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A review by ravenclaw_28
Take Me with You When You Go by David Levithan, Jennifer Niven
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Abandonment
Minor: Kidnapping and Death of parent
I have mixed feelings about this book. Even though it was an easy to read tale with dark themes on child abuse, familial expectations and self-doubt. I found the format uncomfortable. The entire interaction of characters especially Bea and Ez took place in a series of emails. Told via two points of view: Bea and Ezra, we are taken on an emotional rollercoaster as we discover an empty room where a sister once lived and the apathetic reaction of her mum and stepfather.
It is quickly established through the panicked and frantic emails to his sister that Ezra is hurt, angry and feeling abandoned by the one person who has always been his constant. As their conversations unfurl you can't help but fall in love with these broken individuals. Bea is spunky and brave even when she feels her world crumbling around her, and Ezra is emotional, relatable and wise beyond his years. Together, they were strong but apart they learn how to stand on their own two feet and that despite their heartbreaking situation discover who they are as individuals and how they can go forth and flourish.
I was heartbroken when I read about the abuse Bea and Ezra experienced at the hands of their stepfather, but what made it worse was knowing that their mother ignored their pain and suffering. You may think that Anne Ahern's personality and apathy are dramatised for effect but, it's all too more common than some people realise. There are hundreds of young children and teenagers who live every day with parents and caregivers who treat them as an inconvenience "who should be grateful" that the adult/s in their lives allows them to live in "their house".
As, a survivor of a Narcissistic parent, I understand and can very much relate to Bea and Ezra. Even now, after over eleven years of being free from, said parent, I am still struggling with the effects of their behaviour. I know, the issue lies with them, but sometimes it's hard to escape the memories.
This was the reason why I requested this book. I wanted to see how the topic of child abuse was handled by David Levithan and Jennifer Nevin. I was pleased that they handled it carefully, honestly and didn't sugarcoat anything. I just wish they'd gone with a different format. The e-mail interactions just weren't for me. The story was great. The characters had substance and the message was uplifting and bittersweet.
I would very much like to read more from these authors and hope they continue to collaborate in the future.