Me, the Missing, and the Dead

These characters are real. The writing is warm, funny, thought provoking and totally plausible. There does not need to be a nice little ending, all wrapped up in a bow so we can feel better at the end of the book (although I did). Life's conflicts rarely end that way. Lucas grows, and learns to accept that people are not always what they seem, or what we wish them to be and those we take for granted may be more than we give them credit for. Violet's ashes are just a creative way to get the message through. I loved the book and will read it again.

This is not a supernatural book, as one might expect from the description, but a coming of age story about a boy whose father has abandoned his family. When Lucas discovers an urn of human ashes abandoned at a cab company, he impulsively decides to 'befriend' the late Violet Park. He uses her as a catharsis to help him confront the fact that his father is not the ideal man he's constructed in his mind. A nice, quick, enjoyable read.

ME, THE MISSING AND THE DEAD JENNY VALENTINE Contemporary Young Adult Harperteen Rating: 4 Enchantments Lucas has no idea what happened to or why his father hasn't made contact with him in the last five years. He wonders what happened to cause his father to disappear, was he hurt and unable to get to a phone to call his son? Lucas tries to make excuses to make things okay, but when he discovers an urn in the back of a London taxi, he begins an investigation into Violet's life that might just lead him to answers about his own father. I have to say ME, THE MISSING AND THE DEAD is a bit of an unusual read, with Lucas using his `friendship' with Violet, the resident of the urn he found in the back of a cab office as closure for his father's disappearance many years ago. At times some of the book was a little slow, and I did find myself skimming some of the pages, but overall it was still quite enjoyable. I loved Lucas' voice, it was the one thing that kept me in the story from the first page all the way to the last. A very unique story! If you're looking for a bit of an unusual type of read, definitely check out ME, THE MISSING AND THE DEAD. Jenny Valentine worked in a food shop for fifteen years, where she met many extraordinary people and sold more loaves of organic bread than there are words in this book. She studied English literature at Goldsmith's College, which almost put her off reading but not quite. Jenny is married to a singer/songwriter and has two children. She lives in Hay on Wye, England. Me, the Missing, and the Dead is her first novel, which was published in the UK under the title `Finding Violet Park'. You can read a q & a with her here: http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/navigate.do?pPageID=1507 Lisa Enchanting Reviews June 2008

Lucas is still coming to terms with his father's disappearance despite the many years that have passed. If only he knew what really happened. Was he hurt, was he abducted by aliens, was he in jail and couldn't get to a phone? Lucas tries to make excuses for his father, but the truth of the matter is he doesn't know what happened. Stopping for a cab early one morning, he is drawn to an urn that is residing in the cab office. Who knows exactly why Lucas was drawn to the urn, but sometimes we feel connections that can't be ignored. Once Lucas has the urn in his possession, he learns that the woman inside was named Violet. Lucas feels that Violet is communicating with him in some way. And she ultimately helps Lucas tie up the loose ends of his life that happen to be very closely intertwined to hers. I wasn't sure what to expect from ME, THE MISSING, AND THE DEAD, but I did end up enjoying the book more than I initially thought I would! Lucas's character is humorous and real. It is easy to relate to him and how is feeling. I knew exactly what it was like not to know your father. Valentine's writing was refreshing and satisfying. The plot wasn't too heavy, but it also wasn't just fluff; it was a nice balance of meaning and discovery. The only complaint I have is that the beginning was a little slow, but once the story picked up, I couldn't stop turning the pages. I enjoyed this book and I would love to read more by Ms. Valentine. Reviewed by: The Story Siren