while reading this. The mother's chapters were just so bland and full of selfish thoughts, and woe is me issues. Just, ugh.
There was so much potential for the daughter's side of the story. I almost wish that the whole book showed her perspective only. Much like the parents in the novel, this book focused more on the parents' outward appearance and how the reader would see them, rather than the daughter's story.
As for the conclusion--I'm sorry, but I'm not buying it.
I don't really recommend this to anyone, but if you want to read an interesting take on an inappropriate relationship, than I recommend reading the daughter's chapter's only.
Happy reading!
Then, everything fell apart as the story did just what the 14 year-old runaway hated: the novel became more heavily transfixed with what was happening to the distraught mother, rather than the missing girl who was in obvious danger. While I understand that the mother had many secrets and that police always turn to the parents first as suspects, I thought the whole thing was a bit too much.
P.S. What the hell was up with that random quasi-love interest, anyway? He wreaks havoc, shows his true colours, then just disappears after he admits that he loves the mother?? This book was just all over the place. I'm not too ashamed to say that I skimmed a bit while reading this. The mother's chapters were just so bland and full of selfish thoughts, and woe is me issues. Just, ugh.
There was so much potential for the daughter's side of the story. I almost wish that the whole book showed her perspective only. Much like the parents in the novel, this book focused more on the parents' outward appearance and how the reader would see them, rather than the daughter's story.
As for the conclusion--I'm sorry, but I'm not buying it.
I don't really recommend this to anyone, but if you want to read an interesting take on an inappropriate relationship, than I recommend reading the daughter's chapter's only.
Happy reading!
December 13, 2015
I had a bad feeling after the first chapter that I wasn't going to like this book. It was pretty horrendous for me. Here is the short list (relatively speaking) of issues that drove me crazy.
1. This is the biggest for me. The way that this book handles mental disease it pretty terrible. The mother character Rachel is a really bad stereotype for someone dealing with anxiety. Once again we see another character suffering from anxiety who becomes addicted to pills. I have struggled with anxiety for years and I have found that medication is extremely helpful and allows me to live a relatively normal life. I know that no case is typical, but it seems like the only portrait that the public has about anti-anxiety meds is that they will either wipe out all your emotions and you'll be numb and unfeeling for the rest of your life or you'll become addicted to them. This book just adds to it.
2. Every official involved in the investigation is somehow doing their job wrong. The psychologist is manipulative, the cop is hounding the wrong person and the social worker is working against the poor mother character. One I could maybe understand but ALL of them?
3. A lot of basic protocal isn't followed. Amber alert? Missing person report? Search parties? None of this is really attempted in earnest, they just jump to a media campaign right away.
4. Vague pop culture references all over the place, they don't add to the story and just seem to be a desperate way to relate to a few readers.
5. The characters are really one-dimensional and selfish. Everyone is constantly having "oh woe is me" moments
6. The characters make a lot of really dumb decisions, consistently just showing that they're not really learning as much as the author would like you to think they are.
Generally I found the writing to be really poor and I'm pretty disappointed. It had a promising idea but wasn't executed especially well.
1. This is the biggest for me. The way that this book handles mental disease it pretty terrible. The mother character Rachel is a really bad stereotype for someone dealing with anxiety. Once again we see another character suffering from anxiety who becomes addicted to pills. I have struggled with anxiety for years and I have found that medication is extremely helpful and allows me to live a relatively normal life. I know that no case is typical, but it seems like the only portrait that the public has about anti-anxiety meds is that they will either wipe out all your emotions and you'll be numb and unfeeling for the rest of your life or you'll become addicted to them. This book just adds to it.
2. Every official involved in the investigation is somehow doing their job wrong. The psychologist is manipulative, the cop is hounding the wrong person and the social worker is working against the poor mother character. One I could maybe understand but ALL of them?
3. A lot of basic protocal isn't followed. Amber alert? Missing person report? Search parties? None of this is really attempted in earnest, they just jump to a media campaign right away.
4. Vague pop culture references all over the place, they don't add to the story and just seem to be a desperate way to relate to a few readers.
5. The characters are really one-dimensional and selfish. Everyone is constantly having "oh woe is me" moments
6. The characters make a lot of really dumb decisions, consistently just showing that they're not really learning as much as the author would like you to think they are.
Generally I found the writing to be really poor and I'm pretty disappointed. It had a promising idea but wasn't executed especially well.
September 1, 2014
As a mother of two little girls this book scared the hell out if me. Talk to your kids, be honest with them, trust them but monitor them and social media is just bad bad bad!!!!!
October 28, 2017
"People struggle. People have to find their answers, and their happiness."
בוקר אחד, מרלי בת ה- 14 אורזת תיק ונעלמת. היא משאירה להוריה פול ורייצ'ל מכתב קצר בו היא מנחה אותם לא נסות לאתר אותה ומבטיחה להם הבטחה ערטילאית שהיא תהיה בסדר. פול ורייצ'ל, הורים מהמעמד הגבוה שנתנו לבתם את כל מה שכסף יכול לקנות, לא מצליחים להבין את המניעים של מרלי לברוח מהבית. אומנם מרלי טופלה בעבר אצל פסיכיאטר בכדי להתמודד עם הפרעת חרדה שסבלה ממנה, אבל היא הצליחה להתגבר, אז מה מוביל נערה צעירה בת 14 לעזוב את חיי הנוחות שלה ולברוח מהבית? ולהיכן?
בתקציר הספר, נטען שזה ספר לחובבי .Reconstructing Amelia . אני מאוד בספק. ראשית כי Reconstructing Amelia עוסק ביחסים שבין בני נוער לעצמם והספר Don't Try to Find Me עוסק ביחסים שבין בני נוער להוריהם. שנית כי Reconstructing Amelia לא מספק לקורא קתרזיס. הוא מתחיל מנקודת מוצא סופית ומוחלטת והולך אחורה. נקודת המוצא של Don't Try to Find Me מתחיל מנקודת מוצא שאינה מוחלטת וסופית.
