Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Where Things Come Back Review

Quick Points:

-228 pages

-copyright year: 2011

-Winner of the William C. Morris Debut Award

-Winner of the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature

"Yeah, my cover image is cool.  It's just hard  because there are so many awards covering it."  -what I would say if I was John Corey Whaley.

The Vaguest of Overviews:

Lily is a small town in Arkansas inhabited by one of our main characters, Cullen Witter.  He is a high schooler/borderline pessimist.  Across the globe is where another important character, Benton Sage, currently resides.  He is on a mission. 

Sorry everyone, but with my strict anti-spoiler policy I don't feel comfortable sharing any more of the plot.

What I Thought:

It's been a while since I've read a book without crazy magic, grisly murders, or long lost artifacts... or books with all three of those things, (cough cough Dresden Files cough) for that matter. They just appeal to me.  Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley is rooted in none of these things, but somehow it has earned the prestigious title of My All Time Favorite Book.  I can't speak of its triumph's enough. 

The characters in this  novel will grow on you in about a page after you meet them.  Within the first half-page I felt compelled to read on just to know that something good would happen to Cullen Witter.

Benton Sage quickly earned my empathy because of his situation.  The questions he deals with are personal ones, and I'm sure that we've all thought about the same things as he does.  No matter who you like the most, there is bound to be someone in this book to which you can relate.  This aspect is just one of the many reasons why I couldn't stop reading.

This is John Corey Whaley's first published novel, but it sounds like he is a master story teller well beyond his years.  There are tragic events in this story, and they are all told skillfully and beautifully and you'll probably have to take a breather or two in order to digest them.

You caught me, I'm bluffing. What's UFC?

These occurrences are so well told that I cried a total of four times while reading this book.  (No worries, afterwards I got an anchor tattoo, cracked open a beer and watched UFC.  Man points: redeemed.)  I teared up twice in two consecutive chapters for totally opposite reasons!  The happenings of this book will matter to you because of how poignantly they're written.

Cullen Witter has a notebook where he writes down titles for potential books, as well as a big imagination typically brimming with zombies and other bizarre things.  These devices serve their purpose not only as creative quirks, but as catalysts for character development.  It gives us readers a better idea of what Cullen thinks or how he feels. These moments are akin to things found in Chuck Palahniuk novels.   They are consistent (but never redundant)  and help push the well-woven plot along.

Enough about how awesome this book is.  I have poured my heart out in hope that you will someday read this work of art that John Wayne Correy has worked so hard on.  

The Verdict:

Where Things Come Back by John Wayne Correy gets a solid three Lazarus burgers... of three.

Before you go!

If you are a fan of Sufjan Stevens, you are sure to enjoy the multiple references to his work scattered throughout this book.  If you aren't a fan yet, here is a song from which Correy pulls an excerpt.

Thanks for reading.  Let me know what you think via a comment below or an email.  I'm always open for book suggestions and would love to hear from you.