Customer Reviews

Right Behind You

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Let me start out by saying that I was prepared to hate this book. I have very strongly held opinions on certain things, and one of them is that it's completely unforgiveable for someone to murder a child, even if the perpetrator was a child himself. I often cling to my beliefs and stubbornly refuse to be swayed, even, I'm ashamed to admit, when someone can logic me out of them. This book shook my beliefs.

I found myself becoming so sympathetic to Kip/Wade, even if I didn't want to. There were extenuating circumstances, of course, that made Kip's act slightly different than one that might be committed by a truly sociopathic kid in training. Kip was intending to destroy something when he did it, and the fact that the victim caught fire was not intended. Does that make the act any easier to forgive or forget? No. Does it make it more excusable? No. Does it make it all right? No. But it does make the resulting journey to redemption more believable and desired.

Kip/Wade spends his years after emerging from juvenile, moving around with his family. Just because the doctor's say he's rehabilitated, the angry public do not agree. He takes on a new name, a new home, and must begin his life again battling the guilt and shame of what he did. If his journey were portrayed as anything less than grueling and remorseful, it wouldn't have been as easy to forgive him and begin to root for him. The author handles this progression through Kip's many stages of growth so thoroughly and well, that by the time the end comes, I was fully in Kip's corner.

Kudos to Ms. Giles for tackling such a difficult topic. A short Q&A is at the back of the book, in which she stated that she had received so much hate mail, mainly from outraged adults, regarding this book. The fact that she had the courage to tell such a controversial story in the face of such disapproval is great, because I would not have wanted to miss this book.

Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars

This novel achieved something rare, in my experience. It managed to be a Young Adult novel that had great appeal to adults. I didn't want to put the book down, so I read it in one day.

The story is told in a diary-like manner with Kip (who later becomes Wade) as the narrator. As a mother myself, at first it was hard to sympathize with Kip because I kept thinking of the child he killed. Fortunately, the author doesn't require any sympathy or empathy for Kip in the beginning. Kip relates what happened in a very objective manner, just getting the facts out there. Kip himself doesn't ask for sympathy.

As the story progresses, the reader becomes more emotionally invested in Kip/Wade's story. While I never quite got that other poor child, or his parents, out of my mind, I could still feel for Kip/Wade and for his parents.

This is a fairly fast-paced novel that doesn't try to linger on a lot of thoughts or do any preaching. Kip/Wade's feelings come through loud and clear without him constantly harping on them to the reader.

The ending was satisfying without being filled with saccharine. I found the entire book to be heartbreakingly realistic.

Character Development: 4 1/2 Stars

Kip/Wade was a well-developed, realistic, empathetic character in almost every aspect. The only downfall was that I found it hard to believe that growing up with the other institutionalized kids didn't affect him more. I would have thought that he would have been a little `harder' after those years.

Kip/Wade's family and friends were sufficiently developed within the storyline.

Writing Style: 5 Stars

Giles does an excellent job of getting the reader inside the mind of a young boy as he is growing up. The dialogue, while somewhat watered down to stay within the YA genre, was still fairly realistic. The descriptions were minimal, befitting the diary-style of a young boy. The sentence structure was terrific and made for a well-flowing book.

Editing/Formatting: 5 Stars

Both were of professional quality.

Rating: PG-13 for Sexual References and Adult Situations

Gail Giles is the queen of psychological thrillers for teens. And I know that with her last release, I stated that What Happened to Cass McBride? was my new favorite Giles book. However, I've taken the liberty of changing my mind (yes, again!) and saying that RIGHT BEHIND YOU tops even that great read.

Kip McFarland lived in Alaska with his dad. His mother had gotten sick and died. His Aunt Jemma, his mother's sister, tried to insist that Kip's dad stop living like an animal in the wilds of Alaska, and instead move somewhere proper to raise her nephew. And then he did, because nine-year-old Kip killed Bobby Clarke by setting him on fire.

In Indiana, he was Wade Madison, and he lived with his father and stepmother, Carrie. He became best friends with Dave, a teacher's son. He had a pretty hot girlfriend, Lindsey (also known as AC, for Absolutely Cutest). He was the star of the swim team. And then he couldn't take his own happiness anymore, went slightly ballistic with a group of his friends, and admitted to murdering a child. It was time to leave Indiana.