הספר Don't Try to Find Me גם סובל מבעיות שונות בעלילה ש Reconstructing Amelia לא סובל מהן ולו בשל העובדה שהוא עוסק ביחסים בין בני נוער. ההרגשה שלי כשקראתי את Don't Try to Find Me שהסופרת ניסתה לפתח את העלילה בכיוונים שונים ורק לקראת הסוף היא בוחרת את כיוון העלילה המועדף עליה וגם הבחירה הזו מקרטעת.
למי שלא מעוניין בספויילרים שיפסיק לקרוא כאן.
עם כל הבעיתיות של הספר, נהנתי מהפרקים המתחלפים בין האם לבת. הספר Don't Try to Find Me אינו ספר גרוע, אבל הוא גם לא ספר מצויין.
בוקר אחד, מרלי בת ה- 14 אורזת תיק ונעלמת. היא משאירה להוריה פול ורייצ'ל מכתב קצר בו היא מנחה אותם לא נסות לאתר אותה ומבטיחה להם הבטחה ערטילאית שהיא תהיה בסדר. פול ורייצ'ל, הורים מהמעמד הגבוה שנתנו לבתם את כל מה שכסף יכול לקנות, לא מצליחים להבין את המניעים של מרלי לברוח מהבית. אומנם מרלי טופלה בעבר אצל פסיכיאטר בכדי להתמודד עם הפרעת חרדה שסבלה ממנה, אבל היא הצליחה להתגבר, אז מה מוביל נערה צעירה בת 14 לעזוב את חיי הנוחות שלה ולברוח מהבית? ולהיכן?
בתקציר הספר, נטען שזה ספר לחובבי .Reconstructing Amelia . אני מאוד בספק. ראשית כי Reconstructing Amelia עוסק ביחסים שבין בני נוער לעצמם והספר Don't Try to Find Me עוסק ביחסים שבין בני נוער להוריהם. שנית כי Reconstructing Amelia לא מספק לקורא קתרזיס. הוא מתחיל מנקודת מוצא סופית ומוחלטת והולך אחורה. נקודת המוצא של Don't Try to Find Me מתחיל מנקודת מוצא שאינה מוחלטת וסופית.
הספר Don't Try to Find Me גם סובל מבעיות שונות בעלילה ש Reconstructing Amelia לא סובל מהן ולו בשל העובדה שהוא עוסק ביחסים בין בני נוער. ההרגשה שלי כשקראתי את Don't Try to Find Me שהסופרת ניסתה לפתח את העלילה בכיוונים שונים ורק לקראת הסוף היא בוחרת את כיוון העלילה המועדף עליה וגם הבחירה הזו מקרטעת.
למי שלא מעוניין בספויילרים שיפסיק לקרוא כאן.
עם כל הבעיתיות של הספר, נהנתי מהפרקים המתחלפים בין האם לבת. הספר Don't Try to Find Me אינו ספר גרוע, אבל הוא גם לא ספר מצויין.
January 29, 2016
I really did not care for this book, and I should have seen the warning signs early on. Don't Try to Find Me centers around the family of 14 year old Marley. The story opens with the disappearance of Marley and her parents' discovery that she has run away. She has left behind a note to them only saying "Don't try to find me". I did like that each day was told from both Marley and her mom's point of view. However, I just felt that Marley made really foolish decisions that didn't even make sense. Also, her hatred toward her parents seemed unfounded. She didn't really have a good reason for doing what she did. The reason I picked this book up was because I'd heard it compared to Reconstructing Amelia and Gone Girl. I've read both of those books and I can tell you they were both WAY better than this one. I wish I hadn't wasted my time when there are so many other good books I want to read.
July 1, 2014
"Don't try to find me.
I'll be okay. I'll be better.
I love you."
Those were the last words written to the parents of fourteen-year-old Marley Willits before her mother dropped her off at school. Only her mother didn't see them until she got home. Not quite sure what Marley's intentions might be, she had hoped this was merely a note telling her she'd be back later today. But the more Rachel thought about it, the more she began to fear that there was more to this note than the words she read. When she attempted to call Marley's phone, it simply rang where she had left it, sitting on top of the refrigerator. Not something a fourteen-year-old would do. Leave her phone behind. What if she really was running away? What if she didn't run away like the note seems but that she was forced to write it? What if her daughter was really in trouble?
Rachel immediately calls her husband Paul at work and they agree this isn't something they should take lightly. After being seen by a psychiatrist three years ago, they thought Marley was improving. They had left the big city of San Francisco where they believed she was undergoing a lot of stress and peer pressure to a much small suburb and a smaller school. But was there something more that they were missing. Why would a fourteen-year-old suddenly decide that her perfect life wasn't all that she believed it was and simply left? Her parents had given her everything she could ever want. Money was certainly no object in their home. Her father, Paul worked hard to make a living but he was home every night, while her mother volunteered. So what were they missing?
When checking all Marley's social media sites, they did notice she wasn't posting as much as most teens probably do, but then again perhaps Facebook and Twitter were now becoming outdated with teens moving on to other sites that their parents simply didn't keep up with. How would they ever find their missing fourteen-year-old daughter in a world where teens simply go missing all the time. All they know is that the more time that goes by, the odds of them finding her grow slimmer.
I received Don't Try To Find Me by Holly Brown compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is a chilling look at the outcome of what is happening to young teens all over the world. As parents get busy with the tasks of working and taking care of the home, teens are spending more time on the internet and we simply don't know who they are taking to or what is really going on in their lives. This novel is for mature audiences as it deals with profanity, sexual content and adult subject matter. It does provide parents with insight into taking more time and really understanding what our children and teens are doing behind closed doors as well as the things going on in their life and at school. It conveys what most parents hope they never have to deal with and gives you an opportunity to take inventory in your own home to prevent something like this from happening. I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars simply based on my own personal rating system.
I'll be okay. I'll be better.
I love you."
