# data[].attributes.body
by Amy Gentry

# data[].attributes.body
“I’ve already had the worst thing happen to me that can ever happen to a parent. And now, in a sense, Julie has too. It’s something we share.”
Page 44

# data[].attributes.body
In this book review, the reviewer was surprised because she thought the book was going to be fast-paced and action packed. She definitely did not expect the book to not be as personal and slow paced. She gave the book a rating of 4/5, which is a pretty good rating.
I agree with a lot of stuff she said, it shocked me as well. I like more fast paced books, but I thought this book was a good balance between fast and slow. She mentioned how the book is about love, hope, and loss, instead of shock value. The reviewer could also really connect to this book because it took place in her hometown. So it was really cool for her to read because it talked about local landmarks that she is familiar with.

# data[].attributes.body
Amy Gentry lives in Austin, Texas with her husband. She graduated in 2011 with a PhD in English, from the University of Chicago.

Good as Gone was her first thriller she wrote. She was inspired to write the book back in 2003 when the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case was in the news. In a few words, Amy described the book as a mother-daughter horror story, set in a city with a perpetual identity crisis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
CBTB Rating: 4/5 The Verdict: not at all what I expected, in a good way
I'm not going to lie to you: I judged this crime book by its cover. With its neon yellow background and hot pink letters, this book reminded me of any number of flashy, edgy domestic thrillers (think LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE by Jessica Knoll). Couple its cover with its plot (missing girl returns home nearly a decade later; family questions her true identity), and I was expecting a fast-paced, twist-filled thrill ride designed to shock its readers as much as its shocking cover. Instead, what I got was a suspense novel brimming not with shock value, but with thoughtful insights into love, loss, and hope against all odds. This book is nothing I expected, and I was so pleased to be surprised.
Nearly a decade ago, 13-year old Julie was kidnapped from her home in the middle of the night. The only witness to her kidnapping was her younger sister, 8-year old Jane. The family was rocked by the tragedy, but managed to stick together through it. Then, one night nearly a decade later, the doorbell rings: Julie has come home. Overjoyed at Julie's reappearance, the family begins trying to move forward from the horrific tragedy they have all endured... but Julie's mom Anna is having doubts that she just can't silence. Julie's story doesn't quite add up, and her behavior just isn't right. Is this really Anna's daughter? If not, who is this woman who has moved into her home, and what does she want from them?
This book's premise alone is worthy of a read. But where GOOD AS GONE really shines is in the author's nuanced exploration of the bonds tying family together-specifically, the often tumultuous and always unbreakable bond between mother and daughter. This sounds like it's a story about Julie: her kidnapping, her return, and how she spent the years in between. But it's really a story about Anna: a mother who survived a parent's worst nightmare, and whose hope was ultimately rewarded with the return of her missing daughter, only to have it eroded by her doubts over Julie's identity.

GOOD AS GONE is set in my former hometown of Houston, Texas, which made for an even more immersive reading experience for me. Gentry weaves Houston's culture and landmarks inextricably throughout the story, and I was fascinated to watch fictional characters respond to some very true-to-life Houston experiences. Religion factors prominently in this story as well, with Gentry exploring both organized religion in the form of a Houston megachurch, and the skepticism of an academic through the character of Anna, who is a professor of English at a local college. While Gentry certainly portrays the megachurch phenomenon in an unfavorable light, she also illustrates how Anna's personal beliefs (or lack thereof) can be deeply misguided. Rather than taking a stand on the pros or cons of organized religion, I felt that Gentry was examining how our own beliefs, no matter what those might be or not be, can be manipulated to serve our personal interests.

This story has been billed as suited for fans of GONE GIRL or THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, but I have to disagree. If you love domestic thrillers, check out BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR. If, on the other hand, you love a measured and thought-provoking novel of suspense, with one eye on character study and one eye on a city's conflicted culture, this might just be the next book for you.

For a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Gentry's process of writing GOOD AS GONE, check out my interview with the author here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I judged this book by its cover. I was expecting a fast-paced, twist-filled thrill ride-but what I got was a suspense novel brimming not with shock value, but with thoughtful insights into love, loss, and hope against all odds.

# data[].attributes.body
Generally, I thought the book was pretty good. I am more a fan of fast-paced books, and that is what I was expecting with the thriller. But all around, it was good book, with a very interesting and different story line. Rating 3/5.

# data[].attributes.body
Julie was kidnapped as a little girl,  and Anna, the mother of Julie, took it very poorly. She was very sad for months on end because she felt like it was her fault that she got kidnapped. Anna also felt like she failed as a parent .In this quote, she explains the kidnapping as the worst thing that ever happened to her. So, from the quote you can tell that was very bad for her, and that nothing has been as bad as this. In the second half of the quote, It talks about how it was bad for Julie too, and how this something that the two share.
This quote is important to the story because it basically sums up everything that happened in the book. It is also important because Julie and her mother never really had a true relationship because she was kidnapped so young, so this is the one thing that they both shared.

# data[].attributes.body
Julie Whitetaker was kidnapped when she was young. Her sister was the only one that witnessed the incident. Her family was very sad, and they did not know if she was alive or not. One night the doorbell rang, and it was Julie. The whole family was full of joy, their daughter was back. But over time, Anna had some doubts about Julie, and if it was really her.