Reconstructing Amelia

By: Kimberly McCreight

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

When Kate, single mother and law firm partner, gets an urgent phone call summoning her to her daughter's exclusive private school, she's shocked. Amelia has been suspended for cheating, something that would be completely out of character for her over-achieving, well-behaved daughter.

Kate rushes to Grace Hall, but what she finds when she finally arrives is beyond comprehension. Her daughter is dead.

Despondent over having been caught cheating, Amelia has jumped from the school's roof in an act of impulsive suicide. At least that's the story Grace Hall and the police tell Kate. In a state of shock and overcome by grief, Kate tries to come to grips with this life-shattering news. Then she gets an anonymous text: Amelia didn't jump.

The moment she sees that message, Kate knows in her heart it's true. Clearly Amelia had secrets, and a life Kate knew nothing about. Wracked by guilt, Kate is determined to find out what those secrets were and who could have hated her daughter enough to kill. She searches through Amelia's emails, texts, and Facebook updates, piecing together the last troubled days of her daughter's life.

Reconstructing Amelia is a stunning debut pause-resistor that brilliantly explores the secret world of teenagers, their clandestine first loves, hidden friendships, and the dangerous cruelty that can spill over into acts of terrible betrayal.

©2013 Kimberly McCreight (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Read this book!

This story is more suitable for reading than listening. Great story just hard to follow when listening to it.

Disappointing Ending

I am truly disappointed in how this book ended. I loved the story up until the last couple of chapters. It all became too soft and it felt like a let down. Other than the ending I enjoyed it.

Gossip girl and true crime

A dream come true for my millennial brain. Really enjoyed even if I wanted to shake the characters Multiple times

Loved

Loved this book! It really drew you in. This is what teenagers go through. It was gripping.

Scary, beautiful, suspenseful

This book had a knot in my gut for the whole week or so that I could not bring myself to stop listening. This is a great mystery that had me guessing until the end. The characters, even the minor ones, were written so vividly. It is almost hard to grasp how the author gave such life to all of these characters in what is a fairly short book. Dare I even say that I think this book is better than the ones in the Robert Galibraith series!!!... Anyway, this book will stick with me for a while, I have already recommended it all over town... I will definitely check out more from Kimberly McCreight.

Great read!!

It's been a while since I've listened to a book that I just couldn't put down. The story pulls you in you from the beginning and it doesn't stop. It's a great performance and a great story. Highly recommended!!!

beautiful

Amazingly written! Definitely not predictable. A must read/listen!!!! BRAVO! One of my favorite books by far.

Nearly perfect

When sophomore Amelia lands from the roof to the pavement of her exclusive private school, the police close the case as suicide. Her single mother, attorney Kate Baron receives a text saying her daughter didn’t jump, the case is reopened. Kate and police detective Lew investigate the ins and outs of the school, a secret society, Amelia’s first love before finally discovering what really happened on that rooftop.

Told in Amelia’s first person POV, Kate’s third person POV, text messages, emails, a gossip newsletter and journals Kimberly McCreight’s debut has wide appeal to teens and adults. RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA is one of those special, unputdownable books full of twists and turns I never saw coming that also fit organically into the story and made sense.

Amelia and Kate were complex characters with so many layers of perfection and imperfection. Even the minor characters had unique personalities and multiple dimensions, sympathetic on some level.

I look forward to McCreight’s sophomore effort. In the mean time RECONSTRUCTING AMELIA is one of those books I’ll read again and again, with more understanding each time.

Gripping but Thin

The plot was gripping so I had to know what was going to happen. However, the characters had no depth and the mother was unbelievable and I found myself angry with her because she just didn't make sense. The idea of the story was really good but it just touched the surface and the writing is mediocre. I will say I was entertained so it's enjoyable but not impressive.

Life lessons taught

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I have already. I can say that this book made me reflect as a mother of two teen girls and as a high school teacher. It is a fabulous life lesson. Throughout, I wanted the "end" to change, but had to keep reminding myself that Amelia had died.

What other book might you compare Reconstructing Amelia to and why?

I keep thinking of a Jodi Piccoult book like 19 seconds. Different perspectives all revolved around sadness.

Which character – as performed by Khristine Hvam – was your favorite?

I loved the raw honesty of Amelia...

Any additional comments?

Unique and great read!!!