The Outliers by Kimberly McCreight
Harper Collins, 2016. ISBN 9780008115067
(Age: 15+) Highly recommended. For a girl who didn't leave her house
for three weeks, a road trip to save her best friend is almost too
much - thankfully the anxiety-ridden Wylie is much better in an
emergency than at home. Despite beginning like a typical YA drama,
McCreight's novel quickly progresses into something more sinister.
Cassie is missing. No one knows where she is. Her mum suspects that
she's taken off. Cassie hasn't been the same since she started
dating Jasper and got accepted into the 'Rainbow Coalition'. While
Wylie has tried to be a good friend and keep Cassie safe, Cassie
refused to listen - now she's missing and Wylie is worrying whether
she could have kept Cassie around had they been speaking. Already
blaming Jasper, Wylie is shocked when he shows up claiming that
Cassie has sent him. Soon enough Wylie too receives a mysterious
text from Cassie, pleading for help and providing directions to an
unknown location. What choice does Wylie have but to fly to her
friend's rescue? But leaving the house is a bigger deal than just
walking out the front door - with anxiety so crippling she had to
switch to homeschooling and a father who is keeping a big secret.
Soon Wylie, Cassie, and Jasper will learn that they are part of
something bigger than just Cassie going off the rails. She was
kidnapped 'for her own safety'; will they be able to save her before
she becomes just another missing person?
A fast-paced mystery thriller with elements of speculative fiction,
this novel is both easy to read and engrossing. I finished the book
in a single sitting, continually promising myself 'just one more
chapter'. Well written, The Outliers explores the importance
of honesty and loyalty in friendships - without a prominent romantic
sub-plot for Wylie, there is nothing to distract her from her battle
with anxiety, and her desire to keep her friends safe. I would
highly recommend this novel for readers over the age of fourteen who
enjoy mystery with a hint of speculative fiction.
Kayla Gaskell (University student aged 20)