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Reviewed by Mimie Odigwe for Readers' Favorite
In A Disappearing World by Julia Kitlinski-Hong, Violet Chen has always been the black sheep of her family. Her clothes get disapproving looks, she can never measure up to her older sister Bella, a student at Johns Hopkins, and her anxiety weighs heavy on her, keeping her at constant odds with her mother. When she is sent off to Sunrise, a therapeutic boarding school in scenic Montana, promising emotional growth for struggling teens, Violet soon realizes that behind the façade, Sunrise is a nightmare. She is trapped in a school where she is constantly monitored, students are drugged and turned against each other, rights are turned into privileges, and the only way to get out is to be broken and compliant. As Violet endures her time at Sunrise, her mind begins to slip, making her journey dark and heavy.
A Disappearing World by Julia Kitlinski-Hong is a poignant exploration of self-identity, dysfunctional family dynamics, friendship, and modern captivity. It is heartbreaking to imagine schools like Sunrise existing outside the borders of fiction—schools that break already fragile minds, manipulating, bullying, and subduing students into the picture-perfect children their parents desire. Julia Kitlinski-Hong is a talented writer whose immersive and evocative prose brings the story to life. A Disappearing World is not just a tale of abuse but also one of resilience, friendship, and mental health. Characters are vividly portrayed. I still think of Oliver and how he may end up. Readers should be aware of triggers such as psychological abuse, emotional neglect, self-harm, and suicide. Ultimately, this book is a powerful and unforgettable examination of some teens' harsh realities and the strength required to survive.
