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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
I enjoyed this one, there was just enough of everything going on that it added to the realism of the story. Some family issues, church people and their opinions, lack of money, young love, friendships. The grappling with the thought of moving on after a tragedy and the inner conflicts of guilt that comes from that and finding and keeping your faith was really done well in this. I didn't feel much for the character that was taken though, and thought that area needed more connection for me as a reader, but Sam didn't have it herself, so it still works. I just really enjoyed Sam's inner thought process.
I usually like YA books, but this one didn't really do a lot for me. Having said that, I think that for any young adult struggling with questions of who they are, what they mean to other's in their life and questions about faith, that is would be an awesome book for them. I have a 13 year old and I see much of her in this book. I don't care for my the main character's constant whining. Much of the book is repeating and she never stops seeing the negative...but my daughter is the same way :-)
Read my review here:
http://beautyandthearmageddon.blogspot.com/2011/10/once-was-lost-by-sara-zarr.html
http://beautyandthearmageddon.blogspot.com/2011/10/once-was-lost-by-sara-zarr.html
A really lovely, well-written YA novel with religious themes. Moving, even if some plot points were predictable.
I just loved this book. To me, Sara Zarr writes nearly perfect YA novels. I feel like she really captures some of the drama of being a teenager without being overwrought, shocking or overblown. Her novels capture the quiet struggles of being a teenager- just trying to discover your place in the world. This book is about Sam Taylor, a pastor's daughter who's father seems more committed to his congregation than to his family, and her mother, who has entered rehab after a DUI. After a teenager member of their congregation is kidnapped, Sam questions her belief in God, her belief in her family and friends and whether or not things will ever be the same again. I think any of the questions has about herself and what she believes are questions any teenager has (or any adult for that matter) The end to the kidnapped girl plot kind of ended really quickly and without much explanation.
Wonderful! My first Sara Zarr...a very real-life, honest story about a young girl struggling with her faith while her family falls apart and a young girl from her church disappears. I really liked the way Zarr dealt with the issues of God, religion, church life, etc. They can easily be stereotyped and mocked, but I felt that it was done in a really respectable manner. I think it will appeal to girls mostly, especially those like Sam, the main character, who are finding that as they move throught life, the answers aren't always there in black and white. A wonderful story showing how faith and hope can sustain us through the most trying times.
3.5 stars.
I enjoyed the book, but did have a few issues with it. I felt there were some unanswered questions that I felt should have been answered. It was a little depressing, but I do understand it’s what the character was going through.
Once she did have her encounter with God, it seemed that it wasn’t really being attributed to God fully. The phrase used left a question as to what she truly believed or experienced.
The narrator was the author. Sometimes it was a little one-dimensional, but the character voices were good.
I think the biggest lesson one can learn from this book is to communicate. Stop withholding. Stop assuming. Everything in life teaches us something. We are bette together. Don’t believe you’re alone. Reach out to someone.
I enjoyed the book, but did have a few issues with it. I felt there were some unanswered questions that I felt should have been answered. It was a little depressing, but I do understand it’s what the character was going through.
Once she did have her encounter with God, it seemed that it wasn’t really being attributed to God fully. The phrase used left a question as to what she truly believed or experienced.
The narrator was the author. Sometimes it was a little one-dimensional, but the character voices were good.
I think the biggest lesson one can learn from this book is to communicate. Stop withholding. Stop assuming. Everything in life teaches us something. We are bette together. Don’t believe you’re alone. Reach out to someone.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Sara Zarr was one of my favorite authors as a teen in the mid-to-late aughts, and I'm so glad I didn't skip this book just because I am older. Great meditation on faith and how it can change.
Content Warnings
CWs: harm to child (off page, but child goes missing and is presumed harmed); religious discussions about God, faith, and beliefs; a few ableist phrases popular at the time this was published (OCD clean, lame, mute); affair (off page, presumed)
The more I read by [a:Sara Zarr|19093|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1302718823p2/19093.jpg], the more I think I understand her and the more I begin to appreciate what it is she does. She doesn't take sides, she isn't emotionally manipulative, she releases a whole bunch of complex characters that aren't typically likeable and allows the reader to receive them however they choose. I think this is why I failed to appreciate [b:Story of a Girl|33906|Story of a Girl|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168471691s/33906.jpg|2420507], because the issues targeted in it are very important to me and I wanted the author to fight for Deanna, to stand up for her - and that's just not [a:Sara Zarr|19093|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1302718823p2/19093.jpg]'s style. I get that now.
[b:Once Was Lost|6287072|Once Was Lost|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320496311s/6287072.jpg|6471342], on the other hand, is an absolutely perfect novel to use this technique in. I am an atheist, but I cannot stand anyone who preaches their religious views in novels, whatever they may be and regardless of whether or not they agree with my own beliefs, I don't wish to have any idea rammed down my throat. [a:Sara Zarr|19093|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1302718823p2/19093.jpg] is the reason I was able to stomach a book that has a very heavy focus on religion, because she never attempts to put ideas in my head. In my review of [b:Story of a Girl|33906|Story of a Girl|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1168471691s/33906.jpg|2420507] I remember commenting that I wished I knew where the author stood on the problems in the book because it wasn't obvious. And again with this novel, I do not know where [a:Sara Zarr|19093|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1302718823p2/19093.jpg] stands when it comes to religion, but this time I feel the novel is better for it.
The novel becomes about the characters and their emotions and suffering and recovering, it is not a book about whether or not God exists. The religious aspect is an important part of showing how Sam loses her grip on her perfect life and what she'd previously believed in. The main questions are: will Sam recover what she has lost, not just her religion but her life, family and happiness? How will she do this? Will she ever become the person she once was?
Though I don't think this was as strong a novel as [b:How to Save a Life|10757806|How to Save a Life|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327885018s/10757806.jpg|14982110], it has cemented my love for [a:Sara Zarr|19093|Sara Zarr|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1302718823p2/19093.jpg] and I can't wait to see what she writes next.