Want a raw and gripping, yet thought provoking contemporary read? Look no further, The Gaps by Leanne Hall is here for you! This is a new young adult #LoveOzYA title and it is still leaving me with the chills and it won’t be one to forget anytime soon.
Starting with the abduction of Yin Mitchell, a girl who studied at a ritzy private school, we see multiple points of views from girls who also studied at the same school. Once the news breaks about the abduction, conspiracy theories and suspicion of several males connected with the school arise.
Chloe and Natalia’s voices were distinct, but both were raw with emotions. Fear and worry were both a common theme when reading both perspectives. Not only were the two voices different, there were differences in personalities and social status, one meaning to be rich and somewhat well known in the school and the other less well-off and new to the school. I loved this contrast as it reflects real life where there are different ‘classes’ of people in schools. It was also refreshing to read that one of the two had to catch multiple modes of transport to get to and from school, instead of being so close like many books depict.
The gritty nature of the story was confronting, but also an important one to touch on, given that this could happen to anyone. The advice given by the school in the book sounds like the standard response derived from tabloids and magazines, which was alarming, but also highlights the need for real life schools to be able to provide helpful and less suggestive information to deal with situations like this.
The wary nature of the characters showed that the girls from the school were tense and on high alert, showing that they cared about Yin, and it seemed as though they were equal parts wishing she was still there and being relieved that it wasn’t them. I loved how Leanne combined this worry with the conspiracies and old news reports within the book, as it really got me hooked. The other emotions were written masterfully, especially sadness and caution, and it was thought-provoking and really made this book stand out for me.
Whilst this book had a beautifully simple plot, it was written so well. I was absorbed from page one, and I don’t regret a single page of this read. The book came across as medium paced, which honestly really suited the flow of the book. Whilst the plot surrounds Yin and her abduction, it seemed that this book was more about what it means to live on the sidelines of such an event, and ultimately what being a girl meant in the situation. It was also heartbreaking that some of the investigating came from side characters and not the police, which shows that sometimes young minds show more hope than those who are older and more experienced. The general atmosphere was excellently drawn to be dark and stormy (in my mind anyways), and really complemented the tale that was going to be told.
Overall, if you’re looking for a hauntingly tense mystery with cross-references into real life, this is the book for you! It’s a gritty, chilling, and utterly devastating read, that shall now always live on in my head – because the abduction could happen to anyone. The psychological and emotional undertones in this book were masterfully woven into the story, and I look forward to more Leanne Hall books in the future!
The Gaps is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
What does it mean to be the one left behind?
When sixteen-year-old Yin Mitchell is abducted, the news reverberates through the whole Year Ten class at Balmoral Ladies College. As the hours tick by, the girls know the chance of Yin being found alive is becoming smaller and smaller.
Police suspect the abduction is the work of a serial offender, with none in the community safe from suspicion. Everyone is affected by Yin’s disappearance—even scholarship student Chloe, who usually stays out of Balmoral drama, is drawn into the maelstrom. And when she begins to form an uneasy alliance with the queen of Year Ten, Natalia, things get even more complicated.
Looking over their shoulders at every turn, Chloe and Natalia must come together to cope with their fear and grief as best they can. A tribute to friendship in all its guises, The Gaps is a moving examination of vulnerability and strength, safety and danger, and the particular uncertainty of being a young woman in the world.
