After the Woods

Starred review from November 1, 2015
Even after surviving the kind of ordeal most people don't, Julia still doesn't feel safe. Julia thought she knew what evil was: Donald Jessup was the man she'd had to escape from after he attacked her and her best friend, Liv, in the woods nearly a year ago. And he's dead, killed by his own hand in jail. So why does she still feel the need to investigate her own case? Why does she keep a notebook of evidence and discoveries? When a dead body is found in those same woods, Julia starts asking more question and even lets local reporter Paula Papademitriou help her in exchange for an exclusive interview. But the information Paula unearths makes Julia rethink her memories, her relationships, and Liv's secrets. Savage offers up a mystery wrapped in a psychological breakthrough tied with the bow of lyrical language. The characters are engaging beyond their habitation of an intricately woven plot and supply readers with the motivation to care beyond the simple solving of the mystery. The mystery, in fact, almost pales in comparison to the richness of the relationships, Julia's discovery of her own strength, and the examination of the different forms of evil. A riveting exploration of what it's like when the enemy is much closer than you suspect. (Mystery. 14-18)

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December 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-The one time Julia runs fast enough to keep up with her best friend, Liv, during their training in the woods, she witnesses Liv get attacked by a strange man. Julia intervenes, putting herself in danger instead. Abducted by the man, Julia escapes two days later. She insists to Liv, her therapist, and her mother that she survived the attack relatively unscathed. After a body surfaces in the same woods almost a year later, Julia starts to experience post-traumatic stress disorder-related flashbacks and realizes that there's more to the story than the news coverage. She's not sure who to trust anymore but enlists the help of her mousy neighbor, a glamorous newscaster, and the dreamy son of the local police chief to unravel the connections. The plot is twisty and dramatic; the references to trauma and abuse are more titillating than profound, giving the serious subject matter a breathless tone. At times it seems like the author tries to address too many timely subjects instead of delving more deeply into one or two, and some of the characterizations seem forced, but the writing is clear and accessible. VERDICT An entertaining, if choppy mystery that will appeal to fans of Law & Order-type plots.-Kyle Lukoff, Corlears School, New York City

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2016
Grades 10-1 *Starred Review* In a spin on the typical abduction story, Savage's gripping debut begins with the assailant already known and deceased, shifting the focus to the victimor in this case, the victims. Escaping from her kidnapper after being missing just over a day, whip-smart Julia is cognizant of the fact that she has avoided becoming another statistic. Yet, what lies on the other end after the woods isn't relief at her survival. Instead, Julia is still stuck on what happened that fateful day in the park, when her brave actions saved her best friend Liv. What Julia wants now are answers to the many questions she jots in her notebook, and because her memory betrays her, they come with the help of the most unlikely allies, including a local news reporter and her abductor's mother. Could the true enemy lie so much closer than she expects? This smart psychological thriller deftly explores a complex web of female relationships, notably the ever-vexing mother-daughter bond and volatile teenage friendships. In a testament to Savage's adept plotting, the unexpected twists toward the end are, in hindsight, masterfully foreshadowed. A remarkable, engrossing debut about what it means to be a survivor and the many ways to take control of your own destiny.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
When Julia and her best friend, Liv, are attacked in the woods, Julia helps Liv get away before being captured herself. Eventually she escapes, becoming a local hero. A year later, Julia tries to unpack fractured memories that implicate Liv. This psychological mystery builds from the girls' well-developed relationship and secret-filled history, and Savage skillfully sustains tension and atmosphere.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)