Review: These Things Hidden

Name: These Things Hidden

Author: Heather Gudenkauf

Published: Mira

Recieved Through: Purchased

When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn--shy, quiet Brynn--who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

                               

 

Wow. I definitly didn't expect to like this novel as much as I did, but it was truly captivating. I had goosebumps the whole time.
These Things Hidden is a story that is all about secrets, loyalty & betrayal. It shows the unimaginable consequences of a single moments actions, the loyalty & bretrayal between two sisters- one who is willing ot give up everything for the other, and another that wants nothing but to forget the past that haunts her. The story is so innocent- yet so intense. Once you flip that last page, you'll never forget.

Other than saying that I loved this book; the plot and the character were extremely well developed. I really loved the way the novel first presents the situation: with as little detail as possible; just an outside look of what happens. They want you to pin the blame on your own in the beginning- so the ending has you dumbstruck by how naive you were. It works. Everything is supposedly made clear: Allisen Glen is a teen mom that killed her baby & sent to jail. Her sister & parents were left to deal with the mess that their golden girl left behind. An excellent example that not everything is as it appears to be.
My favorite thing about the novel would definitly be the slowly unraveling story as you progress. Little bits are revealed with every flip of the page, that leave you on the edge of your seat & dying to know the truth. That's what makes this a good novel. no wait. A great novel.
Allison broke my heart the entire time. Trying to re-connect with her family, brynn.. discovering joshua. She's probably one of the strongest female characters I've read about. Any other person that went through what she did would be in an  asylum.

I still can't believe that this is a debut novel. The author did an exquisite job. It truly is deeply moving. Something about everything Allison gave up & endured for Brynn, the secrets & betrayal that swam between them, & the realization of her mistake on Allison's part, makes this novel so damn good and unforgettable. There isn't much else I can say without spoiling, as every little detail is a secret that leads to the next, therefore I will leave you with the statement that this novel will be stuck in your head for many many months to come.