Reconstructing Amelia: New York Times Bestseller – A Mother Uncovers Secret Societies, Cyber-Bullying, and Her Daughter's Death

Wow, I thought this was pretty fantastic. Kate Baron is a successful attorney and single mother of Amelia, a bright, witty, and talented sophomore at a prestigious New York private school. One day Kate is summoned out of a meeting and is asked to come to Amelia's school immediately--she has been caught cheating and faces significant academic penalties. This seems completely out of character for Amelia, but by the time Kate makes it to the school, things have gotten much worse. Amelia jumped from the roof of the school, an act of impulsive suicide motivated by her guilt. Or at least that's what school officials and the police tell Kate. And while she tries to make sense of all that has happened, and relives recent interactions with Amelia to try and understand what motivated her actions, she is rocked by an anonymous text message: Amelia didn't jump. This text message sends Kate into a tailspin, desperate to believe her daughter didn't cheat or commit suicide, but she is afraid of what she'll find out. And the further she digs into Amelia's emails, Facebook and blog posts, text messages, and journal entries, she finds out all that Amelia was going through--and all of the people who might have had a hand in either driving her to suicide or causing her death. This book is like a combination of Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl crossed with an episode of Law and Order, but for the most part, it doesn't feel overly dramatic or false. The biggest tragedy about this book is that so many of the things that occurred could and probably do happen among teenagers in private and public schools. Kimberly McCreight is an excellent writer who keeps the twists and turns coming full speed ahead, but she knows when to throttle back and not take the plot down too melodramatic a path. Reconstructing Amelia is a book about friendship, romance, love between parent and child, and forging your own identity. It's also a book about the dangers of keeping secrets and the need to feel you fit in. It hooked me from start to finish, and although I ultimately was sad, I really marveled at the power of McCreight's storytelling ability. Read this.

Parenthood and adolescence are hard enough in of itself but when you add technology, including social media, it adds a level of difficulty that we are still trying to navigate even though smartphones, texting and social media have been in existence for years. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight was a compelling illustration of this point, with a story that kept me engaged from the beginning to the end, and like Kate, wanting to know the truth about Amelia. McCreight’s book was well-written with an interesting mix of suspense, drama and mystery. It had an overall feel of a crime mystery with Kate investigating the truth about what happened to Amelia. There are secrets, not only on Amelia’s part, but on Kate’s also, adding another kink into the investigation. This aspect of the book kept my attention since you become invested in finding out exactly what happened. But as you read through the story, it becomes apparent that the book is really about the mother/daughter relationship between Kate and Amelia and all the inner and outer conflicts/influences/issues surrounding them. It’s a good reflection of how parenting and growing up in our current times have changed with all the added technology and current issues. It’s especially poignant in how McCreight depicts technology and social media as a tool used to bully, exclude and deceive. The fact that readers can relate on a certain level to Amelia’s or Kate’s situation in this regard heightens the emotional connection you have towards them and increases your investment in them as characters. While nothing new, McCreight’s switching POV between Amelia and Kate added to the level to the story’s drama. It provided the interesting mix of knowledge and secrecy. You are aware of certain aspects of both Amelia and Kate’s life and mindset but at the same time you are still left in the dark about certain details. It made you want to keep reading to discover that missing piece(s) that would explain everything. It was also interesting to see how information and evidence can be construed in multiple ways depending on one’s perspective and context. As the reader, you are in essence that third party that is all knowing, and so it was interesting to learn things about Amelia that would eventually explain what Kate uncovers and how Kate interprets it when all the while you are sitting there knowing exactly the ‘who, what, when and why’. While I actually enjoyed McCreight’s writing and the way the story unfolded, her use of text narrative wore on me. I wouldn’t have mind it if it was used sparingly and at certain points in the story. But to have it come up every couple chapters (actually they are ‘chapters’ as a whole), it started to wore on me and took away from the story’s momentum and pace. Maybe it’s a personal taste (it can also be said for my feelings regarding the adolescent tone of Amelia’s narrative which is appropriate considering her age and those surrounding her), but I would have preferred if those text chapters were cut down. I also had some credibility issues regarding the adults who used technology and social media to falsely represent themselves. Even when said characters explained their motive and thought process, it was just hard for me to fully buy into it. It wasn’t even about a creepiness factor or anything of that sort, it was more about the incredulity that I felt at their reasoning. While adults using the internet and modern technology to lie and misrepresent themselves to young people isn’t unheard of, they’re usually in very distressing and disgusting context instead of the reasons given from those in the story. And to have it happen with multiple adults, just adds to my incredulity of the adults that inhabit Amelia’s world. It creates a questionable quality to an otherwise pretty compelling story/plot. Regardless of that, if you are willing to overlook those points, McCreight wrote an engaging and compelling debut novel. It’s a book that touched on not only the familiar frustrations and doubts about parenting a teenager and being a teenager yourself, but also the current issues of social media/technology and bullying. All of this is wrapped by an overall feel of suspense and mystery where you, along with Kate, try to find out what happened to Amelia.

