Such Quiet Girls
Back Cover Description:
Ten children, abducted in broad daylight—and buried alive.
Sage and her sister won’t make it home from school today. Neither will the other children on Bus 315. But that’s only the beginning of the nightmare.
New bus driver Jessa blames herself for what happened. She couldn’t protect the kids she was supposed to deliver to daycare, just like she couldn’t protect her own daughter three years ago. But this time, everything will be different. It has to be
Trapped in a shipping container buried twenty feet underground, Jessa and the children do their best to stay calm. The kidnappers insist that if everyone behaves, they’ll be freed when the ransom is paid. But Sage isn’t sure they’ll last that long. Neither is Jessa. It’s dark and cramped, and with every passing minute it’s getting harder to breathe.
Lee’s Preview: Heart-pounding and pulse-racing, this thriller is an exciting ride from start to finish.
What I liked:
This novel is told in first person, equally separated into four main characters: Jessa, the bus driver, Sage, the oldest (12 years old) on the bus by far; Deena, Sage's and her little sister’s mother; and Ted, one of the kidnappers. Each of these characters propel the story forward in interesting and enthralling ways.
Jessa, the bus driver, is barely hanging on, after suffering domestic abuse and being separated from her daughter for three years. When the two male kidnappers initially kidnap the kids, Jessa meekly obeys and tries her best to make the kids do the same, for fear of the kidnappers taking their lives. But as Sage begins to plan a way of escape from the shipping container, Jessa starts to become a motherly figure and the glue that holds the kids together and raises their spirits when all seems lost.
Sage is such a fantastic fireball of a character. Always looking for a way of escape, Sage also grows from annoyance of her little sister Bonnie to fiercely protective of her. Sage is the one who convinces the kids to make a mattress pile to get the hole, and her determination and grit inspire not only the kids but also Jessa to make a plan of escape and not just accept their fate. She does not give up easily or assume the worst, even when it is the worst.
Deena is a harried single mother who is also taking care of her father, who has alzheimer's. Deena is trying her best to keep a clear head after her girls are taken, even though her father doesn’t completely understand what’s happening and treats her like she doesn’t know what she’s doing. And then a huge revelation forces Deena to make some impossible decisions. A complex and well-written character.
Ted, one of the kidnappers, dreams of escaping the country with the ransom money. But as his plans with his partner in crime, Andy, go in unexpected directions, it becomes clear that while he was ready to kidnap the kids, he never really meant to harm them physically. He is also struggling with his mother’s disappointment that he didn’t make more of himself, and Andy early on criticises Ted for being too soft on the kids. A great villain with surprising hidden depths.
This high-octane book is probably the most thrilling thriller I’ve read in quite a while. There are great supporting characters like Deena’s father, Sage’s scared little sister Bonnie, and the more unhinged kidnapper Andy. Very early on, Sage decides to try to break free, showing her incredible agency but also potentially putting everyone in danger. The kidnappers are never far off, providing much tension as Sage, and ultimately Jessa and the rest of the kids help Sage try to escape. I don’t want to spoil the last third, but it was so pulse-pounding that I read it all in one night and if taken on its own, would have made the book 5 stars.
What I didn’t like:
I know it’s realistic, but as I said in my review of She Rides Shotgun, showing characters in distress using bodily functions is not fun for me to read. It takes me out of the story and is too distracting, and there is one scene that goes into way too much description.
The big moment where Jessa stops sitting on the sidelines and steps up to help Sage is told from Sage’s Point of View. This is a huge missed opportunity where we don’t read the moment internally where Jessa decides that she’s not just going to do nothing anymore. It just happens.
Overall Review: Despite some minor nitpicks, this book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire read. The final third is especially non-stop action until the climax. 4.5 out of 5 stars (so close to 5 stars!)
Book Rating: Rated R for child kidnapping, child endangerment, domestic abuse, profanity, and one graphic depiction of bodily functions.
