Review - Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

LE SIGH – You guys! YOU GUYS!! Cullen Witter.  CULLEN WITTER OMG. (book title 1 – the boy who snuck into my heart)

Ahem.

When one finishes a rather fucking incredible book, one can only feel a particular sense of awe that comes when one realise's just how amazing words can be.  One can only let the magic of a book spew out onto their hands and stain their hearts with hope.

I know.  Wax poetic much.  DON’T MIND IF I DO KIND SIR.

It all starts with a Lazarus Woodpecker.  The pesky bird that’s supposed to extinct but doesn’t have the decency to actually stay dead-dead.  The sleepy town of Lily, Arkansas is thrown is to a FREEEEEEENZY! Because all the birdwatchers are creaming their pants with the opportunity to see this bird back from the dead! (book title 2 – birds do not come back from  the dead)

But Cullen couldn’t care less about this stupid bird.  In fact, if he saw it he’d probably shoot it dead.  Birds have no business being resurrected and bringing mayhem to Lily.  Especially when Woodpecker haircuts and Lazarus burgers are all the rage! Which is stttuuuuuupid! Because Woodpecker haircuts sound lame and omg, the (in)famous burger is just a number three without cheese!! WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE IN LILY DOING, THEY HAVE GONE CRAZY CRAZY. 

So, like any sane person would do, Cullen spends his time fantasizing about what would happen if zombies came to Lily instead! (side note – as much as zombies are awesome and they would bring so much more entertainment to Lily that a stupid bird, I fear Cullen doesn’t have the right mindset to survive, and he’s not the Lazarus, once he’s dead he’s dead-dead).  The rest of the time he makes up book titles.  LIKE A BOSS.  (book title 3 – my town is a temple, watch me tear it down)

It flips to Benton Sage, the missionary in Africa who has to spread his faith wherever the good Lord sends him.  But instead of spreading the message of Christ, he is filling empty stomachs with food and water, which isn’t really what he wanted.  He wants to preach and guide God into these people’s hearts.  He wants to save them, and they ARE WASTING HIS TIME WITH THE FOOD STUFF.  Benton, I believe, needs to take a few deep breaths and CALM THE FUCK DOWN and realise that what he is doing is saving them more than God ever could.  So he returns home a disgrace, his family believe he isn’t ready to be a missionary if he can’t see the good in the acts he has done, so he goes off to college.  His roommate is Cabot Searcy.  Then crazy shit happens and KABAM! Cabot is now a religious fanatic.  LIKE CRAZY BIBLE BASHING BEHAVIOUR GOES DOWN. (book title 4 – can god really save you?)

Then his brother Gabriel goes missing.  (book title – his heart is an open wound).  MY HEART OH MY GOODNESS MY HEART.  Then instead of SHAZAM in my pants, it’s SHAZAM in the book and KABLAM, all these tiny threads are woven together and served on a plate like the very best macaroni and cheese and it TASTES LIKE THE BEST THING YOU HAVE EVER TASTED BUT BETTER. Also, Gabriel is my favourite.  I love him like woah.  LIKE WOAH (book title 5 – hold me closer).

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Whaley is an utter mind shaking genius.  I don’t quite know what to say about this book without just simply saying this – read it.  Just please read it.  You know, we all need a little bit of hope.  And that’s this book! It REALLY IS! It shine’s brighter than the sun and the moon and the stars.  It shines out hope so bright y’all better watch your corneas, watch they don’t burn right up! This is one of those books that you read and start getting all restless and jumpy like this!! Omg people this!! THIS!!! Because that’s how I feel when I’ve read a book that doesn’t just feel like another story.  This isn’t a book that will get lost under piles and piles of books.  This is a book that is so effortlessly timeless that I don’t think I could ever forget it.  (book title 6 – open your eyes and watch me shine)

And the writing was a complete dream.  A DREAM I TELL THEE. And it’s not loud and brah and LISTEN TO ME.  It’s a whisper, one you have to lean close to hear.  A whisper so quiet and beautiful that you throw yourself against it and let it envelope you in a hug of literary goodness.  A whisper that echoes so beautifully.  (book title 7 – whispering words in the dark)

And the characters? So utterly charming and compelling.  They are in a word; illuminated.  They make you feel hope and love and that strange uplifting feeling you get when second chances are so close you can almost taste it.  Every emotion is captured and thrown into your open arms.  In more ways than one, these characters, these words, this whole damn bird scenario make this quiet sleepy town into a place of overwhelming hope. This quiet unassuming book completely ransacked my heart and stole it like a thief in the night.  (book title 8 – these words are for people with hope in their hearts) 


p.s mad mad propps to Ginger @ GReads who read this book and immediately knew that I would love it because she is awesome. (book title 9 -awesome is as awesome does)


Love love loveeeeeee omg love! (book title 10 - Linger a little bit longer)