Wow, this came out of nowhere for me. I bought it several months ago but I kept putting off reading it. Too many comparisons to "Gone Girl" and "Girl on the Train". Why read something like what you've already read? But it isn't ! Thank goodness, I finally gave it a try. I didn't have to read many pages to realize this was an exceptional story and a very well written book. Amelia, a 15 year old sophomore at a private high school in Brooklyn, and only daughter of single mom Kate, a highly paid Manhattan attorney, is dead. Kate had received an urgent call from the school that morning to pick up her daughter immediately; Amelia had been suspended for cheating. Kate rushes to the school after some delay, but she is too late. The police rule suicide. Kate is crushed and takes a lengthy absence from her office. What has happened makes no sense to her. Amelia was a girl who had it all - exceptionally bright, attractive, athletic, and a nice kid. And then the anonymous text messages begin. Kate initiates her own investigation. So begins this excellent novel. Well written, well paced story lines, excellent characters - and sad. But although we know Amelia's fate early on, like Kate we demand to know why, how. Through flashbacks and Kate's persistent inquiries we learn more about the environment at Amelia's school and the character of her classmates. And for Amelia there was first love, real or a momentary crush? Then there's Ben, a mysterious "friend" whom Amelia hasn't met but with whom she shares her most guarded secrets. And Zadie, someone we can only hope that our own children never have to experience. This is a story that grabs you from the beginning and doesn't let go. The ending is good, a little too many revealed secrets and old history for my liking but more than adequate for a climax. I look forward to more from this author. Recommended highly.

This was suspenseful, in a Gone Girl-ish way, and a very Gossip Girl plot. I loved it up until 80% when everything started wrapping up... and while it was not predictable, I didn't care for the ending. It felt like the author had all the time in the world to write the first 80%, then her publisher gave her a week to wrap it up, so everything felt rushed and needed to fit simply into place. The complexity stopped, and I feel like I'm left with a sense of disappointment that "that's it." I hate books like that because I get addicted to them. I had the whole storyline playing out like a movie in my head, and it's just that I didn't care for the ending - but more that the ending didn't seem in line with the build-up. I am sticking with 3 stars (but really wish I could give it 2.5) because I love suspense and a novel that is unpredictable... but still, I had really hoped for more. I'm very glad I hadn't stayed up late last night to finish it (which I was "this.close" to doing). I am pretty neutral about this book - I wouldn't recommend it, but I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it either (especially because I'd be interested to hear other reviews). Note: I just learned this will be a movie - with Nicole Kidman.

