What Has Become of You by Jan Elizabeth Watson

What if a teacher’s most promising pupil is also her most dangerous? A tautly plotted psychological thriller, as intelligent as it is mesmerizing

What Has Become of You follows Vera Lundy, an aspiring crime writer and master of self-deprecation who, like many adults, has survived adolescence but hasn’t entirely overcome it. When she agrees to fill in for a private school English teacher on maternity leave, teaching The Catcher in the Rye to privileged girls, Vera feels in over her head. The students are on edge, too, due to the recent murder of a local girl close to their age.

Enter Jensen Willard. At fifteen she’s already a gifted writer but also self-destructive and eerily reminiscent of Vera’s younger self. As the two outcasts forge a tentative bond, a sense of menace enfolds their small New England town. When another student, new to the country, is imperiled by her beliefs, Vera finds herself in the vortex of danger—and suspicion.

With the threat of a killer at large, the disappearance of her increasingly worri-some pupil, and her own professional reputation at stake, Vera must thread her way among what is right by the law, by her students, and by herself. In this poignant page-turner, populated with beguiling characters and sharp social insights, coming-of-age can happen no matter how old you are.

Goodreads Summary

Jensen is that lost student with a lot of talent who needs some guidance. She can go one of two ways; Shape up and really figure things out, or go off the deep end and completely loose herself. There is a plot twist around every turn here and you will be enjoying every second of it as you get further into the story. What makes it even worse for Jensen's mentor is that she see a lot of herself in Jensen so it is hard for her to blame her for acting and thinking certain ways. Either way, she feels an obligation to give a push in the right direction and a sense of duty to do everything in her power to make things right.

I like the reluctant mentor situation going on. I can see this being a problem that a lot of parents have when raising kids of their own. They know that the kid is in some ways thinking like they did and they try their hardest to stop us from making the same mistakes as we grow up. Beyond that Watson has created a great cast of true to life characters that are believable and easy to get attached to. Will Jensen's writing hone into something that is great or will she fall from graces? Read yourself to find out.

4 Stars

*Reviewed by Chris*

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