Those were the last words written to the parents of fourteen-year-old Marley Willits before her mother dropped her off at school. Only her mother didn't see them until she got home. Not quite sure what Marley's intentions might be, she had hoped this was merely a note telling her she'd be back later today. But the more Rachel thought about it, the more she began to fear that there was more to this note than the words she read. When she attempted to call Marley's phone, it simply rang where she had left it, sitting on top of the refrigerator. Not something a fourteen-year-old would do. Leave her phone behind. What if she really was running away? What if she didn't run away like the note seems but that she was forced to write it? What if her daughter was really in trouble?
Rachel immediately calls her husband Paul at work and they agree this isn't something they should take lightly. After being seen by a psychiatrist three years ago, they thought Marley was improving. They had left the big city of San Francisco where they believed she was undergoing a lot of stress and peer pressure to a much small suburb and a smaller school. But was there something more that they were missing. Why would a fourteen-year-old suddenly decide that her perfect life wasn't all that she believed it was and simply left? Her parents had given her everything she could ever want. Money was certainly no object in their home. Her father, Paul worked hard to make a living but he was home every night, while her mother volunteered. So what were they missing?
When checking all Marley's social media sites, they did notice she wasn't posting as much as most teens probably do, but then again perhaps Facebook and Twitter were now becoming outdated with teens moving on to other sites that their parents simply didn't keep up with. How would they ever find their missing fourteen-year-old daughter in a world where teens simply go missing all the time. All they know is that the more time that goes by, the odds of them finding her grow slimmer.
I received Don't Try To Find Me by Holly Brown compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is a chilling look at the outcome of what is happening to young teens all over the world. As parents get busy with the tasks of working and taking care of the home, teens are spending more time on the internet and we simply don't know who they are taking to or what is really going on in their lives. This novel is for mature audiences as it deals with profanity, sexual content and adult subject matter. It does provide parents with insight into taking more time and really understanding what our children and teens are doing behind closed doors as well as the things going on in their life and at school. It conveys what most parents hope they never have to deal with and gives you an opportunity to take inventory in your own home to prevent something like this from happening. I'd rate this one a 4 out of 5 stars simply based on my own personal rating system.
April 1, 2015
Spoilers ahead!!--!!
I don't even know where to start.
Marley, 14, 8th grader has ran away to be with her boyfriend on the other side of the u.s. ,that she's NEVER met in person. She has only talked to him online and through phone calls. He tells her he loves her. She falls for him. She write a note to her mom, stating to not try to find her. She leaves.
Meanwhile, we get the mom's side of the story. She blames herself. She suspects her husband, she suspects marleys former psychologist. She thinks Marley was kidnapped. She thinks maybe she ran away because she was in love. She is confused.
Marleys dad, Paul keeps busy by launching an online website, findmarley.com.
Everyone's baggage starts coming out because of this...
Oy, with that freaking Dr. Michael! What the Crap.?!!! I mean, he basically wants to erase Paul away and just step in. I was shocked to see that the author of this was/is a therapist considering she portrayed this one is such a terrible light! He ticked me off so bad! Freaking creeper!
Any who, I was terrified that the ending was going to be sad. I really thought the author would kill off Marley. A part of me thinks she should have. We would have had more of an impact. Had that been the ending, I would have been recommending this to teenagers everywhere! Online predators are here, in real life, just waiting. It sounds harsh to scare kids...but if it could save a life......
How to rate this? The characters ticked me off at times. I did like the story. I wanted a different, more real ending.
"Oy, with the poodles already!" <<<<
3.5 stars
I don't even know where to start.
Marley, 14, 8th grader has ran away to be with her boyfriend on the other side of the u.s. ,that she's NEVER met in person. She has only talked to him online and through phone calls. He tells her he loves her. She falls for him. She write a note to her mom, stating to not try to find her. She leaves.
Meanwhile, we get the mom's side of the story. She blames herself. She suspects her husband, she suspects marleys former psychologist. She thinks Marley was kidnapped. She thinks maybe she ran away because she was in love. She is confused.
Marleys dad, Paul keeps busy by launching an online website, findmarley.com.
Everyone's baggage starts coming out because of this...
Oy, with that freaking Dr. Michael! What the Crap.?!!! I mean, he basically wants to erase Paul away and just step in. I was shocked to see that the author of this was/is a therapist considering she portrayed this one is such a terrible light! He ticked me off so bad! Freaking creeper!
Any who, I was terrified that the ending was going to be sad. I really thought the author would kill off Marley. A part of me thinks she should have. We would have had more of an impact. Had that been the ending, I would have been recommending this to teenagers everywhere! Online predators are here, in real life, just waiting. It sounds harsh to scare kids...but if it could save a life......
How to rate this? The characters ticked me off at times. I did like the story. I wanted a different, more real ending.
"Oy, with the poodles already!" <<<<
3.5 stars
June 25, 2015
This book has all the makings of an interesting novel: a captivating back cover ("don't try to find me ... I'll be okay ... I'll be better ... I love you"), secrets abound, and a touch of danger for all characters. In the end, the characters and writing are lackluster.
The plot: a 14 year old girl (Marley) runs away from home, with nothing but a note on her whiteboard for her mom to find (see: the quotes from the back cover of the book above). We learn through shifting narration that she's writing in her journal (to the reader) and she's run away because she feels like her parents don't care about her (and because she met a boy). Her mom, Rachel, struck up a personal relationship with Marley's psychiatrist, and her dad just doesn't really pay attention to her. Marley met a boy on Facebook who she calls "B." He has a lot of secrets, including that he's actually 28 years old, a convicted felon, and twice her age. I found myself mostly captivated by Marley's story, but her narration was so painfully childish. I suppose if anything, the author did a good job of having all the qualities of a potentially good novel, and made Marley sound like the 14 year old she is.
I hated reading this book, but I couldn't not find out what happened to Marley. In the end, the family comes together, with Marley feeling comfortable enough to tell her mom some of what happened with her pedophile boyfriend.
The book tried to hard to be cool. The idea of having mother and daughter journaling separately-but-equally is interesting; the author put two opposite characters in constant comparison, but it just didn't work for me. I wanted it to be good so badly, but it just didn't work.
