https://padlet.com/dmocarski2/ecv61kmev9cin0aa Caleb Roehrig en-us 2022-01-06 13:47:35 UTC 2024-06-07 17:45:40 UTC hello@padlet.com dmocarski2 https://padlet.com/dmocarski2/ecv61kmev9cin0aa/wish/1978631119 Last Seen Leaving by Caleb Roehrig is 318 pages long and is a memoir about a boy named Flynn who struggles to reveal his biggest secret to others while trying to uncover his missing ex-girlfriend’s secrets. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. The mystery of finding Flynn’s missing ex-girlfriend, January, by interviewing various people and slowly putting together each clue is very engaging and always leaves me wanting to read and find out more. Additionally, the pace of solving the mystery is appropriate and gives me time as a reader to process every clue and try to solve the mystery by myself based on new information. However, I believe the impact of Flynn struggling to reveal his secret while trying to solve the mystery should be addressed and explained in more depth. Flynn being gay and struggling to reveal this part about his identity to others is a major obstacle that Flynn faces throughout the book. When Flynn tells certain people his secret, he is turned on and abandoned. On the other hand, concealing his secret from others prevents him from learning information or clues that could help him find January. Because of this, I believe this is a major struggle that Flynn faces and should be addressed more than it is in the book. Call of the Wild students should read the book because January’s reasoning for her disappearance reveals the importance of disconnecting from society and taking advantage of the natural world. As Flynn interviews different people that were in contact with January, he discovers the struggles and challenges that January faces before her disappearance. Her step-father is controlling and manipulative, she is forced to work a job where her co-workers harass her and her boss has her work long hours, and she is held back from performing the position in a play at her school that she desires and deserves. Leaving the repetitive world where she feels trapped and limited allows her to discover her own freedom and live life with the experiences that she wishes to have. This book makes significant claims about our relationship with the natural world as an outlet for peace and freedom. When Flynn and January used to hang out before her disappearance, they had a cabin in the woods that they would stay in for hours. The cabin is the only place where the two ever felt at peace and away from their strictly controlled lives. Many times, they sat in the cabin doing nothing but observing their surroundings through the windows of the cabin. They would appreciate and envy the openness and freedom that the trees, plants, and animals had. The theme of the book is finding your purpose. January felt unhappy and stuck in her life where she is controlled by other people and held back from doing the things that she wishes to do. Because of this, she abandons that life and moves away to live on her own where she can finally have the freedom that she needs to be happy. Additionally, while talking with other people to try to find information about January, Flynn slowly reveals the biggest secret that he has in his life, which is him being gay. Through this, he meets his new boyfriend Kaz, who truly makes him happy and allows Flynn to express himself without pretending to be somebody that he is not. I highly recommend this book due to its suspenseful and engaging mystery and developing message of the importance of discovering your purpose and true identity.]]> 2022-01-06 13:48:41 UTC https://padlet.com/dmocarski2/ecv61kmev9cin0aa/wish/1978631119