Finding You

Gr 9 Up—A group of kidnapped girls sold and held captive in a sex-trafficking ring plan their escape. At first, Isla waits for her best friend and crush Tam to rescue her; when weeks go by and she realizes that he is not coming, she takes things into her own hands. By the end, Isla is a reluctant hero, saving herself and others, though not without the help of a powerful man and several friends. The author makes attempts to distinguish the dozen or so girls Isla is imprisoned with and does so with varying success. Some of the girls have well-drawn backstories, but several unfortunately end up as names on a page. Suspense and high-stakes situations move the plot forward while romance also plays a strong role. The setting is an imagined place in a time period similar to the early 1900s. Automobiles are not yet ubiquitous and the young women wear dresses and corsets. In the background are mentions of wars and a rebellion that plays a large role in the story, but these aspects of the world-building are not fleshed out.