Sisterhood and family take central focus in Vanishing Girls, the newest from Lauren Oliver (Delirium; Before I Fall).
Dara and Nick are only 11 months apart and have always been close, in spite of their differences. Dara, the beautiful, free-spirited troublemaker, knows reliable big sister Nick will always cover for her. When a car accident leaves Dara scarred and Nick (at the wheel) with no memory of the accident, the girls' lives spiral in different directions. Dara becomes a recluse, seldom leaving the house and avoiding Nick at all costs. Nick is desperate to reconcile with Dara, but when Dara becomes the second girl to disappear in their town, Nick fears the two cases may be related and that time may be running out. Alternating between Nick's narrative and Dara's diary, Oliver teases out a story of the magnetic pull of family and the choices we make to protect the ones we love.
Lauren Oliver's dramatic mystery is a departure from her earlier novels in that family is the resounding theme. Nick and Dara's home has begun splintering even before their accident. As their family comes together and undone, the girls grapple with their feelings toward each other and their parents. Further complicating their relationship is their friendship with John Parker, the neighbor boy they've been best friends with since childhood. Oliver tackles an impressive number of issues without falling into melodrama. Teenage drinking abounds, and mild drug use is mentioned, but Oliver uses them well within the plot. --Kyla Paterno, reviewer