The plot: a 14 year old girl (Marley) runs away from home, with nothing but a note on her whiteboard for her mom to find (see: the quotes from the back cover of the book above). We learn through shifting narration that she's writing in her journal (to the reader) and she's run away because she feels like her parents don't care about her (and because she met a boy). Her mom, Rachel, struck up a personal relationship with Marley's psychiatrist, and her dad just doesn't really pay attention to her. Marley met a boy on Facebook who she calls "B." He has a lot of secrets, including that he's actually 28 years old, a convicted felon, and twice her age. I found myself mostly captivated by Marley's story, but her narration was so painfully childish. I suppose if anything, the author did a good job of having all the qualities of a potentially good novel, and made Marley sound like the 14 year old she is.
I hated reading this book, but I couldn't not find out what happened to Marley. In the end, the family comes together, with Marley feeling comfortable enough to tell her mom some of what happened with her pedophile boyfriend.
The book tried to hard to be cool. The idea of having mother and daughter journaling separately-but-equally is interesting; the author put two opposite characters in constant comparison, but it just didn't work for me. I wanted it to be good so badly, but it just didn't work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2015
I have had this book on my To Be Read shelf for a while. When the paperback copy came out I was reminded about this book sitting on my shelf. So I picked up my copy to read this book. At first I was intrigued by what was happening in the story. I wanted to know what happened to Marley. Did she run off on her own accord or did something more terrible happen to her?
The way that Marley's mother, Rachel acted I did find odd. At first I found the way she reacted cold and like she was moving in a fog of daze. As if she was stuck in her own head and not part of reality. I kept yelling at her to show emotion...hate,fear,love,etc. Even though Marley's father, Paul was not one of the main characters he did show emotion and therefore I felt a connection with him. This book alternates between Rachel and Marley's voices sharing insight into the past and present. No strong voices in either women and a monotone pace makes this book a bit of a snoozer.
The way that Marley's mother, Rachel acted I did find odd. At first I found the way she reacted cold and like she was moving in a fog of daze. As if she was stuck in her own head and not part of reality. I kept yelling at her to show emotion...hate,fear,love,etc. Even though Marley's father, Paul was not one of the main characters he did show emotion and therefore I felt a connection with him. This book alternates between Rachel and Marley's voices sharing insight into the past and present. No strong voices in either women and a monotone pace makes this book a bit of a snoozer.
June 25, 2015
I really disliked this book. None of the characters were likable or even interesting.
June 24, 2014
My review (as published at Read, Run, Ramble):
Thank you William Morrow via Goodreads for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Unreliable narrators, psychological twists, and family dysfunction, OH MY!
Holly Brown hit a home run with this debut. Right from the start readers are caught up in a tricky story involving the brokenness of family that sometimes is so hidden even those involved don’t see it.
Marley is gone. She didn't come home from school and all initial evidence seems to point to a runaway situation, but why would Marley run away? Everything is so perfect at home, except for the issues that caused her to need therapy not too long ago. Except for the secrets that Marley’s mom has been keeping. Except for the discussions Marley had with her therapist - discussions which are protected as confidential of course. Except for…okay, you get my drift here, nothing is as perfect as it seems.
Through alternating points of view, Brown tells the tale of Marley’s disappearance. She skillfully dangles secrets and information in a way that draws the reader along without giving up all the answers at once. I was chasing the carrot for a little over 24 hours (damn my aging body and its need for sleep) because the trail never goes dry, there’s always a new crumb to follow. This was one of the strategies that I enjoyed most about the book. It was so obvious that there were lots of background secrets to come and the author shared them at just the right time, with just the right amount of fanfare. I could not turn the pages fast enough – pacing at its BEST!
And the characters, oh the characters! I wanted to jump into the story, smack a few people, and then start handing out instructions. The manipulations taking place in Don’t Try to Find Me span far and wide – they go deeper than any reader will imagine. Even from those you might not suspect!
I've seen some reviews mention confusion towards the tie to Gone Girl mentioned in the synopsis. This is why I think it is dangerous to tout a book as the “next ”. Anytime publishers, reviewers, or authors do that, readers are looking for an exact replica (or something very close) more often than not, and that typically isn't what they’ll get. In this case, I believe that reference is made due to the psychological twists that take place – this novel’s foundation is psychological uncertainty and perception. Add to that the very unreliable narrators (one being told through journal entries) and you've got grounds to throw around the Gone Girl title; however, it is a very different psychological tale with very different characters.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not compensated for any of my reviews.
May 14, 2014
I would like to thank William Morrow/Harper Collins publishers for my advance reader's copy of Don't Try To Find Me. This novel was interesting to read and review, in part because it was not what I expected.
Don't Try To Find Me is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Marley, a 13-year-old girl who is "missing," and her mother Rachel, who is desperately trying to find out what has happened to her daughter. Given the promotional comparisons to Gone Girl, Don't Try to Find Me was a lot less edgy than I thought it would be. However, this novel, which straddled the line between adult and young adult fiction, was still a pleasure to read.
What I found most compelling about Don't Try To Find Me was the character development of Marley, Rachel, and the father and husband, Paul. They are all, in their own ways, trying to find themselves, as well as exploring how their relationships with each other may have led to Marley's disappearance. So to me, this book was more about relationships, self-respect, and identity, than about shock value or violence. However, this focus meant that at times, the discussions between Rachel and Paul, or Rachel's own muddled self-evaluation, seemed overlong.
I definitely found the chapters narrated by Marley to be most intriguing. Her character, angry, smart, but also full of the self-doubt of being a young teenager, was relatable and easy to care about. Rachel, on the other hand, was so self-absorbed and scatterbrained, that I often cringed at her actions and thoughts.
It's difficult to go into more detail about Don't Try To Find Me without giving away key elements of the plot, but what I will say is that I was surprised by how tame the story turned out to be. This is not to say that some truly terrible things did not occur, but, given the buildup at the beginning, as well as the reactions Marley and Rachel had to their experiences, I had expected things would get worse than they did. Especially in the case of Rachel, her own concept of how traumatizing her marriage was did not impress me.
