Return to Sender (Lauren Draper, Macmillan)

A historical letter-writing mystery and searching for the missing ‘Adder Stone’ are two of the many compelling story arcs in this highly engaging, fast-paced contemporary YA novel. Brodie McKellon (‘The Felon’) lives with her eccentric grandmother above a Dead Letter Office—where undeliverable mail goes—having returned to her hometown after three years at boarding school. Through her eyes, we learn about her life before she left and the challenges she is facing now. Lauren Draper uses memories and flashbacks to great effect and seamlessly weaves them into the present-day narrative. In Draper’s debut, The Museum of Broken Things, characterisation proved a strength. Once again, she draws a full cast of richly detailed and well-developed characters, from Brodie’s childhood friends, Elliot and Levi, through to Dwight, the often-drunk junkyard owner. The well-crafted dialogue moves the story along and the funny banter, especially between the three friends, shows the authenticity of their long-standing friendship and genuine interest in each other. A vast range of sometimes confronting themes are tackled, such as loyalty, family, secrets, domestic violence, grief and reconciling with the past. Romance, too, plays a part and is often the content of Brodie’s many introspections. Cleverly, while all the mysteries are solved, they pave the way for new stories, making this a hope-filled coming-of-age novel that fans of Cath Crowley and Nina Kenwood will enjoy.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Alida Galati is a freelance reviewer, a secondary school librarian, and a writing and reading enthusiast. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews