Me, the Missing, and the Dead [Library Binding]

Jenny Valentine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Me: Lucas Swain—I'm nearly sixteen years old and live in London. I was fairly normal until the night I found Violet. Then everything changed.

The Missing: Dad. He disappeared five years ago. Nobody knows what happened to him, and nobody cares except me. It's enough to drive you crazy.

The Dead: That's Violet . . . in the urn. Speaking of crazy—I know she's trying to tell me something, and I think it's about my father. . . .

A dead lady may not be much to go on, but my dad's out there somewhere, and it's up to me to find out where.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Lucas feels surrounded by the missing: his sister avoids home, his mother is absorbed in a midlife crisis, his grandfather has dementia, and his journalist father went missing years ago. With so many ghostlike family members, it’s not surprising that Lucas begins to sense a connection with the dead. While waiting in a London office lobby, a funeral urn draws his attention, and he feels an overpowering urge to know the person inside. A string of ensuing coincidences tie him—and his father—to the deceased, Violet, a famous pianist. Is she trying to communicate with him? Lucas embarks on an investigation into her life, and his spine-tingling discoveries allow him to powerfully and finally lay the memory of his father to rest. Lucas’s pitch-perfect voice, the authentic family relationships, the mild psychic element, and the poignant, coming-of-age mystery will stay with the reader long after the book ends. An award-winner in the UK, Valentine’s debut novel shines richly like the polished wood of Violet’s urn. Grades 9-12. --Heather Booth --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“Compulsively readable. A memorable new voice.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

“Part mystery, part magical realism, part story of personal growth, and in large part simply about a funny teenager making light of his and his family’s pain, this short novel is engaging from start to finish.” (School Library Journal (starred review) )

“Lucas’ pitch-perfect voice and authentic family relationships, the mild psychic element, and the poignant, coming-of-age mystery will stay with the reader long after the book ends. Valentine’s debut novel shines richly.” (ALA Booklist (starred review) )

“An impressive debut. Valentine offers a rich cast of characters and marvelous writing.” (Buffalo News )

“Charmingly told, this mystery manages to be both frothy and nourishing.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“Valentine sets in motion a dark comedy. The mystery that unravels...will keep readers entertained.” (Horn Book Magazine )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Library Binding: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060850698
• ISBN-13: 978-0060850692
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,107,376 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Teens Read Too, May 6, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Me, the Missing, and the Dead (Hardcover)

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

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, quick read, April 14, 2009

By 

Brian Katcher - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Me, the Missing, and the Dead (Hardcover)

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Humor, angst, and a hint of the supernatural, December 19, 2010

By 

Rachel (Houghton, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Me, the Missing, and the Dead (Hardcover)

Me, the Missing, and the Dead was a cute and funny tale of a teenaged boy who, in his soul-search for his absentee father accidentally stumbles upon an urn with the ashes of a mysterious old lady. He is haunted by the old lady and begins to delve into her past. In doing so, he finds out more about himself, his family, and his missing family. Valentine did an excellent job of mixing an emotionally charged story with teen humor and a hint of the supernatural. I loved it, and definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys books about teenaged angst, or who just likes a good laugh.