Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Title: Where Things Come Back
Author: John Corey Whaley
Published: July 14, 202
Publisher: Atheneum
Genre: YA Contemporary
Buy: The Book Depository

In the remarkable, bizarre, and heart-wrenching summer before Cullen Witter's senior year of high school, he is forced to examine everything he thinks he understands about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town. His cousin overdoses; his town becomes absurdly obsessed with the alleged reappearance of an extinct woodpecker; and most troubling of all, his sensitive, gifted fifteen-year-old brother, Gabriel, suddenly and inexplicably disappears.

Meanwhile, the crisis of faith spawned by a young missionary's disillusion in Africa prompts a frantic search for meaning that has far-reaching consequences. As distant as the two stories initially seem, they are woven together through masterful plotting and merge in a surprising and harrowing climax.

Oh man, I really want to give this book five stars. I really do. But something's holding me, a feeling I'm sure every reader can relate to with their 'near-five-star' rated books.

Firstly, Whaley's writing.
I just want to say, flat out, that I love John Corey Whaley's writing style, absolutely love it! It's one of those cases where you just want to read anything and everything by that author because you just love the way they use their words. I thought it suited the story incredibly well, and suited Cullen's character incredibly well - which is important because it's told from his point of view.
Well, mostly.

Secondly, the plot.
I thought the plot of this book was really quite simple, yet interesting and complex all the same. I didn't see the point for the second pov, thinking that it actually detracted from my becoming invested in Cullen's story. But in the end, everything was cleared up. I really appreciated that.
The plot, did tend to get a bit slow, particularly in the middle, but Whaley somehow manages to re-capture my attention with just the littlest things.

Thirdly, the characters.
I think the characters, and their lives, are probably the best aspect of this book. Not to say that all others weren't good, they definitely were, it's just that in the short time you spend reading this book, you become so invested in their lives, that it becomes the most interesting thing while reading the book. John Corey Whaley makes us feel what the characters feel, and does it so effortlessly, that I can't help but commend him on that.

Lastly, the ending.
Pretty soon after starting this book, you realise that the ending is going to be one of the most important parts of story. Or at least that's what I thought, and still do think. But it's because I thought the ending would be this beautiful thing that overwhelms me with emotion, that I'm a tad disappointed in it. I was hoping it would be more solid than it was, and though I am happy with how it ended, I just know that I'm not as happy as I could've been.

Regardless of how I sounded in this review, I really really enjoyed this book. It's definitely one to make you think.. about a whole load of things.
And I love that.