Value friendships

Mariana Fry

Since You've Been Gone
By:Morgan Matson


          Imagine all of the friends you've made in life weren't your friends. This could be because you never met, or they just disappeared. You'd be alone. Your life would consist of just your own thoughts and concerns;a new form of freedom. You could choose how to spend your days. In Morgan Matson’s Since You've Been Gone, Emily stands in a similar situation.
          Sloane and Emily are seen everywhere together. They're inseparable besties! Emily writes “it was rare for us not to see each other on a daily basis, we talked and texted constantly.”(3) The two do absolutely everything together up until the summer Sloane goes missing. After the school year ends, Emily is devastated to hear that Sloane has disappeared with her family. Emily knows it wasn't a vacation that caused this surprise, for Sloane would've given her a fair warning. Regardless of where she was, Emily was still home and alone. She had no other friends because her and Sloane were an unbreakable package for only two. Emily’s daily routine became dull and gloomy, for she didn't have to go school so she sat at home all day. She explains how her summer was ruined by saying “the whole direction I'd planned for my summer to go, just vanishing. And” she realizes that if Sloane were there things would be so much better(18). Instead of going to the concerts, and on all the road trips her and Sloane talked about, Emily’s start to summer consisted of lying in bed, taking her brother Beckett rock climbing, and attempting to get a hold of Sloane. Her parents didn't care much about how she kept herself busy, for they spent their days in the kitchen writing the play they'd been working on. Emily is pretty much depressed till she receives a letter from Sloane. No, this is not a letter that contains details on where she is, for instead it's a list of things Emily needs to do. Sloane wrote her a list of 13 things she needs to complete before the summer is over. Because Emily is shy, reading that she has to go skinny dipping, and kiss a stranger doesn't make her feel too up for the challenge. However, she must complete all thirteen items on this list to see her best friend again. This causes Matson’s readers to walk through Emily's journey of completing every item on the list. On the way, Emily meets new people such as Frank Porter, and Collins, who she soon calls her friends. Does Emily ever see Sloane again?? Read the book to find out!!
          Reading this book is fun for kids my age because there are many relatable moments. Because Emily is a normal teen, she's constantly mad at the world, frequently feels alone, develops crushes and is addicted to her phone. There are funny parts like when she brings Frank Porter over her house and her family is running around and giving Frank things to do and completely embarrassing Emily, and there are also tragic moments like when Frank tells Emily about his life story and how he's living through his parent’s divorce.
          This page turner could really be read by any age, for I give it ⅘ stars, but I would mostly recommend it to girls in high school, who would enjoy relatable moments. If you're looking for something to read, I highly recommend this book!