One reason I was initially attracted to Don't Try To Find Me was that promotional descriptions implied a cutting edge use of the internet in the novel. While emails and Facebook played a part in the story, social media was not utilized in any way that I found especially ground-breaking.
For all this, I did enjoy Holly Brown's debut novel. My main critique, which is not one that I have often, is that it could have had more impact if it had played it less safe. I never felt much of a sense of true danger. More than anything, Don't Try To Find Me was a novel about finding oneself, and about growing up. In this, it was a satisfying read.
Don't Try To Find Me is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Marley, a 13-year-old girl who is "missing," and her mother Rachel, who is desperately trying to find out what has happened to her daughter. Given the promotional comparisons to Gone Girl, Don't Try to Find Me was a lot less edgy than I thought it would be. However, this novel, which straddled the line between adult and young adult fiction, was still a pleasure to read.
What I found most compelling about Don't Try To Find Me was the character development of Marley, Rachel, and the father and husband, Paul. They are all, in their own ways, trying to find themselves, as well as exploring how their relationships with each other may have led to Marley's disappearance. So to me, this book was more about relationships, self-respect, and identity, than about shock value or violence. However, this focus meant that at times, the discussions between Rachel and Paul, or Rachel's own muddled self-evaluation, seemed overlong.
I definitely found the chapters narrated by Marley to be most intriguing. Her character, angry, smart, but also full of the self-doubt of being a young teenager, was relatable and easy to care about. Rachel, on the other hand, was so self-absorbed and scatterbrained, that I often cringed at her actions and thoughts.
It's difficult to go into more detail about Don't Try To Find Me without giving away key elements of the plot, but what I will say is that I was surprised by how tame the story turned out to be. This is not to say that some truly terrible things did not occur, but, given the buildup at the beginning, as well as the reactions Marley and Rachel had to their experiences, I had expected things would get worse than they did. Especially in the case of Rachel, her own concept of how traumatizing her marriage was did not impress me.
One reason I was initially attracted to Don't Try To Find Me was that promotional descriptions implied a cutting edge use of the internet in the novel. While emails and Facebook played a part in the story, social media was not utilized in any way that I found especially ground-breaking.
For all this, I did enjoy Holly Brown's debut novel. My main critique, which is not one that I have often, is that it could have had more impact if it had played it less safe. I never felt much of a sense of true danger. More than anything, Don't Try To Find Me was a novel about finding oneself, and about growing up. In this, it was a satisfying read.
August 12, 2014
I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book. I had heard it called this year's Gone Girl," and it definitely lives up to the accolades.
While Brown knows how to deliver suspense, this book is so much more than that. She masterfully delves into the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, love, betrayal, and how easy it is to unconsciously take our loved ones for granted. I don't want to give away the plot, but suffice it to say that I did not want to put this book down. I look forward to reading many more of Brown's books!
While Brown knows how to deliver suspense, this book is so much more than that. She masterfully delves into the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, love, betrayal, and how easy it is to unconsciously take our loved ones for granted. I don't want to give away the plot, but suffice it to say that I did not want to put this book down. I look forward to reading many more of Brown's books!
August 15, 2015
This book is about a 14 year old girl from a wealthy family who runs away to live with a man she met online. She travels on a bus cross country while her devastated parents gives many press conferences and puts up a web site trying to find her.
As the story unfolds, the mother becomes a suspect when her secret affair with her daughter's psychiatrist comes out, but she insists there was no sex between them; they just were friends ( without benefits)!
This was such an inconceivable storyline, don't waste your precious reading time!
As the story unfolds, the mother becomes a suspect when her secret affair with her daughter's psychiatrist comes out, but she insists there was no sex between them; they just were friends ( without benefits)!
This was such an inconceivable storyline, don't waste your precious reading time!
January 27, 2018
Guh. This book makes me not want to have kids. It stressed me out. You don't have to monitor everything your child does and take their door away but it helps to tell them the red flags of avoiding dangerous people.
Like if a man talks about how every woman he dated screwed him over, sidle away.
If he gets angry at you and calls you names if you don't answer his messages fast enough, avoid him
And if he wants to date you when he is 28 and you're 14 avoid avoid AVOID!!!!
Like if a man talks about how every woman he dated screwed him over, sidle away.
If he gets angry at you and calls you names if you don't answer his messages fast enough, avoid him
And if he wants to date you when he is 28 and you're 14 avoid avoid AVOID!!!!
August 18, 2014
"Don't try to find me.
I'll be okay. I'll be better.
I love you."
This is the note fourteen-year-old Marley left on the whiteboard affixed to the fridge to her parents before she run away from home one day.
Needless to say, Rachel is devastated. She is sure Marley is playing a joke on them; after all she couldn't think of any good reasons Marley would run away from home. There's no sign of any distress in Marley either - she's doing fine in school; and she's never been bullied. Well Marley used to see Dr. Michael, a psychiatrist, for panic attacks' issue but had stopped seeing him when she was eleven, since he said he had every confidence that Marley would be fine.
Rachel, on the other end, is sure someone has either threaten Marley at a gunpoint, or being abducted because her iPhone and iPad are around; and she always carry them around, especially her iPhone. Paul, however, is sure Marley would return home after the fun is over. Unlike Rachel, he is always the rational one; one who has a brain for acronyms and statistics.
When there're no leads from the police, they decided to turn to social media to expand their network so that they'd have a whole community looking for Marley. However, this would also compromise their privacy, and not to mention there would be media scrutiny and people calling them lousy parents.
Onto to Marley, it seems she'd been planning the runaway for months, since after she'd knew B., a guy from Facebook and he too, has problems at home. They figured they'd leave home and live somewhere else together. But Marley is skeptical about him as well as his motives after she lives with him. B. doesn't want her to interact with the outside world, saying that it's best that they stay that way and no one can disrupt them. They'd have new identities and a new life.
To complicate matters, Dr. Michael and Rachel's close friendship is out in the open and people began to wonder if they're in together on Marley's disappearing act.
