Missing Clarissa: A Novel

4.5 stars "Why do girls have to be perfect for their absence to matter?" This was a stunning book that was not only entertaining and engaging but dealt with different injustices (along with the mystery) in such a compelling way. They weren't overblown or included just because, but they popped up naturally throughout the investigation and the discussion over the ethics of true crime reporting. I liked that the problematic elements of true crime were explored and that Cameron's and Blair's perspectives and ideas of what this project meant to them evolved as they conducted their interviews. There were some convenient moments/elements, but as this is a YA mystery, I expected them to be there, and it didn't bother me. Even though this was 3rd person POV (which I generally stay away from) and even though the characters were young (16), I found myself relating to Blair, Cameron and Sophie. Their insecurities, struggles and passion for seeing justice done (and defining what that means to them) felt real and resonated with me. There are some political talking points present (ACAB, abolition, Indigenous land rights), and this just made the book more compelling for me and didn't take away from the story. However, if you don't like politics in fiction books, then this might not be for you. There were also a lot of diverse characters which I loved, and they weren't there to be tokens; the diversity was presented in a quiet, almost understated way. The writing was engaging, and there were some funny moments and pretty, flowery language, but it wasn't over the top or trying to make the prose into something it's not. I thought that the podcast idea was great but that there could've been a bit more of the process/interviews included. I also thought that some elements/characters didn't take away from the story but also didn't really add anything. And finally, the ending was rushed and convenient, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. Overall, I found that this book had a quiet profoundness to it. On the surface, it's a story about two girls doing a true crime podcast for a school project. But as you dig deeper, it becomes so much more."When we started out this whole thing was kind of a joke. It didn't seem real. I didn't think of Clarissa as a person. Which is the whole problem of her story. That's something I understand now. That people didn't see her for who she was when she was alive, and they didn't see her at all after she died. And I want to apologize for that too. For being part of it. For being part of the world that turns girls like Clarissa into stories they can't tell themselves".