Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com
It's never easy to lose a sibling. When you actually see your younger brother die in front of you, though, it's even worse.
That's what happened when Justin, playing around with his twelve-year-old brother, Mark, saw his brother accidentally shoot himself in the head with their father's gun. For almost a year now, Justin has been plagued by ever-increasing problems. The guilt is horrible, as are the questions that keep running through his mind: Was Mark's death his fault? Did Mark really shoot himself by accident?
Although Justin is supposed to be on medication to help with his depression, he's stopped taking it. There's a voice inside his head that makes him relive his brother's death over and over again on a daily basis. His mother is alternately hostile and nonchalant towards her remaining son. His father doesn't have much to say beyond "don't upset your mother." In this family, guilt is a constant, nagging reminder of what could have been, and what is instead.
Ms. Morgenroth is great at creating realistic situations and characters that pull at the heartstrings. Although you can see this family breaking down inside the pages of ECHO, it's not immediately clear how each family member is dealing with Mark's death -- or, rather, not dealing with it.
I recommend this book for older teens, especially those who have dealt with loss and/or depression. ECHO is a psychological thriller that you won't want to miss.
It's never easy to lose a sibling. When you actually see your younger brother die in front of you, though, it's even worse.
That's what happened when Justin, playing around with his twelve-year-old brother, Mark, saw his brother accidentally shoot himself in the head with their father's gun. For almost a year now, Justin has been plagued by ever-increasing problems. The guilt is horrible, as are the questions that keep running through his mind: Was Mark's death his fault? Did Mark really shoot himself by accident?
Although Justin is supposed to be on medication to help with his depression, he's stopped taking it. There's a voice inside his head that makes him relive his brother's death over and over again on a daily basis. His mother is alternately hostile and nonchalant towards her remaining son. His father doesn't have much to say beyond "don't upset your mother." In this family, guilt is a constant, nagging reminder of what could have been, and what is instead.
Ms. Morgenroth is great at creating realistic situations and characters that pull at the heartstrings. Although you can see this family breaking down inside the pages of ECHO, it's not immediately clear how each family member is dealing with Mark's death -- or, rather, not dealing with it.
I recommend this book for older teens, especially those who have dealt with loss and/or depression. ECHO is a psychological thriller that you won't want to miss.
