Where Things Come Back

by John Corey Whaley

First published 2015

Gabriel Witter has vanished. His older brother Cullen searches for answers in their small town, angry and desperate to understand why his fifteen-year-old brother disappeared so suddenly. The summer stretches ahead of Cullen as he struggles to keep his family from falling apart while wrestling with his own confusion about love and loss. Half a world away, a young missionary works in Africa, seeking purpose and meaning in his service. These two stories seem unconnected at first, but they intertwine as both young men grapple with questions bigger than themselves. Cullen's search becomes about more than finding Gabriel. It becomes about discovering wonder in everyday moments and believing that second chances are possible, even when everything feels broken.

Genres: literary-fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, family-drama

Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking

Tropes: found-family, second-chance

Setting: Africa

274 pages · Kindle Edition · Simon & Schuster Children's UK

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