Unseen Companion

Unseen Companion is very heart-felt story, beautifully written by Denise Gosliner Orenstein. Orenstein has also written The Secret Twin and When the Wind Blows Hard. Both, When the Wind Blows Hard and Unseen Companion are about rural Alaska and her own experiences living there. Also, The Secret Twin and Unseen Companion are both told in third person omniscient. The theme of the story is finding yourself and helping others. All of the characters have faced helping someone and then finding themselves as a result of showing kindness.

When a young boy named Dove Alexie is brought to the county jail in Bethel, Alaska, the presence of a minor in the jail brings up some questions. One day, Dove mysteriously disappears and there is no trace of him leaving or even being in the jail in the first place. His disappearance brings 4 unique voices together to solve mystery. Lorraine Hobbs is the county jail’s chief, who only gets a glimpse of the beaten Dove. Annette Weinland is the minister’s daughter and works the office up at the jail. Finally, Thelma Cooke and Edgar Kwagley are troubled students that knew Dove at the local boarding school. Each character in the story has to deal with the isolation and loneliness of being a teen in a little town in Alaska. Lorraine seeks comfort between the pages of teen fashion magazines. Annette rebels against her strict father by stealing money. Edgar takes refuge in alcohol and drinks heavily at the adoption house he lives in when it is summer. Finally, Thelma allows herself to be sexually used by her school’s counselor.  The characters in this story have to all deal with their demons while trying to find Dove.

Unseen Companion was a passable book to read. I have a bitter-sweet feeling about this book. I like it but I don’t at the same time. The book was a little confusing. It didn’t really have a well-developed climax. There was no time in the story were something exciting was happening or when it changed the whole story. I would recommend that you do not read this book because it is very disorienting and you can’t really connect to the story and to the characters. 

Book Review by Sophie B.