The Shattering

Karen Healey

Sep 2011 · Sold by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

About this ebook

Seventeen-year-old Keri likes to plan for every possibility. She knows what to do if you break an arm, or get caught in an earthquake or fire. But she wasn't prepared for her brother's suicide, and his death has left her shattered with grief. When her childhood friend Janna tells her it was murder, not suicide, Keri wants to believe her. After all, Janna's brother died under similar circumstances years ago, and Janna insists a visiting tourist, Sione, who also lost a brother to apparent suicide that year, has helped her find some answers.

As the three dig deeper, disturbing facts begin to pile up: one boy killed every year; all older brothers; all had spent New Year's Eve in the idyllic town of Summerton. But when their search for the serial killer takes an unexpected turn, suspicion is cast on those they trust the most.

As secrets shatter around them, can they save the next victim? Or will they become victims themselves?

Ratings and reviews

“If you want to find out who murdered your brother, follow me.” (from jacket) The summary of Karen Healey’s "The Shattering" offers a mysterious tale of murder/suicide, with a possible serial killer. I love a good mystery and I was immediately sold on the idea of "The Shattering." Keri, Janna and Sione have one thing in common; they have all lost someone close to them in an apparent suicide. They come together to prove that their loved ones didn’t end their lives but that their lives were taken. As they research the multiple deaths in the small New Zealand town, they find a dark pattern amongst the beauty of the seaside tourist spot. Will they solve the mystery before another life is lost? Or will they become victims themselves? "The Shattering" brings together many touchy topics such as suicide, bullying, and gays with a magical twist. The magical twist was interesting and was completely unexpected, given the summary. It lightened the plot in some ways but added to the intensity of the storyline in others. The pacing of the story was a bit slow, lacking momentum. The characters as individuals were intriguing but didn’t seem to fit together very well. Keri’s OCD made her almost unlikeable. Janna was a little too tacky for me. Sione was very weak but understandably so. I felt sorry for each of them and their individual life stories, but as a team, they were disjointed. Overall, I enjoyed the mystery quality of the story. It was intriguing enough to keep me reading, regardless of the slow pacing. The multiple point-of-views were a tad distracting but allowed for insight into each of the characters. The ending was a complete shock, making the entire novel a worthy read. Readers that enjoy the paranormal, magic, and intense topics will enjoy "The Shattering."

When is suicide not suicide? In the Shattering we meet three characters who share one thing in common, the death of an older brother. Keri is someone who has everything all figured out. She seems to always know what to do in any situation. That is until her brother’s death. Enter her friend Janna whose brother died a few years before and Sione who not only lost his brother but believes it was not a suicide. These three begin to stir things up as they are motivated to find out what is really going on in Summerton, New Zealand. Things are definitely not what they seem. This was an interesting story. I have enough trouble trying to figure out how to write in one POV. Karen Healey has stepped it up a notch. Keri’ POV is told in first person, whereas both Janna and Sione have their POV told in third person. Believe it or not this really works for this book. Readers who are not familiar with many of the words used in New Zealand can easily figure them out from the context. For those who like to just skip over those unknown words and hope they can continue on, I am speaking to many of my students, there is a section in the back of the book that can help with that. The Characters were well developed and believable. They came across as your typical teens. I would not put this on my shelves for my sixth graders to read as the topic can be quite disturbing. However, those more mature students I have will enjoy it. I do keep those books in a closet for my more mature readers and those whose parents have given permission for them to read that particular type of material. The book deals with multiple issues and shows how those issues can be handled inappropriately. So after saying all of that would I recommend this book? Most definitely.

this book is very good so far i hope that she finds out who killed her brother, and i hope that she do whats best for her.

About the author

Karen Healey is the author of the Aurealis winner and William C. Morris Debut Award finalist Guardian of the Dead, The Shattering, and When We Wake. She technically lives in New Zealand, but actually lives on the internet. You can find her at karenhealey.com.