I made no secret, in a review posted a few months ago, how much I hated the ending of Morgan Matson’s most recent novel, “Save the Date.” I would probably have loved it if not for that, and when I found “Since You’ve Been Gone” at the Goodwill, I was eager to try to redeem my opinion of Matson’s work. I wasn’t disappointed.
SPECS
Title: Since You’ve Been Gone
Author: Morgan Matson
Page Count: 449
SUMMARY
It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just…disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list.
On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back?
Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough.
Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not?
Kiss a stranger? Um…
Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane’s list. Who knows what she’ll find?
Go skinny-dipping? Wait…what?
REVIEW
At first glance, SYBG didn’t seem like the kind of book I’d love. I love contemporaries, but didn’t think I’d be overly fond of this one, given its premise and my previous mixed feelings about Matson’s work. I’m happy to report that I was wrong.
From the get-go, Sloane’s list is the driving force behind the entire plot. It’s full of inside jokes between Sloane and Emily, and most of its contents promise an interesting story – that’s what made me keep reading. In the process, it brings Emily out of the shell she’s backed into since meeting Sloane; she has to learn to redefine herself without the spunky, adventurous best friend she’s relied on the past few years. That was my favorite aspect of the story: seeing Emily grow from an overshadowed lackey to someone with true confidence and individuality, interesting in her own right. She was very real from beginning to end and her transformation rang very true. Though she changed significantly, she didn’t do it in a cliché blaze of glory, some sort of 1980s-teen-movie makeover – it happened over time as a result of the new experiences she gained, and the friendships she was able to make when she climbed out of the shadow of the person who’d dominated her entire life. And the supporting cast was fantastic (well, I wasn’t super into Collins, but his lack of likability was understandable), especially Frank. I loved Frank, and I want to date one.
But the one thing I oddly did not enjoy about this book?
Sloane herself.
I know we were supposed to sympathize with her, but I could not STAND her character. She was supposed to be Emily’s best friend but it seemed to me like, if anything, she was subjugating her. Her reasons are explained at the end of the book when the two reunite, but I didn’t feel like they justified the way she completely changed Emily – and made her think it was a good thing. A large chunk of the book is dedicated to Emily’s quest to regain her individuality after losing it to that friendship, after all. I don’t think we’re meant to see Sloane as a toxic friend, and I don’t think she necessarily meant to be one, but that is how she came off to me. Not my favorite.
Overall, “Since You’ve Been Gone” was fun, fresh, and the perfect Labor Day weekend read. It had its issues but ultimately I thought its upsides overshadowed them, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun YA contemporary.
CLOSING
Six-Word Summary: sometimes one’s loss is one’s gain.
Recommended For: a hot, boring Summer day when you’re longing for an adventure you can’t have.
Possibly-Objectionable Content: almost none. There is one intense makeout scene as Emily follows Sloane’s instructions to “kiss a stranger,” and a little underage drinking; in addition, Sloane instructs her in another item from the list to use a fake ID to sneak into a bar (she doesn’t drink there but is there illegally). Not a single instance of strong language, though.
Rating: 5/5 Befuddled Emu
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