Bibliography: McMann, Lisa. (2010). Gone. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN: 978-1416979180

Plot Summary:  Dream-catcher Janie is spending the summer between high school and college trying to decide what to do with her life–continue helping the police solve crimes and face ending up blind and crippled, or live an isolated life shut off from boyfriend Cabel and the rest of the world.  When she meets the father she never knew and ends up in his dream, he tells her to consider both choices fully before making her decision.

Critical Analysis:  Having read Wake, Fade, and now Gone, I feel like I know Janie.  She is someone I went to high school with, someone who might live next door, someone I could know, that I want to know.  I think this is a testament to Lisa McMann’s ability to interweave action and character development.

There is no other way I could think for this series to end (since it HAD to end.)  Instead of an external mystery, we see Janie struggling internally to make a decision and come to terms with her future.  At a time when others in her class are looking excitedly outward to their bright futures (Janie’s best friend Carrie provide a perfect contrast), Janie has the weight of her gift fully on her shoulders.  Bringing her dad into the picture provided more background about the character and details about what could happen, depending on her choice.

Janie (and Lisa McMann) will always have a place in my heart.  And for me, I think the ending was perfect and right.  (You can read an interview with the gracious and charming McMann here.)

Review Excerpts:  ”Fans will gain a real appreciation of Janie’s quandary and rally behind the control she musters in her seemingly helpless situation. A fitting completion to this popular series.”–Kirkus Reviews

“This is a fast-paced read…Janie is a strong, appealing character, and the depictions of her emotional turmoil and her painful dilemma are absolutely believable….it is necessary to have read Wake and Fade to understand everything that is occurring.”–School Library Journal

“Cabel remains a steadfast and loving companion, and Janie’s mother, a barely functioning alcoholic, plays a greater role in this volume. The popular trilogy, begun with Wake (2008) and Fade (2009), ends on a hopeful yet open note that will likely have fans clamoring for McMann’s next effort.”–Booklist

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