This is simply not a runaway story but there's more depth to it and it's multi-layered too. There're speculations everywhere and at some point it seems like each character has his/her little secrets. Through Marley's and Rachel's narratives, we're able to read into their minds and see the things through their eyes; and I was totally taken by surprise over where they lead.
As I read further, I also realised that this is more of a family dynamics story, as it tells us how miscommunications and assumptions may lead to drastic measures which may in turn destroy a family. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think this is the core of the story, and Marley's disappearance is the secondary issue. Then again, there is also focus on today's socia media and how things could spiral out of control, no matter what our intentions are. Good or bad, there're bound to be people talking. I suppose it's a natural behaviour when people are concerned, with or without the technology.
Well I'd expected a mystery before reading this book, but it turned out to be something more and something which I thought is important too, given the family communication issue and that is not to take a person for granted. This is one of those books that you can't put down and would make you treasure your family members more after reading it.
I'll be okay. I'll be better.
I love you."
This is the note fourteen-year-old Marley left on the whiteboard affixed to the fridge to her parents before she run away from home one day.
Needless to say, Rachel is devastated. She is sure Marley is playing a joke on them; after all she couldn't think of any good reasons Marley would run away from home. There's no sign of any distress in Marley either - she's doing fine in school; and she's never been bullied. Well Marley used to see Dr. Michael, a psychiatrist, for panic attacks' issue but had stopped seeing him when she was eleven, since he said he had every confidence that Marley would be fine.
Rachel, on the other end, is sure someone has either threaten Marley at a gunpoint, or being abducted because her iPhone and iPad are around; and she always carry them around, especially her iPhone. Paul, however, is sure Marley would return home after the fun is over. Unlike Rachel, he is always the rational one; one who has a brain for acronyms and statistics.
When there're no leads from the police, they decided to turn to social media to expand their network so that they'd have a whole community looking for Marley. However, this would also compromise their privacy, and not to mention there would be media scrutiny and people calling them lousy parents.
Onto to Marley, it seems she'd been planning the runaway for months, since after she'd knew B., a guy from Facebook and he too, has problems at home. They figured they'd leave home and live somewhere else together. But Marley is skeptical about him as well as his motives after she lives with him. B. doesn't want her to interact with the outside world, saying that it's best that they stay that way and no one can disrupt them. They'd have new identities and a new life.
To complicate matters, Dr. Michael and Rachel's close friendship is out in the open and people began to wonder if they're in together on Marley's disappearing act.
This is simply not a runaway story but there's more depth to it and it's multi-layered too. There're speculations everywhere and at some point it seems like each character has his/her little secrets. Through Marley's and Rachel's narratives, we're able to read into their minds and see the things through their eyes; and I was totally taken by surprise over where they lead.
As I read further, I also realised that this is more of a family dynamics story, as it tells us how miscommunications and assumptions may lead to drastic measures which may in turn destroy a family. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think this is the core of the story, and Marley's disappearance is the secondary issue. Then again, there is also focus on today's socia media and how things could spiral out of control, no matter what our intentions are. Good or bad, there're bound to be people talking. I suppose it's a natural behaviour when people are concerned, with or without the technology.
Well I'd expected a mystery before reading this book, but it turned out to be something more and something which I thought is important too, given the family communication issue and that is not to take a person for granted. This is one of those books that you can't put down and would make you treasure your family members more after reading it.
February 23, 2016
It's been a while, but here's what I remember.
Any comparison to Gone Girl is a marketing play. Besides "protagonist mysteriously disappears", "revolving narrators", and "unreliable narrators", there's nothing there to compare to. I spent a few seconds utterly baffled about why I kept reading comparisons to Gone Girl and then I realized that all sorts of lesser books are going to evoke that title to make themselves sound cooler. If you're considering Don't Try to Find Me solely because you liked Gone Girl and think this might be similar, I'd urge you to reconsider.
What Don't Try to Find Me actually was was a long and utterly disappointing therapy session, where the characters spend more time reflecting about their motivations and feelings and how it makes the other characters feel than they spend actually doing anything. The social media aspect, while a clear attempt to make the book current, was sort of mishandled and I'm not completely convinced that the author knows how Facebook works. I mean yes, all the social media stuff is possible, but that's not really how it works, you know? Plus half the stuff is cited as being on her "imaginary Facebook", which was weird.
The characters were cardboard--particularly the daughter, whose primary character trait seems to be "wears Ugg boots", because that's something teenagers do, right? The . The mother was insufferably self-centered and oscillated between whining incomprehensibly about herself and spouting canned lines about her relationship to her daughter. Should've listened, should've asked, did I miss a sign, wish I could tell her now, etc. These weirdly felt like an attempt to guilt-trip me into walking into my own teenager's room and asking them, apparently belligerently if need be, HOW THEY ARE FEELING.
Problem being that I don't have a teenager. Which brings me to my next point--I think there's a target demographic here, and I think it's mothers who feel disconnected from their teens, guilty about having their own problems in life, and think Facebook is out to stalk and kill people. It was like...the Reefer Madness of social media, or something. Cautionary tale gone ridiculous and misinformed. Or perhaps it would be easier to compare to a Lifetime Original Movie. Everything's out to get your kid, you're never as close to her as you think you are, if you let her out of your sight for ten minutes she's going to get , and the only way to repair all this damage is just to (LITERALLY this is the 'solution', AUGH) . BAH! Seriously? I think of everything wrong with this book, that was the worst.
I tend to reserve one-star ratings for high crimes of writing and the like, so Don't Try to Find Me did manage the two-star rating, but I was disappointed and felt weirdly manipulated and emotionally guilt-tripped, which I did not appreciate.
Any comparison to Gone Girl is a marketing play. Besides "protagonist mysteriously disappears", "revolving narrators", and "unreliable narrators", there's nothing there to compare to. I spent a few seconds utterly baffled about why I kept reading comparisons to Gone Girl and then I realized that all sorts of lesser books are going to evoke that title to make themselves sound cooler. If you're considering Don't Try to Find Me solely because you liked Gone Girl and think this might be similar, I'd urge you to reconsider.
