A Void the Size of the World

Gr 9 Up—This sophomore novel is an average entry in the YA suspense genre. Rhylee and her sister's boyfriend are in love. Rhylee and Tommy had been best friends until she rejected him, and despite his new relationship with Abby, Rhylee and Tommy can't resist each other. When Abby catches them together, she runs into the woods—and disappears. What comes next is an exploration of the guilt and grief of Rhylee, her parents, and their community. What does not follow is an intriguing work of suspense. Teens may understand that Rhylee feels responsible for her sister's disappearance, but the secondary focus on Rhylee's mother might alienate them. A peripheral plot of mysterious circles that appear on the family's property seems forced, and the relationship between Rhylee and Tommy is abandoned, ostensibly owing to Rhylee's guilt, and young adults may feel frustrated that the driving force for the earlier events in the narrative nearly disappears after the first couple of chapters. While the ending is realistic, it is also ultimately unsatisfying.