SYNOPSIS:

In presenting herself as interviewer and curator of memories, Adele paints the portrait of a tragic young celebrity who allegedly committed suicide—presented in a series of brief first-person recollections—that ultimately results in the solving of a murder.

Adele’s words: “From the moment she burst into the downtown art scene, seventeen-year-old Addison Stone was someone to watch. Her trademark subversive street art and her violent drowning left her fans and critics craving to know more about this brilliant wild-child who shone so bright and was gone too soon. By means of more than one hundred interviews with those who knew her best—including close friends, family, teachers, mentors, art dealers, boyfriends, and critics—I have retraced the tumultuous path of Addison’s life, with research that sheds new evidence on what really happened the night of July 28, 2013. With photo inserts and previously unpublished supplemental material.”

WHY SHOULD YOU CHECK IT OUT?

The premise on this one–author as investigator–is really neat and not something we’ve seen done in a long time (if ever in YA?).  Trying to piece together Addison’s life, post-mortem, is sure to highlight what we all experience: that no one person can ever truly, fully know us beyond ourselves.  We don’t have to be famous artists for this one to hit close to home.

The cover is interesting, with its negative-exposure and film reel effect, the red-X on Addison’s face.  It comes across a little stalkerish, which is probably the point.   Judging from the cover, this one is not meant to inspire fluffy feels in its readers.

You may have read author Adele Griffin’s most recent YA novel, LOUD AWAKE & LOST, or one of the other two-time National Book Award finalist’s work like SONS OF LIBERTY and WHERE I WANT TO BE.

EARLY REVIEWS SAY…

Snippets of interviews sprinkled with color photographs and paintings form a portrait of a sassy and troubled young woman. An interesting but ultimately unsatisfying experiment in form.  (Kirkus Reviews)

Griffin offers incisive commentary on mental illness and the frenzy around (and pressures induced by) celebrity, especially surrounding young women. Defined primarily by the contradictory accounts of those around her, Addison remains something of a cipher even by book’s end. (Publishers Weekly)

WATCH THE TRAILER

Author Adele Griffin talks about the novel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWvAuQ0LuiU

NECESSARY DETAILS

YA Contemporary

Hardcover & ebook, 256 pages

Published on August 12th 2014 by Soho Teen (ISBN 1616953608)

http://sohopress.com/books/the-unfinished-life-of-addison-stone/