What Don't Try to Find Me actually was was a long and utterly disappointing therapy session, where the characters spend more time reflecting about their motivations and feelings and how it makes the other characters feel than they spend actually doing anything. The social media aspect, while a clear attempt to make the book current, was sort of mishandled and I'm not completely convinced that the author knows how Facebook works. I mean yes, all the social media stuff is possible, but that's not really how it works, you know? Plus half the stuff is cited as being on her "imaginary Facebook", which was weird.
The characters were cardboard--particularly the daughter, whose primary character trait seems to be "wears Ugg boots", because that's something teenagers do, right? The . The mother was insufferably self-centered and oscillated between whining incomprehensibly about herself and spouting canned lines about her relationship to her daughter. Should've listened, should've asked, did I miss a sign, wish I could tell her now, etc. These weirdly felt like an attempt to guilt-trip me into walking into my own teenager's room and asking them, apparently belligerently if need be, HOW THEY ARE FEELING.
Problem being that I don't have a teenager. Which brings me to my next point--I think there's a target demographic here, and I think it's mothers who feel disconnected from their teens, guilty about having their own problems in life, and think Facebook is out to stalk and kill people. It was like...the Reefer Madness of social media, or something. Cautionary tale gone ridiculous and misinformed. Or perhaps it would be easier to compare to a Lifetime Original Movie. Everything's out to get your kid, you're never as close to her as you think you are, if you let her out of your sight for ten minutes she's going to get , and the only way to repair all this damage is just to (LITERALLY this is the 'solution', AUGH) . BAH! Seriously? I think of everything wrong with this book, that was the worst.
I tend to reserve one-star ratings for high crimes of writing and the like, so Don't Try to Find Me did manage the two-star rating, but I was disappointed and felt weirdly manipulated and emotionally guilt-tripped, which I did not appreciate.
October 25, 2019
What I thought was going to be a thriller about a missing child turned out to be a somewhat forgettable story about a rather disfunctional family. All the characters in this book were frustrating and severely unlikeable. Thankfully the writing style allowed for it to be a fairly quick read. I'd like to read more from Holly Brown I just hope the characters in her next book are nicer, better people.
June 19, 2014
Rachel comes home from work to find a note in her kitchen from 14 year-old daughter Marley: don't try to find me. Rachel dropped Marley off at school in the morning but no one has seen her since. She calls her husband, Paul, and the two start making calls including the police. With a history of high anxiety, Rachel doesn't handle this too well and the cops suspect she may have something to do with Marley missing. Paul decides to go to social media and start a massive online campaign to find Marley. Told from the perspective of both Rachel and Marley, we get both sides of the story.
There are many pieces to this book that makes it an interesting read. For me, I was surprised at how little I cared for the characters though I still felt somewhat sympathetic to them because of the tension Brown created with what may have driven Marley away. Rachel was annoying and a little hard to believe due to her inaction. For someone that has an anxiety problem, she was very perceptive about her relationship but completely oblivious in other areas. Without spoiling anything, we learn of one item about Rachel that drove Marley away and it was a complete shocker. There was very little in the book, until about 50 pages before revealed, that even hinted at this being a problem. Despite these annoyances, Rachel was a great medium for walking the reader through what a parent may think when their kid runs away. The other main character is Marley. Again, I wasn't her biggest fan because it felt like she may have run away for very little reason and I don't have patience for that. Despite this, she came off as rather mature for a 14 year old and able to handle herself in adverse situations.
What this book really excelled at was making the reader's mind work in overdrive to figure out why Marley ran away. With each revelation I was wondering who could have done what to whom and what the final reason for the family abandonment was. That said, once the real reason was finally provided, because my mind had been working so hard to come up with all of these reason, I felt like it was a bit of a let down. I expected the reason to be larger than it was.
This book was a page-turner and had interesting character narration. I just would have liked the author to push the envelope a bit more on the conclusion because the journey didn't equate to the end result.
There are many pieces to this book that makes it an interesting read. For me, I was surprised at how little I cared for the characters though I still felt somewhat sympathetic to them because of the tension Brown created with what may have driven Marley away. Rachel was annoying and a little hard to believe due to her inaction. For someone that has an anxiety problem, she was very perceptive about her relationship but completely oblivious in other areas. Without spoiling anything, we learn of one item about Rachel that drove Marley away and it was a complete shocker. There was very little in the book, until about 50 pages before revealed, that even hinted at this being a problem. Despite these annoyances, Rachel was a great medium for walking the reader through what a parent may think when their kid runs away. The other main character is Marley. Again, I wasn't her biggest fan because it felt like she may have run away for very little reason and I don't have patience for that. Despite this, she came off as rather mature for a 14 year old and able to handle herself in adverse situations.
What this book really excelled at was making the reader's mind work in overdrive to figure out why Marley ran away. With each revelation I was wondering who could have done what to whom and what the final reason for the family abandonment was. That said, once the real reason was finally provided, because my mind had been working so hard to come up with all of these reason, I felt like it was a bit of a let down. I expected the reason to be larger than it was.
This book was a page-turner and had interesting character narration. I just would have liked the author to push the envelope a bit more on the conclusion because the journey didn't equate to the end result.
July 17, 2014
Don't Try to Find Me was definitely a psychological journey of a broken family into nightmare territory. The story is told from the point of view of mother/daughter alternately. Paul and Rachel had grown apart over the years, but they thought they were providing their daughter, Marley, with all the advantages she could ever want or need. They even provided her with a therapist when she needed clarity and mental health care. The parents were split on that issue. Paul saw no point to a therapist and only attended one session. Rachel, however believed it was helping her daughter and formed a strong friendship with the therapist. Marley's perception of the relationship between her parents and the relationship between her therapist and her mother is what breaks her further. With only the support of her secret facebook friend, she plans her escape into a new "family"--just the two of them.