Kate, a junior partner at a law firm in Manhattan, is busy with an important client when she receives a call from her daughter's private school in Brooklyn. She is informed that her daughter has been suspended from school and Kate needs to come pick her up immediately. In shock because her daughter Amelia is a straight A student--respectful and good. By the time Kate gets to the school, she is devastated to find the school surrounded by police and to learn that her 15 year old daughter has committed suicide by jumping from the roof. Months later, Kate is just starting to emerge from the grief to return to work when she receives a cryptic text that implies that Amelia didn't jump. Desperate to get the truth about her daughter's death, Kate starts digging with the help of a police detective. What she learns about her daughter will break her heart; make her question her own ability to parent and search out the people ultimately responsible. Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight is a suspenseful, emotional read. Normally, I would have devoured this book in a matter of days in a desperate attempt to get to the ending. Because I was reading with the book club and we had a reading schedule that spread out over several weeks and I was determined to stick to the schedule, I took my time and read this novel more slowly. In some ways, it made the characters and situation more powerful as I had more time to think and dwell on the story. As a mother of children that are growing up way too fast, the topics of bullying and the choices our children make resonated with me. Kate is surprised often to find out the horrible things that Amelia was not telling her. It's easy to want to judge Kate for not being an attentive mother, yet I was reminded of my son's fourth grade year. He was being physically bullied by older boys and I did not pick up on the clues. It wasn't until I witnessed it myself in front of the school, that I realized that I had completely missed his earlier pleas for help. Reconstructing Amelia is a powerful and scary book for a parent. McCreight has written a compelling, suspenseful and very realistic book about the life of a teenager. Though it takes place in a private school in New York with very wealthy students, the situations they face are not entirely different from the teenagers going to a public school in a religious area of the west. The ending was surprising and not completely satisfying but the book is definitely worth reading.

I hate it when a publisher is foolish enough to compare a book with another popular title in order to boost sales. Reconstructing Amelia was compared to Gone Girl and I think that was a huge mistake, since Reconstructing Amelia is a fabulous book on its own merit, but it is no Gone Girl. First of all, the target audience is very much different. Even with the alternating stories of mother/ daughter, it really does appeal more to the crowd who likes YA or young adult. Kate, Amelia’s mother, should make the book more attractive to some older readers, but I don’t see it. It still is a teen, school, mean girls drama, with a good dose of mystery. That being said, I liked the book very much. There were plot twists throughout and I was surprised more often than not. Maybe that is where the claim of similarity to Gone Girl came from, but still… The only issues that I had is that the pacing was off and there were some unrealistic pieces when it came to the investigation. The pacing never dragged, so please don’t be scared off by that, it was just that Amelia’s story was incredibly fast paced, making Kate’s story seem slower than it was, especially when it came to details about her career. I am glad that I read Reconstruction Amelia, right through the end, but I am sure that it is NOT for everyone. If you like a storyline about adults, can’t accept a few unrealistic details in the name of a good story, or you don’t care to relate to the struggles of a teen trying to fit in, this is not for you. If you read YA there is little doubt that that you will love Amelia’s story as much as I did.

Ok yes, this book is totally like a Lifetime movie. But it was still really, really engaging! Kate is a high-powered lawyer and single mother whose daughter, Amelia, commits suicide by jumping off her school's roof. Or did she commit suicide? Kate isn't sure when she gets an anonymous text message saying, "Amelia didn't jump." I've read some other reviews that rip the book to shreds and there are a lot of good points. One complaint is that the characters are not all that likeable. I didn't mind Amelia and Kate, though. They typically had good intentions, even when they made dumb choices. They showed remorse and guilt for the choices they made and that was enough to make me care about what happened to them. I liked Kate's friend, Seth, and her boss, Jeremy. Amelia's best friend was kind of annoying but seemed loyal. I couldn't stand Amelia's new "friends" and couldn't understand why they were important to her, but teenagers are teenagers! The book was very fast moving and I loved the format! It went back and forth between the present day with Kate, the recent past with Amelia, Amelia's texts and Facebook statuses, and a little bit of Kate's journals and emails from when she first became pregnant with Amelia. It wasn't confusing at all, but it was interesting. I have mixed feelings about the ending. What was revealed all made sense and was properly foreshadowed, without being predictable. However, it seemed like a lot was not completely answered. There were still some questions and I, personally, wanted to see more of what the consequences were for the people involved. It would have been more satisfying to have more information at the end and all the loose ends tied up. I took one star away for that. I would recommend this book to fans of drama and mystery. I had difficulty putting it down and kept wanting to find out what happened next. I liked the pace at which plot points were revealed and it kept me interested. I was in shock and horror as the story unfolded. It was a lot of drama, like a soap opera! This book made me incredibly happy to no longer be in high school. It had my jaw hanging open at times as things were unveiled. Great read overall!

