They'll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman Published by Razorbill on July 27, 2021
Pages: 284
Goodreads
A thriller about two sisters vying for the top spot on their cross-country team--the only way out of their stifling small town. But their dreams are suddenly thrown into peril when a new girl threatens to take away everything they've worked for... until she disappears.
Stella and Ellie Steckler are only a year apart, but their different personalities make their relationship complicated. Stella is single-minded, driven, and keeps to herself. Cross-country running is her life, and she won't let anything get in the way of being the best. Her sister Ellie is a talented runner too, but she also lets herself have fun. She has friends. She goes to parties. She has a life off the course.
The sisters do have one thing in common, though: the new girl, Mila Keene. Both Stecklers' lives are upended when Mila comes to town. Mila was the top runner on her team back home and at first, Ellie and Stella view her as a threat. But soon Ellie can't help but be drawn to her warm, charming personality. After her best friend moved away and her first boyfriend betrayed her, Ellie's been looking for a friend. In a moment of weakness, she even shares her darkest secret with Mila. For her part, Stella finds herself noticing the ways she and Mila are similar. Mila is smart and strong--she's someone Stella can finally connect with. As the two get closer, Stella becomes something she vowed she'd never be: distracted.
With regionals approaching and college scouts taking notice, the pressure is on. Each girl has their future on the line and they won't let friendships get in their way. But then, suddenly, Mila goes out on a training run and never returns. No one knows what happened, but all eyes are on the Steckler sisters.
There are a lot of mixed opinions about this book, but personally, it was exactly what I needed.
From the fast-paced cross-country-based mystery to the blazing sister dynamic, it was the kind of book you can fly through on a lazy afternoon.
As a runner myself, I found myself able to relate to the characters’ struggles in the book which allowed me to connect with the book more than I had expected. However, if you are not an avid cross country participant or watcher, I don’t think the sports references take over the book which is perfect for anyone wanting a quick mystery!
This book follows two sisters, Stella and Ellie (each chapter is told from one of their perspectives) who have polar opposite personalities but both have the drive and ambition to become the best on their cross country team to earn scholarships in college.
This school year, a new runner named Mila joins their small town school, and as the previous top runner at her school, Stella feels threatened that her top spot is falling away. Over time however, by running together they push one another and start to develop a better relationship. While Stella is hesitant at first, she begins to let her guard down and a friendship begins to form between them.
Throughout the book, Ellie also begins to trust Mila and eventually confides in her for help regarding one of her biggest secrets.
However, just when things seem to be improving between Mila and her team, Mila mysteriously disappears when departing for a run in the early morning.
Stella, who had a bad reputation the previous year, is blamed by both the town and the police after the incident, but still, the question remained, what happened to Mila and who else was involved?
As I mentioned earlier, this book was extremely engaging, and for most of it, I couldn’t put it down! From the quick-witted characters to the deeper meanings behind their interactions and the mystery behind it all, I found myself wanting to keep turning the page and go deeper into the story.
More of the background of the years leading up to the summer and school year are revealed throughout the book, and with that came plot twists that even left me in shock.
My favorite part of the book was watching the relationship between Ellie and Stella become stronger, and I think that it was written in a very beautiful, realistic, and heartfelt way. As any pair of siblings do, they had their ups and downs, but together their bond was unbreakable.
If you’re looking for a book to get you out of a reading slump or simply something to entertain you, this one will surely do that, especially towards the end.
The only thing I would say about this book was the initial pace of the book. A lot of the book consists of building anticipation, which is interesting in the beginning, but until the true plot began it got a little bit frustrating.
Although I was engaged for MOST of the book, the beginning was hard to get through!
Second, while I enjoyed watching the characters interact, the actual personalities of the characters aren’t very positive. If you’re the kind of person to get severely irritated by unlikeable characters, that might be something to look out for.
Overall, this was a fun one! While there are varying opinions on this book, I personally enjoyed it, rated it 4 stars, and would recommend it to anyone wanting a quick read. That’s it for now, but have a great week and comment if you read this book. Happy reading!
Even though going out for a jog can make you feel alive and whole and powerful, it also leave you vulnerable and alone. But we keep running anyway. Because we have no other choice. We run in spite of this. We run knowing the dangers, knowing who we are and why we could be targeted. But that won’t stop us.
Jessica Goodman
No Comments