This was a very intense read as Rachel and Paul come to grips with the problems they knew existed but for whatever reason could never confront. Under public scrutiny after turning to social media to find Marley, nothing was sacred or "secret" any longer. But at least they did have a unified cause....find Marley. Second guessing one another, second guessing the motives of those closest to them in the search, and trying to second guess Marley led to a lot of angst and revelation, until there were no more secrets.
This story was relevant and pertinent to the world we live in today, where the vulnerable are sought out and found by predators, through the same social media Marley had been both lost and found. The story moved fluently, and this reader was invested in the read immediately. Characters were frustrating and believable. The storyline and plot, both frightening and so sad. Broken people, broken family--and so much rested in the perception of said family members.
This was a very intense read as Rachel and Paul come to grips with the problems they knew existed but for whatever reason could never confront. Under public scrutiny after turning to social media to find Marley, nothing was sacred or "secret" any longer. But at least they did have a unified cause....find Marley. Second guessing one another, second guessing the motives of those closest to them in the search, and trying to second guess Marley led to a lot of angst and revelation, until there were no more secrets.
This story was relevant and pertinent to the world we live in today, where the vulnerable are sought out and found by predators, through the same social media Marley had been both lost and found. The story moved fluently, and this reader was invested in the read immediately. Characters were frustrating and believable. The storyline and plot, both frightening and so sad. Broken people, broken family--and so much rested in the perception of said family members.
August 1, 2014
For as long as I can remember I have always loved my Mysteries and Crime stories but for me to enjoy them, they have to be intriguing and fast-paced and hold my interest right the way through otherwise they can become quite boring and start to blend in with all the others I have read. This book I had been looking forward to reading as it sounded like something up my alley and it was a really good read and if you love mystery novels then you will enjoy this too. It reminded me a cross between Jennifer Egan's Mystery Novels and the book Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight - two books I enjoyed also. In Don't Try to Find Me , Marley is a fourteen year old girl who has run away from home and left behind a message for her mother and soon becomes the hunt for Marley and where she might have gone. We soon discover that the relationships between Marley and her parents have been strained and that things behind closed doors haven't been what they seem and of course we all know that appearances can be deceiving. It turns out that Marley has run away to be with a guy she met on the internet , but is he really what he says ? When you don't know who to turn to anymore , who can you trust but the one you have fallen in love with ? This novel follows the 3 week period of Marley's disappearance and is told in two POV's . The POV of Marley and what she is experiencing and her adventures and the POV of Marley's mother Rachel and what she is going through as of course secrets are being spilt and it seems the public are pointing at Rachel as the reason her daughter has disappeared.
If you are needing a fast-paced mystery novel and wanting something different to read and loved Reconstructing Amelia, then check out "Don't Try to Find Me" by Holly Brown and once finished, this is an author you will be wanting to add to your keeping-an-eye on list.
If you are needing a fast-paced mystery novel and wanting something different to read and loved Reconstructing Amelia, then check out "Don't Try to Find Me" by Holly Brown and once finished, this is an author you will be wanting to add to your keeping-an-eye on list.
May 31, 2016
How would you feel if your kid ran away and specifically told you to not even bother looking for them? Don’t try to find me written by Holly Brown is a fictional book about a teeneger, Marley, who decides to run away from home and leaves a brief and vague message on a whiteboard telling her parents to not try to find her. As a teeneger in today’s society there is pressure all the time and there are social norms on who you should be. Also there is a constant feeling of not feeling valuable enough. Marley, being an insecure fourteen year old, connects with a random boy online and he makes her feel loved and superior. Just like many teenegers today, Marley does not have a positive relationship with her parents. I can relate to how she feels because numerous times when I am fighting with my parents I feel like I’m the smallest person in the world. Feeling like her parents don't care about her propelled her to leave home. The boy she met online, Brandon, makes her feel like she is the most vital girl in the world. Brandon is someone who persuades you into doing something you don’t want too. He is like your parents. He brainwashed her with the thoughts that her parents are disgusting people and to run away and spend her life with him. Just like any other fourteen year old girl, she is still very lost on her identity. The average number of teenegers that run away every year is 1.7 million. This runaway story gave an insight on how parents react when their kids run away from home. Usually parents of runaway kids have the feeling like it’s their fault their kids ran away. Marley’s mom has the constant feeling of hopelessness just like she is locked in a prison cell with no way out. Overall I recommend this book to anyone who likes mystery books and wants to grasp what goes on in the mind of a teenage girl.
May 29, 2015
This book moves incredibly slow! The premise of the book is that Paul and Rachel's daughter, Marley, has run away leaving a note saying " I'm fine. Everything will be better. Don't try to find me." Of course the parents do try to find her, in fact Paul launches a huge media campaign to find her. The reader knows that Marley has run away to be with a much older "boyfriend" who she refers to as only B. At first she is excited but soon realizes the danger of her situation.
The basic theme of the book is how Both Rachel and Marley have powerful strong men in their lives. One is willing to use that power to manipulate and do harm while the other just has a strong personality. Neither women know the real difference between the two personalities and never stand up for themselves in either relationship. Because of the manipulations of one, both women spiral downwards never understanding how to have actual power in any relationship. This is part of what makes Marley run away into the arms of another man who she doesn't know but trusts based on his own manipulative words.
The story is deeply human and I would never compare it with Gone Girl. I wish it moved along faster than it did. When I read it I never felt like reading it for long periods of time like I do with other books. That is why I rated this book 3 stars.
The basic theme of the book is how Both Rachel and Marley have powerful strong men in their lives. One is willing to use that power to manipulate and do harm while the other just has a strong personality. Neither women know the real difference between the two personalities and never stand up for themselves in either relationship. Because of the manipulations of one, both women spiral downwards never understanding how to have actual power in any relationship. This is part of what makes Marley run away into the arms of another man who she doesn't know but trusts based on his own manipulative words.
The story is deeply human and I would never compare it with Gone Girl. I wish it moved along faster than it did. When I read it I never felt like reading it for long periods of time like I do with other books. That is why I rated this book 3 stars.
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