Overall, I really enjoyed the telling of the story and would recommend reading it. I would say the theme is pretty dark and most of the story is morose as well but that's part of why its good. The mother loses her daughter and is grieving and I thought Kimberly did a good job conveying that. I also liked the flipping of POVs and character building. While I'm sure maybe its not a novel idea, it was unique to me and used well to bring real world interactions to the library world to guild a character who has passed and also slowly unravel the story. I read this book to help get some thriller / mystery into my October and I'm glad I did. It was an "easy" and quick read, I got sucked in and wanted to finish. I enjoyed the characters and the ending was not one I predicted. If that's what you're looking for, dive right in, I enjoyed my time.

Je n'ai pas assez de superlatifs pour vous dire à quel point j'ai aimé ce thriller que j'ai dévoré en cinq jours. Moi qui ai tendance à fuir le genre parce que je ne supporte plus la surenchère de gore et de sadisme, je me suis régalée avec cette histoire qui repose uniquement sur la psychologie des personnages. Nous découvrons en alternance l'histoire de Kate et le point de vue d'Amelia, qui nous est livré à la 1ère personne comme s'il s'agissait d'un journal intime. Entre deux, les sms et les statuts Facebook de la jeune fille rythment l'intrigue. J'aime beaucoup cette construction qui rend la défunte incroyablement vivante et attachante et qui permet de ressentir la douleur de la mère comme si c'était la nôtre. Car Amelia est une chouette fille et plus on avance dans le récit, plus on aimerait en changer la fin, pourtant inexorable. Malgré cela, malgré un sujet lourd et difficile - faire le deuil d'un enfant, c'est juste impossible - Reconstructing Amelia évite habilement de tomber dans le pathos et nous livre une intrigue en béton armé. Je n'ai pas relevé la moindre incohérence, alors que la structure aurait pu s'y prêter - Kate remonte le temps pour les besoins de son enquête tandis que nous suivons Amelia dans l'ordre chronologique des deux derniers mois de sa vie. Au final, la boucle est parfaitement bouclée, sans que jamais l'on n'ait perdu de vue un seul instant la mécanique infernale du piège qui se referme peu à peu sur les victimes innocentes. Impossible de vous en dire plus sans dévoiler des détails cruciaux de l'intrigue, ce qui serait vraiment dommage. Je peux juste vous dire que j'ai particulièrement apprécié le portrait que dresse Kimberly McCreight d'une jeunesse dorée mais cruelle. Impossible de lire son roman sans penser à Gossip Girl, évidemment, mais croyez-moi, l'élite de l'Upper East Side passerait presque pour des enfants de chœur à côté des élèves de Grace Hall. Reconstructing Amelia nous rappelle que l'adolescence est un rite de passage à l'âge adulte et que ça passe ou ça casse. Dans bien des cas, et notamment le mien, ça passe, dans la douleur, mais ça passe. Et parfois, malheureusement, ça casse... Reconstructing Amelia n'a pas encore été traduit en France. Pour les lecteurs anglophones, je n'ai qu'un conseil, ruez-vous sur la VO, d'autant qu'elle est déjà disponible en poche (et même à tout petit prix en version Kindle). Pour les autres, retenez-bien ce nom : Kimberly McCreight. Son coup d'essai est un coup de maître.

Great read

I couldn't put this book down - it has got a lot of suspense, and until the end, you don't suspect a thing!

I know there are mixed reviews on this book, but I enjoyed it. It addressed the topics of peer pressure and bullying and the prominence of this using social media. Kate is a lawyer and single mom to Amelia. While in an important meeting she is asked to come to her daughter's school immediately as Amelia has been suspended for cheating. This is not normal behaviour for her daughter and as she hurries to the school, her daughter lays on the school grounds, dead, as the result of an apparent suicide. Is it really suicide? Kate begins to receive texts saying that it wasn't. The story unfolds with alternating points of view (that of Kate and Amelia) and we find out what is really going on in Amelia's life and what secrets Kate has also kept. There were a lot of twists during the course of the book and I have to say that I liked it. It kept me interested and kept me reading.

El libro llegó en mal estado, la portada es más pequeña que el resto de las hojas y algunas partes están pegadas