Carrie's own stepfather had died, leaving her a house in Texas. In Texas, he was still Wade, but he wasn't the Wade from Indiana. And then he met Sam, a girl with tragic secrets of her own, and life changed yet again. He didn't want to be Wade, he wanted to be Kip. But not the Kip that the newspapers had made out to be a monster, and not even the Kip who had once been Wade who was friendly and outgoing and happy-go-lucky. All he wanted was a life that allowed him to accept what he had done without dying from the guilt.

Get a copy of RIGHT BEHIND YOU. Read it and cry, and read it and think. Kip isn't a monster, but neither is he innocent. Kip is a boy who made a costly mistake, and has been paying for it ever since. This is his story, and it's an unforgettable one.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Right Behind You by Gail Giles is an amazing book all around and I would refer any friend to read it. It is a great psychological thrill about the past, I personally enjoyed it because I have a regretful past, I didn't kill anyone but I sure have made mistakes. I find a lot of things very true about this, especially the part about self -destruction. This book has several great points, and having a family from Alaska, I can say they well researched the questions Alaskans get anywhere else in the 48 states! Everything about igloos, polar bears, penguins, etc. are all very true! I would again deffinately reccomend it to anyone!

A gutting and distinctive premise combined with a strong YA voice mixed with potent writing make Right Behind You a visceral read. This book is a perfect example of the gray areas often overlooked in any violent act, something that seems on the surface horrible and the blame easy to place. Giles does a remarkable job twisting the situation, spotlighting how there are often two victims rather than one in any violent crime.

Kip remembers setting Bobby Clark on fire when he was just nine. He remembers the events leading up to the act and he remembers exactly what triggered it. On the surface, jealousy over Bobby's new baseball glove. Lurking deeper, a myriad of emotions and reasons that carry far past the basic act of dousing gasoline on a seven year old boy and throwing a lighter on him. Kip is a child on a very destructive path, one that keeps him in a state mental ward of juvenile offenders for four years. Unable to look past his own self hatred, bitterness and guilt, the reader starts the book wondering if Kip will find a way to make it past things. Yet, he does, soon transforming into Wade Madison in an effort to keep his sordid past hidden. With a chance to start over in a new state, it seems as though things will be alright.

Kip's dad is another arresting part of this book, a father who's been wrecked a few times but still pushes on. His interactions with Wade are not ones of hatred but of love, a level of emotion that is consuming at times. Carrie is equally as empowering, accepting Kip despite his past and loving him easily as her own son. Though she came into the picture after the fire, Carrie maintains a strong role throughout the book and is as memorable as Kip and his father.

Despite having a new name, Kip is still prominent, holding the strings for much of Wade's actions. His thoughts and motivations are wrenching and breaking, coming across smoothly throughout the novel. There is no lack of a connection between Wade and the reader, forged early on as the events of the fire, his subsequent comatose state then rehab are portrayed. The book is divided into three sections, each one marking a different part of Wade's life and recovery. Throughout the book, the overall mental voice and character remain, shifting subtly as Wade changes.

The plot is one of character development and understanding, an interesting twist on a coming of age type of story. The situations Wade finds himself in are played out very reasonably for the set up, particularly of a teenage boy who has been institutionalized for years and is now trying to hide it. His continued self destruction is hard to read but understandable, further strengthening the sympathy and emotion towards him.

A bold story line, stunning writing, and striking characters combine to make Right Behind You a quick but well worth it and emotional read. This is a book that will challenge a situation deemed on the surface as easy to interpret. The continued ramifications of Kip's actions, even years down the road, appear throughout the book, cropping up at unexpected times but maintaining a constant state of remembrance. Overall, this is a powerful book about a boy whose biggest enemy is himself.

Right behind You was SUCH a swift read, I can barely remember it and I only read it yesterday. Engaging, psychologically interesting, and fast-paced, I'll be recommending it to my students.

The voice was very good, and I liked the way I didn't even realize many of the hints were dropped until the end, when they were explained.

This book was an impressive example of young adult fiction. Often, YA Fiction these days touches on nothing but the trivial, vapid subjects that riddle the media, but, as Gail Giles is apparently known to do, Right Behind You travelled way beyond that. I was drawn to the controversial subject of a story from the killer's view, the more so because I couldn't really decide who to side with in the end: the victim or the murderer, who was actually something of a victim himself. Even though I couldn't necessarily forgive Kip for his previous crimes, I could still feel for him and wish him the best for the future. Books like this beg the question: what would I do in this position? The position of the victim's family members? Kip's new friends? A difficult situation all around. For a YA book to tackle such a topic was a great feat, and for the most part, it was a success. Definitely alters the way one views forgiveness.

