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Echoes Between Us
By Mary Cosola,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Teens haunted by more than ghosts in contrived romance.
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What's the Story?
In ECHOES BETWEEN US, two teens get caught up in a tangle of love, ghosts, and deep secrets. Quirky girl Veronica lives with her widower dad in a big house that's split into two flats and might be haunted. Popular jock Sawyer moves in downstairs with his divorced mom and little sister. The two teens end up working on an important school project together, one that involves hunting ghosts. As their attraction to each other grows, the secrets they keep threaten to drive them apart. Both feel that maintaining a strong facade will help hold their families together, when in reality, the stress is damaging them and their families. Veronica's afraid to share her health concerns with her dad because her mother died of a similar illness. She's also reluctant to get too close anyone, thinking she's sparing them pain if she ends up being sicker than she realizes. Sawyer's reeling from his parent's divorce and his dad's abandonment. He takes on the responsibility of being a parent to his little sister and, at times, to his mother. In addition, he's hiding an adrenaline-rush addiction that threatens his health and emotional well-being. This stress and uncertainty, along with issues with their friends, cause some soul searching and tough decisions for the two teens.
Is It Any Good?
This teen romance delivers on some important issues but tries to cover too much ground, losing focus in the process. Echoes Between Us tackles illness, a dead parent, addiction, enabling, parental abandonment, romance, ghosts, bullying, learning disabilities, and ebbing friendships. A diary of a young woman with tuberculosis in the early 1900s is thrown in for good measure. The story ends up feeling contrived, as through it were written by a focus group, picking various plot lines and character types from bestselling YA novels. This might, in fact, appeal to readers who can't get enough of turbulent teen romances.
Author Katie McGarry does a solid job of showing the costs to teens who shoulder too heavy a physical and emotional burden. Victoria feels responsible for her dad's happiness after her mom dies, and Sawyer feels he's forced to care for his sister and his mom. In wanting to keep their family lives stable, both hide important problems from their families. These are common and relatable issues for teens and adults. Showing Victoria and Sawyer seeking help and learning lessons in how to care for themselves is the best part of the book. Unfortunately, the good aspects of the book get buried under the numerous plot lines.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way Echoes Between Us explores honesty between parents and kids. Many books and movies show kids dealing with serious issues alone and trying to be strong for their families. Do you think this is healthy for the kids? Are these depictions realistic to you?
Do you judge people you've never met, just based on the way the dress or who their friends are? Have you ever judged someone then found out that person was different from what you assumed?
Do you think ghosts or spiritual energy is real? If so, why? If not, what would it take for you to believe it?
Book Details
- Author: Katie McGarry
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , High School , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Tor Teen
- Publication date: January 14, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 13 - 18
- Number of pages: 384
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 4, 2020
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Where to Read
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