Additionally, the design of the book itself was intriguing. I actually picked it up initially because of its atypical size. The short pages helped to move the story along, and caused a deceptively quick, poignant read.

Can a person make a bad mistake that hurts others irrevocably all in one irrational moment and go on to live as he would have if he hadn't made that mistake? Can he if that mistake kills someone? Can he if he is only ten years old and he still has a childhood to navigate? Not very easily, and author Gail Giles, a grandmother, deftly explores that journey in this story told from the point of view of the ten-year-old boy, following him up through high school. Ms. Giles forces self reflection on her adolescent readers: if there can be no forgiveness, if there can be no forgetting, what are the qualities a person must have in order to live as a whole human being?

I read this book because a few of the boys in my seventh grade class asked me to. These boys could not get into the Twilight series that so many girls in the class had found romantic and thought Right Behind You did address their ideas of romance (they didn't put it quite this way). The romance in Right Behind You is more about whether a girl can love a boy even though he is deeply flawed; whereas the romance in Twilight is more about a girl feeling very, very special to a boy. Who says being a reading teacher isn't interesting...

Middle school and high school boys have liked this book because it is told from their perspective. However, since it is the kind of book that explores how individuals use compassion and courage to cope with the unthinkable, it is a good story for any young reader to add to their memory bank. One of the many great things about being a reader is that a reader will have company on life's long bumpy road. Right Behind You is a good book to have packed for the ride.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm not the target audience (23 y-o), but the description seemed interesting enough.

The book itself was not at all what I expected, and that's good. I think it gave a great overview of all the years that passed, and how Kip learned and changed.

The questions in the book do make you wonder about how you would react in a similar situation. You feel pain for all involved, no character gets the easy way out. The initial death changes everyone's life, and it takes years to recover from.

in a sentence or two: after a horrible (alleged) accident, Kip is trying to find some sense of normalcy as he transitions from a ward for juvenile delinquents into high school life. Kip has to keep to keep his past a secret, but how long do you keep such a sordid past locked inside?

Kip burned his 7 year old neighbor alive. he was only 9 at the time. to be fair, Kip was dealing with some pretty heavy stuff for a 9 year old - his mother had died of cancer, he lived with his dad out in the great Alaskan nowhere, and that neighbor kid was taunting Kip with his brand new baseball glove and teasing him that he didn't have a mom to give him one. but still...Kip took the gasoline, doused the glove (and neighbor in the process) and tossed the lighter. he wakes from a catatonic shock-coma 4 weeks later and prepares to spend the foreseeable future in juvie.

Kip's story starts from the accident in Alaska and transitions to his time in juvie. Giles was able to paint a pretty vivid picture of the fellow offenders, the process of rehabilitation and counseling, as well as Kip's inner thoughts as he grows older and living his life "behind bars" so to speak. it then moves along to high school which, lets be honest, is already anxiety-filled enough without being from no-where Alaska and having spent your childhood in juvie (which isn't really the best setting for social development). despite all that, he makes friends, does well in school, and even joins the varsity swim team. unfortunately, Kip finds that keeping his secret isn't easy...

let me just say that i LOVE Gail Giles. she writes some of the best nail-biters for young adults out there. but more than that, her books - including this one - have some honest, deep, and complicated characters. from Kip's shrink in juvie, to Kip's remorseful father, to his step-mom, even his teachers at his new school, the characters in this book are not perfect - but redeemable. the creativity and plot were incredible, but i feel the characters are what really made this book amazing. Giles also examines the psychology behind what was going on throughout Kip's journey, which i found fascinating.

i loved the first two Giles books i read: What Happened to Cass McBride and Shattering Glass. i was not disappointed with this one. heck, i was thrilled! i read the thing in 2 days (with working and having an all day seminar). for such a heavy theme, the book provides thoughtful reflection, how important the support of family can be, and the beauty of hope. this is a book i'd re-nerd over any day!

fave quote: "I turned ten. Ten. I should have been in boy scouts. I weighed sixty-two pounds. I had a loose back tooth. I had murdered another child." (18)

fix er up: i'm not sure there's anything i'd change about this. maybe, just maybe, have a more developed conclusion (aka - i want to know what happens after the story). that's not really a fix er up, more of my being so absorbed that i want to know everything that happens ever in the life of Kip.